Negotiating Social Criticism in the Post New Order Press: A Study of Timun Comic Strip in Kompas Newspaper

Aditia Muara Padiatra (Media and Cultural Studies Program, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta)
Faruk Tripoli (Media and Cultural Studies Program, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta)
Dian Arymami (Media and Cultural Studies Program, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta)

Retorik: Jurnal Ilmu Humaniora
Vol. 14 No. 1 (2026): Retorik 14(1)

This article examines the comic strip “Timun,” published in the Kompas newspaper, as a form of social critique in post-New Order Indonesian press. It explores how the visual representations in the strip articulate subtle forms of satire on social and political conditions in contemporary Indonesia. Through a visual semiotic analysis of selected strips, the article demonstrates that Timun uses satirical and ironic situations to reflect tensions in society while simultaneously negotiating within the editorial policies of mainstream media. Rather than conveying direct political critique, the strip operates through what can be described as “visual negotiation,” where humor becomes a strategy for expressing dissent in a moderated form. These findings suggest that comic strips in mainstream newspapers function not only as entertainment but also as cultural products in which social critique can emerge in subtle and negotiated ways.