#78: Snakes and Vampires
Hello daywalkers,
So, what we have here are cartoons. Two-ish of them. No less, sometimes more. You got it?
This week, we see why a subway pest is no longer a problem, and see a different kind of rejection.
Dancing in the daylight,
Chris
Like what you see? Follow me on Instagram (@chrisshorten), or talk a friend into following me on Instagram. Or, buy some prints from my website.
Caption: “Like I said, no rat problem.”
How far would you go to get rid of rats?
It can often feel like the subway is run by rats. And every now and then, someone tries to curb the rodent problem. But, as the situation becomes more dire, the methods get more extreme until the only method you have left is, obviously, a giant snake.
Maybe we could try diplomacy, instead?
A little artist’s note: So, the original version of this was drawn all the way back in September of last year. It was submitted as part of a batch to the New Yorker, it was rejected, and then, well, then I completely forgot about it. That is, until recently when it drifted into my mind and I wondered: What did I do with that cartoon? This thus resulted in a scavenger hunt-like search through my poorly-organised archives until I realised that the cartoon was just sitting there, biding it’s time. This is what it looked like back then:
As you can see, the new version is, visually, a little sharper and cleaner. It also solves the problem where, for some reason, back then I was drawing really long necks. I’m sure I had my reasons, but I’m not really sure what they were.
Either way, it’s great to get this one out of the wilderness and into your inbox. Well, great for me, at least.
Caption: “We don’t publish horror.”
Is this a vampire’s worst nightmare?
Because, some vampires are publishers (and some publishers are vampires, amirite?). And if they received a manuscript like this from Hemingway, they might not think it’s quite right for their night-loving audience.
Horror for some.
A little artist’s note: I had this idea some time ago and, naturally, it’s another one from the reject pile. But I always really liked it. There is something about the idea of Hemingway pitching his debut novel to a publisher, and having it rejected on the grounds that the title reflects something that would frighten the publisher’s audience. The big question is: Will people actually get this joke? There are two levels I think are worth considering.
Seeing the book title The Sun Also Rises, will hopefully make sense for people, when combined with the vampire behind the desk. Hopefully they don’t think they need to know the book, just vaguely know of the book.
The fact that it’s Hemingway pitching the book to a vampire. Because, that guy got around, didn’t he?
Hopefully it resonates for someone.
The other thing of note, and for a hot minute I worried about this, is that the cartoon shows a fairly accurate representation of author Ernest Hemingway in his most iconic look. The big beard and the turtleneck were peak Hemingway. However, when he would have been pitching The Sun Also Rises, his debut novel, he didn’t look anything like this. No beard. No nothing. So, to the steadfast Hemingway fans out there, my apologies. To everyone else, well I just hope you know who Hemingway is at all.
Thanks for reading MiddleSquiggle!
Follow me on Instagram @chrisshorten for new cartoons every Tuesday and Friday. Or subscribe below for a weekly email every Thursday.