133 replies to this topic

[int2str]

Hey AtlasF1!

I can't find any season strokes this week.
Are there not going to be any this week?

I'm always looking forward to them

Thanks,
André

[bira]

Hi Andre,

Our beloved artist Bruce Thomson was ill this week, therefore no Season Strokes in this issue... he'll be back for the US GP...

Cheers,

Bira

[int2str]

Thanks for the blazingly fast reply, Bira!
Send Bruce my well wishes. Hope he'll feel better soon and will be back to his sarcastic self after the US Grand Prix .

I'm very happy that AtlasF1 offers his great comic!

Thanks,
André

[Bruce]

Sorry everyone - but I got quite ill on Sunday... (wonder if it had anything to do with Schumi winning at Monza ? ), and was ill for half the week and thus unable to do any drawing, being surgically attached to the toilet...

Ugly!

Again, sorry for the missed cartoon, as Bira says, I'll be back following the USGP...

Thanks for your interest, your well wishes and your compliments, André...

Cheers - B

[Scoop]

Originally posted by Bruce
Sorry everyone - but I got quite ill on Sunday... (wonder if it had anything to do with Schumi winning at Monza ? ), and was ill for half the week and thus unable to do any drawing, being surgically attached to the toilet...

Ugly!

Again, sorry for the missed cartoon, as Bira says, I'll be back following the USGP...

Thanks for your interest, your well wishes and your compliments, André...

Cheers - B

hope you get well soon. to the toons

[CONOSUR]

Originally posted by Bruce
...wonder if it had anything to do with Schumi winning at Monza ?

That's what I thought...I just figured you couldn't think of anything funny about it ;)

As you know, I always look forward to them...

[CONOSUR]

Is it just me, or are the cartoons turning into an anti-Schumacher bashing medium?

C'mon Bruce, there had to something in the last three races that was actually funny...

[SeanValen]

Originally posted by CONOSUR
Is it just me, or are the cartoons turning into an anti-Schumacher bashing medium?

C'mon Bruce, there had to something in the last three races that was actually funny...

I guess they could work the humor of pre Indy, with Kimi, Juan, and MS contenders for the title, the good, the bad, the ugly music on ITV channel in the uk hyping it up, was amusing, the route to go.

[raceday]

Originally posted by CONOSUR
Is it just me, or are the cartoons turning into an anti-Schumacher bashing medium?

C'mon Bruce, there had to something in the last three races that was actually funny...

I can only agree. This last one I can't even imagine that the hard core bashers find funny?

[Viktor]

I have to agree :

/Viktor

[Bruce]

Well, I'm disappointed to read that some of you did not enjoy the recent Season's Strokes.

One of the reasons that I stopped posting at the BB was that I felt that it was wrong to given my input with the cartoons. My dislike of MS is well known on the BB, and I didn't want that to become a factor in my cartoons.

When I write the cartoons, I do try to be as even handed as possible - to the point of having a go at drivers I like, as well as drivers I dislike.

In the last 2 Grnd Prix's however, I had a hard time finding any real silver lining in the races - usually, I find it easy to, but for the past couple of races, I've found very little to amuse, and much to cause consternation.

I would point out, though, that although the last couple of cartoons are hardly full of wild praise for Michael Schumacher, neither are they critiscisms of him - they are, in fact, a criticism of the inconsistent rulings handed down by the officials who run the races and decide how the rules and penalties will be applied.

Perhaps a cartoon is not the place to vent my feelings about what I consider to be unevenly applied rulings, and I did give quite a little bit of thought to the content of the last couple of cartoons before drawing and sending them - I do not dash off - hot from the race, and use Season's Strokes to vent spleen - it would be unfair to Atlas and it's subscribers.

The nature of humour, and in fact comics, though, is that at times, they are not funny - they are merely a vehicle with which the artist tries to establish what he or she belives is a "truth" - this is especially true of political cartoons, and I certainly have felt that the politics of F1 have deserved a little lampooning in the recent past.

It's a great disappointment to me to read that these have not been appreciated by some, but I can understand why they would not be. Anytime that I (or anybody else) ventures away from the light and fluffy, some will register disapproval.


I appreciate your comments and your criticisms.

I would also like to thank Bira and Atlas for never seeking to edit my cartoon content, even though I imagine that at times She/they have been tempted to.

Cheers - Bruce

[Bruce]

I'd like to add that I have received a goodly number of e-mails regarding this last cartoon (something that hasn't happened in a while - which brings to mind the Oscar Wilde quote about "the only thing worse than being talked about is NOT being talked about" ) and they have been about evenly split with about half of the people being complimentry and the other half being critical.

