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, […]

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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. ‬

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

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 […]

All the news that’s left to print

Michael Peterson's must-read column Comic Strip of the Day was heavy on the editorial cartooning news yesterday, with the blogger's thoughts on recent layoffs, and a backlash against the new Pittsburgh Post-Gazette cartoonist. Speaking of, reporter D.D. Degg has been following the controversy over Steve Kelley's recent cartoons. Meanwhile, elsewhere in the world of political […]

Cartoonist Pat Bagley lambasts Gannett for short-sighted and cruel staff cut 

by Pat Bagley, Immediate Past President of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists   Bullet, meet metatarsal.  The Gannett newspaper chain just shot itself in the foot. Steve Benson, a 37-year veteran of The Arizona Republic and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for cartooning, was let go yesterday. He was swept up in a company-wide […]

Your annual award update — all the cartoon contests!

Here you go! Here are the deadlines for all the upcoming contests editorial cartoonists may enter. Note: Some contest deadlines and entry fees were not available as of press time. In such cases, the approximate date or month is listed. Always confirm any deadline or entry fee on the appropriate website before submitting.   National […]

The AAEC ballot results are in

Happy New Year everyone! Here are the results from the AAEC election: By a near unanimous vote, the membership has agreed to change the bylaw regarding the term of office for President from one year to two, effective immediately. Kevin Siers automatically steps up from President-Elect to President, and will now be the chief executive for […]

A letter from the outgoing President

[AAEC President Pat Bagley will be handing over the mantle to Kevin Siers next week. In the meantime, here is his departing letter]   Dear Colleagues, First, the good news. The long-awaited redesign of our new website is nearing launch and should be up sometime in January. (Buy Adam Zyglis a beer next time you […]

Forget the pundits — watch the damn cartoonists!

Forget the exit polls and screw the pundits. If you want original bespoke commentary on the mid-term elections, check out the following political cartoonists. They will be drawing live, posting throughout the evening as the returns come in, or going on the air to give you their hot take. (We will be adding to this […]

A letter from the President

Dear Colleagues, You’ll soon be receiving your ballot for the upcoming slate of officers and directors for the AAEC, with a recommended change of tenure for the AAEC President to two years (this will not apply to my current term which ends December 1). This change to two years will bring the term of the […]

Kovalic launches Kickstarter

Long before he was a popular web cartoonist (and go-to illustrator for numerous game companies), John Kovalic was an editorial cartoonist at a daily newspaper. He was an integral part of the AAEC in the 1990s and helped them get online during the early days of the internet, and was the publisher of "Attack of […]

Last call for these epic cartoon exhibits!

In Washington DC? Get to the Library of Congress ASAP! "Drawn to Purpose" closes on Oct. 20. This exhibit of all-women illustrators includes work by AAEC members Ann Telnaes, Signe Wilkinson and Jen Sorensen, among many other talented artists. For complete details on the show, got to https://www.loc.gov/exhibitions/drawn-to-purpose/about-this-exhibition/ Also, you have just 4 days left […]

AAEC + CXC — Two weekends of adventures in cartooning

The AAEC had two big weekends in a row, first in Sacramento for their annual convention, and then at CXC in Columbus, Ohio, (which is fast becoming one of the best comics art festivals in the country). Several reports came out in the wake of the Sacramento confab: • Graphic novelist Brian Fies ("A Fire Story") […]

See us at CXC this weekend!

Love cartoons? Like meeting cartoonists? In Ohio? Head to CXC — Cartoon Crossroads Columbus— this weekend in Columbus, Ohio! Join the AAEC for two panels on "Cartooning In The Time Of Trump" with Ann Telnaes,  Signe Wilkinson, Nate Beeler and Rob Rogers on Saturday, Sept. 29. And on Sunday, Sept. 30, there will be a […]

Join us at the AAEC table this weekend at CXC 2018

Join us this weekend at CXC — Cartoon Crossroads Columbus — the cartoon festival in Columbus, Ohio. The AAEC plans to have an exhibitors table at their Marketplace Expo Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 29 and 30, to increase awareness of our organization among the many other kinds of cartoonists who will be there. We welcome […]

Congrats to JD Crowe, this year’s Rex Babin Award winner

    SACRAMENTO, CA — Alabama cartoonist JD Crowe is the 2018 recipient of the "Rex Babin Memorial Award for Local Cartooning." The prize was announced Thursday, Sept. 2o, during the opening reception of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists' convention in Sacramento, CA. The reception was held at the California Museum, which is hosting […]

Hey everybody — editorial cartooning is dead! AGAIN!

Or so says the National Review: https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/09/editorial-cartooning-decline-serena-williams-controversy/ This is, what, the 11th or 12th time since 1954 that editorial cartooning has been declared dead? We're like the Doctor Who of cartooning or something.   So… if we're dead — LET'S HAVE A WAKE!!!   Tonight the 62nd Annual Convention of the Association of American Editorial […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #37 — Signe Wilkinson

Signe Wilkinson is as much a part of the Philadelphia landscape as Robert Indiana's LOVE sculpture, Pat's Philly Cheesesteaks, and running up the steps of the Museum of Art just like Rocky does in the movie. While her work for The Daily News earned her the Pulitzer Prize for cartooning in 1992 — the first woman […]

The AAEC lands in Sacramento for their annual convention

It's here! The annual gathering of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists kicks off this week in Sacramento, CA. Running from Sept. 20-22, the convention will see three days of cartoonists, satirists and journalists from across the US, Canada and Down Under hobnobbing, panelling and pub crawling.  AAEC President Pat Bagley, and co-hosts Jack Ohman […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #35 & #36 — Mike Thompson and Bob Unell

Mike Thompson is an award-winning cartoonist for the Detroit Free Press who has actually given up national syndication to focus on state and local issues. "Michigan is home to the likes of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, self-proclaimed political expert Ted Nugent and the thuggish John Engler, a former governor who made headlines for his inept leadership […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #34 — Tom Stiglich

Pennsylvania is often described as "two liberal enclaves with Alabama in between." [Editor's note: I'm originally from Central PA and can mock my home state.] Enter Tom Stiglich, who provides a conservative take on progressive Philadelphia politics for Media News Group. Stiglich, whose national work is carried by Creators Syndicate, still relishes taking on such local topics […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #33 — Sage Stossel

Sage Stossel is a long-time contributing editor for The Atlantic, where she also produces cartoons addressing national stories of the moment. Outside of her day job, she draws cartoons about life in Boston and addresses local issues she cares about. "In two cases I was told the cartoons themselves have become instrumental in furthering a […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #32 — Kevin Siers

