from the Daily Nebraskan
Yee haw – Oct 28, 1999
from the Daily Nebraskan
Apparently the imagery in this cartoon is reminiscent of something from a famous movie. I remember my editor saying that at the time, being surprised that I wasn’t referencing the movie. I just thought it would be fun to draw Cowboy Jesus riding a big arm.
Payne Stewart – Oct 27, 1999
from the Daily Nebraskan
As this is intended to be a complete career retrospective and not just a greatest hits, it’s only fair that I include the worst cartoons I’ve ever done. I can honestly say that this cartoon was suggested to me by someone else, but I didn’t have the good judgment to turn it down. In our sheltered position, it was a joke about how people were coming out left and right to say they were running as the Reform Party’s candidate for president. In reality, it was a joke at the expense of a dead guy. Not a great moment, and it received plenty of deserved criticism.
Huskerpuns! – Oct 26, 1999
from the Daily Nebraskan
Mixed message – Oct 25, 1999
From the Daily Nebraskan
I intended this cartoon to represent the various threatening entities – ASUN, the Greek System, etc – were just a nuisance that was more bark than bite, and this cartoon was timed to run the day that these groups were coming to a Publications Board meeting to demand that I be fired.
But several people interpreted this as some kind of David and Goliath situation — that I was suggesting the Daily Nebraskan would eventually be defeated by these folks.
Hello, I’m Neal Obermeyer – Oct 22, 1999
from the Daily Nebraskan
This was the debut of the “Neal Obermeyer” character. I wanted to do a cartoon coming from me, but I was very much enjoying life as an ‘invisible’ celebrity. Everyone was quickly learning my name, but no one knew who I was. The last thing I wanted to do was compromise that.
It was completely as a joke that I asked my editor if I could draw myself as a large, muscular black man, as I was a frail, weak pasty white guy. It was a sarcastic plan of diversion, but he said yes. We both paused for a minute and were like “Yeah … let’s do that!”
I never thought for a second that anyone would think that’s actually what I looked like. Being familiar with my appearance, it was obvious to me that this was a joke because it was an obvious decoy. But for several years, many people continued to believe that Neal Obermeyer was a large, muscular black man.
As far as the point of the cartoon, the schedule of classes that fall had misspelled “University” on the cover.
Frustration and records – Oct 21, 1999
from the Daily Nebraskan
I remember this cartoon serving as revenge.
Trick or Treat ’99 – Oct 20, 1999
From the Daily Nebraskan
If I remember right, this church was trying to stop people from holding their protest along the nearby street.
Magic Thigh – Oct 14, 1999
from the Daily Nebraskan
I was trying to convey that the answer to the question was hidden and would likely never be known, but the best thing about this cartoon was that I heard many reports of students actually trying to see the “magic eye” image.
I had either bet someone or dreamt something about doing a cartoon that was nothing but interlocking chicken legs, and this gave me my opportunity.