Did You Spot the Difference?

You've seen them, right? Those sweet-but-apropos-of-nothing little illustrations that pepper the pages of the New Yorker? Well, they've gotten a makeover, albeit a subtle one. An article in the New York Times explains that the tiny line drawings that appear at random in the pages of the magazine now have a narrative.

"Starting with the magazine's 80th anniversary issue last month, those quirky illustrations - known as spots to the magazine's staff - have been quietly unspooling through each issue like minimalist silent films, sharing a running theme or even telling microstories."

Microstories ... How cool is that?

You can read the rest of the Times article here. Be sure to check out the slide show, which features a series of spots by illustrator Richard McGuire. By the way, the last time I checked the New Yorker website, it was still under construction. A lot of their content is online now, including current fiction.
.