The top tier of Jeff Mallett‘s treatise on Christmas traditions in today’s Frazz hits on the American Santa Claus as a long-standing part of Yuletide season, ending with Thomas Nast‘s personification of the elflord.The Birth of a Holiday and the American Santa ClausYesterday Talmadge Boston for The Dallas Morning News told us the story of […]
Christmas greetings from First Dog, who gets special placement today because he likes mince pies and fruitcake. I’ve made something of a tradition here of mocking cartoons that mock fruitcake, because it’s a grownup treat and so takes a lot of unwarranted abuse. But here’s a strip from 2002 that explains what has happened to […]
In Oklahoma The Claremore Progress is reorganizing. Much of its “syndicated, non-local content” will be moved to their website leaving more room for local news and affairs in the print edition. The twice weekly print (daily online) newspaper informed their readers here (or here): The Claremore Progress will shift more syndicated, non-local content to its […]
With Calvin and Hobbes, Lum and Abner, Dick Tracy, Luann, Patrick McDonnell (Mutts) and Tom Toro, and Dee Parson (Rosebuds).a boy and his tiger still matter Bradley Worrell for Colorado Arts and Sciences Magazine writes of the eduring love for Calvin and Hobbes: When teaching his popular course on comic books and graphic novels, William Kuskin’s classroom […]
Donald Trump is not a lame duck. No offense to Wexler, who is just passing along the current meaning of the term, but the original meaning mattered.The term comes from before 1933, when newly elected officials didn’t take office until March. That left a four month period that featured legislators who had no mandate and […]
“For those who came in late.” The Phantom Story: A lone survivor of a pirate raid is washed ashore on a Bangalla beach and vows to fight injustice.But what happened between those two panels of survivor and oath?We have occasionally had hints. Earlier this year DePaul and Mike Manley gave a two week treatment to […]
Todd Spangler for Variety reports: Sony is paying more than a few peanuts to get majority ownership of Charles M. Schulz’s beloved Peanuts franchise featuring Snoopy, Charlie Brown and more. Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) announced that they entered into a definitive agreement with Canadian media company WildBrain to indirectly acquire all […]
I don’t know how many times I’ve alluded to this, but if you’re never seen Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, it’s time you did, because the question of “truth and illusion” is currently far more relevant than it was 60 years ago. The drama is a cross between Theatre of the Absurd plays like Endgame […]
Comic artist and ed-op page illustrator Randy Jones has passed away.Randy Glenn Jones May 7, 1949 – December 12, 2025From the Randy Jones entry at Lambiek: [Jones] received his artistic training at H.B. Beal Technical school in London, Ontario. Upon graduation, Jones moved to Toronto, where his first illustration job was ‘Goethe’s Faust’ for the […]
After 19 years today marks the last print edition of Politico, it continues in the digital world.The hard copy of Politico was published twice weekly when Congress was in session, less frequently when Congress was in recess, and distributed to the offices of most of the elected people in Washington, D.C. John F. Harris writes […]
I had intended to run a collection of Reiner/Trump cartoons to show the depth of rejection Trump’s insane post had sparked, but Campbell sums it up. There’s not much more to be said, and the people who are shocked are shocked and the people who cannot be shocked are not.I liked Bramhall’s take, but its […]
Former Tribune Media Services Sales Manager and Senior VP Walter Mahoney has passed away.Walter F. Mahoney January 21, 1951 – November 20, 2025 From the obituary: After growing up in Richmond, Va, he attended the University of Georgia, graduating with a degree in Journalism. Walter was the Senior Vice President of Tribune Media Services, where […]
Featuring Lynda Barry on museums, Liam Francis Walsh too soon?, Charlie Daniel and Brad Boring for the kids, Joel Pett standup cartoonist, Russell Taylor and Charles Peattie create Alex, but we start with senior stripper Sidney Harris at the gym.Sidney Harris at the Gym for a Pop-Up Exhibit Sidney Harris, 92, walked into a gym, […]
I suppose if you’re going to mock the word “stochastic,” you shouldn’t use a relevant cartoon to open the discussion. I finally looked it up because everyone has been writing about stochastic terrorism and stochastic this or that. It just means random, which is awfully close to not meaning anything, or at least, it’s close […]
The documentary about one of the most influential editorial cartoonists in America is now streaming on most platforms. “A Savage Art the Life Cartoons of Pat Oliphant” can now be viewed on most streaming platforms (check link above for list). As I rewrote in my review back in June: Clocking in at 88 minutes, the […]