Drew Friedman: George W. Bush as The Joker

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

• [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”???