One of the “perks” of being a member of the Mass Media is that there are all sorts of freebies here in the Press-Only area of The Con. A qualified professional with exclusive access can get all the daily trades he desires at no cost whatsoever. Talk about “FREE-dom of the Press!”
Unfortunately, they don’t have any of the good publications, like “Bird Talk” or “Extreme Sudoku.” A lot of these “pubs” they have for free I’ve never even heard of before, like this one:
Must be a local paper from the Northwest Minnesota Mountains. The first thing I notice is the cover illustration. They obviously don’t like Mr. McCain if they have the Grand Old Nominee all decked out in a cave-man outfit! ??? I’m all for Freedom of Opinion, but that’s going a little “extreme.”
Also, speaking objectively as a reader, it’s unclear as to what that Ship has to do with anything—and same for the tattoo. In the end, it’s just not a very good illustration.
All of which inevitably brings the reading public to the next query: Why didn’t they hire an experienced Political Cartoonist for this task, someone who knows a thing or two about the art form of making political statements with line drawings?
For the record, I’m not above helping out in this area. I’ve got a commitment to my own paper, but occasionally time allows me to create original political art for other publications as well. Editors: don’t be intimidated by my long years in this business! I want you to feel comfortable approaching me. Perhaps we could go out to dinner and discuss a project you have on the horizon, make a night of it. I know a few spots—we could become more than just work colleagues, we could become friends. I could call you on the weekends, check and see if there are any new illustration assignments worth discussing over at your home while we grill on the barbeque or mix cocktails at the wet bar. Again, I want you to feel comfortable. My calendar has a few openings so just give me a call.
