Cartoons in memes : Recycling popular art forms as a humorous
response to the Covid-19 pandemic

J 2025

Cartoons in memes : Recycling popular art forms as a humorous response to the Covid-19 pandemic

CHOVANEC, Jan a Saša BABIĆ

Základní údaje

Originální název

Cartoons in memes : Recycling popular art forms as a humorous response to the Covid-19 pandemic

Autoři

CHOVANEC, Jan a Saša BABIĆ

Vydání

Word & Image, Taylor & Francis, 2025, 0266-6286

Další údaje

Jazyk

angličtina

Typ výsledku

Článek v odborném periodiku

Obor

60203 Linguistics

Stát vydavatele

Velká Británie a Severní Irsko

Utajení

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

Odkazy

Full text

Impakt faktor

Impact factor: 0.100 v roce 2024

Označené pro přenos do RIV

Ano

Organizační jednotka

Filozofická fakulta

Klíčová slova česky

animace; memy; multimodalita; populární kultura; koronavirální humor

Klíčová slova anglicky

covid-19 humour; cartoons; animation movies; memes; multimodality; popular art

Štítky

rivok

Příznaky

Mezinárodní význam, Recenzováno

Změněno: 11. 2. 2026 15:21, Mgr. Ester Gaja Pučálková, Ph.D.

Anotace

V originále

As an established form of semiotic expression in the digital world, memes provide online users with the possibility to express diverse functions, including articulating shared norms and values. Memes function as multimodal signs, combining pre-existing visual elements with typically innovative textual components. Due to their dependence on current events, they tend to be ephemeral, serving to provide a topical – and often humorous – commentary and criticism on contemporary society. Drawing on the international database of COVID-related humour, this paper explores a hitherto overlooked area of research, specifically how memes draw on visual aspects of popular culture by incorporating well-known cartoons and animated movies in order to provide humorous social commentary on diverse aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a social semiotic and multimodal perspective, the research identifies how meme creators draw on globally as well as locally known cartoons, what humorous themes they employ, and what shared and newly constructed meanings they operate with. The findings indicate that the creative re-use of established intertextual references, manifested in humorous memes through the reworking of cartoon characters and animated films, is related, on the one hand, to the ‘hypermemetic logic’ (Shifman) of replicating images, and on other, to the focus on the ‘performative self’, with users reflecting on the contrast of their pre-pandemic lives (cued by childhood reminiscences associated with cartoon imagery) and the current reality.

Návaznosti

GA25-16317S, projekt VaV

Název: Jazyková konstrukce autenticity v mediálním diskurzu

Investor: Grantová agentura ČR, Jazyková konstrukce autenticity v mediálním diskurzu

Citovat

CHOVANEC, Jan a Saša BABIĆ. Cartoons in memes : Recycling popular art forms as a humorous response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Word & Image. Taylor & Francis, 2025, roč. 41, č. 2, s. 171-184. ISSN 0266-6286. Dostupné z: https://doi.org/10.1080/02666286.2025.2463037.

@article{2232217,
   author = {Chovanec, Jan and Babić, Saša},
   article_number = {2},
   doi = {https://doi.org/10.1080/02666286.2025.2463037},
   keywords = {covid-19 humour; cartoons; animation movies; memes; multimodality; popular art},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {0266-6286},
   journal = {Word & Image},
   title = {Cartoons in memes : Recycling popular art forms as a humorous response to the Covid-19 pandemic},
   url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02666286.2025.2463037},
   volume = {41},
   year = {2025}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 2232217
AU  - Chovanec, Jan - Babić, Saša
PY  - 2025
TI  - Cartoons in memes : Recycling popular art forms as a humorous response to the Covid-19 pandemic
JF  - Word & Image
VL  - 41
IS  - 2
SP  - 171-184
EP  - 171-184
PB  - Taylor & Francis
SN  - 02666286
KW  - covid-19 humour
KW  - cartoons
KW  - animation movies
KW  - memes
KW  - multimodality
KW  - popular art
UR  - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02666286.2025.2463037
N2  - As an established form of semiotic expression in the digital world, memes provide online users with the possibility to express diverse functions, including articulating shared norms and values. Memes function as multimodal signs, combining pre-existing visual elements with typically innovative textual components. Due to their dependence on current events, they tend to be ephemeral, serving to provide a topical – and often humorous – commentary and criticism on contemporary society. Drawing on the international database of COVID-related humour, this paper explores a hitherto overlooked area of research, specifically how memes draw on visual aspects of popular culture by incorporating well-known cartoons and animated movies in order to provide humorous social commentary on diverse aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a social semiotic and multimodal perspective, the research identifies how meme creators draw on globally as well as locally known cartoons, what humorous themes they employ, and what shared and newly constructed meanings they operate with. The findings indicate that the creative re-use of established intertextual references, manifested in humorous memes through the reworking of cartoon characters and animated films, is related, on the one hand, to the ‘hypermemetic logic’ (Shifman) of replicating images, and on other, to the focus on the ‘performative self’, with users reflecting on the contrast of their pre-pandemic lives (cued by childhood reminiscences associated with cartoon imagery) and the current reality.
ER  -

CHOVANEC, Jan a Saša BABI$\backslash$'C. Cartoons in memes : Recycling popular art forms as a humorous response to the Covid-19 pandemic. \textit{Word \&{} Image}. Taylor \&{} Francis, 2025, roč.~41, č.~2, s.~171-184. ISSN~0266-6286. Dostupné z: https://doi.org/10.1080/02666286.2025.2463037.

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