must be the weather; it’s hot and humid again. Probably the news, too. Oh, well, all will pass!
What I Feel Like Doing Today
Tag: Comics
Some Comics I’m Enjoying With My Tea This Morning
https://www.gocomics.com/darksideofthehorse/2025/09/30
https://www.gocomics.com/closetohome/2025/09/30
https://www.gocomics.com/foxtrotclassics/2025/09/30
(I’ve never seen a show like this, but it could be funny. I have watched “Worst Cooks” on Food Network a couple of times.)
https://www.gocomics.com/freerange/2025/09/30
https://www.gocomics.com/furbabies/2025/09/30
(’tis true; Summer lasts a lifetime every year, but Fall and Winter fly.)
https://www.gocomics.com/phoebe-and-her-unicorn/2025/09/30
https://www.gocomics.com/scarygary/2025/09/30
Yesterday’s Kind Thoughts Today
Clay Jones Wins An Award!
Woot!
Let’s Go To Nader’s by Clay Jones
At least we’ll know what we’re getting Read on Substack
This cartoon was drawn for the FXBG Advance.
Back on July 6, I published another cartoon on this same issue. A sketchy developer is asking for Fredericksburg to zone an area for homes, apartments, retail space, and for it all to be anchored by a “specialty” grocery store. The catch is, the city won’t be allowed to know which grocery store it’s getting. And now, they’ve taken a closer step to approving it.
Nader’s is a downtown grocery store in Fredericksburg, and it’s an institution. But over the years, I’ve heard complaints about it being the only grocery store downtown. It’s probably Fredericksburg’s version of a Bodega. A Bohemian friend of mine wrote a song about the place. I think Nader’s name has changed, but it’s always going to be known as Nader’s. It is by the Purina tower and the train station.
Creative note: I came up with this idea while on the train to my convention last Thursday. Because of all the shenanigans happening here, I wasn’t able to finish the cartoon until Friday afternoon. I drew this in the lobby so I could spend more time with my colleagues, and a LOT of them were looking over my shoulder watching me draw this. That would have been intimidating a few years ago, as most of them are better artists than I am, but they’re really the coolest people and are super supportive.
During the awards ceremony Saturday night, the president of the AAEC, Marc Murphy, mentioned that the winner of the Rex Babin Award was drawing (a local cartoon) in the lobby with friends watching. And that’s how I knew I had just won the award. More on this soon. (snip)
Clay Jones, For A While-
Roughs, Volume 258 by Clay Jones
Ding-Dong! Roughs are here! Read on Substack
You’re not going to get a new cartoon from me until Sunday. Say what? I’m ahead of schedule with last night’s Charlie Kirk cartoon, dated for September 19. But you will get new content here daily.
I’m in North Bethesda, Maryland for my cartoonist association’s annual convention today, and that’s why I got ahead with work. But I’m going to post stuff about the convention while I’m there. I plan to do at least one Zoom conversation with another cartoonist while at the convention. And today, you’re getting a blog of roughs.
Speaking of the Charlie Kirk cartoon, I got a death threat today. First, it was a death wish, as in, “I hope you and your family get what Charlie Kirk got,” and then it turned into, “you’re easy to find.” I consider that a death threat. And why is he threatening my family? They’re innocent, and in fact, two of them posted on the cartoon on Facebook to tell me I’m disgusting and an asshole. Anyhoos….
DING-DONG! Roughs are here!
I drew this on August 27 and made it a real cartoon a few days later.
I liked it so much that I nearly roughed it out twice.
This was my first idea, and I roughed it out on August 28. By the way, I’m writing this on a train. Let’s blame today’s typos on that.
Here’s another I roughed out twice. This was drawn on August 28.
I even lettered this version. It grew up to become a real cartoon.
this was drawn on August 29 and became a real cartoon. It got comments.
I roughed this out on August 29, and became a real cartoon for the FXBG Advance.
I drew this on September 1, and it became a two-panel cartoon.
I drew this on September 2, and I might like it more than the version I went with.
I was just goofing around with this on September 9. Why do I keep hearing about pickleball?
I roughed this out for the FXBG Advance on September 5. It became a real cartoon.
I liked naming some of my colleagues here, but I thought it was too many words. I roughed this up on September 9.
This was also drawn on September 9, but I went with something else.
I drew this on September 9, it became a real cartoon, and it got a lot of comments. A LOT of comments. I can’t wait for it to land on GoComics, which will be tomorrow.
I just got my idea for the FXBG Advance’s Sunday cartoon approved, but it wasn’t my first idea.
