It starts with this Nat Rodgers composition, given to me by my little family because it features a penguin (one of my totem animals) along with text:
(#1) A penguin who takes a dim view of those who look down on others, and suggests an aggressive counter-measure
Rodgers does artwork in a number of series, on several wildly different themes. The theme here is vexation — the dim views — and its response, typically either aggressive or contemptuous.
Misanthropy. The dim view extended to people in general. Above, a penguin; now, an octopus:
(#2) Octopi are in fact surprisingly clever, and can squeeze through very small spaces; this one is apparently also inclined to misanthropy
Dickweasels. Then, an antipathy towards those who are both obnoxiously metaphorical dicks and deceitfully metaphorical weasels:
(#3) Presumably, the crow is the source of the text
The point of all three compositions is to convey the sentiment in the text. The words are attributed to creatures, but the creatures, however intriguing, are actually beside this point, though they can embroider it some. That is, the art form here is what I’ve called the texty. From an earlier posting:
Texties are cartoon-like compositions in which a pictorial component is entirely absent or merely decorative, not essential to the point of the composition — in effect, words-only cartoons; they can be intended as humor, like gag cartoons, or as serious commentary, like political cartoons.
On the artist. From her Cuteness & Vexation site:
(#4)
Cuteness & Vexation combines various weird and wonderful creatures with snark, sass, and occasionally a good dose of self-deprecation. I love to make people laugh, but more than that I love to see them identify with and be endeared to the various other citizens of our quirky planet. While this is my main art series, I have many other projects and art styles. For my other works, please check out my social media, or simply visit my store.
dickweasel. OED3 (June 2019) is on the job (though dickweasel isn’t in GDoS):
noun dick … 6. slang (originally U.S.). A stupid, annoying, or detestable person (esp. a male); one whose behaviour is considered knowingly obnoxious, provocative, or disruptive. Cf. dickhead and also cock and prick.
noun dickweasel: a duplicitous, obnoxious, or detestable person (esp. a male).
— 1994 Re: Sue! Sue! Sue! (Revisited) in alt.peeves (Usenet newsgroup) 2 Mar. That ‘psychic’ dick-weasel .. and his endless string of harassing lawsuits against anyone who takes the trouble to expose his fraudulent ass.
— 2008 D. Dorst Alive in Necropolis v. 97 Hey, you dick-weasels.
— 2012 G. Flynn Gone Girl 122 Mr. Binks was a cheating dickweasel, but, you know, marriage is compromise.
The Wiktionary entry, with three cites:
noun dickweasel: (slang, vulgar, derogatory) A rude, obnoxious, or contemptible person.
— Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl, Broadway Book (2014): The moral to the story being: Mr. Binks was a cheating dickweasel, but, you know, marriage is compromise
— Dianne Sylvan, Shadow’s Fall, Ace Books (2012): He’s a crazy bastard and a complete dickweasel, but not a moron.
— Kate Meader, Playing with Fire, Pocket Books (2015): “Busy.” Marinating in her disgust for a certain smooth-talking dickweasel.
And on the weasel part, from NOAD:
noun weasel: 1 a small, slender, carnivorous mammal … .2 a deceitful or treacherous person: he was a double-crossing weasel.
More discussion in my 3/14/17 posting “Pop, ejaculated the weasel”, especially on symbolic weasels.
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