The art of poking fun
Cartoonist deAdder still finding reasons to help Nova Scotians laugh at ourselves
HALIFAX, N.S. — Michael deAdder may be known for his edgy political cartoons, but he is taking gentler pokes at the foibles of all things Bluenose with his new book, You Might Still Be From Nova Scotia If…, a collection of cartoons about life in this part of the Maritimes.
This is a followup to his first book, released in 2012, which was so popular he decided to follow up with similar volumes for New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and one for Canada.
Each of these books made it to national bestseller lists, but none surpassed the initial popularity of the Nova Scotia volume, he said.
“It was incredible how well it did,” he said. “No book I drew before or after did so well. It proved to me what I already knew: Nova Scotians love their province. And we enjoy a good laugh, even if it’s at ourselves.”
He added that when he finished the first book, he thought he had covered the gamut for material about life here in Canada’s Ocean Playground. In time, though, new ideas began to arrive, and the possibility of a sequel began to form in his mind.
“I told my publisher that I might be interested in doing a sequel if I could come up with 40 solid ideas,” he said.
He added that although he was able to find the ideas almost immediately, it took him about six months to complete the series of drawings.
“The main reason is that my style has changed, I put more effort into my drawings,” he said. “I also didn’t want to fall
“I picked up most of the ideas just talking to people and observing the silly things around me.”
back on stereotypes; we are a modern society with modern problems that still has a close connection to the sea and to each other.”
In this latest collection, he pokes fun at our multi-capital province of lobsters, blueberries, apples, scallops and Christmas trees. There are the lobster races where the winner gets boiled, our love of regattas (with homage to yachts and pumpkins), and our passion for discussing the weather.
DeAdder also tips his pen to The Men of the Deeps, Farley Mowat, fossil hunting on the beach and food fetishes ranging from donairs to pizzas and arguments about where to buy the best fish and chips (John’s Lunch, don’t you know).
For nearly 30 years, deAdder has been a political cartoonist for various provincial and local newspapers, including The Chronicle Herald and The Coast, and
now contributes for SaltWire Network publications, as well. He is also a syndicated cartoonist for national publications.
He was born in Moncton and attended Mount Allison University, where he studied fine arts. Earlier this year, deAdder made headlines of his own after he was dropped by a New Brunswick newspaper chain, he says, for his edgy criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump.
He added, although You Might Still Be From Nova Scotia If… took him a bit longer than the others, he is pleased with the way it turned out.
“I picked up most of the ideas just talking to people and observing the silly things around me,” he said. “We have a unique way of seeing the world.”
Michael deAdder