Bruce Plante\'s cartoon captures a space capsule\'s splashdown, complete with three orange and white striped parachutes guiding it to a blue ocean teeming with black fish-like forms. The prominent text \'Thanks NASA We Needed That\' adds a layer of sarcasm, typical in editorial illustrations commenting on high-profile events like the Artemis II mission. The simple composition, with a light blue sky and wavy ocean surface, emphasizes the moment of impact, shown by a small splash at the capsule\'s base. This piece fits into the tradition of political cartoons that highlight public sentiments toward government projects, using minimal elements for maximum impact. The artist\'s signature and website appear in the top left, grounding it in syndicated cartoon style.
bruce plante cartoon
Mar
26
2026
Bruce Plante's cartoon shows a gas pump topped with President Donald J. Trump's head, smirking as it says, 'Higher gas rices? I did that,' while a driver fuels his red truck. The image ties into tags like higher gas prices, war, Iran, Israel, Middle East, and energy crisis, poking at Trump's potential role in escalating fuel costs through foreign policy missteps. It's a straightforward jab, clear in its satire without overcomplicating the visuals. The dry humor lands on the absurdity of a politician claiming credit for economic pain at the pump. With tags covering UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other regional players, the cartoon nods to broader geopolitical tensions driving oil prices up. Editors see these kinds of cartoons circulate well when gas prices spike, reminding readers of the human cost in everyday routines.
Mar
22
2026
Bruce Plante's cartoon depicts a typical American driver at a gas station, his purple car parked under the canopy, as he reacts with censored profanity to a coin-operated viewer. The sign reads 'TO SEE GAS PRICES DEPOSIT 25¢,' cleverly satirizing how #HighGasPrices have soared beyond easy visibility, like distant sights needing magnification. The man's USA shirt and coffee cup add a relatable everyman touch, emphasizing consumer shock. This piece fits into ongoing #FuelCosts debates, blending #InflationHumor with #EconomicSatire. Plante's style, straightforward and punchy, targets #EnergyPrices and their impact on daily life, making it shareable for #PoliticalCartoons enthusiasts. The dry humor underscores the absurdity without overstatement, a hallmark of syndicated work.
Jul
25
2023
A Black teacher asks his class what benefits Black people gained from slavery. Four panels answer: cross-country running from slave catchers, a free transatlantic trip via the Middle Passage, swamp survival from hiding, and pain tolerance from whipping. Plante savagely targets the 2023 Florida curriculum standard describing slavery as teaching job skills.
Jun
14
2022
Bruce Plante's cartoon depicts a military jet encountering a red flying saucer piloted by green aliens. The pilot reports another unexplained aerial phenomena, while the aliens complain about the labels, from flying objects to aerial phenomena, humorously suggesting stud muffins as a better term. This piece satirizes the evolving terminology around UFO sightings, capturing the absurdity in a clear sky setting with dry wit. The illustration features cartoonish aliens with eyestalks, emphasizing the lighthearted poke at official jargon. Overall, it's a straightforward commentary on how phenomena are named, blending military elements with extraterrestrial humor for broad appeal.
May
21
2022
Bruce Plante's cartoon shows a green-skinned alien relaxing in a beach chair under a yellow-and-blue umbrella outside Area 51, sipping a drink and conversing with a overweight man wearing a red MAGA cap and holding a beer. The alien questions if people call the man crazy for thinking he was abducted by aliens, but the man responds that his conviction is about all democrats being pedophiles. Set in a desert landscape with buildings and a flag in the background, the scene captures dry humor in political satire. The artwork pokes at conspiracy theories popular among some right-wing groups, with the alien's deadpan expression contrasting the man's casual stance. Elements like the cooler and relaxed poses add to the absurd, everyday feel of outlandish beliefs.
Apr
19
2021
Bruce Plante's cartoon captures the Mars Ingenuity helicopter in flight over a Martian landscape, labeled as NASA's first on the planet. In the second panel, two green aliens with eyestalks stand on the red ground, one gesturing and exclaiming about spotting a buzzing UFO that went up and down. The scene uses tags like Mars Ingenuity, NASA, space, planet, robotic, marscopter, Martian, UFO, UFO to poke fun at human achievement from an alien viewpoint. The dry humor underscores the irony of extraterrestrials viewing our tech as unidentified. Mountains in the background frame the desolate setting, with the helicopter depicted simply as a flying box with rotors and legs.
Jul
12
2018
