Who To Blame?

Cartoon by Barry

Script:

PANELS 1 & 2. The Federal Reserve, depicted as a professorial-looking man (bow tie, pipe), cheerily talking to a balding, working-class looking dude in an undershirt. Working class dude is listening without much expression.
FEDERAL RESERVE: hi! i’m the federal reserve! i practically run the economy! i COULD use my powers to lower unemployment, but INVESTORS don’t want that. in fact, whenever unemployment gets LOW, i make it go UP. because that’s what wall street wants. i purposely create unemployment!
PANELS 3 & 4 The Federal Reserve is gone, and in his place is The Banking Industry, depicted as a balding man in a vest, tie and jacket, and with dollar bills floating in the air around him. Banking Industry is even more cheerful than Federal Reserve was. Working class dude continues listening expressionlessly.
BANKING INDUSTRY: hey there! I’m the banking industry. i pack the government with my friends, and gamble wildly until i destroy the entire economy. after that, i’ll get bailed out with YOUR tax dollars. then i’ll foreclose on the horribly inequitable mortgage i sold you and take your home!
PANEL 5: Man wearing Uncle Sam hat has now replaced Banking Industry. Uncle Sam waves cheerily. Working Class Dude continues to listen expressionlessly.
UNCLE SAM: greetings! i’m your goverment!
PANEL 6: Uncle Sam leans in and whispers. Working Class Dude continues to listen expressionlessly.
UNCLE SAM: i make little GESTURES towards reform, but in the end i always take the banks’ side! because they totally OWN me!
PANELS 7 & 8: An Immigrant Dude replaces Uncle Sam, and speaks cheerfully. Immigrant Dude looks exactly like Working Class Dude, except his skin is a little darker. Working Class Dude continues to listen expressionlessly.
IMMIGRANT DUDE: hello! i’m an immigrant. i just want to work hard to feed my family.
PANEL 9: Working Class Dude yells very loudly and angrily; Immigrant Dude winces back in surprise.
WORKING CLASS DUDE: QUIT RUINING MY LIFE, YOU SELFISH BASTARD!!

Posted in Barry's favorites, Economic cartoons, Immigration, Racism & Racists |

Pro Life Terrorism

Cartoon by Barry

If you like these cartoons, please help me make more by supporting my Patreon! A $1 pledge means a lot.

TRANSCRIPT OF CARTOON

This cartoon has six panels. Each panel features a grotesque looking man, wearing a shirt and tie, talking directly tot he viewer. He has unnaturally large mouth and hands, and his large eyes are in the shadow of a prominent brow.

In addition to the six panels, there’s a tiny “kicker” panel at the bottom of the cartoon.

PANEL 1

The man is yelling at the reader, mouth huge.

MAN: THAT ABORTION DOCTOR HAS BLOOD ON HIS HANDS! THERE’S A SPECIAL PLACE IN HELL FOR THIS GUY! HE’S WORSE THAN STALIN!

PANEL 2

The man smiles and holds up a head shot photo of a man. He speaks in a much softer tone.

MAN: By the way, here’s the baby murderer’s photo. You should know what he looks like… “just in case.”

PANEL 3

The man is back to yelling.

MAN: THIS ABORTION DOCTOR IS JUST LIKE HITLER IF HITLER KILLED BABIES INSTEAD OF JEWS!

PANEL 4

The man puts a hand beside his mouth, as if whispering. He is smiling and talking softly again.

MAN: By the way, the baby murderer’s home address and work address are on our website!

PANEL 5

The man begins yelling again, but he stops to respond in a normal voice to someone off panel.

MAN: “DOCTOR BABY KILLER” RUNS A DEATH CAMP! HE… what?

MAN: Someone shot the doctor and he’s dead?

PANEL 6

The man, holding his hands with fingers intertwined in front of him, is putting on a display of being sad and shocked.

MAN: Golly, no one could have possibly known that would happen! Naturally I condemn this act of violence…

TINY KICKER PANEL AT BOTTOM OF STRIP

The man is smiling again as he speaks.

MAN: Now, the names and addresses of the remaining baby murderers are…

This cartoon was drawn shortly after George Tiller’s murder in 2009. Here’s the original wording:

Posted in Abortion, Barry's favorites, Sexism & Misogyny |

Top Ten Reasons Not To Regulate Dangerous Chemicals In Cosmetics

Cartoon by Barry

Posted in Barry's favorites |

A Brief Guide To What Society Values

Cartoon by Barry

Posted in Barry's favorites, Economic cartoons, Labor rights & Unions |

Going To The Scary Place

Cartoon by Barry

TRANSCRIPT OF CARTOON

This cartoon has six panels, with a caption at bottom. The caption says “GOING TO THE SCARY PLACE.”