Kevin Siers may have won the Pulitzer Prize for his work at The Charlotte Observer, but he knows first hand the effect local cartoons can have. "I’ve followed an issue and kept hammering at it, and felt those cartoons contributed to change in the community. And, at least in one instance, drove the target of those […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #31 — V.C. Rogers

V.C. Rogers — known to his friends as Cullum — is a paradigm of local cartooning, having spent his career working for a trio of regional newspapers covering the triangle of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Recently pushed into early retirement by the elimination of his position at the alt-weekly Indy Week, at least […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #30 — Rob Rogers

Rob Rogers didn't want the job, but he is now the poster cartoonist for How to Get Fired. After a protracted battle with an increasingly pro-Trump publisher, Rogers was unceremoniously dumped this summer by his long-time newspaper, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, for failing to toe the toady line laid down by a new editor. With the […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #29 — Marshall Ramsey

Marshall Ramsey is an exemplar of the local cartoonist who has not only managed to survive but thrive in a collapsing newspaper environment. A long time staffer for Mississippi's The Clarion-Ledger, Ramsey writes columns, does a weekly statewide radio and TV show, makes frequent public appearances, and interacts with his readers on a daily basis […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #28 — Joel Pett

Joel Pett is a nationally syndicated cartoonists who has won numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize. But Pett takes great pride in his local work for the Lexington Herald-Leader, and sees it as his mission to take the corrupt, cynical politicians of Kentucky to task. "Kentucky politicians rarely address the real problems of the commonwealth. […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #27 — Bruce Plante

When you talk to editorial cartoonists about the power of the local cartoons, one name keeps coming up: George Fisher. The Arkansas native drew for a number of newspapers from the late 1940s until his death in 2003, and while he was never syndicated nationally, his work had a huge impact — most notably in its […]

Join us at the AAEC table at Cartoon Crossroads 2018

We are 10 days out from our gathering in California, but it isn't the only AAEC event happening this month. Immediately following the Sacramento convention (the very next week) is CXC — Cartoon Crossroads Columbus — the cartoon festival in Columbus, Ohio. The AAEC plans to have an exhibitors table at their Marketplace Expo Saturday […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #25 — Kevin Necessary

Kevin Necessary is another cartoonist who's found a home at a TV station, drawing local editorial cartoons for the website of WCPO in Cincinnati. "When it comes to local toons, I've lucked out," he writes. "'Cincinnati' encompasses not just what's on the Ohio side of the river, but also Northern Kentucky and Indiana. We have […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #23 & #24 — Terry Mosler and Fred Mulhearn

Terry Mosher — better known by his pen name Aislin — is a Canadian legend. He has won just about every award you can in the Great White North, and chalks up his much of his success to his favorite city. "Montreal is a very interesting market for satire of all sorts. We are home […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #21 & #22 — Jimmy Margulies and Dan McConnell

If Jimmy Margulies seems to have submitted national cartoons for a local cartoon contest, it is only because New York City is his backyard. He was the staff cartoonist for 22 years at The Record in northern New Jersey, and his commentary on The Big Apple appears regularly in amNew York. A multiple award winner, […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #20 — A.J.B. Lane

A.J.B. Lane brings an webcomic sensibility to his cartoons for the Boston Globe, alternating between the traditional single panel and longer form commentary. His editor writes, "Adam chose to give local figures and issues the scrutiny they deserved. Our pages were better as a result." [Throughout his life, Rex Babin championed those who focused on state […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #18 — Shane Johnson

Shane Johnson got his start at the Indianapolis Business Journal seven years ago, and told his editor he was only interested in covering local issues. "I have covered then-Governor Mike Pence, mayors and politicians, and things truly important to the people of Indiana — cold beer sales and basketball." [Throughout his life, Rex Babin championed those who focused on state […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #17 — Russell Hodin

Russell Hodin is another long-time purveyor of hyperlocal content. He has produced a weekly political cartoon for 26 years for the alt-weekly New Times in San Luis Obispo, known for its local investigative pieces, commentary, and the Shredder, its anonymously-penned editorial. ("The founding editor strongly believed in developing fearless local voices," says Hodin.) In recent years his efforts […]

Labor Day update — Robert Ariail laid off. Again.

  In an email following up on his entry in this year's Rex Babin Memorial Award for Excellence in Local Cartooning, Robert Ariail noted he had been let go from his long-time newspaper The State in June. This was the second time the cartoonist had been laid off from the South Carolina paper for budgetary reasons, having been […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #16 — Ron Hill

Cleveland caricaturist and illustrator Ron Hill draws one cartoon a week — for six different weekly community papers. His work tends to be hyperlocal, though he does occasionally venture into regional and state issues. In 2013, one of Hill's cartoons embroiled him, his editor and his publisher in a much-publicized lawsuit brought by Robert Murray of Murray […]

Matt Davies remembers John McCain

Cartoonist Matt Davies recalls his first encounter with John McCain. The Senator's short but memorable visit to the AAEC's 2002 convention in Washington DC left a deep impression. John McCain had an eye for detailBy Matt Davies  Anyone who has followed my cartoons over the years knows John McCain’s policy positions and mine weren’t harmonious, and […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #15 — Jeff Hickman

Northern Nevada isn't the first place you think of when you think of a political cartoons, but then you remember the money and gambling and guns, and think — their must be corruption about. Jeff Hickman has been drawing for the Reno Gazette-Journal since 2002, editorializing on the problems stemming from the legalization of marijuana, […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #14 — Phil Hands

Wisconsin's Phil Hands says the only reason he's employed today is because, like Rex Babin, he has a passion for local editorial cartoons. "The State Journal  hired me because I got engaged in local politics, and provided them unique content they couldn’t get anywhere else.  I only really started drawing national cartoons when local politicians […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #13 — Ed Hall

Jacksonville cartoonist Ed Hall is distributed nationally through Artizans Syndicate, but it is his local work in The Baker County Press and The Herald he feels is most effective — and have landed him a bevy of state journalism awards. "I have found that the cartoons that garner the most attention are those that affect people in […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #11 & #12 — Mark Fiore and Steve Greenberg

Mark Fiore is best known for being the first editorial cartoonist to fully switch to animation for his political commentary, and, in 2010, for being the first animator to win the Pulitzer Prize. A few years ago, he returned to doing daily static cartoons for the website of KQED News in San Francisco — all while continuing […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #10 — Peter Evans

