My Favorite Things

Are Cartoons

Happy New Year! The new year is a time for reflection, to consider what is important to us. Our favorite things, if you will. Like, raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens. And cream-colored ponies and schnitzel with noodles, and classic musicals from the ‘60s about the power of frolicking in the Swiss alps while on the run from Nazis. Someone get me some schnitzel with noodles, pronto.

Being cartoonists, our favorite things are obviously sex, drugs, and the unceasing approval of others. It’s why we got into this wacky business in the first place. But more than anything, we like cartoons. And we all have favorites. Favorites from other people, and favorites of our own. This week I’ve asked my fellow Toonstackers to share their favorite cartoons. Like this one by Ed Steed, which is a personal favorite.

I mean, perfection.

*Cue music*

Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles, cartoons about penises, and you, dear Toonstack reader.

These are just some of my favorite things.

Happy new year,

Navied

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Jared Nangle

This Sam Gross cartoon is one of my favorites ever because of Sam's effortless attention to detail-- the monster's sheepish posture, the casual walk, the calm, matter-of-fact eyes, and of course, the lady's face. It's a perfect cartoon that makes me laugh every time I look at it.

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Emily Flake

I am happy and grateful to be a New Yorker cartoonist, but let's be honest - wouldn't we *all* like to have had work in Penthouse? No? Just me? OK FINE, but that's where this gem, by Revilo (the nom de gag of Oliver Christenson) appeared. ("Why do you know that, Emily?" BECAUSE THIS PERV LOVES AN OLD SKIN MAG, BROTHER) I don't remember when I first saw it, but I mentioned it in a podcast, and a few days later a Xerox of it showed up in the mail - hats off to the committed listener who performed this mitzvah. This cartoon lives right in my zone of interest - a cute domestic scene gone dark, dark, dark. The kid covering his mouth mid-giggle gets me every time. And the fact that the children knew to tie mommy and daddy off? Those kids COMMITTED to the BIT. Respect.

That said, if my kid ever gets me hooked on smack, she's grounded.

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Hilary Campbell

THIS IS THE HEIGHT OF COMEDY

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Jason Chatfield

This is my favourite cartoon-- not necessarily because it's the funniest joke I've done, or best drawing-- but because it's the only joke I've ever had to actually 'fight' for over a long period of time before an editor finally bought and published it. The above version is the first draft. It changed many, many times before I finally got it over the line with a little help from fellow cartoonist, Joe Dator. It's kind of a long story, but you can read about it here.

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Brendan Loper

Choosing one’s favorite cartoon is almost an impossible task. So, I started by choosing my favorite cartoonist. That would be George Booth.

Unfortunately, that led me to an equally impossible task, choosing a favorite Booth cartoon. He has so, so, so, so, so many. Off the top of my head, there’s the two old ladies sitting on a bench in the park narrating a mugging “kaboom.” There’s his toon “Whistle, you dumb bastard!” where two spinster types are instructing their stupefied bug-eyed dope of a grandson to whistle at a pretty girl. There are any of the dog or bathtub toons... or dog in bathtub toons... or cat in bathtub toons, heck there's probably a hippo in bathtub toon somewhere.

But, I settled on one that speaks to the artistic practice. It’s not about product, it’s about process, people.

But wait, there’s more!

• Check out Emily Flake’s Joke in a Box, a deck of cards designed to help you craft the best jokes.

• Cartoons by Hilary comes out every Friday with Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell

• Amy Kurzweil teaches cartoon classes on Patreon! Sign up now to get the recording of every past class!

• Subscribe to Jason Chatfield’s regular weekly Substack at NewYorkCartoons.com. Jason also illustrated a book with Simpsons writer and Producer Mike Reiss, which makes a great holiday gift for the kids in your life!

• Roz Chast and Jason Adam Katzenstein have a new book coming out called The Two Saddest Kitchens. Get excited!

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