Cartoons are part of a much larger effort by chemical educators to introduce activities to enhance learning and student participation. There are a variety of cartoon types used in teaching that have been evaluated and discussed within the chemical education community including caricatures, comics, and concept cartoons. This article focuses on the development of the single panel gag cartoon both as a reflection of the public's perception of chemistry and as a potential vehicle to communicate ideas and connect with students. (Contains 8 figures.)