Plenty of us loves to read. Or say that we do. But finding the time to do so is, more often than not, much more difficult than we’d like. After a hard day at work or school, instead of snuggling up with a doggo, a steaming mug of hot cocoa, and a good novel, we usually end up being couch potatoes in front of the TV or computer screen.
Well, not to worry, because artist John Atkinson of ‘Wrong Hands’ has you covered. The illustrator created a series of cartoon drawings that will help any lover of the written word catch up on the writings they missed out on. Whether it’s classic literature or popular modern hits.
“I’ve always loved to draw even as a young child,” Atkinson told Bored Panda in an in-depth interview. “I studied Fine Art at University and after spectacularly failing as a famous artist, took up graphic design. The webcomics are a more recent endeavor.”
Scroll down for the rest of our interview with Atkinson. Upvote the comic strips that you enjoyed, leave us a comment with your thoughts about Arkinson’s funny drawings, and share this article with anyone who you think is in need of a good laugh.
Make sure to check out our previous articles about Atkinson’s funny comics here, here, as well as here.
More info: WrongHands1.com | GoComics.com | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | Redbubble
This post may include affiliate links.
“Cartooning is a great way to extract the silliness bottled up in my head,” the artist said during the interview. “Humor is subjective so it’s always interesting to read other people’s reactions to my work. I get a wide range of comments from “This is hilarious” to “You think you’re so clever, you’re not!” to “I don’t get it.”
Atkinson joked: “The last one is always my favorite. I usually like to respond “I don’t get it either.”
There is a complete misconception that belle has Stockholm syndrome SHE DOESN'T that is a different thing Belle didn't start falling for the beast until he treated her kindly and then didn't fall in love with him until she had departed. I don't really know how to explain this in written form. Maybe I am the only one that thinks this but I just had to say something! But the rest a pretty accurate and funny so kudos.
Bored Panda asked the illustrator to go into detail about what inspired him to draw cartoons about classic books. Here’s what he revealed: “I came across a survey a few years back that revealed about 60 percent of people pretend to have read books they haven’t and around 40 percent rely on movies and TV to feign knowledge of popular books.”
He continued: “I thought it might be a funny idea to help everyone out and provide “tweet-sized” synopses of these famous books suitable for dinner parties or when you’re cornered at a function. They’re not intended to replace reading the actual book and I’m quick to tell students not to use them as book reports unless they want a solid D- or an F.”
I love that you threw Jim Morrison in there. Especially since he's one of the Doors...and we are talking about doors...
Atkinson explained that he’s still posting new cartoons to his blog two times per week. What’s more, he told Bored Panda about his upcoming plans. Next year, he hopes to have a follow-up book to his current one (“Abridged Classics: Brief summaries of books you were supposed to read but probably didn’t”). “The follow-up will most likely cover movies and television and is tentatively titled “Abridged Cinema.”
The artist had some good advice for cartoonists and artists: “Don’t take yourself too seriously and if you’re in it for the money—get out now!"
Takeuchi would have Strawberry Ramune, Tolkien would have Ale, and Arakawa would have Oolong.
Well, games are an interactive medium. If there's no action, people complain. Although, I personally prefer when I can stop and use my brain to solve the given quest. That's why I love the RPG genre. However, even in RPG, more and more games are focusing more on battles and less on other characteristics, and go for more action and less thinking.
Oh no! My bookshelves Plural are stuffed with books i have read and like so much i can re-read many times and find different things each time.
I can't "bare" to clean out my bookshelves. My Kindle is great for various reasons (looking up a word immediately instead of having to get out of my comfy bed and disturb the cat, how any books I've read and how long it took....). Before Kindle I'm a little ashamed to admit I kept a notebook of all the books I'd read. But there really is no substitute to the smell of a book and the feel of the pages...and turning the corner down to mark my page.
Load More Replies...*le gaspeth* yOu hAvE seEN thE mOViE bEfoRe reADinG tHe bOOk?!?!
If I know there is going to be a movie of the book, I usually stay away from both. Sometimes will read the book, either way you can get burned . Forest Gump the movie was awesome, the book was horrid and full of hick town red neck inbred mentally disabled southern stereotypes. Who do exist, else there wouldn't be stereotypes of them. Just not everyone in town. And please not the main character and hero of the book!