For context, we have some new public schools in this area. I got this idea and emailed it to my editor early this morning (September 11) with the subject line: “How brave are you feeling this morning?” (snip-MORE, both roughs and commentary)
Clay Jones
Cartoonists Conspiracy by Clay Jones
See you in Bethesda Read on Substack
22 years ago, at a convention for the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC) (probably in Denver, Sacramento, Washington, DC, or Long Island, who can remember these things?), someone mentioned the president. It was 2003, so of course, the president was George W. Bush.
Someone at the bar (because these things are always in a bar) said, “If you think Shrub is dumb, wait until Donald Trump is president. Another cartoonist, probably someone named Steve, replied, “What? Are you out of your gourd? After this disaster of a presidency, there’s no way America would elect another idiot, especially one as vulgar and gross as Donald Trump.”
Then a cartoonist, probably named Matt, said, “But what if we elect a Black guy as president, and he’s decent, kind, accomplished, intelligent, with an equally intelligent wife, and they both have high morals and beautiful and smart daughters, the presidency is hugely successful?” And then a cartoonist named Dick says, “My God, you’re right, Matt!” Another Matt said, “What?” And Dick said, “Not you, Matt. The other Matt.” Other Matt says, “Huh?” Dick says, “Yes, you. You’re right. If we have a Black president and he’s a great success, Republicans and other racists will lose their minds!” (snip-MORE)
Catching Up With Clay Jones, Open Windows
(I admit this CI story is some pretty quick thinking/delivery for Republicans. It’ll probably work with the Qanon folk.)
Agent Orange by Clay Jones
Speaker Mike Johnson claims Trump was an FBI informant, spying on Jeffrey Epstein Read on Substack
If you believe Donald Trump was an FBI informant in the Epstein case, then I have a slightly used Venezuelan speedboat I will sell to you…cheap.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson claimed yesterday that Donald Trump was an FBI informant in its investigation of Jeffrey Epstein.
Johson was questioned by CNN reporter Manu Raju about how Trump has been using the term “hoax” a lot in regard to Epstein. Johnson argued that it was not about downplaying Epstein’s abuse of underage girls, but attacks and accusations against Trump’s relationship with Epstein.
Johnson said, “What Trump is referring to is the hoax that the Democrats are using to try to attack him.” But why would Trump use that regarding a press conference last week of survivors of Epstein, where nobody accused Trump of any wrongdoing? That doesn’t make sense, unless Trump was trying to intercept something he believed they would accuse him of. (snip-there are more than 3 comics here, so commentary is snipped, but Highly Recommended Reading.)
Crystal Ball, Fake Ball, Hoax Ball, Woke Ball by Clay Jones
It’s Abigail’s race to lose Read on Substack
This cartoon was drawn for the FXBG Advance.
The Advance wrote this to go with my cartoon today: “The races for Lt. Governor and Attorney General are tightening, but the race for governor in Virginia as we head into early voting — it begins September 19 — looks about as one-sided as a governor’s race in Virginia is likely to get in the current political environment. Abigail Spanberger has consistently been at least 5 points ahead of her Republican opponent, Winsome Earle-Sears, in every poll to this point. No one is suggesting landslide-like numbers of Spanberger (even Mark Robinson polled 40% in the North Carolina gubernatorial election in 2024 — and candidates don’t get much worse than Robinson), but this is her race to lose. When numbers don’t go the Republicans’ way these days, how do they respond? Blame the messenger. Clay Jones has noticed.”
I did notice.
I was hanging out at J. Brian’s Tap Room last week, and a stranger sat next to me and started chatting. I guess I have one of those faces.
Anywhosies, I forgot what topic he started with, but for some weird reason, he started talking about the governor’s race. He’s from Virginia but lives in Florida, and golly gee whiskers, he sure did think Florida was a great place. He described himself as a moderate who leans right, which means he’s downplaying it and is a MAGAt. But he was nice. A little dense and outside reality, but nice.
At one point, he said, “See? Two people who disagree on politics can have a civil conversation.” And I replied, “Yeah? See how civil I’ve been despite you being full of shit and gaslight?” Warning, it’s not just online where I don’t tolerate bullshit. I won’t start screaming at you, but if you dish out bullshit to me in the real world, I’ll tell you what I think. I’m not afraid of MAGA fuckers. (snip-MORE)
Exhibition in Norway by Ann Telnaes
If you’re lucky enough to be visiting or living in Norway Read on Substack
The Museene i Akershus (MIA) just opened an exhibition of my work and is offering a number of prints for sale. It runs from September 6 – October 12, 2025.