All the panels depict two woman, talking as they walk through a residential neighborhood, with fences and houses and trees. One woman is wearing jeans and a peacoat; the other is wearing a sweater over a long flowy skirt.

PANEL 1

PEACOAT: I’m still not sure if subprime mortgages were a good or a bad thing.

SWEATER: How so?

PANEL 2

PEACOAT: On the one hand, when credit companies tempt poor people with mortgages they can’t afford, we end up with lots of poor people losing their homes and life savings!

PANEL 3

A closeup of Peacoat. She’s looking a bit angry and making a palms-up gesture with her hands that I’d roughly translate as “what the fuck?”

PEACOAT: But without subprime mortgages, who’d make it possible for poor people to buy homes and build up security? Poor folks get screwed either way.

PANEL 4

Sweater talks seriously, her arms folded on her chest. She’s got her mouth open WAAAAY wide, and I have no idea why I drew it that way (I’m typing this transcript in 2019, and this cartoon was drawn in 2007).

SWEATER: I see what you mean. But we can’t even begin to get out of that trap without looking at the root problems of an economy that values profits over people.

PANEL 5

Close-up on Sweater. She’s getting a bit excited/angry as she talks, waving her arms and with an intense expression.

SWEATER: The left has to stop being so afraid of questioning capitalism, and so afraid of looking at socialism when it makes sense!

PANEL 6

Sweater has a questioning expression as she looks up into a tree. Peacoat can no longer be seen, and her word balloon is coming down from the tree.

SWEATER: er… Why are you hiding in that tree?

PEACOAT (speaking from tree): Y-y-you said th-th-the “S” word!

SWEATER: See, this is exactly the sort of thing I’m talking about.

Posted in Barry's favorites, Economic cartoons |

Ethanol Helps The Earth

Cartoon by Barry

Posted in Barry's favorites, Environmental cartoons |

Free Market Man in “Health Care Adventure”

Cartoon by Barry

Originally published in Dollars and Sense. A tip of the pen to Ezra Klein’s blog, my favorite health care policy blog.

Posted in Barry's favorites, Economic cartoons, Health care |

White Lies

Cartoon by Barry

Posted in Barry's favorites, Immigration, Racism & Racists |

It’s a Tidy System

Cartoon by Barry

Posted in Barry's favorites, Elections, Health care, Media criticism |

History Marches On; Nativism Marches In Place

Cartoon by Barry

TRANSCRIPT OF CARTOON

This cartoon has four panels, with a caption running under the entire cartoon.

PANEL 1

A white man dressed in upper-class American Revolution era clothing punches his fist into his open palm as he angrily makes a point. He is balding on top, with the rest of his hair pulled back into a short ponytail. (I intended this to be a caricature of founding father John Jay, but it’s not an especially good one!)

CAPTION: 1780

MAN: Papist immigrants are wrecking our economy with their fecundity! We must erect a wall of brass around the country for the exclusion of Catholics!

Footnote: (“Wall of Brass…” is quoted from John Jay, the first chief justice of the Supreme Court.)

PANEL 2

A wealthy-looking white man in 1850s clothing, sitting in an armchair, looks very snooty as he holds up a forefinger, making a point. He has a newspaper held in his lap by the other hand, and a teacup on a little round table next to the armchair.

CAPTION: 1850

MAN: Chinese immigrants refuse to assimilate… and if we let too many in, they’ll undermine our economy!

PANEL 3

A white man in a dull green 1920s suit and hat talks cheerfully, looking straight at the viewer, “talking with his hands.” There’s a house and a tree behind him.

CAPTION: 1920

MAN: Now, I’ve not nothing against Jews…. but the Jews are coming in huge numbers! The economy can’t take it!

PANEL 4

A modern-looking family – a white man, white woman, and their small child – are standing inside what’s probably their house. The man is pounding his fist into his palm as he angrily speaks. The woman has her arms crossed. The child, holding a teddy bear, looks curiously up at her mom.

CAPTION: NOW

MAN: We’ve got nothing against Mexicans. But they refuse to assimilate! They’re ruining our economy!

WOMAN: We should erect a wall.

GOING ACROSS THE ENTIRE BOTTOM OF THE STRIP

CAPTION: History Marches On; Nativism Marches In Place

Posted in Barry's favorites, History, Immigration, Racism & Racists |

The Story Of Bob And Race

Cartoon by Barry

The colors for this cartoon are by Peggy von Burkleo. Check out her webcomic Samhain Night.

