Annual Convention

Annual Convention October 5-8

The AAEC and Association of Canadian Cartoonists will be joining with the Cartoon Art Museum in San Franscisco for a 3-day celebration of editorial art and political cartoonists, October 5-8, 2023.

Online registration is now open!


A note from the AAEC on Steve Benson

Our dear friend and former AAEC President and Pulitzer Prize winner Steve Benson had a stroke on February 21. He is recovering in a rehab facility in Phoenix and is expected to make a full recovery. We send Steve and his wife Clare our love and powerful vibes for a complete comeback. Early last night, […]

EPPYs and other End of the Year Competition News

Wrapping up the 2023 contests, Editor & Publisher recently announced the winners of its annual EPPY Awards that “honor the best in digital news publishing.” In the Best Editorial/Political Cartoon Category, Ward Sutton won 1st place in the division for 1 million or more visitors for his work at The Boston Globe, while Dennis Draughon […]

Awards Season Approaches

The majority of the remaining contests for cartoonists have their deadlines to enter in January and February. Here are all the links to those details: https://editorialcartoonists.com/cartooning-awards/ Please note, due to constantly shifting deadlines, we no longer provide a target date for these awards. Check the source site for confirmation.

Jen Sorensen wins the 2023 Berryman Award

Cartoonist Jen Sorensen was named this year’s winner of the Clifford K. and James T. Berryman Award for Editorial Cartoons from the National Press Foundation. Her work still appears regularly in alt-weekly papers such as Seven Days, The Austin Chronicle, and C-VILLE Weekly, as well as The Nation, Politico, and online outlets including Daily Kos […]

Condolences on the loss of NCS Executive Director Latisha Moore

The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists expresses its profound sadness at the news of the passing of Latisha Moore, the executive director of the National Cartoonists Society. Latisha was “the soul of the NCS,” said former NCS President Jason Chatfield. Scott Burns, the parliamentarian for both AAEC and NCS, noted that Latisha was absolutely dedicated […]

A statement on the Michael Ramirez cartoon in The Washington Post

The AAEC Board of Directors has issued the following statement on the retraction of Michael Ramirez’s cartoon in The Washington Post. “The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC) wishes to reiterate its support for cartoonists to express themselves vigorously, without fear of retribution or physical violence. “The AAEC also wishes to note the responsibility of […]

SF’23: Cartoonist Confab Recap

Two weeks ago, editorial cartoonists from across North America (and a few from Down Under) convened in San Francisco — and the reviews are in! Mike Peterson‘s (now) award-winning coverage of the joint AAEC/ACC convention rolled out over several days on The Daily Cartoonist: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3. Ted Rall & Scott Stantis […]

The AAEC celebrates the media with this year’s Ink Bottle Awards

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — The winners of the 2023 Ink Bottle Awards were announced Saturday, Oct. 7, at the annual convention of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC). The award is given to individuals or groups for their dedication to the spirit of the profession and significant contribution to the art of editorial cartooning. […]

Joel Pett is winner of the 2023 Babin Award; Sage Stossel named finalist

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Kentucky cartoonist Joel Pett is the 2023 recipient of the “Rex Babin Memorial Award for Excellence in Local Cartooning.” The panel of judges also named Boston’s Sage Stossel as finalist. The prize was announced Saturday, Oct. 7, at the annual convention of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC), in San Francisco.   “Famous for […]

The Time of The Gathering is Here

This week, political cartoonists from across the country (and Canada too!) will gather in the Bay Area for their annual confab. For those going, the final schedule is here. Our guy on the ground — Parliamentarian extraordinaire Scott Burns — is not only the AAEC’s advisor on all things Roberts Rules of Order, he also […]

Matt Davies Takes Home Reuben

A huge congrats to Mattt Davies, this year’s winner in the Editorial Cartooning division of the National Cartoonists Society’s annual Reuben Awards. Davis beat out finalists Ruben Bolling (“Tom the Dancing Bug”) and Clay Bennett for the honor. Congrats all! [Photo credit Rob Rogers]

The Nib Bids Adieu

After an epic decade, The Nib is shutting down at the end of this month. Publisher and cartoonist Matt Bors explained why: “After ten years of publication, thousands of comics, and fifteen issues of the magazine, we are shutting down. I am choosing to give it a death with dignity rather than make painful cuts […]

David Horsey’s Eulogy for Editorial Cartooning

A favorite topic of reporters is to perennially check in on the “endangered editorial cartoonist” and see how many still survive in the wild. This time, the reporter is a cartoonist himself, and the situation truly IS dire as papers are quickly eviscerated by vulture capitalists and hedge fund-owned chains. “Now …. with thousands of […]

So yeah, we have a new website. Finally.

Welcome to the newest iteration of the AAEC website. Here you can find the latest news on the “dying art” of political cartooning — sometimes it’s even good news! — along with profiles of those who still endeavor to create it, as well as connections to other cartoon, free speech and journalists’ rights groups.  Many thanks […]

2023 Cartooning Awards Roundup

Since this site was down during the spring — ie, peak award season — here is a quick recap of the prizes and winners in this post-pulitzer world.  Ann Telnaes won the Herblock Prize for her exemplary work in The Washington Post, including full-page print cartoons that had interactive or animated counterparts online. Said judge […]

CALL FOR ENTRIES: The 2023 Rex Babin Memorial Award

Deadline to enter is Friday, August 25! The AAEC has long championed those cartoonists who work for small and local newspapers, and once again in 2023 we are looking for the best in political cartooning. The Rex Babin Memorial Award for Excellence in Local Cartooning (named after the late Sacramento cartoonist) focuses on state and […]

“Are you daft?” — McClatchy Firings Draw Nationwide Attention to Bad Management

On Tuesday, July 11, McClatchy unceremoniously fired their three most prominent staff editorial cartoonists with no warning. Kevin Siers, of The Charlotte Observer, Joel Pett of the Lexington Herald-Leader, and Jack Ohman of The Sacramento Bee — all three Pulitzer Prizing-winning cartoonists — we’re the only three employees targeted in the latest round of layoffs […]

Job Shakeups So Far This Year

Cartoonists continue to come and go and … ok, mostly go. Sometime late in 2022, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s staff cartoonist Steve Kelley quietly left the newspaper he’d been at since 2018 — so quietly in fact, that there was no announcement until Tim Hartman posted on his Facebook page in January that he was now […]

Mike Thompson’s Big Adventure

Mike Thompson has had a tumultuous 2023. A year after he was unceremoniously sacked from his long-time gig at USA Today by new owners Gatehouse— er, that is, Gannett — Thompson was the winner of a nationwide search to follow up the stellar Steve Sack at the storied Minneapolis Star Tribune. https://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2023/03/24/mike-thompson-joins-star-tribune-staff/ This was a […]

And now, a word from your president, Jack Ohman

Feb 2, 2023 Dear Colleagues: First, thank you for electing me as AAEC president. I feel a bit like Joe Biden: bring in the old guy! As some of you recall, I was president of the AAEC several years ago, and remain committed to making sure that we have a functioning group for years to come, and that all members feel welcome. […]

Contests! Get your contests here!

The end of the year also means awards season will soon be here. Here are links to the major national journalism awards given to cartoonists. For various and sundry reasons, we are sending this list now for your future reference, before most of the contests have announced their 2023 deadlines or changes in their rules. […]

Remembering Tony Auth

Signe Wilkinson recently posted a remembrance of fellow Philly cartoonist Tony Auth, using the occasion of the 10th anniversary of his retirement to note what the city — and newspapers in general — have lost over the years. She also recalls the impact Auth had on other cartoonists and the news industry. “Before he became […]

Ward Sutton named 2022 Berryman Award Winner

Boston Globe cartoonist Ward Sutton has won the 2022 Clifford K. and James T. Berryman Award for Editorial Cartoons, according to the National Press Foundation. “Ward Sutton’s cartoons all illustrate the power of direct impact, but the more you look at them, the more you see their nuance and complexity,” NPF’s judges said.  They called […]

Convention Recap: Videos from CXC 2022 now online

If you missed this year’s Cartoon Crossroads Columbus Festival in October, CXC has now posted all of the sessions on their YouTube channel — including the AAEC-sponsored panels. First up was the highly informative “Taking the Pain of Out of Drawing” with former massage therapist Kriota Willberg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGocxIGGx6U “Do Awards Still Matter?” was the big […]

Republican Candidate for Auditor Steals Ann Telnaes Cartoon, Apologizes Later

In late October a political ad for Janice Lorrah, who is running for the office of Auditor of Accounts in Delaware, appeared in the pages of the Cape Gazette. The primary art at the top of the full page advertisement was an old syndicated editorial cartoon by Ann Telnaes. There was just one problem: No […]

2022 Ink Bottle Award goes to Steve Sack

Cartoonist extraordinaire Steve Sack is this year’s recipient of the Ink Bottle Award from the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists. The award is presented by the AAEC to individuals or groups for dedication to the spirit of the profession and significant contribution to the art of editorial cartooning. Sack, the long-time staff cartoonist for the […]

This Saturday, the AAEC presents “Bill Mauldin: If It’s Big, Hit It.”

