We were speaking recently of technology and the cartoonist. Digital manipulation has made life much easier for folks like me. For example, the last two panels in the above classic A&J are identical, except for some wording. Did I draw the two panels twice? Of course not. In the old days, I’d have done that, or used some antediluvian device such as a copying machine to make a copy to cut and paste, with real scissors and real paste, mind you. Now, it’s a snap to duplicate work with virtual cut and paste. One must fight the temptation to overuse this power, out of laziness, but in the above example I can plead that the repetitive nature of the two panels is the joke. I try not to cut and paste for the sake of convenience, but I cannot say I’m totally innocent. When you do catch me, it almost always is a case of deadline pressure; I’m pulling out every trick in the book to get Arlo & Janis out the door for you.

69 Comments » Posted by jimmyjohnson / Vintage A&J