Shhhhhh

My Silent Cartoon in This Week’s New Yorker

Few things make me happier than having a wordless cartoon in The New Yorker—like I do this week.

Since I was a kid, wordless cartoons have felt like magic to me. After my first sale to the magazine, I made it my mission to get one into print. I made sure every batch of ten included at least one completely visual joke. Three and a half years later, they finally bought this one.

I remember struggling with the idea, trying every which way to make it land—until I saw this cartoon by the brilliant Warren Miller.

I promptly stole Warren’s great bit of stage business: that deep bow to applauding bystanders. Suddenly the joke had room to breathe. It was a good reminder that timing is everything in humor—and in cartoons, timing is spatial. Even so, wordless cartoons never got any easier. I did, however, manage to sell two the following year.

And for the record: caption-less cartoons with words in the image don’t count.

It’s got to be truly, completely wordless.

This week’s showdown pits two strong, silent types from way back in my early days against each other. First up: Cheater.

And the challenger—also in my early style—Twins.

Now, into the semis! First, the winner by KO of our interrogation-room showdown: Pepper Perp.

And in the opposite corner, the clear victor of our Thanksgiving bout: Pilgrim’s Process.

Thanks for voting! See you on Black Friday.