Epstein File Missile Strike by Clay Jones
Would Trump conduct a missile strike to keep the Epstein Files covered up? Read on Substack
I can’t figure out why Trump and Nicolás Maduro are not besties yet. And I say “yet” because at one time, Trump and Kim Jong Un were at each other’s throats, figuratively.
Maduro is a dictator, which is what Trump is trying to be. He has manipulated the courts to increase his power. He has dismantled democratic institutions that would challenge his authority. His legislature is a mere puppet to pass his agenda. He’s crashed his economy. He runs sham elections. He doesn’t seem to want to ever leave office. He’s serving a third term. He stayed in office despite losing an election. He surrounded himself with sycophants and lickspittles. He’s suppressing opposition. He describes all accusations against him as hoaxes. He likes to glorify himself as all dictators do. He uses the military to maintain his power. His government has seized corporations. He’s friends with Vladimir Putin. He’s even survived assassination attempts. And like Trump, most of his constituents hate him.
Why Maduro isn’t eating chocolate cake at MAGA-Lardo is beyond me. But instead, Trump hates the guy, and we may soon be at war with Venezuela. (snip-MORE)
Department of Bone Spurs by Clay Jones
Trump is renaming the Defense Department Read on Substack
Do we have a military for defense or to wage war? President Harry Truman, who made the decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, believed it was for defense. Truman signed the law that turned the War Department into the Defense Department. Today, Donald Trump plans to sign an Executive Order to revert the Defense Department back to the War Department. Does anyone think Donald Trump is smarter or a better president than Harry Truman?
Just like the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America,” this is a stupid idea. When Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico, he told the world that America was xenophobic. Now, he’s telling the world that America has a tiny penis.
We are always prepared to defend our nation, which is why “Defense” is appropriate, and hopefully, more accurate. “War” means we’re either at war or looking for a fight. Remember when Trump boasted about not getting us into any foreign wars? And “War” is a bad look for a guy lobbying for a Nobel Peace Prize. (snip-MORE)
Interesting Synchronicity-
I’ve been reading comics from the Zs up, so this is the order in which I saw these. Fun!
Lard’s World Peace Tips, By Keith Tutt and Daniel Saunders
https://www.gocomics.com/lards-world-peace-tips/2025/09/07
Jim Benton Cartoons, By Jim Benton
Catching Up-Some Clay Jones
Illegal Firefighters by Clay Jones
Maybe don’t deport the guy putting out your fire Read on Substack
Is every department in the Trump Regime headed by an idiot? Yes. Yes, they are.
The Defense Department is headed by a drunk womanizer whose qualification is that Trump liked the way he looked on Fox News. The Justice Department is led by a woman Trump has previously bribed, so he knows she’ll be loyal. The State Department is headed by a guy who is a coward, can’t think on his feet, and once insinuated that Donald Trump has a tiny penis, but fell in line shortly after that. The Department of Education is led by someone who may not be able to spell “education.” The Health Department’s chief is a guy who believes in chemtrails and that vaccines cause autism. The secretary of the Commerce Department doesn’t know that tariffs are taxes, and is an evil fuck who immediately ceased paying the salaries to the families of all his employees who died on 9/11. The Director of National Intelligence doesn’t have intelligence. The vice president (sic) is into dolphin porn and couch fucking, and doesn’t care that Trump may be America’s Hitler, as he has claimed in the past. And the head of the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, is a puppy murderer.
And since the head of DHS, Kristi Noem, is so evil and stupid, she’s arrested firefighters while they were fighting a forest fire.
Two firefighters were arrested last week while working the Bear Gulch fire in the Olympic National Forest in Washington State, which, as of last Friday, had burned about 14 square miles and only 13 percent of the fire contained, forcing people to evacuate their homes.
One of the firefighters was on track to achieve legal status for helping the federal government with a previous investigation. Border Patrol said it had been helping the Bureau of Land Management with a criminal investigation into two contractors working at the fire and a hat-wearing bear stealing picnic baskets when it discovered two firefighters who they claim were in the country without permanent legal status. But they were fighting a fire, so leave them alone and go find that bear.
The lawyers for one of the firefighters say his arrest was illegal, and violated DHS polices that say immigration enforcement must not be conducted at locations where emergency responses are happening. That makes sense. (snip-MORE)
Wishful Thinking by Clay Jones
He only looks dead Read on Substack
A trend about Trump’s health trended over Labor Day weekend which started rumors about Trump’s health, and even spread conspiracy theories that he had died.
No matter what the rumors say, Trump can’t be healthy. He’s 79, and the oldest president sworn into office. Joe Biden was 78 years and 61 days, and Trump was 78 years and 220 days. His maturity is still at 12 years of age.