Peter Evans may be the local cartoonist at its most fundamental. Drawing for The Islander News, "a highly-subscribed" weekly newspaper on the island of Key Biscayne in Metro Miami, Peter only covers what happens on the jot of land south of Miami Beach. "Cartoons, generally, do not advocate action," says Evans. "But many issues that […]

LAST CHANCE for Billy Ireland Freedom of Speech submissions

  Deadline to submit work for consideration to the 2019 Billy Ireland Cartoon Museum exhibit is this FRIDAY, AUGUST 31 "The Front Line: Editorial Cartoonists and the First Amendment" will run for six months in the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum at The Ohio State University, and be part of next year's CXC and […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #9 — Dennis Draughon

Dennis Draughon is one of several former-newspaper cartoonists now working for a TV station, where his commentary appears on the WRAL.com website. Draughon notes, "Rex and I both started in this business at roughly the same time, both of us employed full-time at dailies in the Northeast; Rex in Albany, NY, me in Scranton, PA. We […]

Last Chance to Reserve Rooms at Convention Rate is Wednesday, August 29!

The 2018 Sacramento AAEC Convention is less than a month away and this is your last chance to reserve rooms at The Citizen Hotel at our convention rate. The good news is that the rate is exceptionally good ($159/night) but the bad news is that they'll only give us that rate for Sept. 20-22. That's […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #8 — Charlie Daniel

No, not country/western dude, but Charlie Daniel of the Knoxville News Sentinel, who has drawn 15,000 cartoons over a 55-year career, and who was recently inducted into the Tennessee Journalism Hall of Fame.   [Throughout his life, Rex Babin championed those who focused on state and local issues in editorial cartoons, a field that he and other cartoonists […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #7 — J.D. Crowe

It may be grossly unfair (accent on the gross) for JD Crowe to have the embarrassment of riches that is Alabama to draw on, but he has made the most of it in his 18 years at the Alabama Media Group/AL.com. As he says, "My primary job is to keep our state’s goobers from jumping the […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #6 — John Cole

John Cole is a stalwart of local journalism, having worked as a reporter, graphic designer and cartoonist for newspapers in Kentucky, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Of his current job at The Times-Tribune, Cole says "Scranton and environs present a target-rich environment for political cartoonists, given the region’s history of official corruption, mismanagement and flat-out incompetence." […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #5 — Matt Bodkin

Matt Bodkin is, according to his profile, "a strange visitor from another planet who came to Long Island, New York with powers, abilities, and debt far beyond those who didn’t go to art school. Disguised as a mild-mannered IT technician, he fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice and suburbia." His work appears every Saturday […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #4 — John Auchter

[Editor's note: Throughout his life, Rex Babin championed those who focused on state and local issues in editorial cartoons, a field that he and other cartoonists felt was regularly overlooked by journalism contests. The "Rex Babin Memorial Award for Excellence in Local Cartooning" was launched in 2017 to celebrate those working in this niche. To that end, […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #2 & 3 — Nathan Archer and R.W. Alley

[Editor's note: Throughout his life, Rex Babin championed those who focused on state and local issues in editorial cartoons, a field that he and other cartoonists felt was regularly overlooked by journalism contests. The "Rex Babin Memorial Award for Excellence in Local Cartooning" was launched in 2017 to celebrate those working in this niche. To that end, […]

Rex Babin Award nominee #1 — Robert Ariail

[Editor's note: Throughout his life, Rex Babin championed those who focused on state and local issues in editorial cartoons, a field that he and other cartoonists felt was regularly overlooked by journalism contests. The "Rex Babin Memorial Award for Excellence in Local Cartooning" was launched in 2017 to celebrate those working in this niche. To that end, […]

Enter the Babin — exhibit and award update

Last week a new retrospective of the life and times of editorial cartoonist Rex Babin opened in Sacramento, CA. Focusing on Babin's state and local work, the California Museum launched "Drawing Caleeforneeya" with a special reception on Friday, August 17, on the late artist's birthday. Sactown Magazine has a look at the show, which runs […]

Deadline to enter the Rex Babin Local Cartooning contest is TODAY

Today is the birthday of the late cartoonist Rex Babin and the LAST DAY to enter the "Rex Babin Memorial Award for Excellence in Local Cartooning." Submissions must be received by midnight tonight EST. For details, click here: https://news.aaecrebuild.wpengine.com/aaec/2018/07/the-return-of-the-rex-babin-local-cartooning-award.html

Unified Front

Tomorrow, August 16, 2018, hundreds of newspapers across the country will be uniting in confronting and denouncing Donald Trump's constant assault on the free press. Editorials cartoonists nationwide will be joining in defense of the First Amendment (cartoons have already begun to appear in the above feed.) Lead by the Boston Globe, over 200 newspapers […]

Award update

Cartoonist Ed Hall needs to make more room on his shelf after winning this year's Sunshine State Award from the Society of Professional Journalists, and First Place in two different categories from the Florida Press Association. Congrats too to AAEC member Peter Evans on landing Second Place for Editorial Cartooning in Division C, and cartoonists Steve Borggren and Clay […]

Rex Babin exhibit opens in Sacramento

Love cartoons? In Sacramento? Check out "Drawing Caleeforneeya: Political Cartoons Of Rex Babin." The retrospective of the late great editorial cartoonist opens today, Aug. 14, and runs thru Oct. 14. https://www.californiamuseum.org/rex-babin The AAEC will also be holding a special opening reception at the exhibit on Sept. 20 to kick off this year's convention.  

