Cartoon Brainstorming: Switching Punctuation

This is a brainstorming technique I tried recently based on the Harry Bliss cartoon featuring a couple approaching a front door with a bottle of wine and flowers in hand. On the ground in front of the door is a welcome mat, but the word “welcome” is followed by a question mark. 

See the cartoon on the Condé Nast Store here

I love the way something as simple as a single question mark can completely turn our expectations upside down. That’s the kind of magic I’m always looking for in my cartoons - what’s the simplest gesture that can have the greatest impact? 

This was also spurred on by a discussion when I was recently on the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest podcast where one of the hosts, Beth Lawler, said she always thought it would be funny if on those signs on the interstate that tell you how many miles away different cities are, the name of the city was followed by an exclamation point.

Smithtown!  10

Placeville!  14

Chicago! 32

So I tried my hand at coming up with some ideas for cartoons where a common phrase that is usually a question is instead said as a statement, or vice versa. Here are some of my ideas: