Atlantic City's New Mayor

Here's today's cartoon for the Press of Atlantic City.

As most of you in the city by the sea are aware, Scott Evans has been chosen to be your new mayor. Which, as always, has it's problems, and comes with its own baggage.

According to The Press:

One of the challenges of his term will be establishing a working relationship with a council that only grudgingly approved him. And he may have gotten off to a bad start Friday by commandeering the city-owned SUV driven by at-large Councilman George Tibbitt as his mayoral vehicle.

Atlantic City Council President Craig Callaway, who is serving 40 months in federal prison for accepting $36,000 in bribes, has now selected the Mayor of Atlantic City. Evans, alongside the other two nominees, Domenic Cappela and Barbara Hudgins, are all steadfast Callaway supporters.

I came up with this cartoon initially, but my editors at The Press thought I wasn't giving Evans a fair shake, as he has a chance to do right by the city:

According to Harry Hurley:

One of the first things Evans will do is bring back attorney Dan Gallagher ... most probably in a tax appeal role. Do not immediately reject this move.

There is a major investigation coming. Get ready for it. And, it's going to get really ugly. And, while I have had my differences with Dan, because of his undying loyalty to Craig Callaway ... Gallagher is very experienced in Atlantic City tax appeals ... something that the City is lacking at the present time.

I say the burden should be on Evans. He knows his background, and it should be up to him not to follow the path of his predecessor. He's started off right by saying he will only serve as mayor for one year, and he won't run for re-election.

That means that in June 2008, the citizens of Atlantic City will have the opportunity to choose who they would like to be their next mayor.

And hopefully it won't be out of a bag of 3 Callaway lackeys.

Formal Position Regarding the Selection of Mayor for Atlantic City. My Choice: Scott Evans
Harry Hurley

Where the Callaways are now
Press of Atlantic City

Atlantic City mayor gets crash course in running city
Press of Atlantic City

The Sure to Piss You Off Item of the Day

From The Swamp:

Forced to quit his office by the uproar over the dismissal of nine federal prosecutors plus other alleged missteps relating to surveillance and the treatment of detainees, Alberto Gonzales now commands a cool $40,000 on the speakers circuit, according to recent news accounts.

Ex-AG Gonzales hits speakers circuit
The Swamp (Tribune Company's Washington Blog>

"Whooooooooo!” - The Nature Boy endorses Huckabee

On the heels of his Chuck Norris endorsement, CNN is reporting that Mike huckabee has just landed another important endorsement...The Nature Boy Ric Flair!

Here's a quote from Political Intelligence, a blog by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor at The Boston Globe:

"It's a tremendous honor to offer my support to such an outstanding leader as Mike Huckabee. His authentic conservative qualifications and level of executive leadership experience are unmatched by his opponents."

"And like I always say, to be the man, you've got to beat the man and Mike Huckabee is the man. Whoooooooo!"

Here is Huckabee's Chuck Norris commercial:



Wrestler Ric Flair supporting Mike Huckabee
CNN

Huckabee adds Ric Flair to fold
Political Intelligence: The Boston Globe

Another one bites the dust...

Here's a link to today's carton over at PolitickerNJ. Go check it out, and have a great Thanksgiving!

Affordable Housing

Here's the sketch:

Giving Novick the hook

Here's a link to my first cartoon for PolitickerOR, a sister site of PolitickerNJ.

In Oregon, there is a Democratic primary for US Senate between Jeff Merkley, the state House Speaker and the Democratic establishment candidate, and Steve Novick, a leftist lawyer and Paul Wellstone kind of candidate. Novick is a thalidomide baby, stands 4’8” tall and has a hook instead of a left hand, something that he plays up on his campaign website, votehook.com.

Novick was in the race first, and the state/national Dems have pretty much picked Merkley. They’d like Novick out of the race, so they can concentrate on beating GOP Sen. Gordon Smith, but Novick doesn’t seem at all willing to go.

Here's the sketch:

Who's going to bet on the Bills this weekend at the Borgata?

Here's the sketch:



23 charged in Atlantic City gambling ring
Pressof Atlantic City

Probe's big payoff: sports bet arrests
Asbury Park Press

Reason #7483 not to live in Detroit

Gas Station Owner Kills Rival in Gas Price Fight

What happened to you Frank?

