This week, Hope n' Change Cartoons hit (and passed) cartoon number one thousand. Hardly an earthshaking event, but an accomplishment of sorts...and a good opportunity for me to break with the political routine and talk about the strip and the website.
There are a few features that readers (particularly new ones) should be aware of. In the top left corner of the page, there's a graphic that says "Click here to meet our cast of characters." Do so, and you'll meet some of the oddball regulars who turn up in these cartoons, and a little bit of backstory about them.
Scroll further down that left sidebar and you'll see a search box which allows you to check the archive of all 1000 cartoons. It's a fun and interesting way to track various issues through time - or a way to refresh your memory about events of the past three years.
Regarding the cartoons themselves, you can always click on them to get a much bigger view (twice the size, in fact). And as always, readers are encouraged to link to the cartoons or copy them onto their own websites, Facebook pages, or whatever else as long as they're not altered, and are not being sold. There are little icons at the bottom of each day's commentary to make it easier for you to share.
Readers should also be aware that at the bottom of each cartoon/commentary, there is a little link showing how many comments have been received. Click it, and you can not only read those comments but join in the freewheeling conversations. If you're not reading the comments, you're missing out on a significant amount of Hope n' Change fun!
Speaking of cartoons and fun, I encourage everyone to visit my other cartoon website over at Johnny Optimism. The cartoon - about a seriously but vaguely sick boy and his dog - is very dark, very funny, and (in a very odd way) intended to help all of us cope with life's challenges. Johnny's blog is a politics-free zone; he suffers enough without politicians getting involved.
Finally, on the milestone of 1000 cartoons, I want to thank all of you readers who regularly visit (and those who, just for fun, have become official "followers"). I don't create this cartoon for money - I do it because I have passionate opinions about our country and our future, and humor is the tool I was given to work with. And seeing the readership numbers helps me feel like I'm not wasting my time, or just muttering to myself like someone with brain impairment. The support I've gotten from you means the world to me, and I'm humbly appreciative.
My goal in creating Hope n' Change Cartoons, besides venting, is to help other conservatives laugh (even if it's a painful laugh all too frequently). Because if we're laughing, we're not beaten - and we're making the other guys really nervous. By lightening our political worries, it is my hope that we can remain fresh for the fight and make a real difference - especially in what I've christened this "Happy NO Year" in which we finally tell Obama and his fellow travelers "NO!" to what they want to do to this great nation.
Again, thank you for visiting, please spread the word among your friends about this site, and very best wishes for 2012!
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24 comments:
Congrats, Stilton, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!
You have done a great job Stilton. I read you like clockwork and really appreciate all you do. Happy New Year and I hope you continue.
YeOldFurt
Good job my friend... they just keep getting better, imho
Linked
Reaganite's Sunday Funnies
I don't comment much, but thoroughly enjoy your cartoons. I have read every one and all the comments, AND have forwarded several to many of my email contacts. Have a happy and prosperous NO year!
Good morning and HNY, Doctor Jarlsberg! I can't remember how I stumbled upon your strip -- I think it was through Right Network or someplace ... but, anyway ... I have been subversively, surreptitiously, diligently, and anonymously printing out your H&C strips and stapling them in various high-traffic areas of the northern New Jersey public hiskool I teach at. I keep an eye out for the teachers who, in high-dudgeon, take them down and wear a scowl the rest of the day. Thank you for your incisive wit.
Gang of One
You are indeed performing a valuable service. I start each day with Hope 'n Change, it helps to blast away my negative funk and set up a better day.
Keep goin', we're with you!
The Hairy Nosed Wombat
@drjim- And Happy New Year to you!
@YeOldeFurt- I'll definitely continue. It's my very strong goal to publish the cartoon which officially announces the end of the Obama administration.
@Reaganite Republican- And thank you for all you to do to help keep people aware of issues and laughing all year long!
@robsan19- The forwards are much appreciated! Word of mouth (or the pixelated equivalent) is the best way to grow readership and spread the mischief.
@Gang of One- I love the idea of the phantom cartoon poster, annoying those on the other side. Just watch out for surveillance cameras!
@The Hairy Nosed Wombat- My day starts better, too, seeing that people are reading and/or commenting. It's a wonderful reminder that there are lots of caring, like-minded people...and that we're all fighting the same fight.
