Mike Lynch Cartoon in October 2006 Harvard Business Review

HBR has a cartoon of mine in its new issue. I'm posting a color version of it here. It's NOT published in color in the magazine, but I think that the color version enhances the gag, giving a visual color clue as to where to look to "get" the cartoon. I offered this color version to the then-cartoon editor then, but they only wanted a B&W version.

HBR, although not as widely circulated as other business cartoon publications like Barron's or WSJ, is a much-coveted market among gag cartoonists. It pays very well. About twice the money they would pay for a New Yorker cartoon sale. (Only contract cartoonists -- who have been successfully selling over a period of time -- get the $1200 cartoon payment, as quoted in various market guides.)

A challenge with this cartoon is showing that the 3 people on the left are getting up and going simultaneously. They have to all be seen as rushing out at 5pm on the dot. That's why I drew a couple of people in action: pressing the elevator button, putting on an overcoat on the way out.

I was going for a bitter, indignant look on the poor fellow with all the "in" boxes. I think it works. Well, I SOLD it, so it worked for the HBR editors.