Illustrating the Progress of Art in Journalism (1897)It started a few days ago when Tony Rose uncovered a startling item in an old Editor and Publisher.A 1925 obituary for Albert Wilbur Steele includes a claim that he was “the first American cartoonist to draw a daily cartoon for a newspaper.” Steele, who had worked on […]
I went looking for interesting Thanksgiving cartoons of the past but didn’t find much I hadn’t seen repeatedly since. But having praised big, wide newspapers yesterday, I got a kick out of this 1925 piece by Gluyas Williams. As for this year’s Thanksgiving, Tom Tomorrow offers a panoramic survey of the mess we’re in. It’s […]
News comes from Rachel DeSchepper at GoComics that they have added a new comic panel. Street Scene is by long-time cartoonist Jonny Hawkins. Hawkins, who’s been freelancing since 1986 and has drawn more than 50,000 cartoons, already creates another comic, “Zoolies,” for Tribune Content Agency. But “Street Scene” is personal in a different way—it captures […]
Mark Schultz and Xenzoic Tales; the Tony Auth archives; comic strip writer Tom Sims honored; Jan Eliot interviewed about Stone Soup; and making a living at cartooning isn’t necessarily a pretty picture.Mark Schultz and Xenozoic Tales Prince Valiant writer Mark Schultz in interviewed about his early career when he created the Xenozoic Tales (aka Cadillacs […]
Egyptian cartoonist Ashraf Omar has been referred to criminal court. Ashraf has been detained since July of 2024 on charges of joining a terrorist group, publishing false news, and misusing social media. The latest move advances Egypt’s effort to sentence Ashraf. Since his arrest Egypt’s State Security Prosecution has not provided evidence of his alleged […]
My friend got some bad news at the doctor’s this week. A new endocrinologist said he was very impressed with how she handled her various health issues and assured her that she had several more decades ahead of her. That’s the sort of prognosis that would have been welcome in our 50s but isn’t particularly […]
Cartoonist, illustrator, and musician J. D. King has passed away.John David (J.D.) King May 3, 1951 – “on or about October 27,” 2025Word spread on social media that illustrator J. D. King had passed away. From Thurston Joseph Michael Moore’s Facebook page of November 6: J.D. King, comics illustrator, and founder of 1979 NYC art […]
The deadline for teenagers to enter the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards may be as little as one week away. Though January 6, 2026 is the deadline for my Zip Code and probably yours.The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers in association with The Herblock Foundation is again offering “$2,000 scholarships for three teens whose […]
An easy choice for lead-off, given the serious nature of the issue and the joy of seeing Jones back in the saddle, though he’s far from over his stroke. But if the drawing hand still requires more focus and effort than before, his essay writing is as sharp as ever.Bok offers what I take as […]
Rea Irvin, the [New Yorker]’s first art editor, is best known for creating Eustace Tilley, the monocled dandy whose upturned nose has graced our pages for a hundred years. Irvin established the stylish and refined look of The New Yorker, brought in countless new artists, and also penned many early covers that display his graphic […]
NPR has released their list of Best Books published in the year 2025. The Graphic Novels category includes a few books whose authors have comic strip credentials.J vs. K by Jerry Craft and Kwame Alexander – – – Buy the book Two bestselling, Newbery Medal-winning kids’ book authors and friendly rivals team up to write […]
“From the least of them to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; from prophet to priest, all practice deceit. They dress the wound of My people with very little care, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace at all. Are they ashamed of the abomination they have committed? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush.” […]
An(n) AwardAs reported earlier this month Ann Telnaes was to receive the 2025 William Randolph Hearst Award. And so she did. Ward Sutton posted a picture with Ann holding the award, with Mark Fiore also in attendance.Wuerker Related Also this month Mike Rhode visited editorial cartoonist Matt Wuerker and took a baker’s dozen of pics. […]
It’s All in the Timing That was some timing for Zippy to mention Superman #1 at the same time as a near mint issue sells for $12,200,000. What are the chances that Griffy was aware of the auction deadline a month earlier when he created the strip? Much less likely is that Dave Whamond would […]
I got a laugh out of this, though my current dog is quite neat and would only have rumpled blankets, since she buries herself in them. But the timing is nice because it made me think about coming home from college for Thanksgiving, which I only did once.I came home completely changed and it was […]