Annual Convention

Annual Convention September 11-14, 2025

The AAEC will be joining the line-up at this year’s Small Press Expo as part of our annual convention in September 2025. Registration is now open.

Registration page

SPX website



 

2012 Convention Report: Showdown at the Library of Congress

by Tim Eagan

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.

That’s a good thing, I guess, but one might hope for a bit more conflict among a group of opinionated news junkies, if only for the entertainment value. We got a little taste of it, fortunately, at the Library of Congress with Thursday’s “An Inky and Pixel View of Campaign 2012.”

The panelists, aligned appropriately from left to right, were Ted Rall, Lalo Alcaraz, Steve Kelley, and Scott Stantis.

Ted, as you may know, is so far left that he thinks Barack Obama has a terrible singing voice. He also has some bee in his bonnet about secret torture and the deaths of innocent civilians caused by our glorious drone strikes. What planet is he from, I wonder?

Lalo (and his excellent hair) had some message or other about our common humanity and how brown people are just looking for the same things you and I are. I’m assuming you’re white here. Anyway, where does he get this stuff?

I found myself listening with rapt admiration as Steve, from the middle right, made a game defense of the concept of a Mitt Romney presidency. He may feel moved to tinker with his argumentation, however, given Mitt’s recent comments about the 47% (Steve, I advise you to double and even triple down).

Scott seemed to rest his philosophy on such old standbys as freedom, liberty, and personal responsibility, precepts which the predominantly lefty crowd found to be either charmingly naïve or simply laughable. And that whole love of country thing … c’mon, Scott.

Despite the free expression of these noxious views, attendees seemed to find the cartoonists engaging and even amusing, if that’s the right word. It occurred to this writer, in fact, that all the silliness about personal conviction and righteous outrage was some kind of big, fat, ironic put-on. We are talking about cartoons here, after all.

That sweet notion was exploded toward the end of the Q and A session. A class of middle school students was there, and one girl asked the panelists how they decided what they thought. Well, let me tell you that the guise of good-natured fun-poking fell away, sloughed off like the spent skin of some poisonous reptile, and they pounced almost as one on the poor, unsuspecting eighth grader.

Read, they barked at her. Don’t depend on anyone but yourself and your own sense of right and wrong to find your positions on public policy. Be skeptical, ask questions, make your own decisions, they hissed. The girl was led away sobbing.

I guess you could say it was a fun event (if you like using fun as an adjective). The presenters got the attention they so desperately crave, and the audience got to stare at a freak show. At one point, there even may have been a small advance in human understanding, but with all the laughing, it was quickly forgotten.

News Archives

  • Categories

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.


The Daily Cartoonist

Adam Zyglis Points to Boot Strap Hypocrisy, MAGA Clutches Pearls – Update (Death Threats)
Adam Zyglis Points to Boot Strap Hypocrisy, MAGA Clutches Pearls – Update (Death Threats)

A recent cartoon by Adam Zyglis involving natural disasters and the MAGA philosophy has right wing voices objecting to the “rules for thee, not for...


LOCHER FELLOWSHIP

The AAEC John Locher Memorial Fellowship is awarded each year to one early-career cartoonist whose work demonstrates clear opinions and strong artistry on political and social topics. Deadline to be considered is the end of March.

The Locher Fellow will receive a one-year Regular membership in the AAEC, be a guest of the CXC Festival — held every fall in Columbus, Ohio —  and have the opportunity to meet with editorial cartoonists during the year of the Fellowship for portfolio reviews and career advice.


CARTOONS FOR THE CLASSROOM

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.