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 YAHTZEE!!
When five or more cartoonists draw
the same gag we'll post a cartoon YAHTZEE. Why? Is it plagiarism?
In the 1970's editorial cartoonists were
criticized for drawing alike --now they are criticized for thinking
alike. Some critics complain that the field is rife with plagiarism.
Some complain that most cartoonists are white, males, in their
forties, with a similar cultural background, so they would naturally
think alike. Some complain that it is the fault of newspaper
editors who encourage "group-think" among cartoonists
by choosing to publish the same type of funny gag cartoons, rather
than the symbolic or poignant cartoons that were more popular
in the 1950's. Some argue that "great minds think alike."
 Whatever the reason, matching cartoons are an ongoing
issue to cartoonists and editors. With almost all of the top
editorial cartoonists represented on our site, matching cartoons
can be seen here as never before. We decided that we would point
out obvious examples when they happen; that's why we started
our YAHTZEE section. When five or more of our cartoonists draw
the same gag, we score a YAHTZEE -- and we'll post a new batch
of matches. If you spot a YAHTZEE in the archives, send
us an email  and let us know.
There is a rule of thumb among cartoonists,
"if one other guy drew it, he's a plagiarist, if five other
guys drew it, they're hacks, if a dozen other guys drew it, they
are honoring a tradition".
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