Zoom: A new cartoon genre

Who could have seen the Zoom cartoon emerging as almost a genre in its own right? But the rise in home-working this year, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, means I've been drawing video-conferencing quite a lot this year. Here are some examples, gag cartoons, an illustration on various Zoom scenarios and a trade magazine strip.

On seaside fun and being "budding"

I'm a bit late getting around to blogging about this but the Beside the Surrealside cartooning event in Herne Bay was a great success in glorious sunshine. Thanks to Kasia Kowalska for the picture above. And here's a report from the Herne Bay Gazette. Click the image to enlarge and read.

The Guardian mention that is referred to in the piece was a "reader's cartoons" feature they ran via their website. A handful of the submitted cartoons appeared in the Guardian and in an online piece.

It was really aimed at "budding" and "aspiring" cartoonists, but as I was saying to someone at Herne Bay, you never feel established as a freelance cartoonist anyway, as there's so much rejection involved! And it was nice to see a cartoon turned down by all the magazines get some exposure in print at last.

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TV cartoon: Careful what you wish for

Fans of Doctor Who will know that the current series has been leading up to death of the Doctor tonight. Sounds unlikely that they would kill off a much-loved franchise, er, character, but unlikely things do happen: it's October 1 and it's hot and sunny.

Click play


For some though, you should be careful what you wish for ...

"Do you ever get a hollow feeling when you've looked forward to something for ages and then it finally happens?"

You know you want to see more Doctor Who/Dalek cartoons ...

Captionless cartoon: A new Dalek

This week's caption contest on the Cartoonists' Club of Great Britain public forum is a actually a no-caption contest. Instead, a theme is provided and you have to draw a "silent" cartoon to go with it. And the theme is Daleks. Having done so many Dalek cartoons in the past, I couldn't resist.

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Shrewsbury, Daleks and exhausted cartoonists

Phew! Very tired still after the Shrewsbury Cartoon Festival 2010. Will post more on it when I've caught up with work (and sleep) but in the meantime here's a cartoon I drew for the "HuMurals" in the town's Darwin Shopping Centre.

I returned home last night to find I'd got an email from a mum whose 10-year-old son was "very amused and excited" by the cartoon and drew his own version inspired by it (which she sent to me). That's kind of what the festival is all about and makes all the effort more than worthwhile.

To see the live coverage of the festival we put together while there, see The Bloghorn

Not Yet Sold: Dalek cartoon

"Every time you use that word you exterminate part of yourself."

Here's number 2 in my exclusive new part-work series Not Yet Sold, which builds week-by-week into a chronicle of blind hope and failure.

This rejected cartoon from 2007 is one of many Dalek gags I've done over the years (click Daleks in labels below to see a few) but I thought this one had a bit more substance as it's not just a joke about the usual Doctor Who/Dalek cliches (climbing stairs, hiding behind the sofa etc). Alas, it has been submitted to many magazines, with no luck.

It remains a personal favourite though, I just like the idea of a Dalek struggling with his true nature and seeing a shrink. Maybe, in a parallel universe, it was a hit ...

As ever, feedback and constructive criticism on the Not Yet Sold cartoons (or any on the blog) is welcome and, indeed, encouraged.

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Caption contest cartoon: Moon crash

Once again, this week I have taken part in the "reverse caption" competition at the Cartoonists' Club public forum . The caption was "Sorry, no thanks" and I found it a bit tricky. But I've only myself to blame as I set the caption, having won last week.

This one is a bit different to the usual gag cartoons I do, but it was fun to draw. And it was another chance to do a topical one. It just occurred to me, when the story about crashing spacecraft into the moon broke yesterday, that it's all a bit reminiscent of the famous Georges Méliès silent film Voyage to the Moon.

"Sorry, no thanks" is a phrase familiar to all cartoonists, by the way, as it is often what is written on rejection slips!

Here's the cartoon I won with last week, the caption was "Right, any more of that and you'll be sitting on the naughty step." Click to enlarge.


To me, the word "step" instantly meant Dalek joke opportunity! I'm always a sucker for a Dalek cartoon.

This next one, from a few weeks earlier, was less successful in the voting. I was surprised as I quite liked it. It was drawn for the caption "This is the best I could come up with" and I include it here as Antony Gormley's living artwork One and Another, which it spoofs, finishes next Wednesday (October 14).

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I met a Dalek yesterday

I've only been to BBC Television Centre once before and the only famous person I spotted that time was James Robbins, the BBC News Diplomatic Correspondent. No offence, James, but meeting this fella was a bit more exciting.

I was at the Beeb with five other cartoonists to take part in the recording of the BBC2 quiz show Eggheads. I'll put the transmission date on this blog when I know it.

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Dalek cartoon: The director's cut

This cartoon is in the current edition of Private Eye. The Dalek cartoon was popular a few years back, notably during the lengthy period that Doctor Who was off air. Here I've combined it with a current popular obsession among cartoonists: outdoor smokers.

Private Eye added a sign reading "Stage Door" on the left hand side of the cartoon. I had considered putting in a sign saying "BBC" when I submitted the gag, but I thought it might be over-egging the joke. I don't think a sign is needed really.

Apart from anything else, I thought that rather than actors smoking inside the Daleks, maybe this takes place in the Doctor Who universe – the Whoniverse, if you will – and these are Daleks taking a break from conquering the human race. Well, whatever the interpretation, it's smoking Daleks, what more do you want?

It's not the first time I've had a Doctor Who gag in Private Eye. Here's one from 2005, just before the series was relaunched.

In actual fact, having been a big Doctor Who fan as a child, I was really looking forward to the new series, but sometimes you have to play Devil's Advocate as a cartoonist. There had been an excessive amount of hype surrounding the series (that seems to have been maintained!) and the media kept falling back on the old "get ready to hide behind the sofa" cliche, hence this cartoon.

Royston's portfolio: Star Wars cartoons also available ...

There's no escape

Top Dr Who cartoon is from Private Eye, the other unpublished.