Recently, Trump has been spotted with a weird bruise on his right hand, and he has cankles.
Last week, JD Vance was asked if he was ready to take over in case of a “tragedy,” and while he praised Trump’s health, he also praised his readiness to take over. This added fuel to the rumor fire, which was already blazing as Grandpa didn’t have any events scheduled over the three-day holiday weekend, though he did play golf Saturday morning.
The White House claimed his hand is bruised from “frequent handshaking.” How fragile is the old man?
Catching Up With Clay Jones & Open Windows
We were out for a while yesterday, so I didn’t get as much done here. I have a trove, and here it is:
Dear Leader’s cabinet meeting by Ann Telnaes
A three hour marathon of flattery and groveling Read on Substack
I didn’t think the outright ass-kissing could get any worse than his first term’s cabinet meetings…
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Your Favorite Dictator by Clay Jones
Trump engages in dictator talk…again Read on Substack
Why would Donald Trump talk about becoming an American dictator…again?
NBC News reporter: Before signing a series of executive orders aimed at reducing crime in D.C. and across the nation, Trump referred to his critics bashing him for sending the National Guard to D.C., claiming that some people think they might “like a dictator.”
Referring to militarizing our cities, Trump said, “They say, ‘We don’t need him, freedom freedom. He’s a dictator. He’s a dictator.’ A lot of people are saying, ‘Maybe we like a dictator’…You send in troops, and instead of being praised they’re saying you’re trying to take over the republic. These people are sick.”
Before the election, Trump talked about “deleting” parts of the Constitution he doesn’t like. Then, he talked about becoming a dictator for one day. Now, he says some people in this country want a dictator, but to whom is he referring to that would be that dictator? I think we all know the answer. The dictator talk is so disturbing that everyone missed that part where he whines that he’s not being praised. (snip-MORE; go read it!)
Mass Mass Shooting by Clay Jones
And another school shooting Read on Substack
(The money graf: “Even the shooter offered “thoughts and prayers” to the intended victims. So, quite frankly, every single Republican’s answer to this isn’t any better than the shooter’s solution.”)
Another mass shooting and another opportunity for Republicans to give us empty thoughts and prayers instead of real solutions. You can’t find a solution when you can’t even identify the problem.
Today’s mass shooting just so happened to take place during a Mass.
An 8-year-old and a 10-year-old were killed while sitting in pews during a Mass at the Annunciation Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. At least 17 people have been injured. The students were from the adjacent Annunciation Catholic School.
Robin Westman, a 23-year-old, has been identified as the shooter and shot through the windows from outside the church. Westman identified as a woman and had changed her name from Robert to Robin. The right-wing fucknuts are going to love this, but they’ll ignore the parts about the mental issues and racism.
The shooter left a manifesto that called for the destruction of Israel and included racist slurs. Westman flashed a white supremacy sign in a video that showed the shooter’s massive gun collection. The shooter admired those responsible for the massacres at Sandy Hook Elementary School, the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, and the mosque shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand, among others. (snip-MORE, and it’s good info)
Assault Sandwich Ban by Clay Jones
Anything to avoid the truth. Read on Substack
There’s a saying in the legal system that a good prosecutor can get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich. It’s a criticism of the prosecutorial system because a prosecutor has near-total control of the evidence presented to a grand jury, the defense is not present, and the jury only has to be convinced a crime was committed without a real burden of proof, and on the flimsiest charges.
On Tuesday, a grand jury in Washington, DC, refused to indict Sean Charles Dunn, who is accused of throwing a Subway sandwich at a Border Patrol agent. This is a huge loss for US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who was hired only because Donald Trump liked the way she looked on Fox News. She’s very hateful and always outraged. This is also a failure for Attorney General Pam Bondi, who declared the sandwich attack was part of the “deep state.
I don’t think we have to worry about a “deep state” if the worst they can do is throw sandwiches at cops.
Anyone charged with a federal felony must be indicted by a grand jury. The problem for Trump’s regime is that the voters in Washington, DC, are some of the most intelligent, most educated, and most aware of the issues. These are not West Virginia voters. You would think that if you wanted to indict someone with a felony, you wouldn’t call a grand jury while the city is occupied by the military.
You would think that with the government’s reaction to the sandwich attack, the accused had used one of the weapons used to murder children at a Catholic Church in Minneapolis this week. The Trump regime and Republicans have more outrage over an assault by a sandwich than outrage over a school shooting. (snip-MORE if you can handle it)
Scottie's Playtime 