Schedule for the 2018 AAEC Convention is here

This year's gathering of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists will take place Sept. 20-23 in Sacramento, CA. Hosts Jack Ohman and Pat Bagley released the convention's schedule today. Highlights include an reception at the California Museum to celebrate the life and work of the late cartoonist Rex Babin, and the return of cartoon deathmatch, […]

Deadline for Billy Ireland exhibit on free speech is August 31

The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum will be hosting a major exhibition on cartoonists and the First Amendment in 2019. Co-curated by Lucy Caswell and Ann Telnaes, "The Front Line: Editorial Cartoonists and the First Amendment
" will run for six months in 2019 in the lead-up to CXC and the AAEC Convention at The […]

Deadline Reminders! [Cue “Final Countdown”]

  Calling all cartoonists! Here are your deadline reminders for August 2018!   TWO WEEKS & COUNTING: The 2018 Rex Babin Memorial Award for Excellence in Local Cartooning. Deadline is FRIDAY, AUGUST 17.   THREE WEEKS & COUNTING: Reserve your hotel room for the 2018 AAEC Convention in Sacramento. Deadline is FRIDAY, AUGUST 24.   FOUR […]

It’s happy hour somewhere…

  A mash of cartooning news for your Friday afternoon reading. So crack open a cold one and kick back…    If you're in Oregon, you still have time to make it to the annual Homer Davenport Community Festival in Silverton, OR this weekend, Aug. 3-5.  The annual celebration of hometown hero cartoonist Homer Davenport […]

And now, AAEC President Pat Bagley

The 2018 AAEC Convention is Fast Approaching! This year’s gathering of the nation’s editorial cartoonists and political junkies in Sacramento — Thursday, September 20th to Saturday 22nd — promises to be a blockbuster. Our featured guest is Atlantic staff writer McKay Coppins, who extensively covered the Trump campaign and was called “a dishonest slob” via Twitter by […]

AAEC winners at the 2018 AAN Awards

A huge congratulations to Cullum Rogers, who won 1st Place in the Out of the Box/Cartoons category from the Association of Alternative Newsmedia. This was the second year in a row Rogers took first place for his cartoons in the Durham, North Carolina-based Indy Week. It was also the last time his work would be […]

Major cartooning award news!

There are two big AAEC announcements to make today. First up, congratulations to Charis Jackson Barrios, the winner of this year's John Locher Memorial Award.  Barrios recently received a BFA on a full scholarship from The Cooper Union in NYC. While a student, the cartoonist did design and illustration projects with places like Frederator Studios and BuzzFeed. She has made comics […]

Two months until Sacramento!

We are now less than 2 MONTHS out from the 2018 AAEC convention. If you're a political cartoonist, comics journalist or satirist, join us Sept. 20-23 in Sacramento, CA.! Click here to register today: https://www.aaeccartoonists.org/

Turn on your radios!

Turn on your radios! NPR is dedicating an entire hour to editorial cartoonists during the 11am (EST) hour of @1a. Rob Rogers, Ann Telnaes, Pat Bagley and Scott Stantis are LIVE now!  https://the1a.org/shows/2018-07-18/editorial-cartoons

Rob Rogers’ cartoons pop-up in a show — across the street from the White House

The Corcoran School of the Arts and Design is launching a pop-up show of cartoons by Rob Rogers this summer. Conveniently located across from the White House, the Trump-centric exhibit showcases all the cartoons killed by Rogers' former employer, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Co-sponsored by the AAEC, Spiked: The Unpublished Political Cartoons of Rob Rogers, runs from July […]

The return of the Rex Babin Local Cartooning Award

In 2005, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, left, tours an exhibit of California political cartoons with AAEC President Matt Davies and Rex Babin. Photo courtesy of Mary Locher.   CALL FOR ENTRIES: The 2018 Rex Babin Memorial Award for Excellence in Local Cartooning SACRAMENTO, CA — The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists is once again looking for […]

A statement of solidarity with the Capital Gazette

"We stand with our brothers & sisters at the Capital Gazette. Journalism is the only profession specifically protected in the Constitution, yet our lives are under daily threat these days from those who would silence inconvenient facts & informed opinions." — Pat Bagley, President AAEC

Two takes on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, from both ends of the spectrum

Two more views of  Rob Rogers’ termination—the first from a rightwing columnist who thinks the media is over-reacting and the outrage is fake: https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2018/06/no_the_firing_of_the_pittsburgh_postgazette_cartoonist_is_not_a_threat_to_free_speech.html A few things to mention: The writer used to work as an editorial page editor for the Investor’s Business Daily who, it should be noted, canned conservative cartoonist Michael Ramirez in 2016 […]

MSM catches Rob Rogers fever

The reporting on Rob Rogers’ firing continued over the weekend, with Fox News (!), the New York Times (again) and an interview with friend Joel Pett via Cartoonists Rights Network International — normally an organization that reports on oppression of the press in other countries. Not, you know, America.  

Here’s your Rob Rogers Trump termination rodeo [UPDATED]

The media has —justifiably— reacted strongly to the firing of cartoonist Rob Rogers by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Here's what's been posted in the last 24 hours. More to follow no doubt. Washington Post  Michael Peterson Huffington Post The Detroit Free-Press The Hill The Wrap Philly.com Poynter CBS Yahoo Daily Kos Pgh blog The Incline Even […]

President Pat Bagley previews the AAEC confab

  I want to let you know where we are with the 2018 convention.   The AAEC is currently in the midst of planning our 2018 convention, which is scheduled for September 20–23 in Sacramento. We have contracted with The Citizen Hotel, famous for having prints of political cartoons decorating every room, for a block of rooms […]

The Battle for Pittsburgh — UPDATED

By now you've probably heard that Rob Rogers is in a war with his own editor at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Keith Burris, a pro-Trump sympathizer, has been spiking Rogers' daily cartoons for a couple of weeks now — and readers have begun to notice. The story went national over the past 48 hours and is […]

A Statement from the AAEC Board on Rob Rogers and the Post-Gazette

The longtime cartoonist for The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has gone missing. Actually, we know exactly where Rob Rogers is—at his desk creating the excellent award-winning editorial cartoons he is famous for. But it’s those cartoons that have been missing for over a week from the Post-Gazette editorial pages, though we know Rob is drawing them because […]

This year’s Reuben Awards are out — UPDATED AND CORRECTED

Congrats to all the AAEC members who were big winners at this weekend's NCS Reuben Awards including Mike Peters (x2!), Peter Kuper, and Pixar's Coco the pick for feature animation. Clay Bennett was also a finalist for Editorial Cartoons.  UPDATE: The NCS announced yesterday that an Oscar-style mix-up had occurred in two categories, and that […]

Freedom of Speech: Call for submissions reminder

Calling all cartoonists, calling all cartoonists… The Front Line: Editorial Cartoonists and the First AmendmentBilly Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, April 20 — October 27, 2019 Lucy Caswell and Ann Telnaes are co-curating a major exhibition on cartoonists and the First Amendment. It will run for 6 months 2019 in the lead-up to the AAEC […]

Locher Award deadline is June 15

Are you an aspiring cartoonist, age 18-25, who draws political & social cartoons, editorial commentary or comics journalism? You have one month left to enter your work for consideration for the 2018 John Locher Memorial Award. Deadline is June 15! Details: https://locheraward.org/  

