Finally made it to the Letters page

It has long been an ambition of mine to make the letters page of Private Eye, preferably in a missive from a "Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells" type, foaming at the mouth and threatening to cancel his subscription because of his anger at a cartoon. Instead, I seem to have pleased some people and moved them (right, click to enlarge). Ah well, that will have to do.

The cartoon is question is this one. [Note to Private Eye sub-editors: My surname is Robertson. I did meet someone once called Roberton -- imagine spending your life with a typo for a surname!]

Doctor Who cartoon: Goodbye Sarah Jane

This cartoon was intended as a genuine tribute to the actress Elisabeth Sladen, who died last week, rather than an exercise in humour. It appears in the current Private Eye.

I think I got the balance right -- it is intended to be moving without being too sentimental -- as I've had a positive reaction to it.

Since I drew it, I've seen similar cartoons on the web. This is inevitable with topical cartoons. Any cartoonist who sat down to think about this subject may well have thought of K-9, who was inextricably linked to Sarah Jane, Sladen's Doctor Who character. And as death is the subject it's a short logical leap to a Greyfriars Bobby scenario.

Topical cartoons are drawn quickly and sometimes mistakes are made. There is one in this cartoon. I'll give points to any Doctor Who fan, or anyone else, who spots it! Comment below if you know.

Click here to buy Royston's cartoon book

Not Yet Sold: Doctor Who cartoon

As the new Doctor Who begins his spell in the Tardis this weekend (as no-one in the UK can fail to have noticed) I thought I'd dig out this old chestnut for my series on rejected cartoons.

This is from 2006 when Private Eye were running lots of gags punning on the TV series Grumpy Old Men (Grumpy Old Mister Men, Morris Men, that kind of thing). This happens from time to time, there was a series of iPod puns when the gadgets became popular (here's a published one) and a couple of years ago, for some reason, they favoured "Are you looking at my bird?" gags.

I usually submit one or two for these themes, as they are easy to think up, but the problem is they are almost impossible to sell anywhere else if rejected.

More Not Yet Sold cartoons.

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