The e-mails have re-affirmed my belief that the people involved with and subscribing to Atlas are a good bunch; even those who disagreed with me or found fault with the cartoon were unfailingly polite and reasonable.

Thanks for taking the touble to write me, all of you. - B

[JForce]

Bruce, I didn't like it, and saw it to be anti-Michael, or Ferrari bashing, or something. But that's my pov, no doubt many others saw it as beeing an accurate depiction of the situation.

I agree that cartoons, esp good political cartoons, show the current public feeling and general view of the community. By making this cartoon, you've shown just that....people are divided in the way they look at it.

Im hoping during the off season you get into the background of F1 a little more with your drawings...the Bernies/Maxes/team bosses, sponsors, events, FIA, the whole thing. I think there's tons of stuff there

[garth_b]

Just to add my $0.02. I thought the cartoon was a comment on the scrutineers as intended by Bruce. It was purely and simply a political cartoon. Not something Bruce usually does but it shows commendable diversity in his work. Political cartoons will always upset some and appeal to others. Still others will not get it at all.

Keep up the good work Bruce. Remember if you never receive criticism you never improve.

[Viktor]

Originally posted by Bruce
Well, I'm disappointed to read that some of you did not enjoy the recent Season's Strokes.

One of the reasons that I stopped posting at the BB was that I felt that it was wrong to given my input with the cartoons. My dislike of MS is well known on the BB, and I didn't want that to become a factor in my cartoons.

I think thay my be a factor, having read your posts on the BB for the last 4½ years I my read in to much of that into your season strokes

I can only add what garth_b said, keep up the good work

/Viktor

[Slick]

I personally loved this cartoon, and thought it summed up the mood very well. As they say, you can please all of the people some of the time but you can't please all of the people all of the time.

Keep it up Bruce, there will be something to please the MS fans soon I'm sure. Althought they did have the bonus of him winning the championship to soften the blow.

[shabby]

Hi,

i did not like the last cartoons too. I do not think that political cartoons show off great diversity if they always go in the same direction.

Repeating your theme again and again just makes it boring (as with the last two cartoons).

I liked the other cartoons very much though.

[Mosquito]

I didn't like the last cartoon either. It's not that it isn't funny, as Bruce stated, cartoons aren't solely about being funny.

That said, imo a cartoon should express something, give a bend to reality through either humor, sarcasm, spot, irony, etc. This cartoon does nothing of that. It's purely a statement by the author. It's like a political cartoon with a subtitle: "Liberals are bad for the economy". In that respect, there's no function in the drawings.

Also, I think the mediocre performance from MS was a great opportunity for a cartoon. Something with the irony of achieving something really great with a really piss poor performance. And how about the fridge? Kimi and DC quit on the PC? Etc, etc. I think the last weekend had enough material for at least 5 potentially great cartoons, anti-anyone or pro-whoever.


But there's enough cartoons I do like, and I am aware that this is a debate that's very trivial as it easily mixes up 'quality' with 'taste'.


Just don't disappoint us anymore Bruce.

[hedges]

I have to say I am dissapointed also. When I first saw Bruce would have his monthly cartoon I thought 'oh great, here's 8 months of Shumi cheap shots'. I was completely wrong, instead I was surprised to see balanced content poking fun at various drivers and events, and I started to look forward to viewing them. Given the Indy cartoon however, I had not looked at this races offering untill reading this thread.

I didn't have a problem per se with Indys cartoon, while I found it offensive I just thought that my view, and Bruce as a cartoonist expressing his. Without getting into the merits of the respected incidents or Bruces kind graphical interpretation of JPM being in front of RB while RB still being on track this month is a different story. It is a redraw of last months cartoon. Same story, same punchline, one parting cheapshot. We got your point last month, you think the stewards and FIA are dishonest and favour Ferrari.

I think Mosquito has really hit it on the head. In the last race in particular you had the opportunity to improve your craft, and finish the season with a truely top class effort this year, both in quality and the impartiality you yourself were seeking. It seems to me you ignored this chance in order to take a parting shot but I may just be reading too much into it.

I will definitely be reading your cartoons next year however as Mosquito was also right in saying - "But there's enough cartoons I do like, and I am aware that this is a debate that's very trivial as it easily mixes up 'quality' with 'taste'".