A statement on Musa Kart and the oppression of journalists in Turkey

The oft-repeated statement “an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us” applies to political cartoonists worldwide after Turkish cartoonist Musa Kart was sentenced to prison. Why should Americans care about the fate of a satirist who mocked his president in a country half way around the world? Because it can […]

A belated (and in absentia) congratulations to cartoonist Musa Kart

Turkish cartoonist Musa Kart won the cartooning for peace prize on World Press Freedom Day — but was prevented from receiving it in person due to a travel ban. Kart's wife and daughter accepted the 2018 International Press Cartoon Prize on his behalf. Here is the complete report from his newspaper Cumhuriyet (which, it should […]

Musa Kart found guilty in Turkish kangaroo court

Cartoonist Musa Kart, along with 13 other journalists from the Cumhuriyet newspaper, were found guilty this week in their politically-motivated show trial in Turkey. Kart was sentenced to 3+ years for drawing cartoons, while fellow journalists got up up to 8 years. The verdict can be appealed.  Numerous human rights organizations immediately condemned the proceedings. The […]

A deep dive into The State of Our Satirical Union

Mike Csotd Peterson continues his deep dive into the panels & topics of The State of Our Satirical Union, held this past weekend in Minneapolis. Using the 30th Anniversary of Hustler v Falwell as a launch pad, the symposium tackled new attacks on satire and the First Amendment.  https://www.weeklystorybook.com/comic_strip_of_the_daycom/

The State of Our Satirical Union — Day 2

It's day 2 of "The State of Our Satirical Union" — and YOU ARE THERE! So pour yourself a tall Campari, kick back and enjoy the continuing coverage of this weekend's cartoonist symposium courtesy of @ComicStripOTD's Mike Peterson.    https://www.weeklystorybook.com/comic_strip_of_the_daycom/2018/04/satire-the-case-and-background.html  

The State of Our Satirical Union — Day 1

This weekend, cartoonists, humorists, legal scholars and historians gathered to discuss the State of Satire in America 30 years after the landmark Supreme Court case Hustler v Falwell. Mike Peterson has complete coverage of the 2 day event, starting here: https://www.weeklystorybook.com/comic_strip_of_the_daycom/2018/04/satire-conference-opening-night.html

A new logo for the AAEC!

The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists launches a new icon, updating its venerable ink bottle for the digital age    DURHAM, NC — The AAEC has a new look. The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists, a professional organization that promotes the interests of political cartoonists and comics journalists in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, has […]

On obit cartoons & obstructions

Michael Peterson delivers another thoughtful look at editorial cartooning in the time of Trump, focusing on the love/hate relationship cartoonists have with the obligatory obituary cartoon. Peterson also announces he'll be reporting from this weekend's "The State of Satire" symposium in Minneapolis. Check back here for updates https://www.weeklystorybook.com/comic_strip_of_the_daycom/2018/04/pearls-metaphorical-and-otherwise.html

This year’s Pulitzer Pick causes an existential crisis — for the Pulitzers

The Washington Post's Comics Riffs weighs in on the aftermath of this year's Pulitzer Prize announcement, and talks to a number of cartoonists about the controversial pick for winner. While many were glad to see the venerable award catch up to the rest of the industry and recognize comics journalism, was this the wrong year […]

“Drawn to Purpose” now out

"Drawn to Purpose," the companion book to the Library of Congress' show of the same name, is now out. The book "gives readers a glimpse of the female factor behind comic strips, political cartoons and magazine/newspaper art over a 150-year span." The author, Martha Kennedy, recently sat down at the C2E2 Comic Book Festival in […]

Start making your plans for the 2018 AAEC Convention!

The website the 2018 Association of American Editorial Cartoonist confab is now online, including registration information and a link to the hotel to make your room reservations.  Click here for details: https://aaeccartoonists.org/   AAEC 2018 Annual Convention September 20-23, 2018 Sacramento, California Hosted by Jack Ohman, The Sacramento Bee and AAEC President Pat Bagley, Salt […]

A panel of political cartoonists walk into MoCCA…

Mike Peterson's Comic Strip of the Day has an excellent report from this weekend's MoCAA Fest 2018 — with an in depth look at the panel on political cartooning with Ann Telnaes, Mr. Fish, Steve Brodner and more. Go, read.   

Tickets for “State of Our Satirical Union” going fast

If you love satire and care about free speech, you might want to attend next's months symposium on the 30th Anniversary of Hustler v. Falwell. Join cartoonists, humorists & lawyers April 20-21 in Minneapolis for "State of Our Satirical Union." The two day event will be held at the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication at […]

The Atlantic on drawing Trump

The Atlantic lists twenty ways to draw Trump — or not. Make yourself a good strong cup of comeupance and read "Why is Donald Trump So Hard to Caricature?" https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/04/donald-trump-caricature/554069/?utm_source=twb

Deadline alert — 2018 CXC Symposium

 Cartoonist? Academic? Activist? The Cartoon Crossroads Columbus festival wants you: "For the 2018 CXC Symposium, we are focusing on how comics enter public spaces to do social, transformative work." "In the Gutter: The Public Work of Comics" Abstracts and CVs due March 18. Presentations during CXC in Columbus, OH Sept. 26-28.  + + +  Here's the […]

Ramón Esono Ebalé released from prison

Good news from the Cartoonists Rights Network: Ramón Esono Ebalé was finally released today after almost 6 months of imprisonment by the government of Equatorial Guinea. The bogus charges were dropped last week after local authorities admitted they had been ordered by superiors to drum up something on the cartoonist. Ebalé was presented in absentia […]

Cartoonist’s “trial” begins today in Equatorial Guinea

[UPDATE: After the trumped up charges were dropped, cartoonist Ramon Esono Ebale was finally been released on March 7. CRNI has the details: https://cartoonistsrights.org/ramon-esono-ebale-released-from-prison/ ]   The AAEC supports cartoonist Ramón Esono Ebalé during his fraudulent trial by an oppressive Equatorial Guinea government. Here are the particulars of his situation, republished from the Cartoonists Rights Network International site:  […]

Cartoonist alert — Call for submissions #3

Making Faces: Editorial Cartoonists and the First Amendment [working title]Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, April 20 — October 27, 2019 Here's the big one! Lucy Caswell and Ann Telnaes will be co-curating a major exhibition on cartoonists and the First Amendment. It will run for 6 months in the lead-up to the 2019 AAEC […]

