Shopper with a Full Trolley on a Supermarket Car Park

One of my cartoons, which was printed in The Daily Star newspaper,which shows a woman struggling with a full shopping trolley in the car park of a supermarket called “Superbuys.” 

Overhead, an announcement declares that everything in the store will be drastically reduced in five minutes. 

The humour comes from the timing: she has already filled her trolley, so she’s missed out on the bargain sale entirely. It’s a playful exaggeration of the frustration and irony shoppers often experience in crowded sales.

The gag works because it combines a familiar shopping scenario with a classic twist of bad timing. 

Readers immediately recognise the irony of working hard to stock up only to discover that the discounts start moments too late. 

The cartoon captures that blend of effort, anticipation, and disappointment in a single image, turning an everyday experience into a humorous, relatable moment.

Snake Charmer at a Dating Agency

My cartoon titled “Real Charmer at the Dating Agency” shows a snake charmer playing a pungi to a snake emerging from a basket, while two women at a dating agency look on. 

The caption reads: “You remember you requested a real charmer?” The humour comes from the clever double meaning of “charmer” – instead of presenting someone with a charming personality, the agency has delivered an actual snake charmer, taking the request literally.

The gag works because it combines a familiar setting – a dating agency – with a completely unexpected twist. 

Readers immediately recognise the play on words, and the absurdity of introducing a literal snake charmer into a matchmaking scenario delivers an instant laugh. 

Like much of my work, it relies on wordplay and visual exaggeration to turn a simple situation into a memorable and funny cartoon. 

It was printed in The Sun in 2001...

Cyber Café Cartoon

One of my cartoons plays on the classic chat-up line “Do you come here often?” but with a digital twist. 

Set inside a cyber-café, a man tries out a line on someone nearby, only this time the familiar phrase has been reworked into: “Do you dot com here often?” 

By swapping “come” with “dot com” – the well-known suffix for internet domain names – the cartoon takes a timeless icebreaker and updates it for the internet age.

The humour works because the line is instantly recognisable, but the playful substitution ties it directly to the world of computers, online culture and cyber cafés, which were once a hub of early internet life. 

It’s a clever pun that bridges everyday social interaction with technology, making it both topical and funny. 

Like many of my cartoons, it relies on a simple twist of language that delivers a quick laugh while reflecting the times in which it was created.

Helpline...

One of my favourite cartoons features a lion at a zoo answering a landline-style telephone and cheerfully saying: “Hello – you’re through to our help-lion”. 

While I’m not sure if it has ever appeared in print, it has become a popular design on Zazzle, featured on T-shirts, coffee mugs, and more.

This post takes a closer look at the cartoon, why the pun works so well, and how it can be enjoyed across a range of products, allowing fans to bring a little humour into their everyday life.

The Joke Behind the Cartoon

Humour often comes from the unexpected. Seeing a lion – a symbol of strength and wildness – sitting calmly at a desk with a telephone in paw is inherently amusing. 

The pun “help-lion” turns a simple phrase like “help line” into a playful twist, giving the animal human characteristics while delivering the joke in a single line.

This kind of wordplay is classic cartoon humour: it’s short, sharp, and accessible to all ages, which is why it works so well on products that people see every day, like mugs or T-shirts.

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Visual Simplicity Meets Broad Appeal

One of the reasons this cartoon works is its visual clarity. The lion is easy to recognise, the telephone is instantly familiar, and the pun requires no explanation. 

It’s a one-panel gag that can be understood in seconds, making it ideal for printed items that people interact with casually.

Whether someone sees it on a coffee mug during their morning routine or on a T-shirt in a playful outfit, the joke lands immediately and brings a smile.

Why It Makes a Great Gift

Gag cartoons like the “help-lion” are perfect for gifts because they combine humour with practicality. A coffee mug featuring the cartoon isn’t just something to drink from – it’s a little moment of fun that brightens a morning. 

A T-shirt can spark conversation and share the joke with others. The simplicity of the cartoon, combined with the clever pun, gives it broad appeal, whether for animal lovers, pun enthusiasts, or anyone who enjoys light-hearted humour.

