Something to keep you busy until I get back

I'm going to be working on a new project (I'm kind of burned out on this political season and I've decided to dive fully into a graphic novel project that's been percolating in the back of my mind for a while.) I'll likely keep doing a drawing here and there, but I'm going to post them directly to Flickr and skip the blogging for a bit. It's hard to maintain a sense of humor when you're a bitter blogger with a pen-schtick.

As most of my readers are new , I appreciate the visit and encourage you to subscribe to the RSS to keep updated with any new cartoons I might post. And for my much appreciated regular readers, thanks. I'll be back.

— Irish Spacemonk
April 16, 2008

Congratulations Clinton! You’re officially the candidate for…

the racists that still exist in this country.

What disturbs me is that there is obvious racist sentiments leading to Clinton’s victory in West Virginia. There were reports in exit polling that two-thirds of the voters in West Virginia would not vote for Obama because he is black. This should disturb Clinton more than anyone. Why should she celebrate in their votes? And it should disturb her supporters. It taints anyone that supports her.

Clinton has no chance of winning the nomination. It’s over. It’s long been over, but the Democratic party has been patient with her. And yet she continues on, based on the hope that super delegates will cozy to her broad base appeal argument.

My argument against the broad based appeal and the idea that Obama can’t win white, working class American’s is basic. I don’t want to be in a party that has racists. Period. I thought that was the other party (in fact the last two presidential elections West Virginia did in fact go to Repubicans). So if the Democratic party wants to make the argument that in order to win the election, it must appeal to this group, then sorry - I’m not party to that.

In fact if Hillary truly is not a racist then I’d expect her to come out and reject, repudiate and denounce the votes of the two-thirds of West Virginia. But of course we wont’ hear anything like that, instead we’ll have to endure another three weeks of torture as this nomination process slowly bleeds campaign money that could be going to the fight against McCain.

Wow…it makes you proud to be an American for the first time… right Michelle?

Secret Revealed: Now We Know the Person in Dick Cheney’s Sunglasses

Hillary Clinton Knocking on Back on the River with Dick Cheney

A few days back a bunch of news junkies like myself were trying to identify the naked woman in Dick Cheney’s sunglasses. While some think they found the answer (some even had the notion to suggest it was just a hand casting a fly rod), I got unconfirmed sources from within the Clinton camp that on the day in question, Hillary Clinton was not campaigning. Instead it’s rumored she looking for a way to get in touch with her base, reaching for booze and guns. This source, of course, asked to remain anonymous, so as to retain their unpaid position with the campaign.

You see here though, considering how I’m a high-class journalist, drawing cartoons, and poking fun, I couldn’t let this story just fly over. So I had to do some some field work. Instead of heading down to the tabloid stand (where I do most my initial research) I decided to open up Photoshop, zoom into that photo of Dick’s sunglasses (seen below) and really dive into what was in those glasses. What you have here (seen above) is an exact representation of what I saw (minus a few pixels here’n there).

Unconfirmed Original Source Material

It’s quite scandalous, if I must say, but makes perfect sense.

Note: I submitted this story to all the big media outlets, but haven’t heard back yet. Perhaps I should post it over at the DailyKos?

Bitterness in Small Town USA

Bitterness in Small Town USA

A slow news cycle means the silliness returns to the Democratic primary campaign. The most important issue facing Americans today, is Barack Obama’s “elitist” comment on the roots of bitterness and the justification of bigotry in small town USA.

My problem with the Clinton camp making a big deal out of this is first, there are much more important issues at stake (the whole reason Americans are bitter with their government) and it looks desperate on her part. And second, it’s pretty common knowledge that Obama does not pull well in rural areas of uneducated, white voters in the first place. Other than solidifying her base in rural, predominantly Republican districts, I’m not sure where this gets her.

Hell, either way, I thought I’d do a little pot stirring myself.