Transcript of cartoon.
Panel 1
A white politician in a podium is making a speech.
CAPTION: How Bob’s Great-Grandparents got into the USA.
POLITICIAN: Our immigration laws should make it easier for the right kind of people to immigrate.

Panel 2
An office environment (presumably a bank office). At a desk in the foreground, a smiling banker shakes hands with a smiling white couple. At a desk in the background, a white banker is speaking to an unhappy looking Black couple.
CAPTION: How Bob’s grandparents became homeowners.
BANKER TALKING TO WHITE COUPLE: We’re happy to approve your mortgage loan!
BANKER TALKING TO BLACK COUPLE: Sorry, we can’t help you.

Panel 3
In the foreground, a white, prosperous-looking man in a business suit puts his arm around a younger man’s shoulder, in a mentoring sort of way. In the background, another white businessman dismisses a young Black man in a suit.
CAPTION: How Bob’s Dad began his career.
BUSINESSMAN: We like you… You seem like one of US. We’re offering you a foot in the door.
OTHER BUSINESSMAN: Sorry, the position’s been filled.

Panel 4
A white woman with a clipboard talks to a young white couple. The man of the couple is whispering something to his wife.
CAPTION: How Bob’s parents became homeowners.
CLIPBOARD WOMAN: We only show homes in THIS neighborhood to the RIGHT sort of people.
MAN (WHISPERS TO WIFE): Lucky your parents can help us with the down payment.

Panel 5
In the foreground, a blonde cop speaks sternly to a young white man. In the background, a dark-haired white cop leads a young black woman away in handcuffs.
CAPTION: How Bob got through his teens.
BLONDE COP: I’ll let you off with a warning… But if I catch you with drugs again…!
DARK-HAIRED COP: Kid, you’re under arrest!

Panel 6
A young man with a somewhat puzzled expression shrugs as he speaks directly to the readers.
CAPTION: Bob.
BOB: I’VE never benefited from racism!

Posted in Barry's favorites, History, Immigration, Racism & Racists |

Such An Easy Mistake To Make

Cartoon by Barry

TRANSCRIPT OF CARTOON

This cartoon has four panels, plus a tiny fifth “kicker” panel at the end. Below the entire cartoon, a large caption says SUCH AN EASY MISTAKE TO MAKE.

All panels show two women, on a suburban looking sidewalk, waiting by a sign that says “bus.”  One woman has black hair in a ponytail, is wearing a hoodie and a calf-length black skirt, and is carrying a purse. The other woman has short, spiky blonde hair, a sleeve tattoo covering her left arm, and is wearing pinstripe pants with a black sweater-vest over a white tee shirt.

PANEL 1

The woman with the ponytail is leaning towards the woman with the spiky haircut. The woman with a spiky haircut is holding a cell phone. (It’s a flip phone, because this cartoon was drawn in 2009 and flip phones were the ultimate in cool.)

PONYTAIL: Excuse me, I overheard what you said on your cell phone… and I totally agree. A transsexual just isn’t a woman!

SPIKY: Oh! Well, thank you. It sometimes feels like the whole idea of “woman” is being attacked.

PANEL 2

Both women’s body language gets very energized as they bounce off each other’s ideas. Ponytail holds out her arms, palms up, in a “come on!” gesture; Spiky leans in, smiling, and holds up a finger to make a point.

PONYTAIL: Exactly! I’m sorry, but there’s so much more to being a woman than wearing a dress or having some surgery!

SPIKY: Yes, yes, yes! There’s something essential that men can’t just buy from surgeons!

PANEL 3

Ponytail looks annoyed as she thinks about being called a transphobe; Spiky angrily agrees with her, spreading her arms wide.

PONYTAIL: You wanna know what I really hate? The word transphobia!

SPIKY: Me too! The word is a scare tactic they use to silence anyone who disagrees with the trans agenda.

PANEL 4

Ponytail, very happy, holds her hands together in front of her. Spiky, smiling, holds a hand to her chest in a “me?” gesture.

PONYTAIL: This is so nice… I love meeting other radical feminists!

SPIKY: Radical feminist? Are you kidding? I’m a conservative Christian!

TINY KICKER PANEL AT THE BOTTOM

Ponytail facepalms as Spiky looks a little disappointed.

SPIKY: Does this mean we can’t be friends?

This cartoon on Patreon.

Posted in Barry's favorites, LGBT cartoons |

Can’t They Just Water Their Crops With Coke?

Cartoon by Barry

Posted in Barry's favorites, Economic cartoons, Environmental cartoons, Imperialism & War, Racism & Racists |

With God On Their Side / My God

Cartoon by Barry

Posted in Barry's favorites, Imperialism & War, LGBT cartoons, Religion and Atheism, Sexism & Misogyny |

Objectivity Funnies

Cartoon by Barry

TRANSCRIPT OF CARTOON

This cartoon has nine panels.

