The Phase Is Familiar

Kate yesterday contributed the astute and accurate comment, "sometimes the commentary is directly related to the cartoon, and other times indirectly, or not at all." From the beginning, it was a conscious decision of mine to keep cartoon and my mini-homily co-independent. That is, I will never post a cartoon and accompanying text that rely on each other for elucidation. My hope is always that the cartoon will be first and foremost funny, and of course understandable, though I'll admit that in both cases I may come up short. If it also makes some deeper social or political point so much the better, but it's not a given. Sometimes cartoon and text will make the same point, even if ham-fistedly. On occasion, the homily will careen off on its own, with no immediately discernible relationship to the cartoon. But cartoon and text should each stand by itself. Or fall by the wayside.