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One of the lost elements in election coverage throughout generations of general media is the usage of political cartoons.
With the booming sensations of iPad apps, Twitter, Facebook, Video Players, hashtags, linking, there was once the direct, compelling, and humorous images that still now serve as the singular image associated with the event -- and it's being brought back into the fold.
Welcome to NBC.com's Political Cartoon section - bringing back the lost art into the current fold of the 2012 Presidential Election.
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| Romney had to use all of the bells and whistles just to get attention this week (Screenshot from NBC.com) |
I admit that I am not a regular reader of the comic section of my local newspaper, and frankly, with the number of hard copy newspaper subscriptions falling like a goose tied to a cinder block, I can understand why comic artists must find new outlets to display their work.
They have a friend in NBC.com.
"This Week in Political Cartoons" is included, while not prominiently placed, on the main page of NBC's political web hub.
It allows those who appreciate the power of the image and its ability to tell us "1,000 words" at once to visually feast on a collections of the week's best.
Ironically, it might be the MOST effective way to summarize the week's happenings. Yes, more than 140 characters or through constant blogging analysis.
The Power of Imagination
What's more powerful that dynamic images using skewed and sometimes crud representation of political figures tied with slicing editorial comments?
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| Just let the image sit... (Screenshot from NBC.com) |
The power of the cartoon is the value of "fantasy." Whether it is removing the characters from their normal roles, adding damning dimensions to their persona, or simply letting your imagination run wild, you can take a real-life figure and contort it freely to help depict your message.
It is also why the political cartoon is considered a high art in that a complex message must be solved within a single still image.
Furthermore, with any artists, the fine (and sometimes hidden) details are like a puzzle to find, making a still image surprising more interactive than at first thought.
What Can We Learn?
By simply pursuing the selected cartoons from the week, one can gain a healthy insight on the main issues added with editorial spice.
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| Keep things in perspective too (Screenshot from NBC.com) |
Obama's purposed taxpayer funding of the Middle Eastern conflicts to Chicago teacher strikes, all of the information, and exploration is there to appreciate.
Kudos to NBC.com for including this niche element of a forgotten art in and amongst its new launch of a 2012 Election Coverage App.
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