This Saturday, Oct. 8, the AAEC is proud to present a free showing of the 2021 documentary on cartoonist Bill Mauldin: “If It’s Big, Hit It.” This feature-length film on one of the most important political cartoonists of the 20th century will be part of the CXC Festival in Columbus, Ohio, from 1-3 pm in […]

See you at CXC next week!

The final schedule for Cartoon Crossroads Columbus 2022 is now online, with locations and floor maps. The AAEC will be teaming up with the CXC Festival once again for their annual convention. In addition to “A Night with Keith Knight,” the AAEC is sponsoring panels on “Do Awards Still Matter?” with Clay Jones, Signe Wilkinson, […]

2022 Locher Award Winner Announced

A big congratulations to cartoonist Masha Zhdanova (@mashazart), this year’s winner of the John Locher Memorial Award. The jury noted “her short comics lend insight into authoritarianism and provide intimate viewpoints from the war in Ukraine.” Congrats too to Alexandra Bowman (@scripta_bene) for being named Runner-up for the editorial cartoonist award. Bowman is a recent […]

Preliminary AAEC Convention Schedule is Here

Hello everyone! We hope you’re doing well and staying safe in another nutty summer. The AAEC has been working closely with CXC on this fall’s gathering in Ohio, and we now have a preliminary schedule for our convention. As we hinted at earlier, we’re going with a slow rollout this year as we come out […]

The Green Eyeshade Abides

State and regional journalism awards — especially for niche categories like editorial cartooning — have become increasingly rare over the years as the Great Contraction for newspapers continued through the second decade of the 21st century. So it’s always nice to see the Southern Chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists hand out their annual […]

Stegelin On Cartooning

Cartoonist Steve Stegelin is celebrating these days: First as part of the 25th anniversary of his alt-weekly, the Charleston City Paper, and second with a recent Second Place win in the AAN Awards. In interviews with the newspaper, the political cartoonist picks some of his favorite published pieces over the last two decades, and talks […]

Alt-weekly Awards Announced

Congratulations to editorial cartoonists Tim Newcomb, Steve Stegelin and Robert Ariail—this year’s winners of the Cartooning Award from the Association of Alternative Newsmedia (AAN). First place went to Seven Days‘ Tim Newcomb, who the judge’s cited for his “newsy and relevant angle to geographic region and a wider audience.” Second and Third place went to […]

CALL FOR ENTRIES: The 2022 Rex Babin Memorial Award

SACRAMENTO, CA — The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists has long championed those cartoonists who work for small and local newspapers, and once again in 2022 the AAEC is looking for the best in political cartooning. Named after the late Pulitzer Prize-nominated cartoonist, The Rex Babin Memorial Award for Excellence in Local Cartooning focuses on […]

Keeping R.C. Harvey’s Legacy Alive

Cartoonist and comics historian R.C. Harvey was a prolific writer, and left behind a treasure trove of material. The following was posted by Bob’s friend Jeremy Lambros over on facebook, and we’re passing along his requests: “We have lost one of the most unique and lively voices in comics and cartooning. R.C. Harvey passed away […]

Remembering RC Harvey

Word broke last week of the untimely passing of Robert C. Harvey. Bob was a prolific cartoon historian and critic who understood cartoonists because he had worked as one early in his career — drawing gag cartoons for girly magazines — before turning his passion and knowledge of the industry into a 40+ career as […]

Talking with Cartoonists x3

Three pulitzer prize-winning cartoonists sat down for interviews recently and looked back at their careers, the state of political discourse in America, the Iraq War, and the dumpster fire that is the Republican party. David Horsey notes how the Jan. 6 Committee has made it easer to talk about Trump’s crimes: https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/we-cannot-shy-away-from-hard-facts-about-trumps-betrayal/ Jim Morin talks […]

Daily Cartoon Update

Some of you may have noticed the “Today’s Cartoon” feed has disappeared from our website. Unfortunately, the old software that handled our member’s cartoon gallery recently developed a fatal bout of bad coding, and the cartoon slideshow was a casualty. Our web manager thought they could patch it, but it turns out a recent security […]

Uncle Sam vs Lady Liberty

On the 4th of July, Slate offered a deep dive into the history of two of America’s most popular mascots — Uncle Sam & Lady Liberty — and the ever-shifting use and symbolism of these two seminal icons by cartoonists and propagandists alike. Read all about it here: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/07/uncle-sam-lady-liberty-history-of-national-symbols.html

More Calls for the Pulitzer Prizes to Restore Cartooning as a Category

Another newspaper editor has come out against the Pulitzer Prizes (and Gannett) for their short-sighted decisions regarding editorial cartoons. The Chicago Tribune‘s Dennis Shere criticizes recent moves by the biggest award in journalism and the biggest newspaper chain in the country and says they are not doing themselves — or America — any favors. Read […]

Smith & Jones Win This Year’s SDX

A big congratulations to cartoonists Mike Smith and Clay Jones — this year’s recipients of the SDX Award for Editorial Cartooning from the Society of Professional Journalists. The Sigma Delta Chi Award honors outstanding work published or broadcast in print, radio, television and online. Mike Smith (Las Vegas Sun/Greenspun Media Group) won in the category […]

Deadline for Locher Award extended to July 15

[Editor’s note: Thanks in part to all the news over the last half of June, we know cartoonists might be, umm, a bit distracted. So the Locher Award is extending the deadline to submit entries to this year’s contest to FRIDAY, JULY 15, 2022.]   The AAEC’s John Locher Memorial Award is now accepting submissions […]

Remembering Stuart Carlson

Some sad news out of Wisconsin: Cartoonist Stuart Carlson has died at 66. The editorial cartoonist spent most of his career on the staff of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, drawing for the paper for 25 years. After being laid off in 2008, he continued to be syndicated through Universal/Andrews McMeel. The Journal Sentinel remembered Carlson […]

The NCS Joins the AAEC in Calling Out the Pulitzer Prizes

The National Cartoonist Society has weighed in on the recent controversy over the Pulitzer Prizes with an open letter to the Pulitzer Board in solidarity with editorial cartoonists nationwide: https://www.nationalcartoonists.com/2022/06/ncs-response-to-pulitzer-board-dissolving-editorial-cartooning-division/ “Combining editorial cartooning and illustrated reportage together into one category does a disservice to both genres. To us, the situation is like having a sprinter […]

E&P Takes Aim at the Pulitzer Prizes

Editor & Publisher media reporter Rob Tornoe talks to AAEC President Kevin Necessary and comics reporter Susie Cagle, who has been working in the field as a graphic journalist for well over a decade now, about recent controversial changes to the Pulitzer Prizes. Read the whole thing here: https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/pulitzer-change-leaves-illustrators-feeling-slighted,229083

Jake Tapper Weighs in on the Pulitzer Prize for Cartooning

A few weeks after the AAEC and three dozen past Pulitzer Prize winners and finalists protested recent changes to the Editorial Cartooning category of journalism’s ‘biggest award’, aspiring cartoonist (and CNN anchor) Jake Tapper has written to the Pulitzer Prize Board encouraging them to rethink their decisions. Here is the letter Tapper sent, reprinted here […]

Gannett Slashes Editorial Pages from Papers — Along with Cartoons

Word has trickled down from Gannett (née GatehouseMedia) that, beginning June 1, they will be stripping out the daily editorial/opinion section in the print editions of all their daily papers. Gannett, the largest newspaper publisher in the country as measured by total daily circulation, announced their Op/Ed pages will now only appear in print on […]

Clay Jones the 2022 Recipient of the RFK Award

A big congrats to Clay Jones, this year’s recipient of the Cartoon Award from the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization. The judges stated, “Jones deftly and courageously covers the themes of human rights and racial equality throughout his work. His uniquely energetic style makes him a standout.” Founded by the reporters who covered Robert […]

Pulitzer Prize Cartoonists Pen Protest Letter to Pulitzer Board

[Update: Since this letter was fired off last week, more Pulitzer Prize winners and finalists have signed on to the protest, including 2020 winner Barry Blitt, and Pat Bagley, the longest-employed staff cartoonist at a daily newspaper.] Ten days after the 2022 Pulitzer Prizes wereannounced, 35 cartoonists who have won or been finalists for the […]

The Billy Ireland opens a timely cartoon exhibit on racism in America

The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum presents a new retrospective in cartoons, “STILL: Racism in America,” opening this Saturday, May 21, at 6pm. The exhibit will run May 21 through October 23, and will be open during the AAEC/CXC convention in the fall. https://cartoons.osu.edu/events/opening-reception-still-racism-in-america/ If you can’t make it to Columbus for this weekend’s […]

