A rider on a dark horse gallops across rocky ground at night under a full moon. The figure, with blonde hair and dark coat, leans forward and points ahead while shouting a repeated warning about communists arriving. The scene draws on a historical ride motif updated to current concerns about communist influence. Publication occurred on July 5, 2026, amid ongoing political debates over foreign policy threats.
Peter Kuper's cartoon shows two blob-shaped aliens peeking from a crater on the moon's surface, eyes fixed on a departing rocketship trailing exhaust. The dark side of the moon setting includes craters and a starry sky, with the caption 'Well, there goes the neighborhood.' Tags like Artemis II, astronauts, Canada, United States NASA, dark side of the moon, and orbiting highlight the satirical take on human space exploration intruding on alien territory. The image pokes fun at the idea of extraterrestrials reacting to NASA's mission, blending science, data, and humorous alienation.
Graeme MacKay's cartoon shows a group of green aliens on the moon, clearly annoyed by the approaching NASA Artemis II spacecraft emerging from blackout. The aliens, depicted with headphones, phones, and drinks, make noisy exclamations like 'Yak Yak Yak' and music notes, while a sign pleads 'Kindly Respect Lunar Silence.' One alien laments, 'So much for the peace and quiet zone!' against the backdrop of Earth. This piece satirizes space exploration's impact on supposed lunar solitude, touching on tags like Artemis, moon, NASA, aliens, quiet zone, and communication. The far side setting emphasizes the interruption of silence by human astronauts.
The image shows a spacecraft approaching the moon, whose near side displays extensive graffiti including words like bully and amor alongside hearts and scribbles. Earth is visible in the upper left against black space. The scene references ongoing lunar missions such as Artemis and Orion under NASA. The date of April 3 2026 places the work amid continued space exploration efforts. The visual highlights the contrast between pristine celestial bodies and terrestrial markings.