Load More Replies...I admit, there are a few books on my shelves that I haven't read. Those are far outnumbered by the ones I have read, which are outnumbered by the ones I've read multiple times.
Oh no! War and Peace is not on my bookshelves but I read it about fifty five years ago and then listened to a radio version in 1970 then a tv version with Anthony Hopkins as Pierre then the film with Audrey Hepburn as Natasha then a more recent tv version. If I owned a copy I would probably be reading it again.
My bookshelves: Classic. Classic. Classic in french. Classic with a bit of french. Enid Blighton. Classic. Then comes my collection of victorian gothic horror.
Not in my house, we have three tall bookcases filled with books that are read over and over again.
I've read all the chapter books in my house. It gets a bit annoying relying on libraries. they don't have the book or the books checked out or "we can't go to the public library today." but then sometimes at school a person actually takes weeks to read a book! And i'm rambling. Sry :)
Lol, I how he included the Archie Digest! My bookshelves are full of them
Made me count out bookshelves. 60 plus. Mostly read. Really should get rid of some.
I deliberately have many unread books on my shelves so that I can pick up something new & read it ~ the only books I keep are the beautiful, the ones I’ll re-read & old sentimentals :)
This is probably an archtype of most bookshelves today. Only the book worms will have books that actually have been. I have more books than shelves, so mine are usually stacked on windowsills or on the floor or anywhere convienent to put books, which is pretty much everywhere that I dont have magazines or DVDS or CDS.
actually been read sorry. It wont let me edit this.
Load More Replies...Ive read most of the books in my bookshelf but still have them in hopes that I will at some point have time to re-read.
Not a bookworm. My shelves have Watts, Cohen, some Dalai Lama. If Gary Richrath had written a book, that'd be there, too.
Missed the "Hollow book with forbidden and incriminating photos"
Weird, I have a bookshelf of leatherbound books I have never and will never open. But I have read all of them and only got the leather afterwards because I enjoyed the story. I don't see the point in getting physical anymore unless you are collecting.
I have books that are older than me ( i'm old enough to be a great grandma) and they are still useable. I also have floppy discs ( about 20 years old) that are totally useless.
Load More Replies...But but, the whale is a metaphor! (Said by every English teacher EVER)
In literature classes, it's used as an example of using fewer words to get the same point across that you would by using many more words.
This one will be completely lost on the young'ns. Watch a few episodes somewhere on the intertubes.
Finally something that's not about how someone looks, cats or crazy brides! They are all really funny. Love it!
Glad you enjoyed it :) John is an amazing artist
Load More Replies...I'm a literature buff and I laughed or giggled at almost all of them. My favorites are the "writer's block" (pun of the century) and keeping the "bankrupcy".slot from "wheel of fortune" in the Dickens Misfortune wheel,
I'm a Librarian. I'm using these at the reference desk. hahahahahahahaha
So funny and I have to confess some of the books shown here I’ve never read before. So, it was a great introduction to them for me. Don’t have to read them anymore :)
Well, the art's pretty bland and as far as the jokes go... he's no Kate Beaton, that's all I'm saying.
Fantastic Creation. Even if we read and understand only 10 per cent of this we can call ourselves to be proud elitists.
Finally something that's not about how someone looks, cats or crazy brides! They are all really funny. Love it!
Glad you enjoyed it :) John is an amazing artist
Load More Replies...I'm a literature buff and I laughed or giggled at almost all of them. My favorites are the "writer's block" (pun of the century) and keeping the "bankrupcy".slot from "wheel of fortune" in the Dickens Misfortune wheel,
I'm a Librarian. I'm using these at the reference desk. hahahahahahahaha
So funny and I have to confess some of the books shown here I’ve never read before. So, it was a great introduction to them for me. Don’t have to read them anymore :)
Well, the art's pretty bland and as far as the jokes go... he's no Kate Beaton, that's all I'm saying.
Fantastic Creation. Even if we read and understand only 10 per cent of this we can call ourselves to be proud elitists.