A scuffle broke out earlier about a New Yorker cartoon by Harry Bliss, which was very clearly a tribute to famed comic illustrator Jack Kirby. An uncredited homage, but the New Yorker felt that it was such an "overt reference" that it wasn't necessary. But wait, there's more! Yankee Pot Roast has found another New Yorker cartoon by Bliss, which seems to overtly reference the work of yet another cartoonist, John Rau. Are they too similar? To the untrained eye, they appear exactly the same. Rau said he was copied, and told the website:

"I blindly trusted my fellow Americans to uphold integrity and not steal my material... which I posted freely on my Web site.
If Bliss does this again, I will seek damages in the form of monetary compensation. I will then invest that money to arrange a fight between Harry Bliss and [street fighter] Kimbo Slice. To fight Kimbo you need something like 10 grand.

I may still resort to eating ramen noodles to support my family but it will be worth it."

[Y.P.R.]

12:50 PM on Thu May 22 2008
By Sheila
5,953 views
24 comments

Comments

AuntPenny at 12:59 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*

Maybe the real Harry Bliss is on vacation, and Kaavya Viswanathan is filling in.
CleophusWayne at 01:01 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*

I don't like it ... I love it! I've been on this New Yorker cartoon bandwagon for a couple of months now:

[slapclap.com]

[slapclap.com]
raincoaster at 01:01 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*
Connectedness Index: 337

Given the circles the New Yorkerites travel in, perhaps Ms. Huffington has decided to put pen to paper once again? According to one of the plaintiffs, she has exhibited "Mercurial gifts, Mercury being the God of Thieves."
Windbag City at 01:01 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*

"I see that Ziggy's back at the complaint department.. "The New Yorker is stealing my ideas."

ha ha ha See that's funny.....'cause it's real."
La Cieca at 01:06 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*
Connectedness Index: 66

Christ, what a blisshole.
Rugged_Zero at 01:08 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*

I'm holding out for the "homage to the homage to the homage" in next years issues.
valarmorghulis at 01:08 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*
Connectedness Index: 81

I wonder if he'd charge for us to see the fight, give it away (like his comics), or just keep it to himself.
valarmorghulis at 01:09 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*
Connectedness Index: 81

"This is not the greatest comic in the world..."
ohnothimagain at 01:10 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*

I can't defend Bliss on this one. Except that it is so unfunny in either version that it could be something the art editors at the "New Yorker" asked him to do to keep the cartoons timely and relevant re: Brittny Spears. They would tell him they want something about celebrities and rehab and start tweaking his contributions.
Dave J. at 01:16 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*
Connectedness Index: 95

To be fair, Kimbo Slice can write one hell of a tailpipe gag.
Mabimab at 01:20 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*

Hope they don't steal my fake NYer cartoon!
[bp2.blogger.com]
MisterHippity at 01:28 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*
Connectedness Index: 491

Given the circles the New Yorkerites travel in, perhaps Ms. Huffington has decided to put pen to paper once again? According to one of the plaintiffs, she has exhibited "Mercurial gifts, Mercury being the God of Thieves."

©2008 MisterHippity Inc. All rights reserved.
MisterHippity at 01:35 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*
Connectedness Index: 491

@Mabimab: Somebody DID steal my fake New Yorker cartoon - the punchline, anyway:

[gawker.com]

[donttrustsnakes.blogspot.com]
PomPom at 01:36 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*

@Windbag City: "Cartoons are like gossamar, and one doesn't dissect gossamar."
MisterHippity at 01:41 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*
Connectedness Index: 491

@MisterHippity: Wait a minute, I take it back. Looks like that guy posted that blog item long before Gawker posted my cartoon.

So it looks like I stole the joke from him - even though I didn't, since I've never seen his blog before today.

There's a lesson there somewhere, but I'm not sure what it is ...
raincoaster at 01:54 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*
Connectedness Index: 337

@MisterHippity: THESE COMMENTS ARE MINES!
Mabimab at 02:03 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*

@MisterHippity: ZOINKS!
Ha Ha Sound at 02:21 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*
Connectedness Index: 203

John Rau is a childhood friend of mine. He rocks. Kick ass, bro.
Lycosidae at 03:38 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*

Wasn't there a Seinfeld episode where Elaine submits a cartoon to The New Yorker and unwittingly "homages" a Ziggy cartoon? Life imitates art! Multiple times!!!
Lycosidae at 03:40 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*

(By the way, that was an "homage" to you just now, Windbag City.)
MisterHippity at 04:13 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*
Connectedness Index: 491

@Ha Ha Sound: I knew John Rau. John Rau was a friend of mine.

Harry Bliss, you're no John Rau.
naugahydeinplainsight at 04:49 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*

Hey guys, what do you thing of my latest creation?

www.newyorker.com
naugahydeinplainsight at 04:58 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*

@naugahydeinplainsight: Hell, try this:
Hey guys, what do you think of my latest creation?

[www.newyorker.com]
(sigh)
inkslinger64 at 07:22 PM on 05/22/08
Reply by Email
*

This cartoon was given to Harry Bliss by The New Yorker's cartoon editor to draw up. Another terrific New Yorker cartoonist, Alex Gregory submitted the idea to the magazine. Bliss was simply drawing up what the editor told him to based on Gregory's concept. Gregory writes for TV and lives in LA, so it's pretty possible he came up with the idea on his own.

Rau really needs to do a little research before blaming his "fellow Americans" who draw much better than him.