Ideally, cartooning is supposed to be a funny business. There aren’t many people who feed their family and pay their bills by taking pen to paper to draw something that hopefully makes people laugh, or at least think.
But funny also has to be easily recognizable. And for cartoonists, each new administration comes with a mandate: to create a character that readers can instantly identify as the president.
Donald Trump was a cartoonist’s dream with his flamboyant shock of blond coiffed hair and his signature long red tie. Like Trump, President Joe Biden has a few dominant physical characteristics that can guide my mind’s eye in helping craft the character.
For example, Biden’s eyes are frequently squinted or even hidden behind aviator sunglasses; both are comedic gold for any cartoonist. Similarly, Biden’s broad, toothy smile — he could easily have been a pitchman for any teeth-whitening product — dominates his elongated countenance, topped by his combed-back white hair.
Put it all together, and — even without a vintage Corvette — you get a likeness that screams to me in Biden’s voice as I draw: “C’mon, man, add some color!” Which you can see at the end.