John Hickenlooper inaugurated as king of cartoons in 2001: Kenny Be's Time Machine

Hickenlooper's crowning achievement.

John Hickenlooper officially became Colorado's governor at today's inauguration. As the drawing above illustrates, I crowned King John nearly a decade ago in a comic prediction. Look below to see the full comic, as well as the ten-year evolution of Hick as a political cartoon character...

The newest King of cartoons.

The panel above is from "Predictions 2001," in the January 4, 2001, Worst-Case Scenario comic in Westword. The prediction below the picture read:

Having transformed himself from "the geologist that no one would talk to" into "the unofficial Mayor of LoDo," tepid suds-slinger John Hickenlooper will begin to parlay the name recognition he's gained from being the media's most over-used quote source into an "unofficial" run for office. (Look out, Cathy Reynolds!)

Cathy Reynolds has been all but forgotten, but below, Hick's rise to power brings back some awkward memories...