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Zazzle’s Flexibility

What’s particularly exciting about offering this cartoon on Zazzle is how flexible it is. 

Buyers can easily transfer the design from a mug or T-shirt onto other products like tote bags, cushions, or notebooks. This means the cartoon can be enjoyed in many different ways and makes it an adaptable gift idea. 

The design’s clarity and single-panel format work perfectly across multiple items without losing impact.

The Timelessness of Cartoon Puns

Wordplay cartoons like the “help-lion” remain timeless because they rely on simple humour and clever language rather than trends. 

People love puns, and combining them with anthropomorphised animals adds an extra layer of charm. Even years after a cartoon is created, it can continue to make people smile – whether they first see it on a website, a printed item, or as a digital image shared among friends. 

That enduring appeal is part of why gag cartoons are so effective on Zazzle products.

Bringing the Cartoon to Life on Products

Seeing the cartoon in print is one thing, but seeing it on a product people can use every day gives it a new dimension. 

A coffee mug with the “help-lion” brings a small dose of humour to the morning routine, while a T-shirt lets the joke travel beyond the home. 

Zazzle’s platform makes it easy to enjoy the cartoon in multiple forms, extending the life of the artwork and allowing people to share the fun in creative ways. 

The cartoon’s simple visual and punchy wordplay make it ideal for this purpose.

Conclusion

Whether you’re sipping from a coffee mug, wearing a T-shirt, or exploring other Zazzle products, the “help-lion” cartoon is a fun way to share a smile. 

Its simple visual and clever pun make it a versatile design that can brighten everyday moments or make a light-hearted gift for friends and family. 

Enjoy the humour and let the lion bring a little extra cheer to your day!

How's My Wife's Driving? Another Cartoon From My Archive.

This blog post was first published back in 2011 when I shared one of my cartoons that had appeared in The Sun newspaper’s Sun Fun column. Over the years, it has remained one of my most memorable pieces – a simple but cheeky gag that still gets a laugh today. I’ve now updated the post to include more background on the cartoon, why it works so well, and how it has found a new life on a range of products through Zazzle. 

If you remember the original version from years ago, I hope you’ll enjoy this refreshed look – and if you’re new to it, welcome to one of my favourite cartoon moments.

Some years ago, one of my black and white gag cartoons was printed in The Sun newspaper in its ever-popular Sun Fun column. The cartoon showed a woman driving her car, and on the bumper was a sticker carrying the words: “How’s My Wife’s Driving?”. 

It was a simple idea, but it struck a chord with readers immediately. In this post I’d like to look back on that cartoon, why it still makes people laugh, and how it has found a new life on a range of Zazzle products including mugs, T-shirts, greetings cards and more.

The Origins of the Cartoon

The Sun Fun column has long been a place where readers enjoy a quick smile over their morning paper. When my cartoon appeared, it captured exactly the kind of humour that works best in that space – short, sharp, and instantly understood. 

Everyone knows the classic bumper sticker that reads “How’s My Driving?”. It’s a familiar phrase, seen on the back of lorries, vans and sometimes even family cars, usually with a phone number to ring. By changing just a few words, the joke takes on a completely different life. 

Instead of the driver taking responsibility, the phrase “How’s My Wife’s Driving?” adds a twist of cheekiness that makes people grin straight away.

Why It Works as a Joke

Humour often comes from taking something familiar and giving it an unexpected spin. In this case, the original bumper sticker has a serious tone, suggesting responsibility and accountability. 

By contrast, my cartoon suggests a husband has decided to pass the spotlight onto his wife’s driving instead. The wording makes it sound as though he is happy to invite comments about her abilities on the road – a daft but funny idea. 

The humour lies in that contradiction between the expected and the unexpected. It’s familiar enough for readers to recognise instantly, but different enough to catch them off guard and make them chuckle.

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Stereotypes and Gentle Fun

Cartoons often tread the line between exaggeration and observation. This cartoon works because it pokes fun at a common stereotype – the age-old jokes about men commenting on women’s driving – but it does so in a harmless, light-hearted way. The humour doesn’t come from criticising anyone, but from the sheer silliness of imagining such a bumper sticker existing in real life. 

