gapingvoid: "cartoons drawn on the back of business cards"

Couldn't disgaree more. Back and better than ever, IMHO. Bring on the t-shirts. And what DID happen to those fine art prints? Sorry if I missed it.

Oh well. One opinion from Prasad. Not shared by me.
   I’m sure it’s just a difference in our senses of humour.

Harsh

It's called getting a new toy and experimenting.

He must have missed the cartoons where you said it sucks that people matter, checking your ego at the door will never happen, and having a soul while working for a large company would only get in the way.

Two words.. Link Bait.

...and it worked!

Stay ahead of the game Hugh...
Play to your hearts content,
"Even a blind hen finds a corn now and again...!"

Yep, some folks can't stand to see someone having a good time.

maybe it's because of his new tablet pc?

..that releases creativity..

Don't take it personal, Hugh... I guess what he ment we kind of miss the words.
If it was just experimenting with the cool new toy, it's cool. But if your blog turns into a drawing-blog, then it would be a bit sad..
I believe that although a picture/drawing is worth a hundred words, it still needs another hundred words to make the story worth telling.

I wouldn't worry too much about criticism from a guy who calls himself "nonentity". I used to come here for the cartoons back in the day (found it via a FARK.com ad). Then I forgot about the site for a while and came back to the wine, and the suits, and the marketing-speak - and wondered if I was at the right site (though I'm a big fan of marketing-speak so I've been sticking around). Is it time for two blogs?

I agree that the newer stuff lacks some of the edge - even though I like some of them. But sheesh - give the guy a break. He's playing with a new toy.

But it illustrates how the web is different from intermediated media. The good news/bad news about the web vs an edited publication [can you imagine us not seeing Hugh's stuff unless it got in the British equivalent of the New Yorker?] is that it's so easy to "publish" that lots of practice and trial and not-ready-for-prime-time stuff gets out. If readers feel there too much noise to signal ratio they stop reading. So it's poster beware rather than consumer beware.

I agree with him. The cartoon deluge lately has been incredibly lame with maybe 1 of them being mildly amusing. I love that you have a new toy, but use the power for good.

The cartoons are like chocolate cake. Eat too much at once and you become sick of it.

I've been a visitor for a while. Have been influenced enough to watch "Young Adam" read "Cluetrain Manifesto" can't get the wine here in the states though. I'm not sure how much I like style of cartoons lately but its taking a chance that leads to all things good.

It's unlikely that you'll be able to make *everyone* happy all at once, if that's even a goal... Some like the cartoons, some like the text, some like both. Great.

I suppose you could title your posts to differentiate the two, as in

Cartoon: clicking on a mouse
Text: malcolm gladwell has a blog

Or, you could offer two feeds easily enough.

Or, people could just stop chewing you out for failing to live up to their personal expectations when they read the excellent content you're giving them for free.

Reader feedback is a good thing, but it's still just one person's opinion. Rock on.

(BTW: I'm really quite happy with the new spate of cartoons. Those who think "they've lost the edge" should go back to the archives and look again. I think they're romanticising the past... the new cartoons seem to me to have about the same mix of edgy, happy and purely graphic.)

I liked the cartoon spree.

Humph. No slack at all. For my part I already sang praises to your new work. It's edgier and more emotionally hard hitting than ever in my opinion. Oh well. "Each to his own boys. I likes mine...raw."

I have to agree with Brad, I see it as experimenting with a new toy. While there have been some decent ones and some bad, it is an experimenting phase.

Any time you do anything new/different, you get flak. I'm not worried.

I just kind of figured you were sharing all of your practice crap, and putting it somewhere where you can find it later if you needed it. It's kind of neat to see your process, personally. But maybe it takes a fellow cartoonist to appreciate that without some sort of explaination.

I think the new ones are better, to be honest, than all the bitter stuff.

If someone started a blog and threw up similar drawings, it probably wouldn't attract much interest, but because all of us have seen your style develop over time, it becomes art.

Hmmm.... way back in the day, Hugh posted a list of "How to be creative" tips. One of the key ideas from that list was that experimenting is good, and worrying about what other people think is bad. I'm glad to see he's getting back to his roots.

Hugh's not here to comfort the disturbed but to disturb the comfortable.

"Hugh's not here to comfort the disturbed but to disturb the comfortable."

Right, rah-rah-rah, purple cow and catch phrases and all that but the cartoons used to mean something. When I saw one on the blog, I sat up and paid attention because it was likely a wry observation of some kind about a current issue or a biting comment about some aspect of marketing.

This flood has none of that charm.

Nice thought Katherine

Hell, I only read Hugh for the cartoons. ;)

How dare you do whatever you want on your own blog? Pander, damn you! Pander!

I came here mostly for the cartoons

Re: 'How dare you do whatever you want on your own blog? Pander, damn you! Pander!'

Please turn that into a cartoon! I want that on blogcards! (Though without the 'on your blog...')

When I checked in the other day, my first thought was "ooh, cool, color!"

NO DAMMIT I'M NOT ALLOWED TO JUST ENJOY THE COLOR, I HAVE TO BE CYNICAL AND SAY YOU SOLD OUT OR SOMETHING

Please. Carry on. Do what thou wilt.

I love some of them. Corporate Soul...Higher Beings. Good stuff!

(How do you handle so much critique?)

Hugh,
Looks like my post served as a trigger to let you know that there are many who love your new experiment.

I acknowledge a weakness from my side: I have come to expect a certain type of humour-idea blend from you and when you depart from your style, I (and readers who share my taste) have to make mental adjustments to look & grasp your new spate of cartoons with a fresh pair of eyes to appreciate/enjoy them... and that's serious effort. But try, I will.

Still, if this experiment is an indication of your future course, I'd say "there's nothing like good old days!!".

Bah.

The cartoons ROCK!

Go ahead - tell him who you're dating.

It's premature to complain about changes to the cartoons. It's also premature to dismiss the complaints as simple fear of change, 'cause in this case the fear of change is quite complex.

We liked what we were getting, and now we're getting more for a while, at least until Hugh's enthusiasm for his new tool dies down a bit. When it does, I'm sure that he'll be doing cartoons to match "My cock is mighty" and "Complete Fucking Asshole" soon enough.

Hell, he's almost there already. "Having a soul would just get in the way" is a good example -- if you remove the first sentence, it's on par with the quality of visual poetry I've come to expect from gapingvoid. Some of the new stuff is a little overtly snarky for my taste.

[Disclosure: I am neither a wine drinker, nor am I ever likely to buy a $3000 suit.]

That being said, I am interested in seeing Hugh's sketches. They're not hurting anybody, yet.

I second this request, I need new cards :):

Re: 'How dare you do whatever you want on your own blog? Pander, damn you! Pander!'

Please turn that into a cartoon! I want that on blogcards! (Though without the 'on your blog...')
Posted by: Mark H at March 1, 2006 09:40 PM

I come here for the cartoons.
And the wit.
And then the cartoons some more.

Really, to complain that you don't like what someone's done with the place-it only works if you're complaining to the decorator who just redid your living room.