In Black and White (and Red) Day 7: China Olympic Disaster: A Silence Kept Too Long

China Olympic Disaster : A secret kept too long
I’m normally not one to recycle material, however considering that most visitors to this site are new, I’m going to guess you, my angry reader, won’t mind. (I’m assuming your angry, otherwise you’d probably not be interested in cartoons bashing China’s human rights position and the fact it was given the Olympics to host despite this obvious mark on its record.)

This is a drawing I did way back in the early days of this blog project called PixelMarx, I did a cartoon for the Darfur: An Unforgivable Hell on Earth. Since then, this cartoon’s been buried. That was until recently, as the public began to awaken to this whole issue.

Now with the protests surrounding the Olympic Torch relay, the image is all the more relevant. Those who’ve already seen this, I apologize (well maybe not).

You can read the original post, Foul Smell from Beijing More than Olympic Sized Pollution.

There are a few comments, including the most recent one just the other day.

Sier wrote, “Your drawing is based on your biased imagination and showing you have not any real knowledge about China.” To the biased imagination part, I fully agree (in fact I’m thinking I might steal that line when describing what I do here - drawings biased by my imagination - it has a special ring to it. But I digress.

Instead, I’m making my own pledge to boycott the Olympics, the whole thing. I’m not going to read, watch, pay any attention to the event. It’ll tie nicely into my boycott of NBC and the rest of mainstream media. And to all those who say boycotts don’t work…don’t think you persuade me :).

Note: For anyone wondering who the man behind the mask might be, it’s Hu Jintao (pronounced “who”).

In Black and White Day 6: Howard Zinn and A People’s History of American Empire

Howard Zinn’s upcoming book is being introduced by this nice presentation/political art film that’s narrated by Viggo Mortensen and guess what…it’s in black and white. I’m being lazy today (actually I’m trying to learn animation) so I thought I’d let another artist do the work.

Check out the work of Mike Konopacki, a political cartoonist, who’s brief 2 second spot at the end of the clip doesn’t give enough recognition to the artist…

In Black and White Day 5: McCain Warmonger

McCain Warmonger
McCain’s feelings were hurt a few days back when progressive talk show host, Ed Schultz, described McCain as a warmonger. I wasn’t aware that this term was derogatory to white men in general, but it apparently struck a cord with McCain, and other right-wing nuts that desire an endless occupation in Iraq. McCain quickly made calls for Obama to “renounce” and “reject” these statements, which, in pandering to the independent (independent meaning the “disengaged”) Obama’s campaign came out saying “McCain’s not a warmonger”.

On this 5th day of black and white, this drawing takes inspiration for Richard Serra’s “Stop Bush” drawing.

And for those confused as to exactly what a warmonger is, here’s the definition courtesy of Webster’s:

warmonger: one who urges or attempts to stir up war

Considering McCain’s stance on Iran, on Iraq, and on the general support of George Bush foreign policy, I’d say he fits the def.

Watch this video and decide for yourself.

In Black and White Day 4: Stencil Art as a Method of Propaganda

Regime Change in 2008

Stencil art could be considered black and white, at least that’s how it’s conceived and drawn up. But of course it gets mixed with whatever surface it’s placed on, whether it be a wall, a t-shirt, or whatever surface suits your taste.

I thought I’d take some time and join the numerous ranks that have created an Obama “CHANGE” artwork.

And then I wanted to give anyone who might like to try it out for themselves, either virtually (with Photoshop) or on a t-shirt, or…well you get the point. I’m giving you the stencil to do whatever you want with it.

Obama Change Stencil [PDF 324KB]

If you’ve never used a stencil before, it’s pretty basic.

  1. Make a photo copy or trace the drawing onto a heavy card stock paper or cardboard
  2. Cut the black area out with an X-acto knife (and just a secret I learned from my days in old-school graphic design cutting - use lots of blades)
  3. Place the stencil above your surface choice
  4. Spray
  5. And if you’ve chosen public or private property, which is preferred for propaganda, then it’s best to remain anonymous and run

If you’re wanting to use this stencil in your own Photoshop artwork, then it’s probably best to use the EPS file (Obama Change Stencil.eps). I found that using the EPS file to create paths, and creating feathered selects is the easiest way to simulate the spray-paint effect.