The Morning Line: From John Edwards, Cartoon Lessons Learned

SALLY FORTH: Where parting is such sweet sorrow. (KFS)Enlarge Comic

If there is one overarching Life Lesson to be gleaned from the whole John Edwards run-of-the-mill(worker) affair -- at least for cartoonists -- it is this: A pretty head of hair can quickly lead to a tangle of trouble.

We are being cheeky, yes, but we recognize the truism: Pride goeth before a follicle, so cartoonists should stay humble and vigilant about their art. Exhibit A: Ted's hair in "Sally Forth."

We have made sport of hubby Ted Forth before, especially mocking his occasional "lady hands." For that, we feel a twinge of regret. Regret because by comparison to how his enigmatic mane is often drawn, Ted's dainty digits are absolutely nothing to blog home about. (And is it just us, or has illustrator Craig Macintosh decided to "man up" Ted's hands of late? Or, like today, gives TF some workgloves?)

Before we bloviate further, can anyone spot today's trouble-spot in question? (Cue "Jeopardy!" theme music while we wait.) Yes, the winning question is: "What is the danged deal with Ted's ever-moving hair-part, Alex?!" In the left panel, Ted's hair is parted on the right side of his noggin; by the third panel, the part has migrated to his left. So unless Ted just has a freakishly floppy mane or he copped a $400 haircut during an interminable second panel, then we can file this under "Taking Extreme Artistic License."

We delve into this because "Sally" is far from alone -- today's Post funnypages offer other logic-defying cases of "TEAL." Two other notable examples:

RHYMES WITH ORANGE: 'Hey, you try drawing with tennis elbow...' (KFS)>Enlarge Comic

RHYMES WITH ORANGE: This oft-amusing strip has a loose casual line, so we "get" that this strip isn't sweating Artistic Accuracy. But even for "RWO," that right sleeve on the visored tennis player defies the laws of even Accepted Cartoon Physics. When he raises his arm, we should see less of the sleeve, not more. Yes, we know, some comics readers don't give a rat's petoot about such things as, oh, perspective. But just sayin'...

PRICKLY CITY: "Oops" is right. (UPS)">Enlarge Comic

PRICKLY CITY: Holy double-take: Mr. Stantis "draws" two different-looking flags, but they're intended to be the same one. The image in the third panel is the closer approximation to the Tibetan flag. We mean, yowza -- that fourth-panel flag might as well be the symbol of the Scranton Rotary Club or the Society of Mosquito Illustration. Yesterday, blog-commenter "Horacio" said it looks as if Scott Stantis draws while on the Metro (bravo); by that inspired scale, today's strip looks as though it were scribbled by stagecoach. Or while on the County Fair bumper cars...

Have your own examples of "Taking Extreme Artistic License"
-- in today's strips or from any
other day? Bring 'em on, our Line is now open...