Jim Broadbent caricature...

Marvellous British actor, Jim Broadbent, was the 'victim' of this month's Cartoonists' Forum Caricature Contest, producing an excellent array of entries once again, and a close-run contest, with fellow Scottish Ozzie** exile, Malcolm McGookin, eventually triumphing by a mere 3 points over Noel Ford, who in turn pipped Pradeep Rajguru to second place by a single point. As usual, I don't enter the contest since I moderate proceedings, but I can never resist the challenge (see above), and my interpretation shows Jim Broadbent in one of his best-known roles as Professor Horace E. F. Slughorn, potions master and head of Slytherin House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry, in the Harry Potter movies.

At the time of writing, we are still waiting to hear from Malky who he has chosen for next month's contest, but if you fancy having a go, sign up here (it's free!). Details of Contest Number 12 will be announced very soon.

(**Malky's Oz being Australia, whereas mine is Oswestry... but he's got funnel web spiders and other assorted beasties to contend with - we've just got cows)

Happy Birthday, Coalition...

...I'd say "Many happy returns", but I don't want to be a hypocrite.

One is not amused...

As well as the monthly Caricature Contest over at the Cartoonists' Forum, we do a weekly Caption Competition, open to all members of the forum, in which we reverse the traditional format of a magazine caption contest, and instead of inviting all-comers to come up with a caption for a 'blank' cartoon, the caption is all we start with, and every cartoonist who enters has to come up with their own take on it.

The winner gets to choose the challenge for the following week (there are a couple of other variant forms they may also choose from - a completely wordless gag on a given theme, or a theme where anything goes - you get to decide if you want to add your own caption or not), and there is a 24-hour 'posting window' for all gags, from Noon on each Saturday, after which we all vote for our favourites. I'm probably making it sound a lot more complex than it actually is, but if you fancy joining in the fun, sign up to the forum (it's free, and easy), and get doodling!

Last week's challenge was "I think you left one off.", and after several abortive attempts to come up with a half decent gag, I was ready to give up on it late on Friday evening, when, after being inundated with imagery from the Royal Wedding throughout the day, I started to scribble the face of the Queen. It then all just seemed to gel, and out came the following, which I managed to get finished just before the deadline last Saturday. It just goes to show what desperation and adrenaline can do, because much to my astonishment and delight, it finished first in the race for the line, by a goodly furlong.

The caption I set for this week's competition is: This was to have been Hillary's greatest moment...

Come and have a go!