The Newyorker Cartoon by Mick Stevens

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[+] -8 points 5 months ago (9 children)

One thing I really dislike about New Yorker comics is the lazy, generic nature of the art that is totally divorced from the punchline.

For example, this shitty comic could literally have any caption & it would make no difference. They even have caption contests where readers can come up with punchlines

NY cartoons are factory farm trash fight me

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  • [–] 17 points 5 months ago (4 children)

    The same situation can have many punchlines. Might as well dislike every joke that starts with "a guy walks into a bar"

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  • [–] -1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

    I mean, yeah?

    EDIT: I want to elaborate b/c the situation is intentionally drawn to be generic so that it can use any text.

    Think about this comic, what about the art would lead you to believe it has anything at all to do with oil? Nothing, but it fits just as well as just about anything else b/c it was designed specifically to be generic trash. That's like my whole point, man.

    Also, yeah, "guy walks into a bar" jokes are ass. Puns, too. I'm on the fence about puppies.

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  • [–] 7 points 5 months ago (3 children)

    What part of this art is divorced from the punchline? I would agree more with you if you said the art is interchangeable, but what other numerous captions work interchangeably here?

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  • [–] 9 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    "I told you the Humans had tracking devices in those covid vaccines, you've led them straight to us!"

    "Those earthcakes are kicking in"

    "Did you just fart?"

    I mean I'm with you for the rest of it, but there's loads. Im sure a better mind than mine can do better.

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  • [–] 4 points 5 months ago*

    Sure, how about,

    "We should have brought a bigger probe."

    Or how about,

    "I guess we'll see if they still fling their poop."

    Or for some topical flare, how about,

    "You sure about this? These guys have a terrible reputation with aliens."

    All of these slightly change the context w/o the need to change the art.

    I'm fairly certain a number of these cartoonists either "meal prep" a bunch of illustrations to caption later or maybe even sell the illustrations to the New Yorker who then have writers create the captions. I can't say but imo it makes for bland cartoons 9 out of 10 times.

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