Well, in a fit of utter boredom, during the wee hours of the morning, I took it upon myself to build a Slug Signorino gallery. I have so far, save nearly 60 “Slugtoons” to my hard drive.
The graphics viewing program I use, has full thumbnail capabilities, making browsing a breeze. What is really amusing, is the slide-show feature. When activated, it shows all of the Slug cartoons, in order, and all at the exact same size, and position on the screen. This “Slug-a-thon” is quite amusing and “possibly disturbing” at the same time. We know how twisted Slug’s 'toons often are. :rolleyes:
I have found something in Slug’s 'toons, however, that I had never noticed before. Slug has a recurring character! I don’t know if anyone else has ever noticed this bizarre looking creature, or whom it may represent. I am guessing it is supposed to represent none other than Slug, himself. For a peek at this character look here:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/990625.html
Of the 56 images I have collected, the character mentioned above, appears in 7 of them. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but it’s interesting, nonetheless. I also noticed that duck-like critters, in general, seem to be a fav’ of Slug’s. I wonder why that is? Hmmmmm. I’m almost afraid to know the answer. :eek:
In the image you posted, note the little mortarboard that the turkey (yes, it’s a turkey) is wearing. For further proof, look at this image, which provides a snapshot of the whole Straight Dope Trinity–Cecil, Slug, and Little Ed.
As a side note, did anyone else find Slug’s pic of this week to be relatively over-the-top? Nice shower that that researcher is getting.
DHR
The following comes from Ed Zotti’s introduction to The Straight Dope:
“At an early stage of the game the Reader was fortunate enough to obtain the services of Slug Signorino to illustrate the Straight Dope. This was a shrewd move in two respects. Not only was Slug an artist of authority and vision, as a glance through these pages will confirm, but he also possessed a personality nearly as poisonous as Cecil’s own. The two took to one another with the enthusiasm of the Apaches for the first Cavalry, thus deflecting much misery and aggravation from the rest of us. Cecil over the years has been particularly peeved at Slug’s habit of depicting him as a turkey in a mortarboard, which he does not feel adequately conveys his stature in contemporary American culture. ‘It’s a good thing the guy’s a genius,’ Cecil has been heard to say, ‘or I would have murdered him in his sleep long ago.’ Slug, for his part, merely grins evilly.”
I was aware of the “Turkey in the Mortarboard” thing, but I’ve always entertained an enjoyable mental image of Cecil Adams as the guy on the cover of The Straight Dope (the first edition of the first of the books; I think the currently available edition may lack this cover art): a tall, skinny fellow wearing an Italian undershirt, sock garters, boxer shorts, a mortarboard, and a bag over his head with two little eyeholes cut out.
Pursuing Doghouse’s link, I see that Slug has transferred the bag-disguise to his Ed Zotti caricature, the sweet little fellow in the diapers.
Who has a sinister theory about this?
I never had it cross my mind that the MB Turkey, was a caricature of Unca Cece. The only Slug image of Unca Cece I had in my mind, was the one which Ukulele Ike mentioned. I couldn’t find this image on the website though.
