AS MENTIONED BEFORE these are all cartoons that were printed in The Daily Beacon. I have provided some of my thoughts, reflecting back on when I wrote and drew these cartoons, just to give some context and relevancy to what they are saying or depicting. The extra text is extra. The cartoons stand alone well, and did so especially when they ran in the paper and were timely, but since they were printed a couple years ago, I thought that explanations might be beneficial.
Copyright 2014 Sonia Jackson Summers
Anyone who has attended the University of Tennessee knows this scene. For some reason, more students attend classes more diligently at the beginning and end of the semesters than during the rest of the term. The result is a rather packed pedestrian mob scene during class changes for those first few days before students realize just how many classes they need to attend to get by comfortably. Likewise, the crowded scene won't usually return until the end of the season, when in-class reviewing for finals would begin.
Copyright 2014 Sonia Jackson Summers
I haven't really watched "The Oscars" since "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" tied "Titanic" for the most Oscars won by a film. So not being a fan of Sally Field or the Oscars, I was basically reflecting on the big controversy regarding her acceptance speech, in which she said something along the lines of, "If mothers ruled the world, there wouldn't be any (bleeped explicative) wars." I simply found the whole situation annoying.
Copyright 2014 Sonia Jackson Summers
This was my response to the "Vote Ron Paul" graffiti what was scribed all over campus prior to the 2008 Presidential Election.
Copyright 2014 Sonia Jackson Summers
This is my illustration of the potential harm from the book The Golden Compass, by Phillip Pullman. According to a quote read by my children's literature professor at UT, Pullman was trying to counteract the effect of C.S. Lewis drawing kids into Christianity by writing his own children's fantasy stories which would draw kids towards atheism. Coming from a religious perspective, I cannot accept this as a good thing in any way. To take the old used argument, it's better to err on the side of caution. Since some people like to claim there isn't enough proof (though I confidently believe there is) in the existence of God, then it's still better to believe in God and be somehow wrong, than to take the opposing position and be wrong.
Copyright 2014 Sonia Jackson Summers
A few days before Groundhog's day, and this was the current story: whether or not Fred Thompson, after leaving the race to become the Republican nominee, would possibly show up again as a vice presidential nominee.
Copyright 2014 Sonia Jackson Summers
For anyone (like me) who follows "The Lord of the Rings" related news, this was sort of a big story. After resolving the lawsuit with Peter Jackson, New Line Cinema was now having to deal with a new lawsuit, this one coming from the Tolkien Estate. This was occurring when New Line was hoping to move forward with its plans to create a film of J.R.R. Tolkien's book "The Hobbit," and the lawsuits appeared to be hindering them from doing so. The analogy depicted in my cartoon is a parody, I suppose, from a situation in "The Hobbit" book.
Copyright 2014 Sonia Jackson Summers
If by reading this cartoon, you think I was supporting Obama, you're missing the point, and if by some strange case you think I'm supporting Clinton, you likewise would be missing the point. During the intense rivalry between these two competing for the Democratic nominee slot in the 2008 Presidential Election, some of the debate seemed downright silly. I think it came down to whether or not someone was quoting, plagiarizing, or simply paraphrasing another's previous speech. If you can't read the title of the book in Obama's hand, it's "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare. His phrase that had drawn attention was something involving "Words" so I have him reading the line, "Words, words, words," from the famous play.
Copyright 2014 Sonia Jackson Summers
This cartoon is directly inspired by real life. Middlebrooke Pike is a road in Knoxville, Tennessee. I do not see the reason in labeling a road that is basically a suburban and industrial route into town as "scenic." Perhaps farther out of town this would be alright, but the sign I've seen on this road is already closer into the busier end, just before it starts to get more congested and urban with more businesses, factories, distribution centers and office parks.
Copyright 2014 Sonia Jackson Summers
This cartoon probably needs no explanation; it's just about current technological advances. Sometimes the speed in which technology changes and adapts is unnerving. Of course I say this realizing that my art and cartoon portfolios are online.
COPYRIGHT 2014 SONIA JACKSON SUMMERS All imagery and text on this website are the property of Sonia Jackson Summers. Please do not reproduce my work in any way without my permission. Thank you.