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Drew Friedman: George W. Bush as The Joker

David Pescovitz at 12:55 pm Tue, Jul 29, 2008

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 Online Politics Bush-The-Joker002-Copy[1] My favorite caricaturist, Drew Friedman, drew this fine portrait of our fearless leader for Vanity Fair. It's titled "No Joke." For more of Drew's terrific portraiture, check his his books The Fun Never Stops, Old Jewish Comedians, and More Old Jewish Comedians, all published by the good people at Fantagraphics.
Drew Friedman's George W. Bush portrait (Vanity Fair)

Previously on BB:
• Get Illuminated! podcast: Drew Friedman, comic artist

David Pescovitz is Boing Boing's co-editor/managing partner. He's also a research director at Institute for the Future. On Instagram, he's @pesco.

MORE:  Art and Design • Comics • Funny

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  • sonny p fontaine

    yes yes a vat of acid would certainly do the trick

  • Anonymous

    The Obama Art Report has more info on the Alex Ross Superman/Obama print that was just released.

  • James Larsen

    “I’m a dog chasing cars. I wouldn’t know what to do if I caught one. I just *do* things. I’m a wrench in the gears.”

    Yep that sounds about right.

  • acx99

    looks more like Alice Cooper.

  • IWood

    Actually, that looks like W’s dad.

  • Anonymous


    The Boondocks comic did this years ago:

    http://www.corporate-sellout.com/bo040120.gif

  • Antinous

    Speaking of clown-like political figures: Ted Stevens Indicted!

  • Editz

    Don’t forget this:

    http://www.challengeofthesuperduperfriends.com/default.asp

  • Stefan Jones

    This is highly disrespectful.

    The Joker deserves better.

    Good day to you.

  • mgfarrelly

    Wonderful!

    Alex Ross (of comic book renown) did some lovely takes on our dear soon to be retired president.

    As a Vampire.
    http://www.leftybrown.com/alex-ross_bush-liberty.jpg

    And with his true love.
    http://growabrain.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/alex_ross.jpg

  • minTphresh

    i had never seen any of friedman’s work that wasn’t stippled pen-and-ink. whoa. it looks as though he’s melded the two peeps, heath and geo IInd into one gruesome lookin fucker! can i say fucker? antinous , teresa, your call. love his work!

  • Takuan

    http://www.billtrost.com/lolmbies/wp-content/uploads/Bush_Zombie.jpg

  • garyb50

    I’ll bet GW would love the signed original.

  • noen

    Why so serious?

  • The Blow Leprechaun

    If you didn’t tell me that was Bush, I wouldn’t have known.

    I suppose it’s a caricature, though, so I dunno.

  • Takuan

    http://blog.theavclub.tv/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/bush_devil.jpg

  • trr

    Without being told, I would have never guessed that that was supposed to be George W. Bush. The mouth is definitely wrong.
    Try again.

  • Takuan

    http://gwbushwhacked.tripod.com/images/alfredw.jpg

  • SMurph

    No, no, no. GWB is Batman, not Joker! At least according to the Wall Street Journal…

  • Anonymous

    looks like Robert Plant if ya asked me. Which you clearly did. Boys don’t cry.

  • Anonymous

    If only the last eight years was just a bad movie.

  • Tenn

    Tak-san, your second link is especially horrendous!

    I see Bush there.

    But much agreement with Stefan Jones. The Joker and Mister Ledger deserve better.

  • Matt Staggs

    “This [nation] deserves a better class of criminal.”

  • Anonymous

    Shriek! Man, I just know this is going to give me nightmares. The sight of this! I can’t bear to look at the eyes. Can we have a monkey-faced piglet chaser?

  • Takuan

    http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/usa/2008/07/this_summer_fall_in_love_all_o.html

  • skramble

    Bravo! he certainly is an arch-villain.

    now that I’ve seen this, I’d like to see a realistic looking photoshop attempt. I think that would really hit home with the average citizen. Unfortunately its a little beyond my photoshop skills. Anyone?

  • Takuan

    http://matadorpulse.com/anti-bush-graffiti-25-countries-six-continents/

  • Jahfurry

    check out Drew Friedman’s PATTON OSWALT for the cover of Royal Flush http://www.royalflushmagazine.com

  • Trent Hawkins

    Ok this needs a compliment of Obama as Batman and McCain as Two Face.

  • netposer

    I’m glad that’s not Obama. I’d be pissed and outraged.

  • oscar

    Cheney as The Penguin?

    I know, not remotely original.

  • Gary61

    Bush as Joker?
    Nope, I don’t see it ….
    From everything I’ve been checking out about der new Batman movie, Heath Ledger (and the script) really portray the Joker as a psycho, real mental issues, etc.
    Bush doesn’t seem to have mental issues, he’s too dumb to understand what he’s done is inherently bad, while the Joker relishes in his utter badness.
    Bush would be better represented by a spoiled little 5 year old brat, with a snotty nose, who constantly whines ‘It’s not my fault!’ ….

    BUT – that’s just my opinion.

  • Cupcake Faerie

    The Joker is an evil criminal mastermind. Bush is an evil criminal ,but I don’t think anyone would confuse him with being a mastermind. I think he’s maybe closer on par with the Hamburglar.

  • Takuan

    http://peterdavid.malibulist.com/archives/rogues_gallery.jpg

  • noen

    You know, fifty years from now people will still be doing this stuff. Bush’s legacy is secure.

  • spencerluck

    That’s an insult to the joker.
    Dubya is nowhere near that smart.
    If you took away 30 IQ points from and inverted the moral compass of Forrest Gump, that would be our president.

    +Where’s Cheney as “The Penguin”???