Jesus and Mo
{{short description|British webcomic}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox webcomic|
| title = Jesus and Mo
| image = File:Jesusandmo sample.jpg
| caption = A sample of the comic Jesus and Mo originally published in November 2006, featuring all four of the recurring characters.
| author = Mohammed Jones
| url = http://www.jesusandmo.net
| status = Published weekly
| began = 24 November 2005
| ended =
| genre = Satire
| ratings =
}}
Jesus and Mo is a British webcomic created by an artist using the pseudonym Mohammed Jones. Launched in November 2005, the comic is published on its eponymous website once a week now.
Set-up
The comic is simply drawn, typically using a single image for each face, each of which is duplicated for each panel in the strip. It features two present-day religious prophets, Jesus and Mo. While Jesus is portrayed as the bona fide Christian Jesus, Mo claims to be a body double,Jesus and Mo [http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/body/ 24 November 2005: body] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221054615/http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/body/ |date=21 December 2016 }} using casuistry to circumvent the Islamic restriction against pictorial depictions of Muhammad.
Jesus and Mo share a flatJesus and Mo [http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/mess/ 23 March 2006: mess] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221054437/http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/mess/ |date=21 December 2016 }} (and a bed), and occasionally venture outside, principally to a public house, The Cock and Bull, where they drink Guinness and engage in conversation and debate with an atheist female bartender known simply as Barmaid, who is never drawnJesus and Mo [http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/baby/ 8 February 2006: baby] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221054744/http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/baby/ |date=21 December 2016 }} but is characterised only as an out-of-frame speech bubble. The barmaid functions as the voice of reason when criticising the Abrahamic religions or religion in general. Other times, Jesus or Mo may act as the voice of reason depending on which religion a particular comic aims to criticise. Jesus will act as the author's mouthpiece if the comic aims to criticise Islam while the character Mo will be used to criticise Christianity. They also converse with each other on a park bench.Jesus and Mo [http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/slow/ 14 July 2006: slow] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221054805/http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/slow/ |date=21 December 2016 }}
The Abrahamic prophet Moses appears in some cartoons. The Hindu deity Ganesha made a one-time appearance; both Jesus and Mo mocked his depicted weight and four arms. Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, has also appeared: his face hidden by a hat, a reference to Smith supposedly reading seeing stones by putting them inside a stovepipe hat and sticking his face inside.
In the comic for 24 September 2008, the author used animation (blinking eyes) in the final panel.Jesus and Mo [http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/cult/ 24 September 2008: cult] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221054546/http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/cult/ |date=21 December 2016 }} Starting with the strip released on 10 November 2009, both of the principal figures were redrawn in a somewhat cleaner style.Jesus and Mo [http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/role/ 10 November 2009: role] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221054358/http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/role/ |date=21 December 2016 }}; see in particular the author's comment [http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/role/#comment-158114 on the change in style] .
Themes
The comic consists mainly of religious satire, often criticising arguments for religion,Jesus and Mo [http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/sense/ 10 August 2007: sense] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221054737/http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/sense/ |date=21 December 2016 }} religious textsJesus and Mo [http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/wait/ 16 May 2006: wait] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221054616/http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/wait/ |date=21 December 2016 }} and decreesJesus and Mo [http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/grief/ 17 July 2007: grief] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221054751/http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/grief/ |date=21 December 2016 }} and the actions of believers.Jesus and Mo [http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/press/ 21 August 2007: press] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221054448/http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/press/ |date=21 December 2016 }} As the comic centres on Christian and Muslim figures, the satire is generally directed at the two religions, though some critiques apply to many forms of theism.
In print
Episodes from Jesus and Mo have been published in paperback. Strips 1–50 are published in Vol 1 "Where's the soap?" and strips 51–100 in Vol 2 "Transubstantiated". Vol 3 "Things Not Seen" contains strips 101–140, as well as 10 previously unreleased strips.{{Cite web |url=http://www.jesusandmo.net/the-shop |title=Jesus and Mo's Bookshop |access-date=23 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070919041209/http://www.jesusandmo.net/the-shop/ |archive-date=19 September 2007 |url-status=live }} A fourth compendium of 140 strips '"Big Al"' was published in 2008. All print copies are published by Lulu.
