IT CAN'T HAPPEN HERE: Illustration by Larry Neilson
Larry Neilson created this Photoshop illustration of George W. Bush for an educational product, the "Official Presidential Dartboard". Bush as the Great Dictator is the illustration for the front of the dartboard; his nose and mustachioed upper lip appear in the bull's eye. The rear of the dartboard is taken up by a satire of the U.S. Presidential Seal. The use of transparency and layers was vital in the creation of both illustrations. Starting from a newspaper photo of Bush speaking to Congress soon after 9-11, Larry was able to transform the Texas trickster to reveal character traits minimized by his aw-shucks demeanor and slick PR machine. Bush holds up a swastika-shaped pretzel to dramatize the dire threat innocent-looking snacks pose to the Nation, just as the Truth poses a menace to its present Commander-in-Chief.