Image from Comic Book Resources

So "the Goddamn Batman" writer Frank Miller is directing the new Spirt movie staring Gabriel Macht...fine.

The over-used and increasing tiring Eva Mendes is playing femme fatale Sand Saref...whatever.

So why on gods green earth is Frank Miller directing in front of a green screen for?!?!?! Doesn't The Spirit take place in a noirish urban landscape? Do we really need Lucas-like special effects on this one?!?! Can't we film it in New York City, as this quote would indicate:

There is one very specific aspect of Will Eisner's "The Spirit" that Miller was most keen to translate accurately into the film, but it's not a tiny one. "That would be the passion that Will and I always shared for New York City," Miller confessed. "You'll see some very familiar touches that come from Will Eisner and come from the city we both love."

I guess Miller trying to trudge out the style of Sin City. Hopefully, Frank did a better job on The Spirit screenplay that he did adapting his own material for the screen.

Then again, we are talking about the well-respect hack writer of "The Dark Knight Strikes Again" and "All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder", so I think I'll keep my hopes down...

On set with Frank Miller and "Will Eisner's The Spirit"
Comic Book Resources

Adrian Tomine

Los Angeles City Beat has done a short piece on Adrian Tomine, author and illustrator of one of my favorite comic books, "Optic Nerve" by Drawn & Quarterly. Drawn & Quarterly has a mini Shortcomings site located on their website. It's worth checking out.

Here's an excerpt from the article:

“Even since I was a teenager doing these little mini-comics out of my parents’ house, I would get these totally divergent and sort of irreconcilable opinions of my work,” says graphic novelist Adrian Tomine. “It would be, like, ‘You’re great; you’ve got a lot of potential,’ or ‘Give up; you suck!’”

Go check it out here.

A-Rod in NY?

After reading about Alex Rodriguez's new contract agreement with the New York Yankees (behind the back of his agent, Scott Boras), I thought of doing a cartoon with Tiffany Pollard, aka New York from the VH1 show 'I love New York,'

I drew it, but I think it's sort-of stale, and really doesn't say much. I think the gag could be funny, but not like this.

And, in lieu of Bond's indictment, a previous cartoon I did does a much better job of juxtaposing the two:

The Hillary and Bill Show

Tonight, CNN hosts the latest Democratic Presidential Debate, this time at University of Nevada at Las Vegas. With Hillary flip-flopping in the issue of giving illegal immigrants driver's licenses, and Bill protecting her from "the boys," it should be interesting.

Which might be a first...

Here's the sketch:

Baldacci's Monster

Consolidation is a big issue in Maine. Governor Baldacci wants to take the 296 existing school districts and reduce them down to...26. Quite a task for someone elected with 38% of the vote.

And 296 school districts? Man, I thought New Jersey was bad!

Here's the sketch:

Corzine vetoes common sense

Here's the sketch:



Corzine blocks digital tax breaks
Philadelphia Inquirer

Corzine wants New Jersey Internet tax break plan reworked
Asbury Park Press

Corzine's progress report

Here's my latest toon for PolitickerNJ. Drop me a line there and let me know what you think about the progress of our wonderful Governor.

Here's the sketch:

Top Gear- the BEST show on cable!!!

Enjoy a little bit of CAR SOCCER from the guys over at Top Gear.

"Doorball! That's not allowed!"

Katz is talking...again

Everyone's favorite labor leader and ex-governor's fling Carla Katz has begun a new blog today over at PolitickerNJ. She tackles New Jersey's civil union law, its omission of the 'M' word, and criticizes her ex-fling Corzine along the way. It's good, but I want more Margolin bashing!!!

I did a cartoon a while back for the Press about our little heiress.

I bet Dana McGreevey wishes she could trade places with Carla. Not only is she scarred from her ex's rest-stop rhomps that Larry Craig only wishes he could be part of, she can't even squeeze any money from the louse. Meanwhile, Carla's swimming in it.

Senator Cruella

Just thought you guys might like to check out my first cartoon for PolitickerME, sister site of PolitickerNJ, where my cartoons already appear weekly. So I hope you enjoy it, even if you have no interest at all in Maine politics. Pass it to a friend that lives up there :)

Here's the sketch:

Can I get a years supply?

Here's the sketch:

The Battle of the 2nd District

Here's the sketch: