History cartoons: Getting medieval

I seem to do a lot of history-based cartoons, often set in the Middle Ages/medieval period. I use these terms very loosely, please don't post, er, pedantic comments pointing out incorrect dress etc.

Sometimes this involves riffing on a specific theme, such as public executions ...
 

And, for some unknown reason, battering rams!

I think I first realised that this is a rich source of jokes when I provided cartoons for the BBC's short-lived Robin Hood Adventures magazine some years ago. There's more historical hilarity here, and here and here. 

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Topical cartoon: Closure of The Dandy

Topical gags can sometimes fall victim to the twin perils of print deadlines and other cartoonists coming up with the same idea.

This one, about the closure of The Dandy comic after 75 years, was accepted by Private Eye last Thursday but they phoned today to say that regrettably they won't be using it in the new issue, which is out tomorrow, as two similar cartoons have since appeared in national newspapers.

Such situations do crop up from time to time and a daily publication is always going to have the advantage. All is not lost, however, as the Eye still pays a (smaller) fee in such circumstances and I can still give it an outing here on my blog.

I was a little unsure about doing a cartoon on this subject, as my son is a Dandy fan and I know people who work for it, but I aimed for poignancy rather than a cheap shot.

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Olympics cartoon: Step away from the TV

It's all over. And yes, like most cynics, I watched it and enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. But now it's time to switch the telly off and get some fresh air.

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Reader's Digest cartoon: Train of thought

"Please keep all your belongings with you at all times."

From the August issue of Reader's Digest. I probably had an expression on my face much like the woman's here as I stared out of the train window and came up with this idea. This was also used as one of the Beat the Cartoonist drawings at this year's Shrewsbury festival.

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