That darn Lio!

Free for All roundup of short critiques of The Post
Washington Post Saturday, December 26, 2009

Christmas spirits

What a heartwarming Christmas message the "Lio" comic strip put forth Dec. 23. I only hope that when my 5-year-old is waiting in front of a liquor store to score some booze, he remembers that I prefer single-malt Scotch!

Mitch Katz, Falls Church

Joe Ciardiello illustrates Dave Barry's year in review

Joe Ciardiello illustrated Dave Barry's year in review for the Washington Post Magazine.

The Year According to Toles

The Year According to Toles appears in print in today's Washington Post. It appeared online a couple of days ago.

Greek graphic biography Logicomix reviewed in Post

Big ideas, bright colors
Dan Kois
Washington Post Sunday, November 15, 2009

LOGICOMIX
An Epic Search for Truth
By Apostolos Doxiadis, Christos H. Papadimitriou, Alecos Papadatos and Annie Di Donna
Bloomsbury. 347 pp. Paperback, $22.95

I've got it, but haven't read it yet.

Wash Post Style Invitational contest to combine two comic strips results

None of them did much for me, even though one of my neighbors is a winner, but see

The Style Invitational
Washington Post October 31 2009

Report from Week 837
in which we asked you to combine two comic strips and tell about the result:

Post redesign?

Does anyone besides me think the new Post design looks like the Wall Street Journal?

Oh wait, that's where the new editor in chief came from (and I had to look that up on Wikipedia. It just really looks like the Journal). You know, if I wanted the WSJ, I'd buy the damn thing.

Wow, just what we needed - another makeover. I guess lifting the new magazine logo from the NY Times Style Mag gave them a taste for this. I can't wait to get out of the A section to see how small the comics are now.

Our Town, #2

Ok, I despise the Post Magazine's make-over. You can't tell articles from ads, and much of what is included is pointless, like the Weekend section rehash at the end.

However, I want to like Our Town, the new cartoon reporting feature that started last week, but today's by Mark Giaimo features a burrito stand at... 15th and K - a good block at the most from the Post's front door. Wow, that's exciting.

Seriously. We should care about this?

Style Invitational comic strip mashup with Staake

The clever among us should immediately go to the Washington Post's Style Invitational's contest for Week 837: Strip Search, October 3, 2009 to answer the question: Combine two comic strips that appear in The Washington Post or at http://www.washingtonpost.com/comics . This was probably somewhat inspired by all the recent Disney-Marvel mashups, but I like Bob Staake's take on Dilbert - Spider-Man. Feel free to write to me if you have a question about a strip in the print edition.

Post debuts new cartoon journalism feature

Michael Cavna and another cartoonist are illustrating "Our Town" in the Post's Magazine, starting tomorrow. I love comics journalism and I have high hopes for this feature.

Washington Post editorial on Danish Islam Cartoons

Here's a good editorial, opposed to Yale's decision, and written by an Egyptian-born columnist.

Yale's Misguided Retreat
By Mona Eltahawy
Washington Post Saturday, August 29, 2009

That darn Post editorial board!

Yale's Cartoon Controversy
Washington Post Thursday, August 27, 2009
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/26/AR2009082603531.html

The Aug. 23 editorial "Self-Muzzled at Yale" criticized Yale University Press for its decision to exclude controversial Danish cartoons of the prophet Muhammad from a forthcoming book. We found this to be a curious opinion given The Post's own decision not to publish the cartoons. This very fact validates Yale Press's decision.

We were two of the many experts in diplomacy, national security and academia asked by Yale Press to assess the likelihood of violence if the cartoons and other images of the prophet Muhammad were published in a book about the cartoon controversy. We advised Yale Press that publishing these images was very likely to result in violence, as there was a clear record of violence following their publication. More than 200 innocent people have been killed, and hundreds more injured, as recently as June 2008.

We who counseled Yale understand the book is a balanced, scholarly work. However, experience shows the book's purpose and tenor would not mitigate the risk of violence. In choosing not to print the cartoons, The Post made that very same judgment.

IBRAHIM GAMBARI

Under-Secretary-General

JOSEPH VERNER REED

Under-Secretary-General
United Nations
New York

The right of free speech guarantees that we may speak the truth without fear of government reprisal. This precious right is not compromised in any way by the Yale University Press deciding not to publish cartoons that would needlessly offend the sensitivities of large numbers of people. Even The Post editorial, which describes some of the cartoons, illustrates that publication of the cartoons was not necessary to make a point -- although inclusion of the offensive material would undoubtedly improve sales.

STAN NAMOVICZ

Takoma Park

Today's Tank for Post readers

Here's today's Tank. Presumably Sunday will be back to normal.

Today's Tank for Post readers

Here's today's Tank.

Today's Tank for Post readers

Here's today's Tank.

Washington Post joined in censorship of Tank

The Washington Post was joined in its censorship of Tank McNamara. See Michael's story at "Keeping Score: Who's NOT Running This Week's 'Tank'?," by Michael Cavna, Washington Post Comic Riffs August 12 2009. He's also got links to how the story went viral. I'll steal one of his links here, for the record -

Washington Post pulls comic featuring Vick, Cheney
By CHRISTIAN BOONE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution August 10 2009

And for those of us who still subscribe to the Post - here's today's Tank.

Keeping up with Tank McNamara in spite of the Post

Remember, you can't see the Dick Cheney strips in today's Post or their online site so to see the strips if you're a Post reader, here's GoComics site.

And the NY Times chimes in, noting that the Post is the only paper to drop the strip - Comic Strips on N.F.L. and Race: Fair Game or Out of Bounds? By RICHARD SANDOMIR, August 11, 2009.

Washington Post censors Tank McNamara

This time their own reporter, Michael Cavna, notes it as the Washington Post censors Tank McNamara for daring to satirize Dick Cheney because it was "inappropriate" - for details, see "'Dick Cheney' Orders a Hit on Michael Vick: Why YOU Won't See It," By Michael Cavna, Washington Post Comic Riffs August 10, 2009.

To see the strips if you're a Post reader, here's GoComics site. If I'm reading Michael's report correctly, the Post won't run the strips online either so going to their website is pointless.

Brodner beer and Obama illo in today's Post

Steve Brodner has nice caricature buried in the Outlook section.

San Diego Comic Con in Wash Post

The print version has an Associated Press article, although Comic Riffs' Michael Cavna, a Post editor, is there.

Comic Riffs asks "Why is Frazz on the kid's page?"

Save Frazz: What Strip Would YOU Send to KidsPost? asks Cavna