Bolling 2022 Berryman Award Winner

A big congrats to Ruben Bolling on winning this year’s Berryman Award from the National Press Foundation. The judges cited Bolling’s mordant wit, superior artwork and inventive delivery. “The cartoonist parodies well-known American cultural memes, from Charles M. Schultz’s Peanuts to Richard Scarry’s children’s books to The Matrix.” Also, kudos to Tim Campbell for being […]

An Open Letter to the Pulitzer Prize Board

The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists would like to congratulate illustrator Fahmida Azim and the other contributors to the team that created the illustrated article, “I Escaped a Chinese Internment Camp,” which won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in the recently renamed category of Illustrated Reporting and Commentary. We would like to also congratulate the finalists, […]

Ann Telnaes named Pulitzer Finalist for 2022

Washington Post editorial cartoonist (and past AAEC President) Ann Telnaes was selected as a finalist for this year’s Pulitzer Prize in the newly renamed “Illustrated Reporting and Commentary” category. The judges cited her portfolio for its “succinct and layered cartoons covering a wide range of social and political topics with immediacy and impact.” This is […]

The International Editorial Cartoon Award Returns

The International Editorial Cartoon Award returns for 2022 after a Covid hiatus. Patrick Chappatte and the Freedom Cartoonists Foundation will announce the winner on World Press Freedom Day, May 3, with an online presentation and live panel discussion with the two 2021 Nobel Peace Prize winners, journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov. The award returns […]

Matt Davies Wins 2022 Headliner Award

Editorial cartoonist Matt Davies is this year’s winner of the Headliner Award, one of the oldest continuous-awarded journalism prizes. The judges had this to say about the Newsday staff cartoonist: “In a field crowded with purse-lipped presidents and ‘clusters’ of guns, Matt Davies’ entry stood out for its out-of-the-box approach and putting politics in our […]

Lalo Alcaraz to Receive Herblock at Library of Congress

On the day he receives the coveted Herblock Prize at the Library of Congress, Lalo Alcaraz talks to @comicriffs Michael Cavna about what motivates him as a political cartoonist.    https://www.washingtonpost.com/comics/2022/04/26/lalo-alcaraz-cartoons-herblock-prize/

Sack Sacks Sack

Over the weekend, the Minneapolis Star Tribune made it official: Steve Sack is retiring after almost 42 years at the paper. The influential and irrepressible Pulitzer Prize winner had told fellow cartoonists earlier in the week he had decided to step down from his long-time staff position to pursue his other artistic endeavors. Read Steve’s […]

Cartoonist Talks

ICYMI — Political cartoonist Angelo Lopez has been posting a series of online discussions with editorial cartoonists. First up, he and Eric Garcia talk about the role of artist activists in helping to create social change, and the importance of political cartoons in critiquing society: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgScglqKMpg Then, Lopez chats with John Auchter and David Brown […]

Tim Eagan Takes the Graphic Novel Plunge

Long-time editorial cartoonist Tim Eagan is taking the plunge into graphic novels — literally. Eagan has just launched a Kickstarter to publish “Headfirst,” the story of his near-fatal 3-story fall and the existential thoughts it inspired. Eagan’s local paper also had an interview with the cartoonist on the book. Crowdsourcing for “Headfirst” begins today, March […]

Ramirez Bags ‘Best Cartoon’ at Overseas Press Club

Congratulations to Michael Ramirez on being named this year’s winner of the OPCA’s “Best Cartoon Award” (aka the Award formerly known as the Thomas Nast). This is the first time the Overseas Press Club of America has picked Ramirez for his cartoons on international events. The conservative cartoonist, who draws for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, […]

Matt Wuerker Picks the Best of Politico

Award-winning cartoonist Matt Wuerker uses the occasion of Politico‘s 15th anniversary to look back at his favorite cartoons over the past decade and a half. Wuerker was one of the first hires at the Washington DC media outlet, and his work won the fledgling newspaper its first Pulitzer Prize. Read the whole thing here: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/01/23/matt-wuerker-15-years-cartoons-527625 […]

2022 Cartoon Contest Deadlines

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the (continued) uncertainty of the current state of the world, a number of contest details were unavailable as of this posting. As always, confirm any and all deadlines or entry fees on the appropriate website before submitting.   National Newspaper Awards (Canada) Deadline: January 9, 2022 Rules and entry form available […]

A Letter from the President

Dear colleagues, I hope this finds you safe, healthy, and sipping a winter warmer before a crackling fire. There are several AAEC matters to discuss, so I’ll get right down to business. First, I wanted to let you know about a decision I have reached after much consideration: I will be stepping down as President […]

Lineup Announced for Editorial Cartoonist’s Online Confab

The AAEC has announced the preliminary lineup for their virtual convention on Oct. 8-9, 2021.  https://editorialcartoonists.com/aaec-zoomfest21/ All the events on Saturday, Oct. 9, are free and open to the public, including a discussion with this year’s three Pulitzer Prize finalists on the award’s notorious 2021 non-decision, and a conversation with Keith Knight on the next season […]

Kal the winner of the 2020 OPC Award

Congratulations to cartoonist Kevin “Kal” Kallaugher, the 2020 winner of the Award-formerly-known-as-the-Thomas-Nast from the Overseas Press Club of America. This is Kal’s fifth time to win the OPCA prize. Michael Ramirez was cited as the runner-up. https://opcofamerica.org/2020-opc-award-winners/ America’s oldest association dedicated to international news will honor the journalists at an Oct. 22 event. A press release […]

Matt Bors has big news

“I’m Quitting Political Cartooning,” the alt-weekly cartoonist and Nib publisher recently announced. “After 18 years and more than 1,600 political cartoons, I’ve decided to retire my weekly comic,” wrote the cartoonist on Medium, a site Bors has had a love/hate relationship with over the years. “This is a decision long in the making, one I’ve […]

New cartoon award — SHORT DEADLINE!

While some editorial cartoonist contests have fallen by the wayside as newspaper readership continues to drop, one journalist association has stepped up to expand their annual award to include cartoonists. The National Society for Newspaper Columnists (NSNC) has just added a cartoon category to their annual contest list. Here’s the thing though: [low whisper] they […]

Some paper writes about the travails of cartoonists on Facebook

Some newspaper wrote about Facebook‘s failure to understand irony, and how that is threatening the livelihood of editorial cartoonists. While the most of the article is about Matt Bors and The Nib, cartoonists Adam Zyglis, Ed Hall are interviewed as well. Here’s the article: For Political Cartoonists, the Irony Was That Facebook Didn’t Recognize Irony As Facebook has become more active at […]

Tom of Tomorrow

It is said the best sci-fi is really about today. If so, cartoonist Tom Tomorrow (aka Dan Perkins) has been using science fiction to write about the present for a long, long time. The Nation has an interview with the alt-weekly stalwart.   https://www.thenation.com/article/culture/cartoons-tom-tomorrow-perkins/

Call for cartoons! Short deadline alert!

The AAEC has been asked by Counterpoint to spread the word about Be An Arts Hero, a push by the arts & cultures sector for direct government support of creatives during the time of coronavirus. (Think a WPA for COVID-19). Details are below. If you’re interested, get moving: DEADLINE IS THIS FRIDAY, MARCH 12.   […]

Ted Rall’s new graphic novel out in April

Cartoonist and raconteur Ted Rall has written a new graphic novel that asks: what if a journalist decided it was more profitable to use his contacts to start wars instead of covering them? “The Stringer,” out next month from NBM, is a sprawling, dark fantasy that reads like Syriana met Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and went […]

The role of political satire in the age of social media

Cartoonists Kevin Kallaugher and Terry Anderson discuss challenges faced by cartoonists around the world and the role of political satire in the age of social media. https://tribune.com.pk/story/2280134/the-untold-story-of-editorial-cartoonists

Cagle on Big Tech and Section 230

In the wake of Trump’s permanent Twitter ban, Daryl Cagle has a few thoughts on Big Tech, free speech and censorship:   https://www.gbtribune.com/opinion/big-tech-right-wing-media-and-cartoonist-logic/

Last minute 2020 award news

Cartoonist (and incoming AAEC Vice-President) Ed Hall did good at this year’s Florida Press Awards. The illustrator and editorial cartoonist won three awards for his work in both The Press and Jacksonville’sFolio Weekly in the Florida Press Club’s annual journalism competition. The contest winners were announced virtually (of course), and Hall won both first and second place […]

Signe steps down — sort of

Over the Christmas weekend, the Philly Inquirer announced its star cartoonist was retiring. Kind of. “Signe Wilkinson, the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning, and the cartoonist for The Inquirer and Daily News since 1985, is putting down her pencil at the end of 2020 for daily cartoons (though she’ll make […]

Letter from the AAEC President

[2020 is almost in the books and the AAEC Notebook is at the printer. You should get your Year-in-Review as we escape into 2021. Here’s the letter from President Kevin Siers that kicks off the next issue.] While the expression “may you live in interesting times” is characterized as a curse, for cartoonists it has always […]

Cartoon Contest Deadlines for 2021

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the uncertainty of the current state of the world, a number of contest deadlines and details were unavailable as of press time. In such cases, the approximate timeline is listed. As always, confirm any and all deadlines or entry fees on the appropriate website before submitting. Good luck!   National Cartoonist […]

Sack wins Berryman Award

A big congratulations to Steve Sack on winning the 2020 Berryman Award. Well deserved! Sack, the longtime editorial cartoonist for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, was named the recipient of the prize named after Clifford K and James T. Berryman, the only Pulitzer Prize-winning father and son cartoonists. The annual award, presented by the National Press Foundation, also picked […]

More Cartoonists chatting online: Oct. 21st edition!

