OK. I give up.
Slug’s illustration of Cecil’s current column Is handwriting analysis legit science?, has me baffled.
I understand that the figure on the right is a stick-up artist named Francis, demanding that someone “hand over the cheese.”
But just “who or what” is going on in the dream on the left? Is that one or two people? And which one of them is named Francis(we assume a male?).
Or, do I really want to know?
I only know the answer to that last one. No. It is Slug, after all! 
Um, I don’t understand the confusion. There are two graphologists reading an ambiguous message. One of them thinks it’s written by the robber on the right, who is demanding cheese at gunpoint. The other thinks it’s written by the woman on the left, who is apparently demanding cheese in exhange for sexual favors (or perhaps she’s posing for a cheesecake photo). Either could be named Francis (although the female name is Frances, we can’t count on an artist living in a subterranean cage and being fed raw meat to know this).
That’s supposed to be a woman? It looks more like a rat to me.
Perhaps it would be clearer in print, but I forgot to pick up this week’s edition of the fine local weekly alternative publication. Cecil’s columns are always opposite the “adult entertainment” ads anyway so my eyes are usually diverted from Slug’s illustration. It’s less distracting to read the column online.
Hehehehe. I think nametag’s wrong. I’m new and I think he’s (or she’s) never wrong. Well…
I think it’s a lot more simple than you’re all making it out to be!
It’s simply a “ransom” message left by someone - and the men reading it are trying to figure out by his handwriting whether he’s a big 'ol burly scary guy, or a weakling without a gun. It’s about HANDWRITING ANALYSIS. You all read too much into things! (Nothing personal, I do the same)
graphologist? Hehehehe. What’s that?
Graphology is the notion that personality traits of the writer are evident in his handwriting. It’s palmistry without the palms, or phrenology without the phrens - I mean skulls.
Is that a big wheel of cheese hugging the woman for freeing it?
Also, it looks (to me) that the woman has a penis on her shoulder.
To be honest, I can’t really make out that part of the picture. I see a face and hair, and some things that look like arms and hands, but they seem to be sprouting out of unnatural places. There is a pointy thing where her shoulder should be, but I can’t make out what is what below her neck.