Save the Date — 2018 AAEC Convention is September 20-23

We can now confirm that this year's AAEC Convention will take place Sept. 20-23, 2018. The cartoonists will be staying at The Citizen's Hotel at 926 J Street in lovely Sacramento, CA. President Pat Bagley is signing the contract as you read this, with a room rate of $159 a night, and you'll be able […]

Two contests to kick off February

We got two, count 'em, two announcements to kick off February: #1 The 2018 Locher Award is now open for submissions, with an extended deadline this year of JUNE 15. The John Locher Memorial Award is a contest for aspiring cartoonists, ages 18-25, who draw on political and social topics. Complete details here: https://locheraward.org/ (Also, […]

AAEC Statement on cartoonist Cullum Rogers & Indy Week

While cutting off essential body parts is an effective weight-loss strategy, it tends to have bad long-term health consequences. So it is that yet another cartoonist is let go and the position eliminated, all in the name of cost-cutting. North Carolina-based Indy Week is dropping its long-time political cartoonist Cullum Rogers without plans for a […]

The State of Political Cartooning is Strong

Plus, guest judge Jake Tapper breaks a tie in the election for AAEC Board of Directors with a coin flip.   There's a big announcement out today from the President of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists, Pat Bagley (who, unlike some people, won the popular vote in a landslide without the help of the […]

The AAEC comes full circle

Back in 1954, an article in the Saturday Review titled “The Rise and Fall of the Political Cartoon” wondered if editorial cartooning was dead. The author of the piece complained that cartoons weren’t as good as they used to be, and that they — and newspapers— were losing ground and influence to competition from “radio, […]

AAEC update + award season alert

After a slight delay, the AAEC Notebook is on its way — look for it in your mailbox this week! The double issue is both a year-end wrap-up of 2017 and a special 60th anniversary update of the Golden Notebook. The 60th volume of our glorified newsletter weighs in at 60 pages (appropriately enough) and […]

And now, a message from President Ann Telnaes

  We need to change. For several years now we have complained, bemoaned, and raged over the disappearance of our traditional home, the print newspaper. And the loss of newspapers is not just affecting our profession but is having an impact as well on how we’ve traditionally funded our annual conventions. Fewer and fewer of […]

End of year housecleaning

If you are a Regular member of the AAEC and haven't yet cast your vote for next year's slate of officers, the deadline to return your ballot is January 4, 2018. So, GET THOSE IN THE MAIL TOMORROW, DECEMBER 30, so it is returned in time.  NOTE: If you have STILL NOT RECEIVED YOUR BALLOT […]

Hustler v. Falwell at 30 symposium announced

It has been 30 years since the AAEC joined with Hustler's Larry Flynt in defending satire and the First Amendment before the Supreme Court. Free speech supporters will celebrate this landmark case next year, and use the occasion as a clarion call to confront new threats to satirists and cartoonists. Here is the press release: […]

Cartoonists Down Under

AAEC President Ann Telanes went to Australia and brought back this report on cartoonists Down Under. Spoiler alert: They think Trump is as much a buffoon as American cartoonists! https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/opinions/wp/2017/11/27/how-australian-editorial-cartoonists-view-trump/?tid=ss_tw&utm_term=.b2969402221a

Post-Convention report: Cartoonists win New York Marathon!

Last week's annual Association of American Editorial Cartoonists Convention at Hofstra University on Long Island was one for the books. A big congratulations to host Matt Davies and President Ann Telnaes for pulling off a memorable gathering! It was a fitting 60th anniversary celebration for our organization. The weather was delightful for this time of year […]

Save the Date! 2017 AAEC Convention

Save the Date! The 2017 AAEC convention will be held Nov. 1-4 at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York (short trip to NYC). More Info to Come!

AAEC Logo Redesign

To AAEC Members:
Our website redesign and rebuild is currently underway. Now is the time to consider updating our logo to reflect our times and our mission. In order to have our logo truly reflect our membership, we are encouraging interested cartoonists to submit rough concepts for our new logo. We want to be clear this is not a contest for solicited finished work. This is more of a collective brainstorm from our diverse group of creative thinkers.

AAEC Statement on Farm News Decision

The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists condemns the decision of Iowa’s Farm News publication to part ways with long-time cartoonist and contributor Rick Friday on the grounds of an unhappy advertiser. This decision is a disservice to journalism and to the people of Fort Dodge, Iowa. This represents a dangerous trend among newspapers where the vitally important wall separating editorial content from advertising is beginning to erode.
The cartoon in question was truthful. Friday displayed courage in speaking out for the less fortunate in the farming industry. The cartoon was a factual statement on the increasing economic disparity of Big Agribusiness and the small farmers of Iowa. He should be thanked for his work, not disgracefully shown the door. For us to maintain a strong freedom of the press, editors and journalists around the country should be beholden to truth and the public good, not the corporate interests of their advertisers. The readers of Farm News deserve far better.

Political Cartoonists to Move Forward with North Carolina Convention

DURHAM, NC — Amid the wave of job losses and high-profile concert cancellations in North Carolina, there is finally some good news for its beleaguered governor and state legislature. One group has decided not to pull its upcoming convention in the wake of the controversial law HB2: Political Cartoonists.

Farewell to Joe Szabo

Joe Szabo, the founder of “WittyWorld” and friend of cartoonists across the globe, died suddenly while working at his desk at home in North Wales, PA, on February 2, two days shy of his 66th birthday.

Condolences

The AAEC Board wishes to extend our deepest condolences to our longtime friend and colleague Jeff Danziger upon the loss of his beloved wife Kim Gale on January 26. Kim was a lovely, vivacious, and brilliant companion and we offer our love to Jeff and his and Kim’s families.

Letter from the AAEC President – 2016

Dear fellow American cartoonists, satirists, animators and graphic journalists: I’m Bullish on 2016, and you should be too.
Yes, the attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo has in some ways altered the lens in which we view our craft. But in response to this and other assaults on the rights of cartoonists around the globe, we have strengthened our resolve as protectors of free speech. We have and must continue to remind the public of our vital importance to democracy and journalism, especially in light of such atrocities. That’s imperative to our mission and to the future survival of our great profession.

