TransiToons
The New York subway has always been a rich vein of comedy
Hello! It’s me, Jason Chatfield, your editor for this week’s edition of ToonStack
The New York subway has always been a rich vein of comedy: the small, blunt moments sketched out between stops, the dry observations about delayed commutes, and those absurd torture of rush hour. If you trace the evolution of those drawings, few have captured it as beautifully (or as hilariously) as the cartoonists of the New Yorker.
Tonight, the New York Transit Museum plays host to “A Century of The New Yorker’s Transportation Cartoons,” an exhibition and talk featuring two masters: Roz Chast and Ellis Rosen. Join curator Jodi Shapiro in the Grand Central Gallery & Store (99 Schermerhorn St, Brooklyn) at 6 PM to explore how mass transit has inspired generations of artists—and how their work continues to map the pulse of city life, one panel at a time. Tickets are $15 general admission, $10 for museum members; check in early—doors open at 5:45.
In addition to that, In celebration of the magazine’s 100th anniversary, the New York Transit Museum is proud to present Commentary on the Commute: A Century of The New Yorker’s Transportation Cartoons. Showcasing work from 57 artists, the exhibit includes a selection of cartoons and covers from the New Yorker whose subjects should be familiar to anyone who has ever taken public transportation: the uniqueness of New Yorkers, the challenges of the commute, the daily sea of humanity (and critters) that move through the region, and the grittiness and the grandeur that is New York. You can see that exhibition at their Grand Central gallery. (More info here.)
One of my favourite Ellis J Rosen cartoons about NYC Transit is the one below:
Of it, the NYC Transit Museum says:
New York is a city of changes, and that includes the NYC Subway. This charming cartoon by Ellis Rosen from the New Yorker captures the quirks of our transit system.
Don’t forget — you can hear from Rosen himself, as well as fellow New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast, in conversation with NYT Transit Museum Curator Jodi Shapiro, today, Thursday, September 11 at 6PM ET.
Anyway — on with the stack!
The joke was that coronavirus had been detected in rats — but now the joke is that rats wear masks to protect themselves from unvaccinated, plague-carrying, measles-spreading, disease-ridden humans. Yay, progress!
Like the lava game, just accept that the floor is game over.
I, for one, think the train can be very romantic!!!
If I had a dollar for every time I missed a gig/date/villainous plot due to the New York city subway, I’d have enough money to fix the New York city subway.
(Note: This cartoon first ran in the Weekly Humorist. See more cartoons from some fellow Toonstackers here.)
But wait, there’s more!
Hilary releases Cartoons by Hilary every Friday! Her new book is out soon — Preorder it here, and attend the launch on Oct 7 here!
Join Kendra's September 27th drawing workshop on leaning into Your Personal Voice and Style
Amy Kurzweil’s graphic memoir, Artificial: A Love Story, was named a best book of 2023 by The New Yorker, NPR, and Kirkus!
Jason Chatfield has a new cartoon book about Dogs which is out now! —and he’ll draw your dog inside it for you. Subscribe to Jason’s regular weekly Substack at NewYorkCartoons.com
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