Our Highest Priority
February 6th, 2025 Barry Posted in Becky Hawkins collaborations | No Comments »
This cartoon is by me and Becky Hawkins.
TRANSCRIPT OF CARTOON
This cartoon has four panels. All four panels are set in a fancy-looking government office. There are two characters, a scientist (we can tell she’s a scientist because she’s wearing a white lab coat) and Uncle Sam.
PANEL 1
The scientist is holding a clipboard and explaining something to Uncle Sam. Uncle Sam reacts dramatically, raising a finger into the air and looking determined.
SCIENTIST: Over three hundred child pedestrians were killed in accidents last year, and thousands more injured.
SAM: That’s awful! Keeping kids safe is our highest priority! What can we do?
PANEL 2
SCIENTIST: The best first step is to slow traffic down! Speed bumps, traffic circles, lower speed limits, traffic cameras… Slower cars save lives.
SAM: Hmm… Uh huh.
PANEL 3
The scientist pulls down a big display, which shows a childish drawing of an SUV hitting four stickfigure children. The stickfigure children go flying, and have “X”s for eyes. Sam looks fearful.
SCIENTIST: And we should do something about oversized SUVs and trucks with high blunt noses. People think they’re safer, but when they hit kids they’re deadly.
SAM: So we need to regulate them?
PANEL 4
Uncle Sam backs away, fake grinning and holding up his palms in a “stop” gesture.
SCIENTIST: No, we need to ban them.
SAM: Hey, aren’t we catastrophizing? People can always make new kids, right?
CHICKEN FAT WATCH
“Chicken fat” is obsolete cartoonist terminology for unimportant details cartoonists sneak in.
The front of the desk has the Great Seal of the United States attached to it, with an image of a bald eagle holding a bundle of arrows and an olive branch in its talons. But in panel two it’s holding a lit stick of dynamite and an open beer can. And in panel four it’s holding a rifle and a smartphone.
On the shelves behind the desk is a bust. In panel one, it’s a bust of George Washington labeled “GW.” In panel two, it’s a bust of Linn Manual Miranda, labeled “LMM.” And in panel four, it’s a bust of E.T., labeled “ET.”