The strip is published sporadically in the British magazine The Freethinker. Three strips were printed in the Danish newspaper Informationcomixtalk{{full citation needed|date=May 2016}} and one in their online version on 2007-03-22.Peter Nielsen{{full citation needed|date=May 2016}}
Incidents
Members of the London School of Economics Atheist, Secularist and Humanist Society were ordered to cover-up their Jesus and Mo T-shirts at the LSE Students' Union Freshers' Fair in October 2013.{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2013/oct/08/censoring-atheists-lse-oppression-religion |title=Censoring atheists at LSE is a victory for oppression | Ally Fogg | Opinion | The Guardian |website=TheGuardian.com |date=8 October 2013 |access-date=11 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221084818/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2013/oct/08/censoring-atheists-lse-oppression-religion |archive-date=21 December 2016 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/10/05/lse-student-t-shirts_n_4048881.html |title=LSE Students Outrage After They Are Told To Cover Up 'Offensive' Jesus And Mohammed T-Shirts |date=5 October 2013 |access-date=6 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131008025946/http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/10/05/lse-student-t-shirts_n_4048881.html |archive-date=8 October 2013 |url-status=live }}{{cite news | url=http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/technology/jackrivlin/100010962/jesus-and-mohammed-t-shirts-banned-victory-for-the-sanctimonious-little-prigs-of-lses-student-union/ | location=London | work=The Daily Telegraph | title=Jesus and Mohammed T-shirts banned: victory for the 'sanctimonious little prigs' of LSE's student union | date=5 October 2013 | access-date=6 October 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304095714/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/technology/jackrivlin/100010962/jesus-and-mohammed-t-shirts-banned-victory-for-the-sanctimonious-little-prigs-of-lses-student-union/ | archive-date=4 March 2016 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }} A new comic was published in response.Jesus and Mo [http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/anti/ 4 October 2013: anti] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221054409/http://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/anti/ |date=21 December 2016 }}
Muslim Liberal Democrat politician Maajid Nawaz tweeted a picture of one of the Jesus and Mo T-shirts, after the cartoon came up in a discussion on a BBC programme The Big Questions. On the programme, the production team stopped participants from being shown wearing T-shirts with the cartoon, which depicted Jesus saying "Hey" and "Mo" saying "How ya doing?"Nick Cohen [https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/25/liberal-democrats-t-shirt-jesus-muhammad-religion?CMP=twt_gu "The Liberal Democrats face a true test of liberty"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221084548/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/25/liberal-democrats-t-shirt-jesus-muhammad-religion?CMP=twt_gu |date=21 December 2016 }}, The Observer, 25 January 2014 The BBC had feared a hostile response from some Muslims. On Twitter, Nawaz later wrote that he did not find the T-shirts offensive and that he received death threats for this stance.Keith Perry [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/liberaldemocrats/10588267/Lib-Dem-candidate-receives-death-threats-for-tweeting-Prophet-Mohammed-cartoon.html "Lib Dem candidate receives death threats for tweeting Prophet Mohammed cartoon"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180225035941/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/liberaldemocrats/10588267/Lib-Dem-candidate-receives-death-threats-for-tweeting-Prophet-Mohammed-cartoon.html |date=25 February 2018 }} Daily Telegraph 21 January 2014
References
{{refbegin}}
- {{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/interactivity/blog/story/2006/03/060303_reba_blogspot.shtml
|title=(Urdu blog with thumbnail of Government of Pakistan document entitled BLOCKING OF WEB SITE) |publisher=BBC |date=1 October 2007 |accessdate=28 October 2007|language=ur}}
- {{Cite web|url=http://www.mediawatchwatch.org.uk/?p=410 |title=The Freethinker publishes cartoon special |publisher=mediawatchwatch.org.uk |quote=featuring several Mo-toon fever inspired cartoons, a couple of Jesus-on-the-cross funnies, Jesus and Mo,... |date=8 March 2006 |accessdate=28 October 2007}}
