Pot-Shots

Ashleigh Brilliant's "Pot-Shots" are illustrated epigrams, never longer than 17 words. They are written in very simple English so as to be easily translatable into other languages. In the process of creation, the words always come first and, as is not the case with "cartoons," they are capable of standing alone without requiring any illustration. But the illustrations add a special dimension to the finished product.

They should be appropriate, but not too literal—more in the nature of commentary than of direct depiction, which makes creating and/or selecting illustrations one of the hardest parts of the work. There is no cast of characters, and the range of subject matter is virtually unlimited. Originality is considered an essential factor. What is said must be really worth saying but, as far as possible, never actually have been said before. There can be humor, profundity, poignancy, whimsy, or a combination of all of these. Another criterion is that the material should have lasting value and be appreciated in other times and other cultures.

Because of this stricture, there can be no rhyme, no rhythm, no puns, no idioms—in fact, none of the conventional wordplay that makes writing short expressions fun and easy. There can also be no intentional topical references.

"Pot-Shots" have appeared in many forms, with and without the original graphics, but their debut on GoComics is a totally new adventure.