[CONOSUR]

Originally posted by hedges
...In the last race in particular you had the opportunity to improve your craft, and finish the season with a truely top class effort this year, both in quality and the impartiality you yourself were seeking. It seems to me you ignored this chance in order to take a parting shot but I may just be reading too much into it...as Mosquito was also right in saying - "But there's enough cartoons I do like, and I am aware that this is a debate that's very trivial as it easily mixes up 'quality' with 'taste'".

Right on.

The sole reason I decided to subscribe was because of your cartoons, Bruce. Of course, since then I've realized that there's just so much more to Atlas that not subscribing wouldn't have been an option, but the primary reason in the beginning was purely for you, Bruce. You're stuff is that good.

But, if it were purely biased, political humor from the beginning, your contribution wouldn't have meant squat to me. I respect you and your craft and feel you make a seriously great contribution to Atlas... I just hope you can be impartial enough in the future to find the humor in each race - no matter who is the butt of the humor. I can live with that.

Humor rocks!

[fifi]

i liked the cartoon

[The Soul Stealer]

Originally posted by JForce
Bruce, I didn't like it, and saw it to be anti-Michael, or Ferrari bashing, or something. But that's my pov, no doubt many others saw it as beeing an accurate depiction of the situation.

Yea, I'm with ya on this, in fact I think I'll add it to my list of "Reasons to punch Bruce in the nose"

[CONOSUR]

Just curious here, are there going to be any 2003 off-season cartoons? Last year there were 3 2002 off-season cartoons plus a Christmas cartoon, then 4 2003 pre-season cartoons...

Kinda hopin' for a little humor during the seemingly endless off-season...

[Bruce]

Hey Conosur - thabks for the interest in the off-season 'toons. This year I'm taking something of a sabbatical from them as I have an awful lot of stuff to address myself in the off-season, so there will not in fact be any off-season cartoons - this year anyway.

Come the Australian GP I'llbe back to the drawing table, as they say....

cheers - B

[Bruce]

Originally posted by The Soul Stealer

Yea, I'm with ya on this, in fact I think I'll add it to my list of "Reasons to punch Bruce in the nose"

Get in line. Hope you're patient.


;)

[int2str]

Bruce,

that was one of (the?) funniest cartoons you've done so far
Thanks for your ongoing great cartoon and other column! A huge asset to AtlasF1!

Cheers,
André

[Bono]

ditto

[30ft penguin]

I nearly laughed out loud. Not a good thing to do when you're supposed to be working ...

[Schuting Star]

When I'm back at work that is being printed out! Nice one Bruce

[Teez]

As a fan of Bruce's work I wish there was an easier way to browse through the Season Strokes archives. Currently the link found with each new cartoon only opens up the search engine with Bruce Thomson's name. This does a horrible job of sorting and organizing the cartoons. Any chance of a better archive page or something similar on AtlasF1 for Season Strokes?

[bira]

Originally posted by Teez
As a fan of Bruce's work I wish there was an easier way to browse through the Season Strokes archives. Currently the link found with each new cartoon only opens up the search engine with Bruce Thomson's name. This does a horrible job of sorting and organizing the cartoons. Any chance of a better archive page or something similar on AtlasF1 for Season Strokes?

There's a link on every page on Atlas F1 called Search & Archive. Go there.

On the main search page you'll find a dropdown list - "View articles by current Atlas F1 Team writers"

Select "Thomson, Bruce" and you have all of Bruce's Season Strokes.

[Garagiste]

Yep, made me LOL too, and I'm a JPM fan - nice to see that nobody is safe from Bruce!

[Bruce]

Thanks guys! Geez, I hate to pick on Montoya when Schumacher (either one, really!) is available - but he really asked for it, didn't he? He he he.

Thanks for the kind comments - always nice to hear - Cheers - Bruce

[Bruce]

...or alternatively, send me US$100,000.00 and I'll send you prints of all of them....






really.

[mahelgel]

i remeber posting a similar question some time ago. The way i wanted it was to make it a gallery like the photogallery so you could look at the thumbnails to find the one you where looking for.... sorting them yearly

As Bira pointed out, it works pretty ok as it is though

[Barty]

Maybe not an error, but there is no Bruce Thompson cartoon from the Chinese GP, at least no link on the front page.

[bira]

Originally posted by Barty
Maybe not an error, but there is no Bruce Thompson cartoon from the Chinese GP, at least no link on the front page.

Bruce is in the process of relocation so he doesn't have his computer set up yet and was not able to do a cartoon for this race. He should be back after the Japanese GP.