Telnaes Cartoon on Cruz: Statement from AAEC Board

The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC) stands in support with Ann Telnaes and her right to call out presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz for politicizing his daughters in a campaign attack ad. While it would be in bad taste to arbitrarily go after a public figure’s family, it is fair journalism to criticize the senator for using his own children to attack a political opponent. And that’s precisely what Ann’s cartoon has done. It does not stray from the time-honored tradition of cartoonists using satire to speak truth to power and protect the powerless – in this case, children.
Cruz ventured into new territory when he had his 7-year-old play an active attack role reading from a script in a campaign ad criticizing political opponents. The media should draw a distinction between this and when elected officials merely use their family in photo ops and positive campaign promotion as has historically been the custom.
Cartoons speak in metaphor, and the monkey image is integral to the age-old organ grinder symbol. Taken in full context, Cruz was clearly the target, but he and his supporters deflected the message by claiming his children were the victims. This is a technique many employ when in the crosshairs of satire, and the media must be careful not to fall for this argument hook, line, and sinker. While the editors at The Washington Post are free to edit how they see fit, in our view it would have been best to defend the cartoon once it had been published. Retracting it risks the appearance of caving to political pressure.

Statement from AAEC Board

Long-time AAEC members Gary Huck and Mike Konopacki are currently showing their cartoons in an exhibition at Cornell University, where they have come under attack from conservative and liberal critics on campus and off-campus.
Some have complained about the use of certain symbols, such as swastikas and Confederate flags. Others have implied rape imagery. Still others note that the cartoons solely attack the GOP.
Political cartoons employ imagery to make a point. Sometimes the meaning of the imagery is clear, sometime it is more ambiguous. But to willfully project an unintended meaning to a cartoon is offensive to the artist and the free expression of ideas.
In the case of Mr. Huck and Mr. Konopacki, there is absolutely nothing in the use of their imagery that is anything other than within the finest traditions of American editorial cartooning.
Mr. Huck and Mr. Konopacki are owed the full exposition of their work at Cornell, attendees of the exhibition deserve to see all of their work with no censorship, and the AAEC Board urges Cornell to be mindful that a university is a marketplace of ideas, and not a place for censorship or fear.
The AAEC Board of Directors strongly supports Mr. Huck and Mr. Konopacki.

AAEC Calls for Independent Investigation of LAPD’s Rall Tape

The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists board calls for an independent investigation of the Los Angeles Police Department’s tape of former AAEC president and member Ted Rall’s jaywalking stop in 2001. An impartial review of the tape of this incident is badly needed in this case.
Determining the truth in this matter is important to Mr. Rall’s personal and professional reputation, and to the rights of journalists to freely express themselves. Furthermore, the Los Angeles Times should have demanded a higher standard of proof in this matter, and it is clear that Mr. Rall is owed a full and complete analysis of the 14 year old tape used to make a judgment about his actions.
Should an independent investigation determine that Mr. Rall’s version of the events is accurate, we call upon the Los Angeles Times to publicly apologize, and make restitution. If it is also determined that the Los Angeles Police Department or a member of the police union manipulated the tape, as Mr. Rall alleges, they also owe Mr. Rall an apology and restitution.

AAEC calls for Maine Governor’s apology to George Danby

Maine Gov. Paul Le Page’s recent statement noting that he’d like to shoot Bangor Daily News cartoonist George Danby is nothing short of absolutely reprehensible. In light of the recent assassination of twelve people, including five cartoonists, at the Charlie Hebdo newspaper in France, Gov. LePage’s remarks are beneath contempt. Calling for the shooting of a newspaper cartoonist in this political environment by an elected official is unprecedented, and Gov. LePage sets a new low in political judgment and discourse. Danby himself noted that had he made a similar statement, he’d be arrested. The board of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists condemns Gov. LePage’s vicious, stupid and irresponsible statement. We call upon him to issue a public apology to George Danby.

AAEC Condemns Texas Attack

The shootings in Texas once again demonstrate that art is provocative, but we must not cower in the face of threats to this profession or to free expression. Political art, be it cartoons, paintings, sculpture, or anything else, is protected speech under the First Amendment. The group that sponsored the “art contest” has been labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The leader of the group seems to have her own tasteless and ignorant agenda. However, a group’s political agenda, whether we agree with its goals or not, is subject to the same constitutional protections we all enjoy. Cartoons are powerful, as has been repeatedly shown in the past few months, and the AAEC condemns this senseless attack.

AAEC Convention 2015, Columbus, Ohio

It’s time to make plans to come to this year’s AAEC Convention in Columbus, Ohio! It will be held Thursday, Sept. 3, through Sunday, Sept. 6, and hosted by the OSU Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum and the Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD). Day programming and public sessions will be held at CCAD, with separate events at the Billy Ireland, which will open up its cartooning treasure vault for the convention. There will be a sit-down banquet and awards ceremony Saturday evening. We will update you soon with an outline of the convention schedule.

Farewell to a former AAEC president

The AAEC expresses its condolences to the family of Jack Jurden, the longtime editorial cartoonist for The Wilmington News-Journal. Jack died March 19, at age 88. Jack was the president of the AAEC from 1976-77, and was a popular figure for years at the conventions.

AAEC Mission Statement

-To support the profession of editorial cartooning in the United States on all platforms.
-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.
-To be a national and international leader for free speech, the foundation of political cartooning.
-To encourage and foster young editorial cartooning talent.
-To provide a common meeting ground for editorial cartoonists each year to exchange views, meet socially, and showcase creative and technological innovation.

Zunar detained

The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists strongly condemns the detention of the political cartoonist Zunar by the Malaysian authorities. Zunar and his wife have been the subject of continued harassment by police in Kuala Lumpur.

Sunshine Week

Fellow cartoonists, — This is from Anders Gyllenhaal, Vice President for News at McClatchy and a member of the ASNE Board of Directors. He’d like us to contribute cartoons about Sunshine Week, which is March 15-21. Please consider doing a cartoon for this important week. Thanks! – Jack

Condolences to the Menees family

The AAEC community wishes to extend its profound condolences to Tim Menees and his wife, Kay. Their son, Timmy, died of complications from a head injury at age 40. Timmy was a big-hearted man who worked in the non-profit sector. Tim was the longtime editorial cartoonist for The Pittsburgh Press for decades, a great friend to all cartoonists, mainstay of the AAEC band the Toontones, and a truly multi-talented man.

Best wishes to a friend

The AAEC community wishes former Sacramento Bee cartoonist Dennis Renault a speedy and full recovery following a bicycle accident a few months ago. Dennis has been in physical therapy for weeks, and, despite some setbacks, is improving. Through his wife Marty, you can send him at note at marty.renault@icloud.com.

