WhoWhatWhy, known for its investigative journalistic pieces, often complements its hard-hitting news with the wit and satire of cartoons. In 2024, Jon Richards continued to deliver his poignant and incisively humorous takes on the year’s biggest stories. Below is a selection of his best work that provided not just a laugh, but also a profound perspective on current events.

One of Richards’ most memorable cartoons featured the roller coaster ride of the stock market in 2024. With a chaotic line zigzagging across the page, investors were depicted strapped in, expressions of terror mixed with thrill on their faces. It perfectly captured the volatility of the financial world that year which saw unprecedented highs and lows.

Climate change continued to be a hot topic in 2024 and Richards did not shy away from highlighting this existential crisis. His depiction of Earth as a melting ice cream cone held by a child-like humanity – obliviously licking away while the planet dripped to nothingness – was both heartbreakingly naïve and a powerful call to action.

In politics, with elections happening in various parts of the world, Richards masterfully portrayed the political circus. His use of actual circus imagery – politicians as acrobats and ringmasters, voters as wide-eyed spectators – succinctly summed up the democratic process witnessed that year: full of spectacle yet leaving much to be desired in substance.

Perhaps one of Richards’ most shared cartoons was his take on societal dependence on technology. A family at dinner each engrossed in their own devices while their dog, phoneless, contemplates a bleak future. As simple as it was, it resonated deeply with an audience increasingly aware of their own tech-addiction.

The battle against misinformation also took center stage in one of Richard’s standout pieces – an image showing a person trying to juggle a myriad of screens depicting different versions of “truth” while standing atop a tightrope stretched over an abyss labeled ‘Credibility’.

Lastly, Richards’ sharp commentary on healthcare depicted through a ‘Whack-a-Mole’ game where patients popped out looking for help while doctors and nurses struggled to keep up became an allegory for the overwhelmed system during that time.

2024 was another eventful year, and through the sharp lens of Jon Richards’ cartoons presented by WhoWhatWhy, we were offered moments of reflection woven through satire – showcasing why these pieces are not just cartoons but conversations starters reflecting our society’s triumphs and tribulations.