Riposte Card No. 21: Fecal Flurries!

Or, Mario Vargas Llosa by Matthew Daley

How unbelievably on the pinched nose was it that this was the Riposte Card for November 2024? In a month of electoral rude awakenings and postal strikes, the scatological storm blew at full force. Like the man says:

“Life is a shitstorm in which art is the only umbrella.”
— Mario Vargas Llosa

Matthew Daley, the artist of the above Llosa riff on fecal weather patterns, initially had a short list of three quips to illustrate, the other two being

“The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.”
— Eden Phillpotts, specifically referring to the splendour of the buckbean.

“O misery, misery, mumble and moan! Someone invented the telephone.”
— Ogden Nash

I’m glad he went with the rudest of the three, both because it fit the moment and because his sketch promised such glorious chaos:

Here’s a bit more about this wonderful Toronto artist:

What’s your go-to item in a well-stocked stationery store?
Lettering stamps, especially sans serif.

Where do you go for inspiration and/or information?
I’ve built up a nice collection of picture books, comics and art books that inspire me quite a bit when I'm stuck.

Is there one joke, witticism, or aphorism you live by?
As my good friend C. Smaloochi says “One can either produce or become produce.” I need to take that more seriously sometimes.

What’s the best thing to put on toast?
Raspberry jam reigns supreme.

What work are you most proud of, and how can people support it?
My book Assorted Baggage, which was released by Black Eye Books in 2022. You can purchase physical copies at The Beguiling in Toronto or the digital edition at this link.