Until 2020, Fall was the season for serious cartoon gatherings—but cartoonists aren’t letting covid slow down the discussion. Case in point: Clear your calendar for WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21 for two big online events: 1) Force of nature Ann Telnaes kicks off the day with a online interview from VIEW Conference 2020. “From Animation to Opinion […]

Online chats in October

Several additional cartoonist roundtables are on the schedule this month: 1) Super short notice but — Ann Telnaes just notified us that she’ll be on an online panel tonight, Oct. 13 at 6pm, with Barry Blitt and Pia Guerra as they explore the art of political cartooning with Scott Simon, host of NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday. If you’re able to “attend”, better register now: https://www.jfklibrary.org/events-and-awards/forums/10-13-political-cartooning […]

The AAEC announces its annual awards

This weekend saw the 2020 CXC Festival move ahead — online and virtual as with everything else this year — and the event acted as sort of a de facto gathering for the AAEC, which had to cancel their own convention back in May. AAEC President Kevin Siers made a pre-recorded appearance on Friday evening during […]

ICYMI—Rewatch the live editorial cartooning panel at CXC

“May You Draw in Interesting Times,” the AAEC political cartoon panel at the 2020 CXC Festival, is now on YouTube! The hour-long roundtable with Host Kal Kallaugher, Jen Sorensen, David G. Brown, Eric Garcia, Angelo Lopez and Pat Bagley hits on the, uh, highlights of drawing in this most unusual year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGHCJvqqdyQ

ICYMI—Pat Bagley wins Best Editorial Cartoonist from the NCS

A huge congrats to Pat Bagley on winning this year’s National Cartoonist Society Division Award for Editorial Cartooning! Bagley, the Immediate Past President of the AAEC, has been doing some of the best work of his 40-year-career at the Salt Lake City Tribune this year. The NCS award was presented virtually this year, as part […]

AAEC at the CXC, coming to you this weekend!

The annual CXC Festival arrives this weekend, October 1-4! As with everything else in 2020, the annual cartoonist convention will be virtual, with panels and events streaming live via Zoom and other digital platforms. Everything is free though pre-registration is encouraged for most sessions.* Here is the complete schedule: https://cartooncrossroadscolumbus.org/schedule   Of specific interest to […]

The year of hell refresher—now in cheeky animated form!

McClatchy animator Sohail Al-Jamea and cartoonist Jack Ohman recently teamed up to create an animated reminder of all the shit that went down —so far— in 2020. Just in case you’ve forgotten. The animated short plays like a side-scrolling fighting game with an oblivious Trump strolling through the exploding video background. You can watch “Fear and […]

Cartoonist making readers mad, part I

ICYMI — A cartoon by Michael Ramirez made a lot of people angry last week. The epicenter of the shockwave was the Southeast Missourian, a newspaper in Cape Girardeau some 100 miles southeast of St. Louis, but it soon went national and was picked up by NBC. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/cartoon-depiction-mlk-s-i-have-dream-speech-missouri-newspaper-n1237478 The cartoon, drawn in reaction to a single […]

Greenberg takes 1st place in Davenport contest

AAEC member Steve Greenberg won First Place in the “Homer Davenport Cartoon Contest,” based in Silverton, Oregon. The local contest celebrates home-town hero Homer Davenport, the late-19th/early 20th century editorial cartoonist famous for his quote “No honest man need fear cartoons.” The contest is usually part of the town’s annual Davenport Days Festival in August […]

The State of Cartooning is—not good. At least according to the British

Here are two pieces for  your Tea Time Reading. Both look at challenges facing cartoonists in the 21st century and ask “is there a future?” #1) “Why does no one want to be a cartoonist any more? — The lack of new blood doesn’t bode well for the industry’s future” https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/why-does-no-one-want-to-be-a-cartoonist-any-more- and After the Guardian […]

The Billy Ireland (re)launches their first digital exhibit

The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum (aka the CLAM) launches their first online exhibit. Ok, technically they are relaunching the 2017 show “Tales from the Vault: 40 Stores/40 Years” online, but if you missed it then, it’s new to you now!   https://library.osu.edu/site/40stories/

Object lesson: How (and how NOT) to use Nazis imagery in a cartoon

Two events over the past two weeks showed the two sides of using Nazis imagery in editorial cartoons. A cartoon by Peter Evans in the Islander News which included Trump wearing a swastika armband drew reader complaints—but also a stalwart defense of the cartoonist and the cartoon by the newspaper’s publisher. Evans published his own response […]

Green Eyeshade Awards announced

As the tally of newspapers have contracted over time, state and regional contests have also disappeared. But the Green Eyeshade Award proudly carries on, and this year celebrates its 70th year. Chosen by the southern wing of the Society of Professional Journalists, the 2020 winners have been announced. https://www.greeneyeshade.org/2020-winners/ A big congratulations to this year’s […]

Bennett wins Sigma Delta Chi

Clay Bennett won this year’s Sigma Delta Chi award from the Society of Professional Journalism. Bennett won in the category for papers of circulation of 100,000+ (And congrats too to Alexander Hunter of the Washington Times for winning in the >100,000 category. While not a member of the AAEC, he’s one of the stalwarts who […]

Long Story Short arrives

Don’t have time to read Moby-Dick? Given up on ever finishing War and Peace? No problem! “Long Story Short” is due to drop in July. The high-concept tome, by the low-brow Mr. Fish & Friends, boils classic novels down to a single panel cartoon. Most of the entries are by the inimitable Mr. Fish (Dwayne […]

College satire show looking for contributors

Student cartoonist Alexandra Bowman has put out an open call for contributors to a comedy webshow out of Georgetown University. “Are you a college student interested in working in political satire, video production, and/or comedy writing? The Hilltop Show is in urgent need of writers, video editors, on-camera actors, and researchers. “The political comedy webseries, […]

Shorter WaPo: Are newspaper editors cowards?

Michael Cavna sums up a rough fortnight for political cartoonists and newspaper editors, and asks an important question: What if publishers decide it’s too much trouble to do their damn job?   https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2020/06/23/political-cartoons-racist-small-newspapers/ “In my mind, editorial cartoons are expendable. None of them are produced by our staff, and rarely do they depict a local […]

Cartoonists Rights Network sounds alarm on threats facing cartoonists

In the wake of the global pandemic, journalist and human rights groups are sounding the alarm and issuing the most dire warnings about cartoonists’ security and freedom since the Charlie Hebdo attack over five years ago. Cartoonists Rights Network International has joined with Cartooning for Peace, Cartoon Movement and other free press organizations calling for protections […]

Rights groups call for detained cartoonist to be released

The Cartoonists Rights Network International has appealed to the Bangladeshi government to release a political cartoonist. Ahmed Kabir Kishore was arrested over a month ago as a critic of the country’s response to COVID-19, and is scheduled for a “hearing” sometime in June. CRNI’s Terry Anderson and other leaders of free expression organizations wrote to the […]

International groups call on Trump to speak up for press freedom

The Cartoonists Rights Network International has joined with 72 journalist and press freedom organizations calling on Donald Trump to “commend, rather than condemn, the media and ensure their protection from the unprecedented attacks they have faced while reporting on nation-wide protests demanding social and racial justice, particularly for Black communities.” 2/3 You can see the […]

Media Freedom Rapid Response: Cartoonists are being targeted for their work

The Cartoonists Rights Network International has joined with the Media Freedom Rapid Response consortium to warn cartoonists that they are being targeted by governments looking to use the pandemic as an excuse to suppress free speech. The following rapid response report looks at things within the European Union and its candidate countries. 3/3   You […]

Locher deadline extended to July 15

CARTOON CONTEST UPDATE: The deadline for the John Locher Memorial Award has been extended to July 15th, 2020. Due to cancellations of this year’s convention season, the winner will be invited to attend the next available conference.  If you’ve already submitted and would like to edit your application, contact the admins through the website  Click […]

