the year that was 2012

the year that was 2012

North & South Magazine's first issue in 2013 features articles reflecting on New Zealand-related stories from 2012.

Joseph’s brief was to create caricatures for five of the stories. He chose the following momentous events...

February... North Korea’s new leader, Kim Jong-un (son of Kim Jong-il, son of Kim Il-sung), accuses Kim Dotcom of cyber-squatting on his dynasty’s vanity domain and furiously demands one-to-one talks with the US.

March... In traffic news, changing give-way laws wreak caution and respect on New Zealand roads – although some literal-minded motorists interpret the coloured education diagrams as meaning red cars must now give way to green cars and a confused eight-year-old is found joy-riding an SUV around Wellington wearing only Ben 10 pyjamas. Police see through the boy’s story that he was merely following Apple iGuide Siri’s directions to the naughty step when they notice his tablet device is Android, not Apple.

June... Ripped All Black centre Sonny Bill Williams accepts an offer he couldn’t refuse from Panasonic’s club Wild Knights in Japan. If SBW were involved, thousands of female New Zealand rugby fans would also find it impossible to refuse an offer of wild nights in Japan.

August... A promotion to swap problematic ginger-haired offspring for ginger beer outrages parents everywhere. Everywhere, that is, except Clarence House in London, where Prince Charles is confronted with nude photos of Prince Harry after some jolly poor sport with a camera phone enforced the down-trou’ rule at a late-night billiards tournament.

November... Back home, Sir Ian McKellen threatens to turn Key into an Ork for using the word “gay” to mean “weird”. Colin Craig alleges Key now supports “weird marriage”.