[3] Washington Post writer Gene Weingarten described McEldowney in 2019 as "a charming man and something of a polymath [who is] one of the best artists drawing cartoons today".

[5] He was assistant editor and contributing cartoonist for Opus,[citation needed] a classical music magazine, and has had cartoons published in Yankee and Pulse.

[13] Another Washington Post writer, Gene Wingarten, said about 9 Chickweed Lane, "I believe his audience gets him and what drives him: He is fascinated by sex, is mystified by, and in love with women, and finds the mating dance hilarious."

On the sexual nature of the comic, Weingarten said, "As a cartoonist McEldowney learned long ago that he can get away with what others might not be able to because he is an elegant illustrator, because his female characters are strong and smart, and because most of them are not drawn to be ridiculous, cliched, cartoony unattainable physical types.

"[17] A writer for the Lincoln Heights Literary Society said that "Pibgorn... is probably the best illustration of the power and freedom a webcomic offers a good artist.

It's got sex, violence, religion, the supernatural, pin-ups, naked flying babes, sci-fi, long and complex story arcs, and, lately, a Noir voice in the narration...

"[1] In 2010, McEldowney asked for the GoComics comment sections for 9 Chickweed Lane and Pibgorn to be removed, saying that the "tenor of posts became subject more and more to abuse.

The play, a satire of religious hypocrisy, features a violinist, Cecily Gosling, who has dreamt of a place called Many Mansions, a fantasy world with fairies, nymphs, naiads and a God-like figure named Max Odd.