Comments on: The top ten cartoon clichés http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/02/01/the-top-ten-cartoon-cliches/ Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:32:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Peter Silverton http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/02/01/the-top-ten-cartoon-cliches/#comment-3520 Peter Silverton Thu, 07 Feb 2008 10:27:16 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/02/01/the-top-ten-cartoon-cliches/#comment-3520 Dear Susha A clever idea, cleverly done. You have much more fun doing it than I did when I helped edit the cartoons for Punch for a bit. There was so much dross to wade through. And that way only from the regular contributors. I agree with Mike Baldwin (????) that they're not really cliches, though. If you want to be a little pretentious, I suppose you could call them memes, or even tropes. I wrote about the number two one (psychiatrist/psychoanalyst couch thing) on my blog (http://petersilverton.blogspot.com/) about how all our knowledge and understanding of the psychiatrist/psychoanalyst thing comes from cartoon. The beard, the couch, the certificate on the wall. Looking at the one you've chosen, another thing occurred to me: not only is there the (expected) confusion between psychiatrists and psychoanalysts (not a confusion that either group makes themselves) but also your choice is presumably by an English cartoonist yet copies the cliches/memes/tropes of the US thing. My current favourite is from a recent New Yorker. Psychoanalyst (no beard, but with notebook and certificate on wall) to patient sitting up on couch: 'Look, making you happy is out of the question, but I can give you a compelling narrative for your misery.' Dear Susha

A clever idea, cleverly done. You have much more fun doing it than I did when I helped edit the cartoons for Punch for a bit. There was so much dross to wade through. And that way only from the regular contributors.

I agree with Mike Baldwin (????) that they’re not really cliches, though. If you want to be a little pretentious, I suppose you could call them memes, or even tropes.

I wrote about the number two one (psychiatrist/psychoanalyst couch thing) on my blog (http://petersilverton.blogspot.com/) about how all our knowledge and understanding of the psychiatrist/psychoanalyst thing comes from cartoon. The beard, the couch, the certificate on the wall. Looking at the one you’ve chosen, another thing occurred to me: not only is there the (expected) confusion between psychiatrists and psychoanalysts (not a confusion that either group makes themselves) but also your choice is presumably by an English cartoonist yet copies the cliches/memes/tropes of the US thing.

My current favourite is from a recent New Yorker.

Psychoanalyst (no beard, but with notebook and certificate on wall) to patient sitting up on couch: ‘Look, making you happy is out of the question, but I can give you a compelling narrative for your misery.’

]]> By: Bob Hyde http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/02/01/the-top-ten-cartoon-cliches/#comment-3519 Bob Hyde Thu, 07 Feb 2008 09:03:00 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/02/01/the-top-ten-cartoon-cliches/#comment-3519 An old punch cartoon I have never forgotten; Two chickens and one says to the other.... "I feel finger lickin' awful " An old punch cartoon I have never forgotten;

Two chickens and one says to the other….

“I feel finger lickin’ awful “

]]> By: John Kelly http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/02/01/the-top-ten-cartoon-cliches/#comment-3512 John Kelly Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:48:32 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/02/01/the-top-ten-cartoon-cliches/#comment-3512 Brilliant, Susha. Nowt wrong with clichés. I'm a Northern one myself. John Brilliant, Susha. Nowt wrong with clichés. I’m a Northern one myself. John

]]> By: Feggo http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/02/01/the-top-ten-cartoon-cliches/#comment-3501 Feggo Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:01:02 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/02/01/the-top-ten-cartoon-cliches/#comment-3501 Dear Susha, Great piece. Its always a good challenge to take the cliche by the horns. Life is a cliche. Viva el cliche, I mean, el che! Dear Susha,

Great piece.
Its always a good challenge to take the cliche by the horns.
Life is a cliche.
Viva el cliche, I mean, el che!

