The Snows of Janis an’ Arlo


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Ouch. I reasoned a snowfall cartoon would be appropriate for many of you today. Here, it’s cold rain and mud. I enjoy drawing snow scenes. I think most cartoonists do. If you go strictly by the funny pages, you’d think that the U.S. is one big Sweden. For one thing, snow is versatile. It can be beautifully rendered; what is prettier than virgin snow? Or, it can be quickly and economically rendered. One can even get away with depicting snow by drawing… nothing! Plus, snow evokes response: it’s lovely, it’s special, it’s uncomfortable, it’s messy. But most of all, cartoonists think, “It’s January. Great! I can do a snow cartoon.”