A week ago I reported that Avi Katz had been fired from his regular Jerusalem Report assignment because he posted an offensive cartoon on his Facebook page. At the time I could find no sure report that the Jerusalem Report had printed the political cartoon. That has changed.Since that time it has been established that […]
1966 – What’s Not So Funny About The FunniesAs noted here it was fifty years ago that Franklin, a young African-American, was introduced into Peanuts. While not a first, it was rare for a non-stereotypical black person to found in the mainstream (read white) comic strips of the day, especially as a regular (or semi-regular) […]
“Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?” “I do bite my thumb.” “But do you bite your thumb at us, sir?” (Aside) “Is the law of our side if I say ‘yes’?” (Aside) “No.” “No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I do bite my thumb, sir.” “Do you […]
Editorial cartoonist Jeff Danziger withdrew and apologized for an unflattering caricature of White House press secretary Sarah Sanders. Political cartoonist Jeff Danziger apologized over the weekend for a “body shaming” caricature of White House press secretary Sarah Sanders he produced that was originally set to run in Vermont’s Rutland Herald newspaper. “That particular cartoon is being […]
NPR’s ‘Weekend Edition’ has a piece on the 50-year-anniversary of the debut appearance of Franklin, the first black character featured in Charles Schulz’s “Peanuts.”“Jumpstart” cartoonist Robb Armstrong is featured quite extensively in the piece.From the story:Schulz, however, had been wary of including a black child in the Peanuts gang and was concerned that it would come off as […]
Cartoon Crossroads Columbus has announced its guest list for this September’s (27th-30th) fourth-annual four-day, city-wide comics festival. TDC also hears rumors are flying that CXC plans to announce a surprise guest as we get closer to the fest’s dates.Guest and special exhibitors include: Lynn Johnston Kazu Kibuishi Derf Backderf Jim Woodring Darrin Bell Katie Skelly Jessica […]
Breaking (Good) News: All charges against Malaysian cartoonist Zunar have been dropped and he is not only a free man but apparently free to keep poking his sharp pen at corrupt authorities.Between the immediacy of the news and the somewhat opaque nature of Malaysian politics, it’s a little hard to sort out the details, but […]
Former King Features executive Benson Srere has passed away.Benson Mortimer Srere August 13, 1928 – July 20, 2018 After serving as a U.P. newsman during the years surrounding the Korean War Benson joined the Hearst organization in the mid-1950s and began his climb up the corporate ladder.Benson’s Prabook career details:Newsman U.P., Los Angeles, 1948-1956. Associate […]
Pia Guerra, New Yorker cartoonist and editorial cartoonist (not completely separate categories), has a hardcover book, Me The People, of her editorials coming out a month before the mid-term elections in the United States. Andrea Ayres talked to Pia about the book and editorial cartooning.Up until now I drew comics pages that when finished, got […]
Too Much Coffee Man leads off today with a not-all-that-cryptic observation that things which once passed as cute, or at least normal, no longer do.I had a sort of half-memory that the old nursery rhyme was pegged to some historic figure, but the more I looked into it, the more it seemed that it’s been […]
Four pages* of the May 9, 1754 issue of Benjamin Franklin’s Pennsylvania Gazette, including the page with the original printing of the JOIN, or DIE cartoon sold for the minimum bid of $40,000. A buyer’s premium of 25% brought the total to $50,000.The auction started on July 26, 2018 at 5pm Pacific time. When I […]
Citing costs a newspaper has dropped its Sunday Funnies section.Blaming rising costs due to tariffs on Canadian newsprint The Robesonian of Lumberton, North Carolina, beginning this weekend, is no longer carrying a Sunday Comics section. The paper will continue to publish daily comic strips. In a news item the newspaper told readers, who may have […]
Kevin Siers comes up with a terrific commentary on both Trump’s latest bizarre statement and his overall attitude, and it’s also one of the best Alice allusions I’ve seen.The Cheshire Cat, for all his friendliness, didn’t offer Alice a whole lot of actual help, and, when their conversations were over, she was left with nothing […]
Many branches of the Arts have honored the Capital Gazette fallen and survivors and The Press.Grieving and healing manifest themselves in different ways. For artists from Annapolis to Italy, grieving and healing have shaped their talents into tributes to the Capital Gazette victims. Their works are inspired by and dedicated to the victims of the […]
A bit eclectic today, but let’s start with a (web)comic strip. The New 60 by Andy Landorf and John Colquhoun Former admen Andy Landorf and John Colquhoun have created a new comic strip targeted to baby boomers called The New 60. The comic strip takes a wry look at some the realities—and indignities—of life after 60. […]