[CONOSUR]

: ...damn

Always look forward to them. Too bad the inaugural GP of China won't get covered. With Schumi finishing out of the points, I thought Bruce would be all over it...;)

[philhitchings]

Hope bruce manages to find time to put together one for China, there's plenty of humour there, especially for someone who's not as pro-Schumi as some of us ;)

[CONOSUR]

Bruce, if the only thing you could possibly come away from Australia with is a negative way to deride Schumacher instead of finding something positive or humorous in the event, then that's just sad.

Actually comparing this incident to the dates you chose shows a jaded, hung-up-in-the-past mentality is pervading your work and seriously hampering your ability to find humor.

It must be horrible living each day looking to find something negative in someone else instead of just living. And it's sad, really, because your work was the reason why I joined Atlas in the first place... :

[JForce]

I have to say I thought the same thing. It wasn't amusing, and said more about Bruce than anything else.

[bern@rd]

I'm a pretty new subscriber to atlasf1, so I haven't seen the older ones, but I honestly can't see what the problem is with that cartoon (is it a cartoon? Don't remember the correct term ). I found it to be funny. And nice looking.
Are you saying it's funny when he makes fun of other drivers, but every time he does one on Michael you get your panties in a twist.
You will, of course, have to forgive my ignorance, because I haven't seen the old ones and don't know how much Schumi bashing has been going on.
But reading the comments you seemed to get upset when he did two Michaels in a row.

[Bruce]

Always glad to provide a little controversy...

Quick thoughts -

a) I was put in mind of the dates mentioned by the ITV commentators...

b) Without invoking the dates there is no humour to MS driving back to the pits (although by some of your reactions, I presume that you failed to see any humour there anyway...)

c) There was much to concentrate on in that race. However, in talking to friends (most of whom are MS fans) and browsing the forums, I decided that for many (though surely not all) MS's non finish was the biggest surprise of the race - thus also, the item of most note.

d) Most humour is somewhat barbed... don't take it too seriously - after all - it is supposed to be humourous. I know that my sense of humour doesn't jibe with everyones (I often get e-mails telling me what cartoon I SHOULD have drawn last week) but I'm the guy holding the paintbrush - not always an enviable position.

e) I thought it was hilarious. So there.

[xflow7]

Lighten up, guys. I thought it was pretty funny.

[Raemius]

Well, well, well.....

As soon as someone has a laugh at Schumacher's expense, the nutters come screaming out of the asylum. For God's sake, guys...


IT'S A JOKE !!!

And a pretty good one at that.

[Bruce]

I wouldn't be TOO critical of those who are not happy with the last particular comic - I have picked on MS an awful lot in the past... some of it fair, some of it probably less than fair. My only defense is that Schumacher is THE racer in F1 - and therefore the prime target for any cartoon - the fact that he has featured so much in my cartoons could be construed as a compliment...

[CONOSUR]

Originally posted by bern@rd
I'm a pretty new subscriber to atlasf1, so I haven't seen the older ones, but I honestly can't see what the problem is with that cartoon (is it a cartoon? Don't remember the correct term ). I found it to be funny. And nice looking.

Yes. It's a cartoon. Yes. It's nice looking as they always are.

Are you saying it's funny when he makes fun of other drivers, but every time he does one on Michael you get your panties in a twist.

No. I have most always found the humor in his cartoons, no matter whom the butt of the jab.

You will, of course, have to forgive my ignorance, because I haven't seen the old ones and don't know how much Schumi bashing has been going on.

No prob. Easily forgiven...

But reading the comments you seemed to get upset when he did two Michaels in a row.

The one sure fire way to intentionally piss off Schumacher fans is to mention those dates. To imply that some back-marker racing incident in the opening round could somehow be compared to title-deciding shenanigans of 11 years and 7 years ago is just beyond comprehension. To blantantly, intentionally piss on fans of one driver during the first outing of the year by knowingly producing the type of flame-baiting trolling that's outlawed on this board, is, in my opinion, not the way to start out.

[Tuxy]

Stoddard shoulda been the prime target...seriously now...he was the clown of the weekend.

[Bruce]

Originally posted by CONOSUR
To blantantly, intentionally piss on fans of one driver during the first outing of the year by knowingly producing the type of flame-baiting trolling that's outlawed on this board, is, in my opinion, not the way to start out.

Conosur, I truly did not draw this cartoon to blatantly or intentionally piss anyone off... this is never the intention of my cartoons, although I am, of course aware, that this is sometimes the result.

Tuxy; Stoddart may have been the "clown of the weekend" as you point out, but my cartoons focus specifically on the race, and as you may have noticed, the Minardi's were somethinng of a non-event in this regard - not particularly notable, even given the whole PS ruckus... imho.

[Tuxy]

Fair enuf.