Tom the Dancing Bug celebrates 30 years with 2 new titles

If you love Tom the Dancing Bug, you’ll probably like the pair of new books celebrating the 30th anniversary of the strip. But you NEED TO PREORDER BY JUNE 30 to get your copies. AND they’re only available online! The books will be out in mid-August 2020. Click here to seal the deal: https://www.patreon.com/posts/37544961

Cartoonist wins award, loses paper in a topsy-turvy week

Al Goodwyn is having an, uh, interesting week. The day after he won a regional journalism award for his editorial cartooning, a South Carolina paper drop the syndicated cartoonist and apologized for running a cartoon of his that many readers found offensive: https://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2020/06/11/newspaper-apologizes-for-devisive-cartoon/   Michael Cavna picked up on the story at Comic Riffs: how the […]

Fallout from syndicated cartoon controversy [UPDATED]

Fallout grew from a decision to run a syndicated cartoon by AAEC Member Tom Stiglich in Missouri newspaper: two owners of a family-run business ran an apology for publishing the cartoon — and later resigned — and the syndicate pulled the cartoon from circulation. The Daily Cartoonist is following the story: https://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2020/06/10/missourian-owners-disgusted-by-political-cartoon/   Here’s the […]

JD wins RFK

JD Crowe is this year’s winner of the Robert F. Kennedy Award for Editorial Cartooning. The RFK judges cited the cartoonist for the Alabama Media Group “for his use of wit and artistry to illuminate policies that are harming women, the poor, and people of color in the state of Alabama.” “I’m just a dork who […]

Kal’s webshow moves to prime time (ok, 7pm)

In case you missed it: Kevin Kallaugher​ talks to Academy Award-winning cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz in this week’s episode. Also, Satire Can Save Us All officially moves to prime time: catch new shows every Tuesday at 7pm. ‬

Remembering Sandy Huffaker

Sad news—cartoonist Sandy Huffaker has died at age 73. A prolific artist with a signature style, Sandy got his start at newspapers like the the News & Observer before jumping to doing covers for TIME and dozens of national magazines.   Huffaker returned to editorial cartooning after 9/11. A long-time AAEC member, he was syndicated […]

The Nib launches new Kickstarter

The Nib has launched a Kickstarter for their latest book — Greetings From the Wasteland — a collection of all the chaos from the Trump years. Support this new volume and relive every stupid, stupid moment of the last 4 years.   https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thenib/greetings-from-the-wasteland/

Letter from the Editor: Daryl Cagle sounds the alarm

Daryl Cagle writes his congressman and sounds the alarm about the immediate danger facing newspapers, syndicates, small businesses—and freedom of the press. Cartoonists may be the canary in the coal mine, but this bird is singing. We’re running the entire letter here, as it makes points that have an impact on cartoonists across the industry. […]

Furlough you go

Filed under “Yeah, no” The Buffalo News took a rare stand (for editorial page editors that is) and told a reader in Letters to the Editor that No, they are NOT going to remove their editorial cartoonist just because the reader was offended by an opinion they didn’t agree with. Of course, the statement would […]

2020 Pulitzer Prizes announced: 3 AAEC cartoonists are finalists

A big congrats to cartoonists Lalo Alcaraz, Matt Bors and Kevin Kallaugher — all three AAEC members were finalists for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize. This year’s award went to New Yorker illustrator and caricaturist Barry Blitt. Congratulations all. https://www.pulitzer.org/news/announcement-2020-pulitzer-prize-winners

CALL FOR ENTRIES: The John Locher Memorial Award

Are you a young cartoonist who draws commentary on social topics? Do you know a young cartoonist who’s doing work with a political tinge? The window is now open to enter the 2020 AAEC/John Locher Memorial Award for editorial cartoons and comics. Single panel, multi-panel, and animated editorial cartoons and comics will be accepted from aspiring […]

More on cartoonist Jason Chatfield

Everyone has by now heard Jason Chatfield survived Covid-19. Kal Kallaugher talks to the National Cartoonists Society president about his ordeal, and on the future of the NCS, publishing, and satire. Catch a must-see replay of Tuesday’s “Satire Can Save Us All” episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=PU54fRKqGCI&feature=emb_logo

Billy Ireland Cartoon Library throws open their collection (online)

Cartoonists have always known it is worth traveling to The Ohio State University just to see The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum. But now that the long-time Columbus, OH, mecca is closed to the public for the foreseeable future, what are fans of the cartoon arts to do? Luckily, the CLAM has been slowly […]

Cartoonist survives Covid; responds by drawing a cartoon about it

Cartoonist Jason Chatfield reveals what it’s like to get the coronavirus. (Spoiler alert: it’s horrible). So what’s a cartoonist to do after surviving Covid19? Do a cartoon about it of course! His graphic (in more ways than one) tale of surviving the plague is must reading: https://www.jasonchatfield.com/coronavirus We here at the AAEC are glad to hear […]

NCS cancels annual convention—but still plans to hand out awards

No surprise — the National Cartoonists Society has announced that the 2020 NCS convention is cancelled. They note, however, this year’s Reuben Awards will still be presented in some form on time and online in June. Details to follow when we get them. https://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2020/04/23/2020-reubens-weekend-convention-cancelled/

Dick Wright picks up the pen (again)

The Daily Cartoonist and ComicsDC @MikeRhode1 are reporting that cartoonist Dick Wright has left retirement to return to editorial cartooning. The conservative cartoonist has picked up his pen again to fight the “new socialist agenda” of the Democrats in Virginia. https://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2020/04/22/dick-wright-returns-to-editorial-cartooning/ (Quick history lesson—cartooning seemed a popular profession for people named “Wright” in the later half […]

Live from their home studios—cartoonists online!

Live cartoonists live! Like musicians and comedians with no nightclub to perform in, cartoonists have taken to the internet to do live webscasts while sheltering in place.  CBS and New Yorker cartoonist Liza Donnelly is doing a live drawing session every afternoon at 5pm on Periscope and her instagram feed: https://instagram.com/lizadonnelly/. If you miss it, […]

Matt Bors thinks you should improve your bookshelf somewhat

Cartoonist and publisher of The Nib, Matt Bors has announced a new collection of his political commentary. “We Should Improve Society Somewhat” drops in April 2020 and offers a survey of  “our current dystopian hellscape.” From the press release: “Working as a political cartoonist for more than a decade, Bors’ brain is now fully melted […]

Cartoonists for the Cause — Covid relief fundraisers

Two Pennsylvania cartoonists are offering signed art in fundraisers and auctions to help out local institutions. Philadelphia’s Signe Wilkinson is offering signed prints of her cartoons in exchange for contributions to one of the funds helping beleaguered health care workers. Signe supports Temple University Hospital which, she notes, “really stepped up when beds were needed and is […]

National Headliner Awards announced

Two AAEC Members — aka The Two Clays — were finalists for this year’s National Headliner Awards. The 86th awards, given by the Press Club of Atlantic City, were quietly announced online. CNN’s Clay Jones placed Third abd Clay Bennett of the Chattanooga Times Free Press took Second Place . This year’s winner was Michael Ramirez […]

Gary Huck and Mike Konopacki publish their last collection

On the heels of the news that Gary Huck and Mike Konopacki would shut down their long-running labor cartoon syndicate, the duo announced “Torn,” the last collection of their editorial cartoons. “After 37 years of syndicating Huck/Konopacki Labor Cartoons to unions and newspapers, these Wisconsin-bred practitioners of pushback, parody, and in-your-face outrage against enemies of […]

Overseas Press Club goes to Adam Zyglis

A big congrats to Adam Zyglis, this year’s pick for the Overseas Press Club prize! The staff cartoonist for ‪The Buffalo News‬ was named the winner of the “Award Formerly Known as Thomas Nast” by ‪@opcofamerica‬ for his international political cartoons. The judges noted “An impressive caricaturist, Zyglis is the kind of cartoonist who would […]

VIRTUAL CARTOONING: Matt Wuerker live online on April 1

Cartooning school is in session! POLITICO cartoonist Matt Wuerker will be holding a free virtual workshop Wednesday, April 1st (appropriately enough). The online event kicks off at noon. Matt is one of the best caricaturists working today, so this should be good. https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5383528193767815436?source=moderator+social Here’s a short look at the cartoonist and the event: https://www.washingtonian.com/2020/03/30/politicos-pulitzer-winning-cartoonist-will-host-a-virtual-cartoon-workshop/ Photo […]

Hot cartoonist on cartoonist action in new book on Macpherson

Canadian cartoonist Terry Mosher (better known by his pen name Aislin) has written a new book on Duncan Macpherson, one of the best cartoonists to come out of Canada in the 20th Century. “Professional Heckler” is the first biography of Macpherson, “a formidable and groundbreaking artist, he was also an alcoholic who struggled with many personal demons.” The […]

