The Cartoonists Files

Rob Rogers, Harry Harrison, Wiley Miller, Jeff Kinney, Michael Cavna, and Bob Englehart – cartoonists all.

Enjoy a sampling of Bob Englehart’s cartoons created to provoke, anger, entertain, challenge and illustrate individuals, issues, events and change associated with politics and political elections…with a picture and in a few words.

Okay, we missed the reception but Henry St. Pierre of The Daily Campus didn’t.

Englehart has produced political cartoons for over 50 years, most notably working for the Hartford Courant. On Wednesday, a reception was held for the opening of “Bob Englehart…In a Few Words,” at the Dodd Center featuring a Q&A with Englehart himself.

The exhibit of editorial cartoonist Bob Englehart art continues through March of 2024 at the UConn library.

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The Washington Post celebrates Michael Cavna winning the Ink Bottle Award.

We are happy to share the news that Style reporter Michael Cavna?has received a 2023 Ink Bottle Award from the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists who singled out his committed, authoritative Post coverage?in which he “frequently focuses on editorial cartoonists, and brings national attention to the big news stories affecting cartoonists and the business of cartooning.” The AAEC also lauded Michael for the insight he brings to the beat as a talented cartoonist himself. “We’re all better journalists for Michael’s work,” the organization said.

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The Good News: Jeff Kinney and The Diary of a Wimpy Kid is still tremendously popular.

An entire constellation of assistants, employees and publishing representatives surround Kinney at all times, facilitating his schedule, productivity and basic movement from place to place. This is all carried out casually, as if just about everyone has their own personal get-it-done squad at their beck and call. I know I do. Uh-huh, sure.

It’s at this moment that Kinney’s actual popularity—the real scope, success and reach of his creative work—begins to set in. 700 children and parents are due to arrive within the hour for an imminent Wimpy Kid event…

Mitch Wallace, for Forbes, goes behind the scenes with Jeff Kinney on his No Brainer tour.

The Bad News: The Wimpy Kid books, like other books, are not as popular as they once were.

The Comics Beat quoting Publishers Weekly:

The juvenile fiction segment had the worst week, with sales falling 14%. Jeff Kinney’s newest Wimpy Kid book, No Brainer, was number one, selling almost 79,000 copies, but that was about 22,000 fewer copies than his Diper Overlöde sold a year ago.

And from the Comics Beat itself:

If Wimpy Kid sales are falling, maybe we really have reached Ragnarok.

To be fair, you need to keep two things in mind. First, this is the 18th Wimpy Kid book and it still debuted at #1 overall last week. That is a success by any measure.

Heidi MacDonald, at The Beat, looks at falling book sales with an eye on Wimpy Kid and other graphic novels.

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From Tales of Woe… to Tails of Joy

Elayne Boosler and Tails of Joy share the news of a new Wiley Miller signed color print.

The great Wiley Miller of Non Sequitur fame has been a longtime supporter of animal rescue and a great booster of Tails of Joy. He is specially offering this cartoon, which is one of his most popular with animal lovers, to benefit Tails of Joy 100%. We have had such great success with his other cartoon which we have been selling for a long time, bringing so much joy to people, that Wiley decided to donate another.

Each one hand printed by Wiley, available in full color or black and white, signed by Wiley however you would like; to you, to your pets, to a friend, or just Wiley’s name, the choice is yours.

Wiley is donating 100% to Tails of Joy.

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Going International.

© South China Morning Post/Harry Harrison

I first came to Hong Kong because I was running out of money while backpacking in Thailand. I fell in love with the city because of its diversity. I also really liked the people. Despite that gruff exterior, the Cantonese have hearts of gold and would do anything to help you.

After further travels, I returned to Hong Kong in 1994. It was only supposed to be for a few months. But my wife and I have been here ever since. When the South China Morning Post needed a new cartoonist, they asked me to pitch ideas and then to go into the office and do it for real. It was a nail-biting time. I never imagined I would be the Post’s cartoonist for the next 22 years.

South China Morning Post cartoonist Harry Harrison with a short auto-profile.

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Back Home (if yer a yinzer)

We may have missed the Englehart reception but there is time to catch the Rogers lecture.

The Eide/Dalrymple Gallery at Augustana University will feature “Drawing Truth to Power: 40 Years of Political Cartoons by Rob Rogers,” which will be on view from Nov. 16, through Dec. 14. The artist will present a public lecture on Thursday, Nov. 16, at 4 p.m., in the Fryxell Humanities Center, Room 123. A gallery reception will be held on Friday, Nov. 17, from 7-9 p.m., with an artist talk at 7:30 p.m.

This exhibition brings together more than 60 editorial and political cartoons that trace the 40-year-and-counting career of award-winning, nationally-syndicated Cartoonist Rob Rogers.

Details about the Rob Rogers exhibit and lecture from Augustana University.

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