I'm not exactly sure what your mean by 'modern cartoon' but ya...

The thing that ALL of the greatest cartoons have in common is satire (yes it's boldunderline important). If you have no idea what satire is... ouch x_x. Read Swift's A Modest Proposal to get an idea q: Classic satire. As for satirical drawings... I can't think of any off the top of my head except Gin Street and Beer Lane... might be the other way around... but they sucked xD

Satire will allow your cartoon to be witty, but also achieve something; nothing like getting a bit of reform in there for ya
Plus you don't need original plotlines since you're basically taking reality and f*cking it up xD
(Ideas for satire; automarket collapse, climate change, foreign war...)


If that's too sophisticated for your liking then... maybe a mop? Other cleaning supplies have had luck in cartoon form... especially if they pair up with a starfish and squirrel.

School, and politics are ripe grounds... :p

Make up a superhero that's part pramantis

what is most of your design/3d work done in?

How about making it about a teenager and the problems he/she goes through?

I once tried using blender but I couldn't work it, its free right?
Maybe make a character dance and put music to it, make it funny?

Its a bit out there..but what about an alternate reality where America is facist or something, there could be a resistance, something like that I would read.