The Complaints Window, Whales where they shouldn't be, and begrudgingly making good art.

And we’re back again for a slightly late edition of OUTLINED! Let’s Go.

This week I found myself having a flick through this massive tome of a collection.

It’s always interesting looking through this archive because there’s certain comic set-ups that are used over and over again. One of the most famous is obviously the Desert Island set-up, which I’ve written about before:

The other thing you notice while looking back through 100 years of cartoons is how a lot of these cartoon set-ups have slowly died off owing to changes in the way we live.

The Complaints Window

For instance, ‘The Complaints Window’ set-up doesn’t seem to feature much anymore, largely because complaints windows don’t really exist anymore either. Which is a shame, because trying to make a comic about filling in an online complaint form doesn’t quite have the same punch.

Museums and Mummies.

I also noticed there seemed to be a lot more comics about Egyptian mummies, and while I don’t have the data to back it up it does feel like there’s less of those these days.

Anyway, I decided to draw one of my own after being inspired, and I must say - all those bandages are a pain in the arse to draw so I can understand why there’s maybe less of them!

This is one of those comics where the punchline works so much better written along the bottom rather than in a speech bubble.

The sarcophagus above was very much inspired by the Sarcophagus of Seti I, which if you’re in London you should go and check out - it’s in the absolutely bonkers John Soane Museum, possibly my favourite museum in London.

The entire museum is a crowded labyrinth of largely untitled artwork. It’s a mess, and it’s glorious. You can see a bit of the sarcophagus down the bottom there (As it turns out, despite it inspiring a comic I don’t actually have a photo of it) - anyway, do go check out the entire place yourself.

Drawing art that’s actually… good?

While thinking about museums and art galleries, I realised there’s a whole lotta fun stuff to make fun of there, and I really should do more art-based jokes. The only issue is, when you do a cartoon in an art gallery, you then have to come up with the art to put on the walls, which puts you in the suddenly very awkward position of having to create serious and considered art, for the sole purpose of making fun of it.

For this one, I chickened out and opted for a few flat colours. Shame on me.

Whales Where They Shouldn’t Be.

Another cartoon set-up I really love is a good Moby Dick cartoon, and the best of all of them has got to be this one by Gary Larson.

I think the best bit about this one, (and whale cartoons generally) is trying to fit a massive whale into a human world, which will always have some excellently comedic results. The fact Larson has drawn Moby Dicks’ car about an inch larger than the whale itself is just… (chef’s kiss)

For instance, Moby Dick writing up his own account has the added benefit of including the vision of a whale earnestly typing up a novel, which I just love.

And that’s where I leave you for this week!

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See you all next week.

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Thanks. - C.