Another Swipe at Islam in 'B.C.' Comic?

Editor & Publisher ^ | July 07, 2006 | E&P Staff

[Nicholas Conradin]

NEW YORK Did "B.C." cartoonist Johnny Hart take another swipe at Islam in his July 3 comic? Several blogs -- including ComicsReporter.com and DailyCartoonist -- are wondering.

In the comic , Hart shows his turtle character asking: "What makes a bite that's shaped like a crescent moon?" The bird standing on the turtle's shell answers: "A lunatic." A star is drawn near the turtle's "finger" to illustrate the location of the bite.

A star/crescent moon is a symbol of Islam. There's also the possibility that Hart was making a "luna tick" pun instead of, or in addition to, making a negative reference to Islam.

An executive at Creators Syndicate, which distributes "B.C.," could not be immediately reached for comment today.

Readers previously wondered if Hart defamed Islam in his "B.C." strip of Nov. 10, 2003. In that comic, Hart showed a character walking to an outhouse, closing the door with a huge "SLAM" (inked vertically between the first and second panels), and saying: "Is it just me, or does it stink in here?" A crescent moon appeared in the sky and on the outhouse door in all three panels. Some observers said the huge "SLAM" in the strip was stacked in the shape of an "I" -- the first letter in Islam. Hart and Creators denied back then that the 2003 comic defamed Islam.

[Nicholas Conradin]

To see the cartoon click here,

[starfish923]

The link didn't work for me.

[Talking_Mouse]

Check your link -- I get 'page can not be found'

[Jet Jaguar]

[El Gato]

Try This one

You may have to scroll back, using the back arrow *on the site*, the cartoon in question is from July 3rd.

[CzarNicky]

You have to really be reaching to get that out of that cartoon.

[Mr. Mojo]

There's also the possibility that Hart was making a "luna tick" pun instead of, or in addition to, making a negative reference to Islam.

He was. ....obviously.

In addition to, not instead of.

[Talking_Mouse]

Moon - luna(tic). Some people have way too much time on their hands.

[JRios1968]

Islam...lunatic...makes sense lately!

[perfect stranger]

http://www.creators.com/0702/bc/bc0703g.gif

[Pro-Bush]

.....If you play Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" beackwards you'll hear....

[madison10]

Duh...Luna + Tic.
Moon=lunar Tic=as in a biting insect that sucks blood

[El Gato]

Well, I guess we can expect the crowds in the streets, the burning of US embassies and consulates (go ahead, make our day), and so forth and so on. Try that shiite around here though, and you may find your turban ventilated, with .30 or even .50 inch holes.

[Dont Mention the War]

Editor & Publisher magazine has a looooooong history of extremist liberal editorializing. And I do mean wacko extremist, as the example above shows. They've been out to destroy Johnny Hart's career for years (without success), and are now working overtime in an attempt to destroy Ann Coulter's career (again, without success thus far).

[Rastus]

We can debate that one all day long, but this B.C. comic is absolutely a slam against Islam:



She's not wearing a burqa! Shame on you, Johnny Hart.

[CzarNicky]

Islam...lunatic...makes sense lately! true

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Well, it's obvious Johnny Hart should be banned and apologize, after Luckovich and Benson apologize for their cartoons too.

[Zeon Cowboy]

Oh, please...

[mylife]

ouch!

[ClearCase_guy]

Hart has made a number of cartoons with crescent moons that have been interpreted as negative toward Islam. Hart is most definitely a Christian. He's also a smart fellow who leaves enough wiggle room so that his cartoons are not explicitly making fun of Islam.

But I'm sure he is.