Panel 1:

This panel shows a TV, and on the TV is an anchorman shrugging and looking sad.

Title: Objectivity Funnies!
Subtitle: Featuring the “liberal” media!
Anchorman: I just want to be fair!

Panel 2:

The TV again, with the anchorman, now smiling vapidly, as he will for the remainder of the cartoon.

Anchorman: Welcome to “Science Chat.” Tonight: Climate Change. Here representing the left is Mr. Boring T. Expert.

Panel 3:

The Anchorman gestures to an academic looking man wearing a tie, Mr. Expert.

Anchorman: Mr. Expert has taught environmental science at Stanford and Yale and now works for NASA.

Panel 4:

The camera shifts and the smiling Anchorman gestures to his other guest, an eccentric looking man with a bow tie.

Anchorman: And representing the right, Mr. Whatt A. Tool, who has appeared on Breitbart and on Fox News!

Whatt A. Tool: Hi!

Panel 5:

Anchorman: Mr. Expert, is climate change a threat?
Mr. Expert: Absolutely! If we don’t act quickly, we face worldwide disaster!

Panel 6:

Whatt A. Tool: But Mr. Expert forgets that magical elves will eat all the extra heat!

Panel 7:

Anchorman: I see! Well, I could make a judgment call here, but that could open me up to charges of “bias.” I don’t want that.

Panel 8:

Anchorman: So I’ll just say there’s no way to resolve these complex technical claims! That’s right, they both have equal merit!

Panel 9:

Mr. Expert leans forward to directly address the camera, with a sad and frustrated expression.

Anchorman: Thank you and good night!
Whatt A. Tool: Great show!
Mr. Expert: Why do I even bother?

CHICKEN FAT WATCH

This cartoon is from years before I started making a point of inserting chicken fat gags, so there’s not much. But in panel 2, a cheerful dog is watching TV. And in panel 7, the chyron at the bottom of the screen says “yadda yadda yadda.”

Posted in Barry's favorites, Media criticism |

Disney, Mickey Mouse and Copyright: How Do You Spell Contempt?

Cartoon by Barry

Panel five was so much fun to draw.

Posted in Barry's favorites, Media criticism |

It All Depends On How You Define The Problem

Cartoon by Barry

Posted in Barry's favorites, Elections |

Another Mom Gets Screwed Over By A Tiny Advantage

Cartoon by Barry

Posted in Barry's favorites, Economic cartoons, Labor rights & Unions, Sexism & Misogyny |

The Modern Midas

Cartoon by Barry

Posted in Barry's favorites, Economic cartoons, Imperialism & War, Labor rights & Unions |

At The Bus Stop

Cartoon by Barry

If you like these cartoons, please support them on Patreon! A $1 pledge really helps.

TRANSCRIPT OF CARTOON

This cartoon has nine panels. Each of them focuses on a green public bench, which is next to a bus stop sign.

PANEL 1

A woman in a polka-dot skirt and tee shirt is sitting on the bench. She’s picking up her backpack, which is beside her, taking up the other seat on the bench. A man with a rolled-up newspaper under his arm is standing next to the bench; we can’t see his face yet.

WOMAN (thought balloon): Better move my bag so this guy can sit down…

PANEL 2

The man has sat down next to her, and is now reading his newspaper. The woman looks at him, looking shocked.

WOMAN (thought): Wait, he’s Black!

PANEL 3

A close-up of the woman clutching her hands to each other and looking anxious.

WOMAN (thought): What if he thinks I moved the bag to keep him from stealing it?

PANEL 4

The woman continues looking anxious, biting her fingernails. Next to her, the man is still engrossed in his newspaper.

WOMAN (thought): Geez, he mus think I’m a total racist scum!

PANEL 5

A closer shot of the woman, concentrating as she things, a finger on her chin.

WOMAN (thought): But then, what if I hadn’t moved the bag?

PANEL 6

A close up of the woman, who is shrugging.

WOMAN (thought): Then I would have been racist for not offering him a seat!

PANEL 7

The woman leans her head on one hand, the other hand by her chin, and has a grumpy, resentful expression.

WOMAN (thought): It’s damned if I do and damned if I don’t!

PANEL 8

A close up of the woman, hands clutching the air in frustration, now looking quite angry.

PANEL 9

The woman turns and yells at the man. The man looks up from his newspaper, seeming a little surprised.

WOMAN: Why must you Blacks be son sensitive!

MAN (thought): ?

Posted in Barry's favorites, Racism & Racists |