AAEC Statement: We Condemn the Attack on the Charlie Hebdo Magazine

The gruesome attack on the newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris, France today reminds us that freedom of expression in cartooning is not a given in many parts of the world. Charlie Hebdo was also attacked in 2011, and continued to publish. The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists condemns this revolting act of violence, and stands with the international cartooning community in mourning the loss of twelve people, including several police officers who were executed.

Farewell, Jon Kennedy

The AAEC expresses condolences to the family of former Arkansas Democrat cartoonist
Jon Kennedy, a charter member of the AAEC at its founding in 1957. Jon passed away
at 96 on Oct. 10, during the 57th AAEC convention in San Francisco. Jon Kennedy was
a hugely talented and thoughtful cartoonist who mentored many young cartoonists,
notably Dwane Powell and countless others. His strong and capable artwork was
beautiful and compelling. The AAEC would not have been possible without Jon’s
efforts.

Farewell, Tony Auth

Tony Auth’s colleagues and friends in the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists are profoundly saddened by his death. Tony was one of a small handful of that magnificent generation of 1960s and 1970s cartoonists who re-created what we do today. A brilliant, original editorial cartooning voice is gone. Tony’s drawing style was unique. The fluidity, […]

Herblock Prize eligibility expanded

The Board of the Herblock Foundation just voted to include monthly newspaper and magazine publications in the eligibility for the Prize.
The deadline is February 3rd.
For more information, please visit https://www.herbblockfoundation.org/herblock-prize

Roy Peterson, Fearless Cartoonist

Vancouver Sun sketcher, and my mentor, was almost as great a journalist as he was a human being.
By Bob Krieger, 2 Oct 2013, TheTyee.ca

Aside from being an incredibly kind, humble, hilarious, brilliant and elegant gentleman, Roy Peterson happened to be a world class editorial cartoonist. He won more National Newspaper Awards than any other journalist, the Order of Canada, and more awards and honours than he or a mathematician could count.
Roy Peterson was born in Winnipeg in 1936. He died Monday, Sept. 30, joining the love of his life, Margaret, and leaving two sons, three daughters, nine grandchildren and a massive hole in journalism business.

Roy Peterson: Memorial and Memories

The celebration of the life of Roy Peterson will be held Friday Oct 11th from 2-4 at Hollyburn Country Club in West Vancouver.
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Remembrances from Colleagues…

Cartoonist Roy Peterson’s precise aim was piercing

Longtime Sun artist picked up seven National Newspaper Awards in a career that established him among the greats of Canadian journalism
By Pete McMartin and John Mackie, Vancouver Sun October 2, 2013
There was that about him that, physically, was pen-like — the sharp line of his nose and profile, the quiet manner hiding a pointed intelligence, a humour that could be as black as ink. Roy Peterson drew more than editorial cartoons with his pen. He took aim.
He died Sunday. He was 77. He was on his living-room couch in his West Vancouver home.
“I went into the kitchen to fill up a glass of water he needed for his medications,” son Laurie said, “and when I came back a few seconds later he was gone.”
He leaves behind five children, nine grandchildren and a body of work that for the honours it received was unmatched in the history of Canadian journalism.
Read more: https://www.vancouversun.com/news/Cartoonist+Peterson+precise+piercing/8979624/story.html#ixzz2h07cuWPF

Farewell to a dear friend and colleague

The AAEC is profoundly saddened to hear of the death of Roy Peterson, an extraordinary editorial cartoonist and longtime friend to many in our organization. We extend our condolences to Roy’s family and friends and will be posting a memorial remembrance shortly.
In addition to being a wonderful human being, Roy Peterson was the only Canadian journalist to win seven National Newspaper Awards. Please visit: https://www.vancouversun.com/news/Acclaimed+editorial+cartoonist+Peterson+dies/8978763/story.html

The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists Endorses Originality

A Statement by the Board of the AAEC: The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists Endorses Originality.
Passing someone else’s work off as your own is not tolerated in written reporting,
and it should not be tolerated in political cartooning. Indeed, it is not tolerated
within the membership of our association. Further, reselling old cartoons with only
a few labels changed is just plain bad for both the art form and for business.

2012 Contest Entry Information

It’s that time of year again, cartoonists. Get your packets together, fill out those entry forms, and write those checks to win the most prestigious awards of the profession. Deadlines may be closer than they appear.

AAEC Convention Report: 2012, Washington, DC

Exploiting the fervid political turbulence of the election season, this year’s convention was deliberately scheduled to take place September 13-15, after the nominating conventions of the two political parties, when the antics of editoonists at their drawing boards could become a public spectacle in the form of “A Festival Celebrating the Political Cartoon.”

An Experience of the AAEC Convention

In mid September I attended the 56th annual convention of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists in Washington D.C. It was an enjoyable event and I managed to meet many cartoonists whose work I deeply admire. Two years ago I had attended an AAEC convention in Portland, Oregon, and had a good time. This year it seemed very appropriate for the convention to take place in our capitol as it is an election year. It was my first time in Washington D.C. and I had time to visit the great monuments and talk to other political cartoonists from across the country.

AAECers and CRNI Protest at the Malaysian Embassy

Armed with a bullhorn, cartoon placards and the right to assemble, the Cartoonists Rights Network International, AAEC cartoonists (Pat Bagley, Drew Rogier-Chapman, Nik Kowsar, Jeff Parker, and Matt Wuerker), and local Amnesty International members, held a small protest in front of the Malaysian embassy in Washington, DC as a show of solidarity with Malaysian editorial cartoonist Zunar, one day before the AAEC convention kicked off.

2012 Convention Report: Showdown at the Library of Congress

AAEC conventions are marked by an atmosphere of warm collegiality. Cartoonists of all philosophical persuasions are welcome, and although the individual members are possessed of an array of strong political points of view, there is very little in the way of heated arguments at these events. There are no blood feuds, no screaming matches, and most surprisingly, no drunken punch-outs over politics.

Jack Ohman Joins the Sacramento Bee

Ohman is known as an avid fly fisherman, and for The Bee and Sacramento, his hiring is a major catch. Few cartoonists working today have been so widely lauded and published. At age 19, Ohman was the youngest cartoonist to be nationally syndicated, and his work now appears in more than 300 publications nationwide through Tribune Media Services.

An Interview With Ann Cleaves

Ann Cleaves began cartooning as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Liberia. As a volunteer in Fiji she illustrated schoolbooks for the Fiji Ministry of Education. She taught art in the Boston public schools, and cartooning courses in Texas. She also taught high school subjects in the adult division of the Los Angeles School District from 1988 to 2004. Ann and her husband Courtland live in Los Angeles.

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.