]]> By: Mike Baldwin http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/02/01/the-top-ten-cartoon-cliches/#comment-3493 Mike Baldwin Mon, 04 Feb 2008 15:34:56 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/02/01/the-top-ten-cartoon-cliches/#comment-3493 One more thought, Susha. You say "At the same time, there are the perennial topics for cartoons—or clichés..." I don't think they are the same thing. Topics, or categories are just that. They aren't necessarily cliches. For example, Business cartoons or Doctors office or Heaven or Hell or Therapy etc. would be simply topics a cartoonist may work on. Clichés, on the other hand are much more identifiable or specific setups. For example, in your list of ten, I would consider: The Grim Reaper, In/Out trays, Gurus, Smoke signals, Fish bowls and Desert islands clichés. The others are just subjects that are part of our lives and therefore get done often. I don't consider them clichés. One more thought, Susha.
You say “At the same time, there are the perennial topics for cartoons—or clichés…”

I don’t think they are the same thing. Topics, or categories are just that. They aren’t necessarily cliches. For example, Business cartoons or Doctors office or Heaven or Hell or Therapy etc. would be simply topics a cartoonist may work on.

Clichés, on the other hand are much more identifiable or specific setups.
For example, in your list of ten, I would consider:
The Grim Reaper, In/Out trays, Gurus, Smoke signals, Fish bowls and Desert islands clichés.

The others are just subjects that are part of our lives and therefore get done often. I don’t consider them clichés.

]]> By: Susha http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/02/01/the-top-ten-cartoon-cliches/#comment-3492 Susha Mon, 04 Feb 2008 12:25:46 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/02/01/the-top-ten-cartoon-cliches/#comment-3492 Thanks for the comments and for pointing out the notable omissions on the list. Group therapy sessions is another one I missed... Thanks for the comments and for pointing out the notable omissions on the list. Group therapy sessions is another one I missed…

]]> By: Nik Scott http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/02/01/the-top-ten-cartoon-cliches/#comment-3488 Nik Scott Mon, 04 Feb 2008 01:23:34 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/02/01/the-top-ten-cartoon-cliches/#comment-3488 Lovely list, Susha. I think I've also done them all except the smoke signal one although i did do a jungle drums cartoon once which might squeak in at a pinch. I remember hearing of Spike ranting about how awful he found 'On the Buses'. I think it genuinely pained him. Lovely list, Susha.
I think I’ve also done them all except the smoke signal one although i did do a jungle drums cartoon once which might squeak in at a pinch.

I remember hearing of Spike ranting about how awful he found ‘On the Buses’.
I think it genuinely pained him.

]]> By: Gerard Whyman http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/02/01/the-top-ten-cartoon-cliches/#comment-3487 Gerard Whyman Sun, 03 Feb 2008 14:16:37 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/02/01/the-top-ten-cartoon-cliches/#comment-3487 Didn't Spike Milligan once say that the cliche was the 'handrail of the crippled mind'? He must have have been thinking of cartoonists - in mor e ways than one. It may be a shaky handrail at times but it's served us lot well over the years. I'm looking over that list to see what cliches I've missed out on and fill in those missing gaps! Didn’t Spike Milligan once say that the cliche was the ‘handrail of the crippled mind’? He must have have been thinking of cartoonists - in mor e ways than one. It may be a shaky handrail at times but it’s served us lot well over the years. I’m looking over that list to see what cliches I’ve missed out on and fill in those missing gaps!

]]> By: Malc McGookin http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/02/01/the-top-ten-cartoon-cliches/#comment-3484 Malc McGookin Sun, 03 Feb 2008 04:03:28 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/02/01/the-top-ten-cartoon-cliches/#comment-3484 Sorry, I mean "native American" Sorry, I mean “native American”

]]> By: Malc McGookin http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/02/01/the-top-ten-cartoon-cliches/#comment-3483 Malc McGookin Sun, 03 Feb 2008 04:02:35 +0000 http://blog.prospectblogs.com/2008/02/01/the-top-ten-cartoon-cliches/#comment-3483 Susha, I will send you an indian smoke signal cartoon forthwith. Susha,
I will send you an indian smoke signal cartoon forthwith.

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