The bane of British politicians, Gerald Scarfe has a new memoir

While perhaps best known in America as the dude who did the art for Pink Floyd’s The Wall, Gerald Scarfe is celebrated across the pond as one of Great Britain’s greatest —and most vicious— political cartoonists (I mean, just look at this caricature of Margaret Thatcher!—ed). Scarfe recounts his 60-year-career in a new autobiography chock […]

UPDATE: American/Canadian cartoonist convention cancelled

3/27/20 UPDATE: The 2020 AAEC+ACC cartoonist convention has been officially cancelled. Wes Tyrell, President of the Association of Canadian Cartoonists, said, “We just heard today from the Canadian Feds, who were hosting a big chunk of the convention, that they must postpone until an undetermined date. We are effectively off with clearly no ability to […]

Remembering “The World of Jak Smyrl”

If you grew up in South Carolina, you might remember Jak Smyrl, the first staff cartoon for The State in Columbia, SC. His life and career played out against the backdrop of the 20th century, and is now the subject of a biography, “The World of Jak Smyrl: South Carolina Artist, Journalist, Cartoonist.” The book […]

Tom the Dancing Bug does the two-step

Whoa nelly — Tom the Dancing Bug is turning 30 this year! In celebration, cartoonist Ruben Bolling (aka Ken Fisher) is releasing not one but TWO topical collections of his alt-weekly comic strip. “Into the Trumpverse” collects his Donald-centric cartoons from 2016-2019, while “The Super-Fun-Pak Comix Reader” gathers together every fake comic strip Bolling has […]

Labor duo end decades-long cartoon collaboration

Mike Konopacki and Gary Huck recently announced their retirement after 37 years of drawing labor-centric cartoons for Union newspapers. https://nwlaborpress.org/2020/03/end-of-an-era-labor-cartoonists-say-farewell/ The pair was one of the few “teams” working in editorial cartooning today. The two met at the 1979 convention of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists and began operating their syndicated cartoon service in […]

de Adder is the 2020 Herblock winner; Lubchansky named finalist

A big congratulations to Michael deAdder and Matt Lubchansky! de Adder was named the winner of this year’s Herblock Prize, and Lubchansky the finalist. https://www.herbblockfoundation.org/herblock-prize In picking deAdder, the judges noted: “There were many strong submissions in this moment of political crisis in America. The judges ultimately chose Michael de Adder for his elegant yet concise draftsmanship […]

Joel Pett steps down as CRNI President; Matt Wuerker takes reins

From the Cartoonists Rights Network International comes the following announcements: https://cartoonistsrights.org/crni-president-joel-pett-retires/   After some fifteen years in the role Joel Pett—multi-award winning editorial cartoonist for the Lexington Herald Leader—has decided to retire from the Presidency of Cartoonists Rights Network International’s board of directors. Cartoonists from across the world can attest to Mr Pett’s warmth and […]

Randy Bish helps revive classic comic strip character

Editorial cartoonist Randy Bish is part of duo that is reviving The Yellow Kid —the first comic strip, and the source of the term “Yellow Journalism”— for the 21st century. The former long-time staffer for the Tribune Review drew the iconic character for a new book, “Hully Gee It’s The Yellow Kid,” celebrating the 125th anniversary of […]

Matt Bors thinks you should improve your bookshelf somewhat

Cartoonist and publisher of The Nib, Matt Bors has announced a new collection of his political commentary. “We Should Improve Society Somewhat” drops in April 2020 and offers a survey of  “our current dystopian hellscape.” From the press release: “Working as a political cartoonist for more than a decade, Bors’ brain is now fully melted […]

Call for Entries: 20th International Editorial Cartoon Competition

Guy Badeaux has put out the call for entries for the  20th International Editorial Cartoon Competition. The deadline to enter is Friday, March 27, 2020. Here are the complete rules and regulations: 1. The theme for the 20th International Editorial Cartoon Competition is: “Pulling the plug on social media”   After a storm over the publication […]

Call for submissions: International Cartoon Competition

Cartooning for Peace’s International Cartoon Competition is here. From Cartoon Movement’s Tjeerd Royaards comes the following call for submissions: We are very happy and proud to announce that Cartoon Movement, in partnership with Cartooning for Peace, is launching an international cartoon competition for the World Press Freedom Conference 2020.  We would be very grateful if you could […]

Chappatte drops new book about being dropped by the NYTimes

2020 is looking to be a banner year for cartoonists publishing books, so if you have something coming out, let us know. We’ll be posting a Book Nook on the news feed here on Fridays when there’s a release. First up: Remember when Patrick Chappatte got canned by the New York Times for a cartoon […]

Cartoonist Bil Canfield dies at 99

NJ.com has reported that cartoonist Bil Canfield has died. Canfield was the staff cartoonist for The Star-Ledger until retiring in 1995, and he continued to draw for a local papers in Arizona until a year before his death. Amazingly enough, Canfield got his start drawing for The Racing Form, and worked in an now-extinct field: […]

All the interviews that are fit to print

While the newspaper industry continues to flee in terror from, umm, editorial cartoons, there is no shortage of media outlets that want to interview cartoonists. Here are all the links and articles that appeared online in January. First up WJTV on the prolific Marshall Ramsey: https://www.wjtv.com/news/focused-on-mississippi-marshall-ramsey-he-draws-his-own-conclusions/   Next, Cap Radio talks to Jack Ohman about political […]

NPR turns attack from Pompeo into a cartoon tote bag

Cartoonist Gary Huck is reporting at least one good thing came out the Trump Administration’s unconstitutional attack on the First Amendment and NPR journalist Mary Louise Kelly. A cartoon Huck did over the weekend went viral on Facebook and was seen by the reporter and other National Public Radio producers — and after granting permission […]

BUY THE BOOK! SUPPORT THE CARTOONISTS!

“FRONT LINES: Political Cartooning and the Battle for Free Speech” is now available online! Published as a companion to the 2019 Billy Ireland Museum exhibit of the same name, FRONT LINES features lots of cartoons, and essays by Joel Pett, Lucy Caswell, Roslyn Mazer, Rob Rogers and Matt Wuerker. $20 gets you the book, poster […]

LAST BIG WEEK FOR CARTOON AWARD DEADLINES!

This is the last big week to enter editorial cartoonist contests for a while, with deadlines for some of the biggest awards including the Herblock. Here are all the contest windows that are closing during the next seven days:   The “Best Cartoon” Award (formerly the THOMAS NAST Award) Deadline: Friday, January 31, 2020 Rules […]

Cartoonist kicks back and does it old school

Take a break this morning from Trump’s tweets and the never-ending news cycle to read this charming profile of a local cartoonist still producing work for a local paper. A life in pen and ink: Inside the studio with cartoonist Peter Waldner

Another Turkish cartoonist is imprisoned

It’s been reported that Turkey and its president Recep Erdogan have again targeted journalists and political cartoonists, jailing members of Yeni Asya Gazetesi under similar trumped up charges they’ve brought against other newspapers. ExpressionInterrupted @ExInt24 tweeted “Yeni Asya chief editor Kazım Güleçyüz @gulecyuzk and the newspaper’s cartoonist Halil İbrahim Özdabak were just convicted of “spreading propaganda […]

Merry Impeachment Day, everyone!

And a Happy Impeachment Day to all. The Daily Cartoonist has been looking back at how editorial cartoonists took on previous targets of impeachment, and the parallels between Nixon, Clinton and Trump. First up: the phenomenal Jules Feiffer. https://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2020/01/19/feiffer-on-nixon-in-the-trump-era/ How did editorial cartoonists see previous violators of the Constitution? ComicDC’s Mike Rhode looks back at Paul Conrad’s […]

Pat Oliphant, master cartoonist

Although Pat Oliphant left Australia for America in 1964, his home country hasn’t forgotten him. The ABC made this short on the the cartoonist during the opening of his career retrospective last fall. See the master at work here: https://www.abc.net.au/7.30/a-look-back-at-the-career-of-cartoonist-pat/11867960

Dem donkeys turns 150

Thomas Nast’s Democrat Party mascot — the donkey — celebrates 150 years. The Daily Cartoonist has the breakdown of how a slur became a celebrated symbol.   https://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2020/01/15/150-years-ago-thomas-nast-the-democrat-donkey/

Cincy Enquirer hires Kevin Necessary

Some good news this week—On Friday afternoon Ohio cartoonist Kevin Necessary announced he had been hired by the Cincinnati Enquirer: “I’m grateful I’ve had the opportunity over the last several years to create local editorial cartoons in #Cincinnati. This city was lucky to have Jim Borgman. I’m going to try to honor his legacy with […]

Remembering Charlie Hebdo 5 years later

This week saw the 5th anniversary of the deadly terrorist attack on the Parisian weekly satirical Charlie Hebdo. France and cartoonists worldwide remember. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/01/france-remembers-charlie-hebdo-victims-anniversary-200107164754227.html ~ The cartoonists and satirists of #CharlieHebdo never wanted to be martyrs for #freespeech. This Washington Post piece from 2018 looks at the uneasy fit. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/a-terrorist-attack-turned-charlie-hebdo-into-a-revered-institution-it-never-sought-to-be/2018/05/25/c5a392d8-4e11-11e8-85c1-9326c4511033_story.html ~ Five years after the massacre, […]

Contest deadlines! Get your contest deadline here!