That’s why readers connected with it. It’s cheeky, a bit unexpected, but ultimately just a laugh. When the cartoon ran in The Sun, it resonated because readers could immediately picture seeing such a sticker on the road and doing a double-take.

The Power of Simplicity

One of the most satisfying things about gag cartoons is how they can communicate so much with so little. A single drawing, a single line, and the entire joke comes across instantly. In an age of short attention spans, that’s part of the magic. 

You don’t need to explain or add layers of detail – the cartoon delivers the laugh in seconds. That is exactly what happened with this piece when it ran in print. The simplicity of a car, a driver, and a bumper sticker was enough to make thousands of readers smile. 

That economy of words and imagery is what keeps cartoons timeless, even years after their first publication.

Cartoons as Everyday Gifts

What’s lovely about a cartoon like this one is how easily it adapts to other formats. While it first appeared on the newspaper page, the clean lines and straightforward humour make it perfect for print on everyday items. 

That’s why I’ve made the cartoon available on Zazzle across a range of products. It translates beautifully onto mugs, where people can enjoy the gag with their morning coffee. It works on T-shirts, where the joke becomes part of someone’s outfit and can spark conversations. 

And it’s ideal for greetings cards, where the humour can be shared on birthdays, anniversaries, or simply as a light-hearted note to a friend. The adaptability of gag cartoons is one of their greatest strengths, and this one is no exception.

Why It Still Makes People Laugh Today

Humour changes with the times, but certain types of jokes are evergreen. Wordplay, quick visual twists, and riffs on everyday life tend to hold their charm for decades. “How’s My Wife’s Driving?” is one of those jokes that doesn’t need any explanation or cultural context. 

It’s as funny today as it was when it appeared in the Sun Fun column. Drivers still see “How’s My Driving?” stickers, and the idea of altering it in a cheeky way still works instantly. That’s why I think this cartoon has stood the test of time and continues to make people chuckle years later.

From Print to Products

Making the move from newspaper cartoon to product design felt like a natural step. Zazzle is a platform that makes it easy to share artwork with a wider audience, and this particular cartoon was an obvious candidate. People love to own items that make them smile, and humour works brilliantly on practical products. 

A mug with a funny cartoon isn’t just something you drink from – it becomes a little piece of daily entertainment. A greetings card with a witty gag isn’t just a message – it’s a keepsake. By featuring this cartoon on Zazzle products, I can give people the chance to enjoy it in a new way, and even share it as a gift with others.

A Little Piece of Cartoon History

For me personally, this cartoon represents a proud moment in my cartooning career. Having work published in a national newspaper is always a thrill, and seeing readers respond so positively reinforced the power of a well-crafted gag. 

Now, being able to feature the same cartoon on modern products means that its life continues. It’s more than just a drawing – it’s a small piece of cartoon history that people can enjoy in their own homes. 

Every time someone smiles while sipping from a mug or chuckles when they see the cartoon on a T-shirt, that original spark of humour lives on.

The Joy of Sharing Cartoons

Cartooning has always been about sharing laughs. Whether in newspapers, books, online posts or printed products, the aim is the same – to connect with people through humour. 

The “How’s My Wife’s Driving?” cartoon is a perfect example of how a simple idea can travel far beyond its first appearance. From a single panel in The Sun to a selection of Zazzle items, it continues to find new audiences. That’s the joy of being a cartoonist: you never quite know how far a drawing will go or how many smiles it will create along the way.

Conclusion

Looking back, I’m delighted that this cartoon still has a place today. It was fun to create, satisfying to see published, and rewarding to watch it gain a second life on Zazzle products. Its humour is straightforward, relatable, and timeless – which is exactly what makes a gag cartoon successful. 

Whether on a newspaper page, a mug, a T-shirt or a greetings card, “How’s My Wife’s Driving?” continues to raise a smile. And ultimately, that’s what cartooning is all about: finding laughter in everyday life and sharing it with as many people as possible.

Extra Points on Your Loyalty Card

One of my cartoons is set in an Indian-style bazaar, where a smiling vendor gestures towards a bed of nails while a curious customer looks on. It appeared in the Daily Star some years ago...

