The Doonesbury problem

[Az]

Gary Trudeu has established a tradition of not depicting Presidents. Instead he uses space, hats, and other tricks to represent the real spirit of the man. But with John Kerry he has already drawn the man. So does Trudeu use the image of John Kerry when he is president or does he make a new icon for the man?

[aden_nak]

1. Hrmmmmm.

I suspect we will get an icon, as we normally get. It's not just limited to the President, either. Newt Gingritch was represented by an ACME-style bomb (ala Warner Brothers) with a lit fuse. The question is how to frame Kerry. I have the sneaking suspiscion that we will just get a floating head of hair. :P

[indigobusiness]

6. I was thinking the hair, too n/t

[aden_nak]

9. Actually, this is a problem.

What it means, essentially, is that we can't think of anything that stands out about Kerry besides his hair. And of all people, WE ought to be the ones who can rattle off half a dozen great "icons" to represent Kerry. The medals, are a nice thought, but I think they would send the wrong message (especially considering how Dubya is done up in Gladiator armor).

Come on, Kerry fans. Some of you must have been Kerry folks from the start. He did WIN the primary. Tell us why!

[indigobusiness]

12. Well instead of a distinctive hat

...maybe a war medal...maybe a Purple Heart...but, Bush sure likes his hat.

[mdmc]

13. nice cowboy pic

:kick:

[WoodrowFan]

22. was thinking a silver star (NT)

[qb]

2. He could use a war medal, or something else that denotes

strength and integrity.

[Taylor Mason Powell]

10. Yeah but that's not FUNNY.

I think for a comic strip Trudeau will want something humorous...

[indigobusiness]

14. he goes for symbolism

who was the emnpty centurion helmet?

[Taylor Mason Powell]

18. Wait...don't tell me...

empty centurion helmet... DAMN I should really know this... I'm gonna say it'S GW Bush. Am I right?

He goes for symbolism, yes, but also humor.

[indigobusiness]

19. of course...but humor in the on target symbolism...n/t

[Taylor Mason Powell]

21. Right. Medals and Ribbons, while symbolic, aren't funny. (nt)

[indigobusiness]

24. A little purple heart might be

valentine style

[Insider]

3. maybe kerry AND edwards together

like kerry didn't get a full image until he chose edwards. :shrug:
what's the symbol for fresh air? two gusts of wind...winds of change.

[JHB]

4. He wasn't president then...

...so it's cool.

[rumguy]

5. He should use Kerry's hair

[supernova]

7. Woah man! Heavy Flashback!

:D

I'm sure GT will think of something, after all that was 30 years ago.

[TrogL]

8. the other political cartoonists

Are using hair and jaw for Kerry and a toothy smile for Edwards

[mdmc]

11. Trudeu only draws those worthy or being drawn

Raygun was drawn (sure, as Ron Headrest)
Gore was drawn (prince of the TN Valley)
Clinton WOULD have been drawn, if he wasn't such a flip floppin...

Kerry will be drawn, mark my words.
Kerry will only be iconed if he is a failure.

:kick:

[fob]

15. You mean the "French-looking" John Kerry?

Of course he'll get a loaf of french(freedom) bread, possibly with a shock of good-looking hair!

[indigobusiness]

16. I'd like to see his nude drawings of Jane

...oh yeah.

[lanparty]

17. The Carhardt jacket with hair floating above it!!!!

Something that does strike me about Kerry is that he likes to run around in that Carhardt work jacket. Well, we all know that Kerry has never been a blue collar guy even though he has a special connection to regular folks from his Vietnam experience.

In a sense it looks ridiculous. And comics are all about finding ridiculous things. So the Carhardt jacket would be perfect, the hair floating above it would kinda add to the ridiculousness ;-)

[jpgray]

20. All sorts of negative possibilities, say, a certain kind of sandal

A breakfast pastry IndianaGreen never fails to bring up when discussing him, you know, those sorts of things. :D

Sure, those are too simplistic and often are based on false impressions of Kerry, but as for positive--this is a comic strip, and wholly positive characters just aren't funny. Ask Bil Keane.

[HFishbine]

23. A cheese sub?

Not completely relevant, but funny. (Or is that too close to a ham sandwich? -- Oh hell, why not a ham sandwich?)