The new year is here and that can only mean one thing — award season is upon us. Here are the deadlines and links to all the upcoming national contests editorial cartoonists can enter in 2020. Please note: Some contest deadlines and details were not available as of press time. In such cases, the approximate […]

Start the year off supporting a good cause

Per his last wishes, donations of funds in Tom Spurgeon’s name can now be made to the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum in support of Cartoon Crossroads Columbus (CXC) programming. This annual festival has become a key destination for cartoonists in just 5 short years. The AAEC and its members have been a supporters […]

Letter from the AAEC President

The votes are in — Congratulations to new AAEC Board members Jen Sorensen (President-elect) and Tim Campbell (Director). Tim has been elected for a 2-year term, and Jen will step up to President in January 2021. Elected to another term and returning to the Board are Mike Thompson (Vice President), Monte Wolverton (Treasurer) and Liza […]

Ramsey and Stantis to appear at MS Museum of Art

Like political cartoons? Love seeing cartoonists in person? In Mississippi? Then catch a conversation with cartoonists Marshall Ramsey and Scott Stantis on the “Art and Industry of Editorial Cartooning” on January 11. Their talk is part of a day-long public event on journalism and politics at the MS Museum of Art in Jackson, MS. Tickets and details […]

Philly paper publishes cartoons — and pays cartoonists!

A daily newspaper that’s not afraid of political cartoons? And then actually pays for them? Tis truly a holiday miracle! The Philly Inquirer recently solicited cartoonists for a special one-shot that appears today in the print edition. Most of the cartoons are local commentary on the City of Brotherly Love, but a few are on state […]

Draughon to extremes

What does it take to be a political cartoonist? What’s more important, the job itself? Or the work produced? Rob Tornoe, reporter for E&P and a cartoonist himself, talks to the stalwart Dennis Draughon about the sacrifices made in the quest of making a point. This and other industry news can be heard on the @EditorPublisher podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni_k_4wiz4c

How Clay Jones powers through the Trump years

Ready to dive back into the Impeachment whirlwind? Cartoonist Clay Jones is leading the charge, creating a couple cartoons and columns every day. Comics DC’s Mike Rhode has an interview with the prolific @claytoonz and discusses his work habits, food, and his new book of Trump cartoons.   https://comicsdc.blogspot.com/2019/12/meet-local-cartoonist-chat-with-clay.html UPDATE: Here’s another interview with @claytoonz about his new book […]

Handy guide to the “The Role of the Political Cartoonist”

Need another break? Listen to this 20-minute interview with @PhilHands on “The Role of the Political Cartoonist.” The Wisconsin State Journal cartoonist talks to @WPR about that and “The Year in Cartooning.” So pour yourself a stiff drink and click here: https://www.wpr.org/role-political-cartoonist

Adam Zyglis is sent to the Front

Take a break and watch this 5-minute short on cartoonist @adamzyglis. The doc “The Front Lines” touches upon all that’s important about a free press and free speech. Zyglis is the staff cartoonist for the Buffalo News and won the Pulitzer Prize for his work in 2015. He’s been working out of Tom Toles’ old office […]

Come to Canada in 2020

Our Canadian cartoon compatriots have been hard at work on a joint convention between the AAEC and the ACC next spring — May 14-17. Wes Tyrell has just updated the registration and hotel info, and sent along this message: “Season’s greetings! “Please share this update with your members and I ask kindly if you can […]

Remembering Tom Spurgeon

For those who couldn’t make Tom Spurgeon’s memorial service yesterday, here’s a lovely remembrance of @comicsreporter by the local paper. We love that his ashes will be interred at the Billy Ireland @CartoonLibrary, meaning Tom will still be at every show & museum exhibit going forward. https://www.columbusalive.com/entertainment/20191212/final-dispatch-from-comics-reporter-tom-spurgeon-1968-2019

Off the Record debuts new political art

One of the best places to see political cartoons in Washington DC is across the street from the White House at Off the Record, the swanky bar of the Hay-Adams hotel. There’s art on the wall and a rotating series of drink coasters with cartoons by Matt Wuerker, Ann Telnaes and Kal Kallaugher. So come […]

A cartoonist ask: Are there lines that shouldn’t be crossed?

Five years after #CharlieHebdo, in a time of global anger & strife when social media mobs wander the land & editors are frightened of their own readers, New Zealander Rod Emmerson asks: Where do Editorial Cartoonists draw the line?   Listen to the whole podcast here:   https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/the-detail/story/2018726406/where-do-editorial-cartoonists-draw-the-line

The Triple Threat of David Fitzsimmons

Are you amazed by cartoonists who have crazy talents other than drawing big heads? Are you in Arizona? Then head to Tucson this Saturday, December 7 for the live afternoon taping of David Fitzsimmons annual holiday special, the Arroyo Cafe Holiday Radio Show, a “hilarious, song-and-comedy-filled extravaganza.” Recorded in front of a live audience at the […]

Ann Telnaes Live! See her brave shouting, sputtering pols!

As she has since the beginning of @realDonaldTrump’s Impeachment, @AnnTelnaes has been live cartooning the hearings. Check out today’s excellent catch: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/12/04/sketches-house-judiciary-committees-first-impeachment-hearing/#click=https://t.co/8lDbNvgXN1

End of Year + End of the Decade!

It’s that time again—A look at End of the Year AND End of the Decade cartoons. Mike Thompson and USAToday will roll out a different collection every day during the month of December looking back over 2019 and the ‘teens. Click here and check back often.   https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/12/02/cartoons-politics-humor-obama-trump-politicap-cartoons/4267626002/

Another gig gone

We got an email the other day from cartoonist Jimmy Margulies, who wanted everyone to know yet another paper has dropped editorial cartoons. Margulies writes, “My first day back at work upon returning from the convention in Columbus [in October], I was told that my newspaper amNEW YORK was being sold by its owner Newsday […]

Remembering Tom Spurgeon

Friends of Tom Spurgeon collect their memories of the influential comics reporter and critic, who died suddenly this month at age 50: https://www.tcj.com/memories-of-tom-spurgeon/. Spurgeon was a unique and ubiquitous presence in the industry, and his website The Comics Reporter was required daily reading. His friend Douglas Wolk recently posted the last entry on the site: Tom’s […]

Gary Varvel talks about adapting to a post-newspaper world

Cartoonist Gary Varvel talks to local station WISH about what it takes to survive as a cartoonist post-newspaper. Varvel also has a new book and newsletter out, and will be having a book signing at the end of November. https://www.wishtv.com/news/local-news/dick-wolfsie-chats-with-editorial-cartoonist-gary-varvel/

RiP cartoonist Mike Lane

Word comes that long-time Baltimore cartoonist Mike Lane has passed away. Lane was at the Evening Sun for decades, and later joined Daryl Cagle’s online venture. Lane’s loose easy style had a Mad Magazine flair but hid a sharp, stinging wit. His long-time friend and coworker Dan Rodricks remembers the cartoonist. The editorial board he worked […]

Pat Bagley turns 40*

Cartoonist Pat Bagley celebrated 40 years at the Salt Lake Tribune last week, making him the longest-running staff cartoonist still employed at a daily newspaper. Artists of Utah has a profile: https://artistsofutah.org/15Bytes/index.php/pat-bagley-the-pen-is-as-mighty-as-the-word/

Live drawing the impeachment

Cartoonists are live drawing the Trump Impeachment Hearings. Michael Cavna @comicriffs looks at what some of them are posting https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2019/11/14/how-political-cartoonists-deal-thrive-with-live-coverage-impeachment-hearings/

Jules Feiffer still kicking at ass at 90. Well, ok, metaphorically speaking.

Cartoonist Jules Feiffer had to cancel an appearance in New Orleans over the weekend due to health reason, but still had time to talk about his decades-long career as one of the most influential cartoonists of the 20th century — and beyond. https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/arts/article_fb5acdf0-fb31-11e9-afe8-df407c1893bb.html

Dennis Draughon wins EPPY Award

via Capitol Broadcasting Company. Dennis Draughon, Capitol Broadcasting Company’s editorial cartoonist, has been recognized for the best editorial/political cartoons by Editor & Publisher magazine’s24th annual EPPY Awards. The annual competition honors the best work on digital media websites. Draughon, 58, has been drawing editorial cartoons for Capitol Broadcasting since February 2017. He started drawing political […]

The unstoppable Ed Hall

Editorial cartoonist Ed Hall is back in the news again, as is his cancer. The prolific artist talks to Folio about his latest exhibit of cartoons, Trump’s threat to journalism, and how “the big C” has focused him on his work with scaple sharpness: https://folioweekly.com/stories/the-indomitable-ed-hall,21908?category_id=371&sub_type=stories,packages

BloodBath at GateHouse

GateHouse Media, a chain that owns some 156 newspapers, continued its apparent quest to run them all into the ground. Just before Memorial Day weekend, GateHouse announced the purging of reporters and personnel at two dozen or more papers across the country, including laying off what may be the last three staff cartoonists on their […]

Like owning original art? Now you have two chances to add to your collection!

