麻豆传媒

Bruce MacKinnon, the 贬别谤补濒诲鈥檚 award winning political cartoonist, stopped by 麻豆传媒 on聽September 25th, to talk about the trials and tribulations of editorial cartooning. 鈥淐artoons and Comics鈥� (English 2080) aims to give students a history of the medium of comics before going on to look at modern forms, such as current political cartooning and the graphic novel.

MacKinnon was very comfortable in front of the crowd of over 70 eager students, whose questions didn鈥檛 let up the entire time. After giving credit to his mentors: the late Bob Chambers, his much celebrated predecessor at the Herald, Terry Mosher of the Montreal Gazette, and Roy Peterson, whose graphic designs in the Vancouver Sun and 惭补肠濒别补苍鈥檚 were for MacKinnon鈥檚 experience 鈥渦nparalleled,鈥� MacKinnon went on to describe how these cartoonists inspired him to do the same. 鈥淐anada has a great tradition of political cartooning,鈥� he added.

Students were interested in his daily routine and his sources of inspiration. MacKinnon arrived at 6:30, having just finished a cartoon about the ongoing Blackberry saga for a 5:30 deadline.聽 鈥淭he hardest part of the job is to create a visual connection with the issue.鈥� Slides of MacKinnon鈥檚 work were shown as a backdrop while he spoke.聽 A class favorite showed George W. Bush, (admittedly one of MacKinnon鈥檚 鈥渇avorite targets鈥�) drawn as a monkey holding two ends of a chain, one link states 鈥淚raq鈥� the other 鈥淎l-Qaeda.鈥� Bush himself is labeled: 鈥淭he Missing Link.鈥澛� Brevity, both visually and textually, was advocated as the soul of the editorial cartoonist鈥檚 wit.

MacKinnon expressed the importance of not saying too much and not making the image too busy. 鈥淚 will often remove things like office furniture or plants from a room, to keep the focus on the figures.鈥�

When asked about his own politics and whether he ever felt pressure to represent a particular idea, MacKinnon was frank. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 get editorial pressure toward say a particular political party. The pressure comes from the front page鈥攁 lot of my work is driven by the front page story.鈥� A recent cartoon of Bashar al-Assad represented as a snake was a good example of this point. The snake is saying: 鈥淲e agree to dispose of the chemical weapons we deny ever having.鈥澛� MacKinnon discussed how international politics are not usually the focus of the 贬别谤补濒诲鈥檚 front page but added: 鈥淲hen it鈥檚 a big story you can鈥檛 ignore it.鈥�

Questioned further about his own politics, MacKinnon described himself as a moderate. 鈥淥ver the years I have voted for all three major political parties; I find the truth is usually somewhere in the middle. That being said, although I am a moderate, there is a time and place for moderation and sometimes you have to hit hard. Humour is a vehicle to get people interested in your idea, but sometimes a cartoon isn鈥檛 meant to make you laugh.鈥�

MacKinnon鈥檚 recent cartoon depicting a Saint Mary鈥檚 Husky urinating on a female student was a case in point. Indeed, the class didn鈥檛 laugh when they saw this image, but they discussed this cartoon at great length. It had its desired effect.

Constant lampooning has the occupational hazard of getting the lampooner in occasional hot water. MacKinnon discussed some of the blowback he had received over the years, including criticism of his caricatures of former Prime Minister Jean Chretien. 鈥淎t the bottom line we are critics. We are here to question the political powers that be. So I will draw Harper鈥檚 big nose, like I drew Mulroney鈥檚 big chin. I draw them as I see them. I am a caricaturist and nobody gets off the hook.鈥�

MacKinnon generously donated his 麻豆传媒 honorarium to the University of King鈥檚 College Calvin Headly Scholarship for African-American Athletes.