Happy New Year, Doc. Thanks for doing this. Really enjoyed "The Obamasutra".
Thank you so much for the cartoons. I never miss a posting and agree with you 100%. Happy NO Year!!
@Anonymous- Glad you enjoyed the book - and thanks for buying it!
@Mike J- Thanks for the kind words!
I used to start my day with a HnC editorial every morning but the good Dr. took his summer sabbatical and reduced these incredible cartoons to 3 a week. I hope one day soon he will return from his vacation and make my world complete once more. In the interim a quick browse of ObamaSutra will have to keep me going. Happy No Year and keep up the great work. (Have you and ideas for the Election night cartoon/editorial yet?)
Stilton your cartoons are always well done and on target! Congratulations on 1000, that's pretty awesome. Happy New Year!
@Raging Redneck- I'd like to be doing cartoons daily again, but it had really become a fulltime job. Which would be okay if it was a fulltime job with pay, but it turns out that I need to earn a living (because I don't think the Evil Rich owe me a thing, and my tongue-in-cheek application for an NEA grant didn't go anywhere).
Regarding this year's Election night cartoon, I haven't given it any thought yet...though it might be a good idea to post something now which will be held until that date, just in case I get carted off to Guantanamo Bay in the meantime!
@Zappatrust- Hey, reading 1000 cartoons is a real accomplishment too, so my congratulations to anyone who's gone through the whole back catalog!
I have to ask: How many times does your work get called "cheesy"? I keep looking for a worthy cartoon but have never seen one.
I post to Facebook pretty regularly--much to the annoyance of my progressive family and friends.
@Gang of One, you're also performing a valuable service! If you and Stilton can make New Jersey teachers' heads explode, you've done the country a lot of good!
@Larry Sheldon- While the proud Jarlsberg family name is closely associated with cheese, it rarely comes up in conversation (or accusations). And it's been many years since I had to decide whether to stick with the family cheesemaking business, but said "no whey!"
And thanks for sharing the cartoons with Progressives. I'd like to think there's hope for all of them. And failing that, they're still fun to annoy.
@JustaJeepGuy- Speaking of teachers, I watched the documentary "Waiting for Superman" this evening. It's about the failure of the American school system (though it wasn't as good as the reviews had made it sound; I thought the filmmakers sort of tiptoed around the fact that teachers unions essentially own the Democratic party, and have guaranteed themselves jobs for life while denying school choice to the kids who most desperately need it).
Both a belated congrats on the marvelous 1K, and a belated Happy New Year from another cheeseball..
Doctor Jarlsberg, is there a way I can send you pics of the well-placed strips? For archival purposes, of course!
@JustaJeepGuy -- true ... many heads must needs a good 'sploding.
@Gang of One- I could've sworn I had my address on here somewhere...but it looks like I don't! You can write to me at Stilton(at)Cutcheese(dot)com.
Congratulations on the huge milestone, and thank you for providing this wonderful place for us to vent, lest OUR heads explode! I would like to imagine that someday you will run out of material, but seriously doubt that will ever happen. Even if we manage to grab the majority in all three branches, there will always be Barney Franks and Harry Reids out there.
Now.... you need to dream up a way to make $$$ at this. Obama Sutra is a step in the right direction.
Congrats on the 1K, I can’t remember how or when I hooked up with HnC. But, I’m sure glad I did. I love the wit, humor, comments, rants, and even the occasional snarky post from a lib…all of it. Thanks for your hard work and dedication. Well, 2012 is finally here; Nov can’t be that far away……Let’s make sure Obama is a one-term president.
@Colby- Nothing would make me happier than running out of political material (it's in my nature to create funny things, so I'd happily shift to something lighter - like Johnny Optimism - in a heartbeat).
I'd really like to earn money with this somehow, but even Obama Sutra is another sneaky attempt to inject enough humor into important issues that people will actually read about them.
@SC- I'm glad you're here! And this MUST be the year that we make Obama a one-termer (and I think we can do it!)
I have to ask: How many times does your work get called "cheesy"? I keep looking for a worthy cartoon but have never seen one. I post to Facebook pretty regularly--much to the annoyance of my progressive family and friends.
@Jonesoygg- I'm not quite sure what you're saying: are you looking for cartoons about cheese, or do you simply feel none of my cartoons is "worthy" of being used to annoy the progressives on your FB list? And if it's the latter case - really?!
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