There are two — count them, two! — auctions of original cartoon art going on this week, and in both cases the proceeds go to good causes. First up, an online auction benefiting the "Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press." The auction closes Tuesday, May 7. Click here for complete details: https://one.bidpal.net/rcfpawards19/browse/all The RCFP provides […]

The Locher Award is now accepting submissions for 2019

The AAEC/John Locher Memorial Award is accepting submission from young cartoonists beginning today, May 1st, 2019. Click here for complete details. The Locher Award is a contest for aspiring cartoonists, ages 18-25, whose work demonstrates both clear opinions and strong artistry on political and social topics. Single panel, multi-panel, and animated editorial cartoons and comics will […]

More awards for Rogers, Lopez

  A big congrats to Rob Rogers for winning this year's Sigma Delta Chi award for editorial cartooning from Society of Professional Journalism. (Rob won in the category Newspaper *cough*cough* Circulation of 100,001+).   Also, kudos to Angelo Lopez , of Philippines Today, who won for editorial cartooning (Newspaper Cir. < 100,000/Regional Magazine/ Non-Daily Publication). […]

Rogers is the 2019 Headliner

  Rob Rogers is the top hat at this year's National Headliner Awards, winning for editorial cartooning. The judges said: "This collection of cartoons gets high marks for originality, diversity of topics, quality of artwork and clarity of message."   Congrats too to Second Place winner Ward Sutton, and Michael P. Ramirez, who took Third. […]

First Amendment exhibit opens at Billy Ireland Museum

A new exhibit on freedom of speech opens Saturday, April 20, at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum. "Front Line: Editorial Cartoonists and the First Amendment" runs until October 20, and be part of this year's CXC Festival in Columbus, OH. The exhibit, with work from over 70 cartoonists, was curated by Lucy Caswell and […]

New cartooning contest announced

United Sketches has announced a new contest for cartoonists: The 2019 Women Cartoonists International Award It has long been known that the field of cartooning (especially political cartooning) has had a dearth of female artists. The WCIA is exclusively open to women cartoonists. The deadline to enter is August 31. Here's the complete press release: […]

Darrin Bell wins Pulitzer Prize

A big congratulations to Darrin Bell on winning the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning! The Pulitzer committee cited Bell "For beautiful and daring editorial cartoons that took on issues affecting disenfranchised communities, calling out lies, hypocrisy and fraud in the political turmoil surrounding the Trump administration." Bell was the first African-American cartoonist to win the […]

Dwane Powell fondly remembered

Condolences poured in from across North America after word broke that cartoonist Dwane Powell finally succumbed to the cancer he's been battling for years. Dwane died peacefully at home on Sunday, April 14. He and his wife Jan had just celebrated their 48th anniversary a few days before. Close family friend Ann Telnaes posted, "Dwane […]

Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Ted Rall’s Anti-SLAPP Case

Cartoonist Ted Rall is one step closer to getting his day in court: the California Supreme Court has granted his Petition for Review in his anti-SLAPP lawsuit against the Los Angeles Times. Rall had been attempting to sue the newspaper for wrongful dismissal and defamation, after he was fired as a contributor by the newspaper […]

Benson head to the Mirror

A bit of good news for a change: Cartoonist Steve Benson has landed at the Arizona Mirror, a relatively new nonprofit news site. Benson (who was summarily laid off by Gannett in January after some 35-years of award winning work) will draw two cartoons a week for the independent media outlet.

Facebook deletes anti-hate group posts by Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist

On March 28, Facebook summarily deleted a week-old editorial cartoon by PulitzerPrize-winning political cartoonist Clay Bennett, and then warned him his complaint about the deletion had violated the site's community standards & deleted that. Bennett's cartoon—shared from Andrews McMeel Syndication's online site GoComics—was swept up in Facebook's hasty effort to remove posts on white nationalism, white […]

Garcia & Lopez talk political cartoons

Like cartoons? Like cartoonists talking about cartoons? Check out this chat between Eric Garcia and Angelo Lopez, recorded earlier this month in San Jose, CA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiqFQ0eUwh8

And now, a huge thanks to two departing friends of the AAEC

This month, the AAEC will be saying goodbye to two people who were key to keeping the association going for almost two decades. Wanda Nicholson has the honor of being the longest serving General Manager in the 60+ years of the association. (Actually we’re not sure that’s an honor, but it was never dull.) Originally […]

The AAEC hires a new Association Manager

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The AAEC is happy to announce that it has hired Kelsey Maher as our new Association Manager. Kelsey will be taking over for Wanda Nicholson, who is stepping down at the end of this month. The two are currently working together to transfer everything over to the new office in Sacramento, CA. […]

Chappatte wins OPC award

A big congratulation to Patrick Chappatte on winning this year's Overseas Press Club of America prize for Cartooning! The [until recently named] Thomas Nast Award  is for "Best print, digital or graphic journalism on international affairs." The judges noted: "Patrick Chappatte’s cartoons … were a model of the form." Chappatte draws for the international edition of The New […]

Readings! Get your readings here!

Like trenchant political cartoons? Love cartoon books? In the Bay Area? You have two chances this weekend to see Eric Garcia talk about his latest tome "Drawing on Anger." Catch him Saturday 6pm at Mission Comics, and Sunday at The Cartoon Museum at 2pm.  

Herblock award announced

The Herblock Award has been announced, and a big congrats to cartoonist Matt Davies! Matt is now the first person to win the Herblock twice. Also, congrats to cartoonist Clay Jones, who was this year's finalist. Clay has been killing it this year, sometimes doing two cartoons and a column each day of the week. […]

Interviews, get your interviews here!

First up, Mr. Media interviews Herblock finalist Clay Jones on what it takes to be a political cartoonist these days: https://www.spreaker.com/user/bob_andelman/1063-clay-jones-political-cartoonist   Next, listen to a chat with Canadian cartoonist Graeme MacKay! https://thespec.podbean.com/e/the-message-beware-of-cartoonist/   After that, read the Silicon Angle talks to New Yorker cartoonist Liza Donnelly.    Then, former editorial cartoonist David Catrow talks about his […]

The AAEC Supports Ted Rall in His Legal Fight with the Los Angeles Times

The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists has filed a Friend of the Court letter with the California Supreme Court on behalf of editorial cartoonist Ted Rall and his effort to have an anti-SLAPP judgment against him overturned. Rall is seeking to have the ruling set aside so that he may continue his lawsuit against the […]

All apologies — UPDATED

Two newspapers apologized for cartoons that ran in their pages this week. In San Diego, the Union-Tribune quickly pulled and apologized for a Steve Breen cartoon about disgraced TV actor Jussie Smollett. As the Washington Post wrote, "A cartoonist added Jussie Smollett to the list of ‘Famous African-American Storytellers.’ The backlash was swift." Both the editor and […]

Bad news for Bad Reporter’s Don Asmussen

A lot of you know Don Asmussen — he's attended several west coast AAEC conventions over the years, and his Bad Reporter strip is one of the funniest (and pointed) things out there.  Anyway, he's been battling cancer for awhile now, with an update that falls in the not-good column. Now the good news — […]

“Bring back Non-Sequitur” says a growing chorus of fans

Supporters of @TheWileyMiller's Non-Sequitur are fighting back at the strip's sudden cancellation in over 100 newspapers. Fans like comedian @ElayneBoosler feel editors overreacted to a recent "hidden message" that some found offensive. https://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2019/02/20/a-campaign-to-restore-non-sequitur/ 

A look back at Charles Brooks

Charles Brooks had a long career as one of the bigger editorial cartoonists in the country. A former president of the AAEC, he was probably best known (at least among cartoonists) as the creator and editor of "Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year," an annual compilation that ran for over 40 years. A reporter at […]

OUR MISSION

The mission of the AAEC is to champion and defend editorial cartooning and free speech as essential to liberty in the United States and throughout the world.

The AAEC aims to be an international leader in support of the human, civil, and artistic rights of editorial cartoonists around the world, and to stand with other international groups in support of the profession.



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CARTOONS IN EDUCATION

Cartoons in Education

Every two weeks throughout the year, The Learning Forum and the AAEC offers CARTOONS FOR THE CLASSROOM, a free lesson resource for teachers discussing current events.  Visit NIEonline.com for more lesson plans.