Cartoons, whether the comic strips or editorial cartoons, have a unique role in the newspaper. They offer opinion, like editorials and columns, but quickly and often with humor. They also reinforce the newspaper's role as the first draft of history. In cartoons, the style, colors used and subject matter all reflect the era in which they are written. Even though many of the characters never age -- like Alexander and Cookie Bumsted -- others are examples of their era. Many comic strips are thinly disguised editorial commentary, most notably "Doonesbury" and "Mutts." Regardless of where political cartoons run, they elicit responses from the readers. Sometimes, laughter, sometimes annoyance. Rarely real anger. At least in the U.S. where most people take it with a grain of salt. Unlike in Denmark where cartoons allegedly poking fun at Mohammad resulted in a murder. Makes you thankful for free speech over here, doesn't it?
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