Old Toons
And even older cartoonists
Dear Mortals,
The Roman philosopher Seneca once wrote, “We are dying every day.” My doctor, Dr. Roxey MD, told me the same thing after my last physical. Now that I am 36 and solidly into my mid 30s (or extreme late-20s, as I sometimes cry out into the cool darkness of the city night), I’ve had to start taking care of myself, like watching my cholesterol (did you know that cholesterol can be good OR bad) and applying ointments (start at your hairline and work your way down). Your mid-30s is when you stop drinking and start taking antidepressants.
This week, I’ve asked my fellow Toonstackers to share cartoons about getting older–to stare into the abyss and confront their own mortality, and to ask themselves that age old question, “Was that mole there yesterday?”
- Navied, 36
My first gray hair appeared literally the day I turned 30 and I’ve been collecting them ever since.
I remember the first time I beat my dad in a game of 1-on-1. I don't really, I bet HE DOES. LOSER. WHOS THE BIG MAN NOW, HUH DAD? The point I'm trying to make is that I’m 36 and I can feel myself slipping further and further away from that coveted 18-34 demographic. I can feel myself becoming crankier. I suddenly want to buy a lawn for the sole purposes of telling people to keep off of it. I look at those kids next door, praying that they accidentally throw their frisbee onto my property, daring one another to go into “Old Man Rosen's'” yard to retrieve it.
In short, I’m slowly becoming the grumpy old out-of-touch man that I have made fun of in so many of my cartoons. That's probably why I draw so many of them.If I can just make fun of enough old people perhaps I will stay young forever. Now please excuse me, I have a sudden urge to learn absolutely everything about the Civil War.
This isn’t me, for the record. I’m actually super laid back and effortlessly popular. Always have, always will be. Like right now, I’m typing this as I lean back against a hot rod, sipping a ginger ale. Not too fast though! I got heartburn now, like all cool kids in their 30s.
This New Yorker cartoon was born from my recent (ok it’s been like two years – that’s “recent” to me, a very old and distinguished person) move to California wine country. Ah yes, wine country, I now sniff corks and swirl tannins with those top shelf retirees. It’s certainly not the case that I made this observation about wine price organization because I was buying more wine due to pandemic-living in a new town with no friends during those middle-shelf years of not-young-but-don’t-have-kids-why-is-everyone-so-busy –- Nonsense! This was a celebration of my upward climb toward the finer things in life! I know so many wonderful distinguished-person things now, like that Pinot Noir is good, and that twist off caps are not even gauche. Join me in embracing our sensence, friends – it smells like oak, cherry, and acceptance.
Here is a list to find your local abortion fund to donate to. <3
News from ToonStackians:
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See more cartoons from Ellis Rosen’s weekly Junk Drawer!
Mentioned this post here!: https://oldster.substack.com/p/laughter-is-the-best-medicine