Beneath the scene, the caption reads: “...plus you get extra points on your loyalty card.” 

At first glance it’s a playful clash of cultures — the exotic image of a bed of nails paired with the very ordinary concept of supermarket loyalty schemes. But there’s an added pun here too: the nails themselves have “points” of a very different kind.

The humour works on two levels. It highlights the absurdity of applying modern marketing gimmicks to something as impractical as a bed of nails, while also slipping in a cheeky play on words. 

The double meaning of “points” adds to the punchline, making the cartoon both witty and memorable. Like much of my work, it relies on juxtaposition and language to create a sharp, satirical edge — in this case, quite literally.

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Wife Shows Counsellor Her Holiday Photos...

This political cartoon is set in a relationship counselling session at RELATE, the UK relationship support charity. 

The wife is animatedly showing the counsellor a collection of holiday photos scattered across the desk. The caption reads: “And this is one of him ignoring me in Greece…”. 

The humour comes from the exaggerated contrast between her enthusiasm and his apparent disengagement, highlighting a familiar relationship complaint: feeling overlooked or ignored.

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The joke works because it exaggerates a common marital issue - lack of attention - in a relatable and visual way. The husband’s disengaged posture and the wife’s meticulous presentation of evidence create a playful tension that many couples will recognise. 

It’s this mix of over-the-top documentation and subtle social commentary that makes the cartoon both funny and insightful.

Cartooning keeps me on my toes – and if you like this one, you might enjoy “Supermarket” or my nostalgic favourite “A Lovely Day for Caravaning”. Both show how a small moment can spark a good laugh!

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Better Cup of Tea...

This cartoon takes place in a Marriage Guidance office, where a husband and wife sit with a counsellor around a table, cups of tea in front of them. 

Instead of addressing their relationship, the husband blurts out: “I only come along because you make a better cup of tea.” 

The humour lies in the sheer obtuseness of his remark. In one sentence, he not only sidesteps the real purpose of the meeting but also shows himself up as both thoughtless and faintly misogynistic.

The joke works because it undermines the serious, professional setting with a trivial excuse that makes the husband look ridiculous. 

Viewers instantly grasp that he’s missing the point entirely, turning what could have been a moment of honesty into an absurd distraction about tea. 

The cartoon highlights how some people can be blind to the bigger picture, preferring to latch onto small comforts - and that’s exactly what makes the gag funny and relatable.

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Now with wings...

Cartoon: Feminine Towels with Wings

This classic black and white cartoon from my archives captures one of those moments where language and literal thinking collide in a burst of humour. It shows a woman standing by an open window, holding a box labelled “Feminine Towels – Now With Wings!”. 

In a wonderfully absurd twist, the towels have quite literally taken flight – fluttering their way out of the box and disappearing through the window. Her expression of disbelief completes the gag perfectly.

The cartoon plays on the well-known advertising phrase “now with wings”, which most people associate with the practical design of sanitary towels. 

But here, that same phrase is interpreted in the most literal way possible – giving the product actual wings! It’s a simple idea, yet it highlights how everyday marketing slogans can sound delightfully funny when taken at face value. 

That mix of wordplay and visual comedy is what gives this drawing its timeless charm.

Like many of my cartoons, this one uses clean, expressive linework and a single, sharp idea to deliver a quick laugh. It’s the kind of humour that doesn’t need colour or complex detail – the joke lands instantly because the concept is so relatable. 

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We’re surrounded by phrases that make perfect sense in advertising, but sound completely absurd if you imagine them happening in real life. This cartoon brings that absurdity to life in one simple, memorable scene.

Cartoons like this have long been a staple of magazines, newspapers and greetings cards, and they still appeal to readers who enjoy clever, observational humour. 

Whether you work in marketing, love classic gag cartoons, or just appreciate a smart visual pun, this piece is sure to raise a smile. 

It’s a reminder that sometimes, the funniest ideas come from everyday language and a slightly sideways way of looking at the world.

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See more of my cartoons at www.nigelsutherland.co.uk

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