- {{Cite web|url=http://comixtalk.com/mojojesus_and_mo_published_in_danish_newspaper/ |title=Jesus and Mo published in Danish newspaper |publisher=comixtalk.com |quote=2007-03-22 ... the Danish daily newspaper Information has today published three strips from Jesus and Mo in its print edition: danny, good, and badge |date=22 March 2007 |accessdate=28 October 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071029144214/http://comixtalk.com/mojojesus_and_mo_published_in_danish_newspaper |archivedate=29 October 2007 }}
- {{Cite news|url=http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006%5C03%5C14%5Cstory_14-3-2006_pg1_7 |title=SC seeks legal avenues to ban blasphemous cartoons worldwide |author=Mohammad Kamran |publisher=Daily Times (Pakistan) |quote=The government has blocked all websites that carry caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad |date=14 March 2006 |accessdate=28 October 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080105005913/http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006%5C03%5C14%5Cstory_14-3-2006_pg1_7 |archivedate= 5 January 2008 }}
- {{Cite web|url=http://www.boingboing.net/2006/03/20/pakistan-bans-websit.html
|title=Pakistan bans websites that carry Muhammad cartoons |author=Xeni Jardin |author-link=Xeni Jardin |publisher=Boing Boing |quote=The government has blocked all websites that carry caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad ... Jesus and Mo |date=20 March 2006 |accessdate=28 October 2007}}
- {{Cite news
|url=http://luftskibet.information.dk/redaktionsmodet/mens_vi_venter
|title=Mens vi venter
|author=Peter Nielsen
|publisher=Dagbladet Information
|quote=(includes danish text below the comic strip that translates as ... More cartoons can be found on www.jesusandmo.net ...)
|date=20 March 2006
|accessdate=28 October 2007
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070809003416/http://luftskibet.information.dk/redaktionsmodet/mens_vi_venter
|archivedate= 9 August 2007
|language=da
|url-status=dead
}}
- {{Cite web|url=http://www.exacteditions.com/exact/browse/394/431/1772/1/1
|title=Jesus reads TFM |author=Julian Baggini |author-link=Julian Baggini |publisher=The Philosophers' Magazine Issue 36, page 7 |quote=TPM has made an appearance in the popular and controversial comic strip Jesus & Mo. |date=2006 |accessdate=11 October 2010}}
- {{Cite news|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2010/01/the_best_webcomic_its_time_to.html
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927010357/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2010/01/the_best_webcomic_its_time_to.html
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=27 September 2011
|title=Time to vote for your Best Webcomic of the Decade |author=Michael Cavna |newspaper=The Washington Post Comic Riffs |quote=we're still stuck with a whopping 22 webcomics that are vying mightily to be crowned Best Webcomic of the Past Decade. |date=6 January 2010 |accessdate=14 October 2010}}
- {{Cite news | title = Best Comics Contest: And the winners of your 2011 Riffy Awards are... | author = Michael Cavna | newspaper = The Washington Post Comic Riffs | date = 21 January 2011 | accessdate = 21 January 2011 | url = http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2011/01/best_comics_contest_and_the_wi.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110514034034/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2011/01/best_comics_contest_and_the_wi.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 14 May 2011 | quote = The twice-weekly cartoon by the pseudonymous Mohammed Jones won both the Best Comic and Best Webcomic categories in our nonbinding reader poll}}
{{refend}}
Footnotes
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.jesusandmo.net Jesus and Mo]
- {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20080104230551/http://www.comixpedia.org/index.php?title=Jesus_and_Mo Comixpedia entry]}}
- [http://comicsia.ru/collections/jesus-and-mo/ Jesus and Mo in Russian] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100513002609/http://comicsia.ru/collections/jesus-and-mo |date=13 May 2010 }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jesus And Mo}}
Category:Creative Commons-licensed comics