Cartoons aren't just good at tickling funny bones, they are a medium for social commentary.

On any given week, The New Yorker magazine, famous for its social commentary and single-panel cartoons, receives as many as 1,000 submissions from some of the most respected editorial cartoonists in the world.

Out of these, no more than 30 will go to print in a standard issue. Thousands upon thousands of cartoons are rejected every year, never to see the light of day—until now.

“The Rejection Collection: Not in The New Yorker Cartoons,” an exhibit at San Francisco’s Cartoon Art Museum in the SoMa neighborhood, is not a building of adorned objects in polished, marble halls. Instead, it is a charming buffet of editorial cartoons that dares viewers to think humorously about the social and political issues of modern society.

Matthew Diffee, one of The New Yorker’s leading cartoonists, assembled the collection, hand-picking 30 of his favorite works that were rejected by the magazine.

In the exhibit’s pamphlet, Diffee explains that the show is aimed at, “uncovering the lost gems of the cartooning world's elite.”

Additionally, the exhibit stands as a reminder that even rejected cartoons can be powerful.

“I think [cartoons] create discussion about serious topics through a visual medium, that makes a point quicker and easier, and appeals to more people,” said Steven Lait, who has been the editorial cartoonist for The Oakland Tribune since 1992.

Lait says that although the exhibit is filled with gag-strips and humor, anything that promotes the exposure of contemporary issues is important and should be recognized.

Cartoons appeared in newspapers as early as the late 18th century, offering eye-catching relief from page after page of solid type while presenting an editorial point in a humorous manner.

Artists used the newspaper as a medium for freedom of expression, digging into issues of war, religion, ecology, politics, and corporate corruption. Cartoons became an integral part of American culture, reflecting the language and lives of their readers, provoking thought, laughter and commentary.

“Cartoons are important because they bring forth important messages in an accessible way, and educate people, including students, about important issues,” said SF State La Raza professor Renee Saucedo.

The exhibit raises an important debate and discussion about what is an appropriate form of journalism and what goes beyond its boundaries, said Jerry Combs, professor and former chair of the history department.

“Students would enjoy the cartoon exhibit because cartoons bring politics to life and provide amusement,” said Combs. “But because cartoons ridicule people, they can be very offensive. They are two-edged swords.”

However, some cartoonists, like the San Francisco Chronicle’s Don Alan Asmussen, say that declining newspaper revenues, rejection and more sensitive audiences have limited this freedom.

“Most political cartoons are one big square with cross-hatching, gag, labels, etc. Same ole, same ole, same ole. Political cartooning has stagnated for so long that it’s now deader than the Croc Hunter,” Asmussen said in an e-mail.

Nonetheless, Asmussen said he hopes that the exhibit will make editors reevaluate the decision making process and start taking more risks by publishing better, more challenging cartoons.

The cartoons shown in “The Rejection Collection,” were probably rejected for many reasons. According to the museum, they may have been too scandalous, too harsh, too irreverent, or simply in bad taste.

"They are so funny,” said 23-year-old film student Mitch Paulson, who admitted it was hard to keep his laughter to a minimum while inside the gallery.

Visitors of the exhibit move through a series of imaginatively drawn cartoons by well-known New Yorker artists J.C. Duffy, Sam Gross and Gahan Wilson, who mesh playfully grotesque styles and dark humor.

Angela Santosi, a senior speech communications major at SF State, said she was taken aback by the collection.

“Some of the images were so vulgar but intriguing at the same time,” said Santosi. “They create a sort of fun discourse with topics you wouldn’t normally feel comfortable talking about,” she said.

“The Rejection Collection" will continue until March 18. Admission to the Cartoon Art Museum is $4 for students and $6 general admission. The first Tuesday of every calendar month is "Pay What You Wish Day."