"Murder, Betrayal, Shakespeare... Hello."

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Dearest Toon Squad,

Welcome to the inaugural TOONSTACK! We are a group of cartoonists who post a loooot of work for free on social media, and thought, let’s all get together and give you a MEGAZORD of cartoons. Each week we’ll bring you a gaggle of gags around a different theme. We’re going to experiment with format and content — we want to bring you in to a behind-the-scenes look at how we make the cartoon sausage, and we want to bring a little joy to your inbox. 

Social media is a great way for us to post work that is uncompensated and immediately out of our control. We’re trying to steer the ship here, and the ship is our career. The ship is also cartoons.

IDES HEADS know what’s up on March 15th: this is a day of betrayal, murder, Shakespeare and final words uttered in Latin. And what better way to ring in our new Substack — a website that is so dangerous to journalism that it constitutes the ultimate betrayal — than on FUCKING IDES BABY? Happy b-day (betrayal day). 

Rather than introduce ourselves individually to you with two truths and a lie, we’re each going to show you some Ides-themed cartoons and give a little blurb about them. 

All Of Our Love.

Somehow, clicking this hyperlink lets you tell your friends!

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Hilary Campbell

I, Hilary Campbell, a lover of true crime, honestly still had to google “what is the ides of march?” because I still don’t really understand. That being said, here are two cartoons concerning MURDER.

Kendra Allenby Presents Three Options:

The Shakespeare-Monkey Angle

The Medea-Murder Angle

The Food Photography Angle

Sofia Warren

The Ides of March: my favorite holiday. Why? Because 364 days a year, I am a mild-mannered cartoonist, hiding behind a pencil (where is she?). But on THE IDES, nothing is as it seems! Every word a whisper! Every action a betrayal! Every group is conspiring! No person is innocent! So you would be forgiven, if you were a mild-mannered cartoonist, for letting your big, histrionic spirit out of its box. 

Sofia also has an illustrated advice column!

Ellis Rosen

I love the Ides, but only because I really hate Caesar. He thinks he’s so great because everyone knows who he is and they write books about him. So what? What did he even do that was so great? Rise through the ranks to become one of the most powerful men in the Roman republic? Eventually became its de facto ruler and was even deified? Changed the calendar? I could do that! In fact I’m going to add a new month right now. See you next Blebember! 

Ellis and Sofia have an Ides of March Pinterest board!

Amy Kurzweil

Murder?? None for me, thanks. I have to close my eyes whenever someone on TV curses or stubs their toe. But Shakespeare? Yes please! That I can do… -Amy 

Amy is teaching a class this month!

Johnny DiNapoli

When you think about it, Julius Caesar and Scream (1996) are really the same story. 1. They both take place in Woodsboro, California. 2. They both follow a group of lovable yet mysterious teenagers and 3. The killer’s identity is never revealed. 

Jason Adam Katzenstein

As a New York Jew who grew up in California, it is illegal for me not to weigh in on discourse about NY vs. LA bagels. Et tu, paper of record? 

Shakespeare, if you have symptoms you should be quarantining, not walking around in public trying to smell roses! Wear a mask, Shakespeare! Bad bard. 

Navied Mahdavian

This Ides of March I’d like to clear the air once and for all and point out a common misconception. Julius Caesar wasn’t actually stabbed 23 times by 60 knife-wielding crazed conspirators. He was “murdered” on the dance floor by Brutus and his dance troupe, King B and his Sensational Senators (Popus and Lockus in the original Latin). 

But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?

It is the east, and Juliet still isn’t ready.

Shelby Lorman

My ultimate betrayal is I am not a New Yorker cartoonist. I don’t even draw bodies. Chaos reigns.