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!


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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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

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. ‬

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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: […]

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 […]

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/

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, […]

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 […]

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

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/

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 […]

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/

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

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Call for Entries: 21st International Biennial of Graphic Humor

(Ed note: Two decades ago, cartoonists from the AAEC went to Cuba as part of a cultural exchange trip. Here's an opportunity for them to return.)   CALL FOR XXI INTERNATIONAL BIENNIAL OF GRAPHIC HUMOR CUBA 2019 The Humorist and Cartoonist Guild of the Union of Journalists of Cuba and the Museum of Humor of San […]

After the layoffs, Part I: Co-workers recall cartoonist Steve Benson

In the wake of sudden staff cuts at several Gannett papers last week, friends and co-workers of Steve Benson explained in no uncertain terms why he will be missed. (1) Karina Bland recalled the caricatures Benson drew for each staffer when they left at the Arizona Republic. The Steve Benson drawings you never saw and […]

A curious artifact from cartooning’s past

For several decades before television was ubiquitous, politicians in some parts of the country would often hire their supposed nemesis—editorial cartoonists—to draw them in paid political ads in the local newspaper A new article takes a look back at the forgotten practice: https://news.uark.edu/articles/45925/historical-quarterly-article-examines-lost-practice-of-paid-cartoon-advertising-in-arkansas-politics  

Overseas Press Club renames cartoon award

OPC Renames Cartoon Award by Patricia Kranz NEW YORK, December 17, 2018—The OPC Board of Governors has decided to make a change to the OPC’s award for best cartoons on international affairs. Since 1978, the award has been named for Thomas Nast, an influential American cartoonist in the 19th century. However, Nast’s legacy includes cartoons […]

Remembering Wayne Stayskal

Just before Thanksgiving, word came that cartoonist Wayne Stayskal had died. A prolific scribbler, Stayskal was an editorial cartoonist with the Chicago Tribune from 1972 to 1984, and then moved south to Tampa Tribune from 1984 to 2004. He worked on several strips and continued to be syndicated worldwide until he retired in 2010. Conservative commentator […]

On Banksy and cartoonists and memes

The Washington Post looks at how Banksy's self-shredding art blew up into a world-wide meme over the weekend. Michael Cavna talks to political artist JP Trostle [full disclosure: that's me] about why "Girl with a Balloon" became an instant trope for cartoonists and the internet. https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2018/10/09/banksys-stunt-has-become-meme-everything-people-think-has-been-shredded-like-constitution/?utm_term=.f862afdd4359    

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 […]

New voices, new formats in editorial cartooning

The last two years have seen a number of cartoonists turn their attention to politics (gee, we wonder why?). Two comic book artists, Pia Guerra and Mike Norton, are now doing regular editorial work, and both have books collecting their first wave of Trump cartoons.  Norton's weekly web comic "Lil Donnie" is now in one volume, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Gary Varvel is having a big summer

IndyStar editorial cartoonist (and long-time AAEC member) Gary Varvel is having a busy summer. His second children's book came out last month, he recently popped up on PBS talk show "Story in the Public Square" to discuss his changing views of Donald Trump, and he will be a guest lecturer along with cartoonists Mike Ramirez […]

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 […]

Bad news for a bad-ass cartoonist

Joe Sharpnack reports that a sudden condition has left him partially blind. The Daily Iowan has the story. Known for his wicked sense of humor, the stalwart Iowan's work has appeared in the Washington Post and USAToday over the years. He was a member of the AAEC for a time, before his iconoclastic ways lead […]

Apologies, apologies, apologies

Wow, a lot of mea culpa's this week — and a lot of people upset over cartoons, editors who apologized for cartoons they okayed, and cartoons that cartoonists apologized for. First up, there are always two sides to every firing: The Jerusalem Post doubled down on its reasoning for canning editorial cartoonist Avi Katz (even […]

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 […]

Critquing cartooning as “real” art

Among cartoonists it is well known that, with the exception of enlightened centers of learning such as Ohio State and their Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum (and to some degree Duke University), academia had been generally disdainful or ignorant of their artform. One Pittsburgh critic decides to look at the work of Rob Rogers […]

The week in Trump

So much newsing! Here are just a few drinks that we caught in our cup from the firehose that was Donald J. Trump this week: Friend of the AAEC Rod Emmerson found his "Trump Trophy" cartoon go viral worldwide. Barry Blitt talks about his latest New Yorker cover and how he SEES TRUMP EVERYWHERE. Bill […]

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 […]

Joel Pett interviews Rob Rogers for Cartoonists Rights Network

JOEL PETT INTERVIEWS THE PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE’S ROB ROGERS AND ASKS WHY HE OBJECTS TO HAVING HIS CARTOONS “PRE-FILTERED THROUGH THE SENSIBILITIES OF HUMORLESS CORPORATE LICKSPITTLES WHOSE LIVINGS DEPEND ON NOT ROCKING THE BOAT…OR THE SHIP OF STATE.” JUNE 17, 2018 — from the CRNI website A cartoonist is jailed. Another is charged with treason. A […]

Sunday reading: Your Rob Rogers update

[Hi, all. While I realize the AAEC feed has become All Rob, All the Time, I'm not going to apologize: his firing by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette appears to be a tipping point, and the events of the past few weeks have been a clarion call to cartoonists and news media everywhere. Support of Rob Rogers […]

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 […]

Cartoonist fired after refusing to apologize

Apparently American newspaper editors aren't the only ones who fold under criticism after initially approving an editorial cartoon. The German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung apologized for a cartoon criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that appeared in its pages last week. The image, which Dieter Hanitzsch drew in the wake of the Gaza massacre, was seen by […]

Joel Pett on Joel Pett

A sit-down drive-by interview with Kentucky cartoonist Joel Pett, as he looks back at his eclectic career. https://www.triplicate.com/opinion/6250166-151/angels-and-desperados-interview-with-an-editorial-cartoonist  

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 […]

Sunday reading #1: Who was Homer Davenport?

On heels of the announcement of the return of The Davenport International Cartoon Contest, R.C. Harvey takes a look at a recent book on the seminal political cartoonist. Here's his review:   DAVENPORT is one of the great names in American editorial cartooning, but almost nothing has been written about him—nothing, at least, approaching the scholarship […]

The Davenport Cartoon Contest returns

Calling all cartoonists—contest time! The Davenport International Cartoon Contest has returned! Named after famed political cartoonist Homer C. Davenport, who went after Gilded Age targets at the turn of the 20th century, the revamped contest has a July 17 deadline. Get all the details here: https://homerdavenport.com/tooncon/

Just in time for Happy Hour!

There's a bar in New York City where cartoonists have been drawing on the wall for years, with original artwork by some of the biggest names in the industry. Pony up to the bar — it's Happy Hour. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/11/nyregion/the-sistine-chapel-of-comic-strip-art.html

“Here’s why 2018 is a huge moment in the history of political cartoons.”

The Washington Post's Michael Cavna makes the case in Comic Riffs.    FOR MUCH of the history of American editorial cartooning, the standard format has held strong: a bold, single image carrying the entire metaphoric weight of the opinion being expressed. Major mainstream contests have reflected that primacy, including the Pulitzer Prizes for nearly a […]

Ward Sutton to receive Herblock Award

In a few hours, cartoonist Ward Sutton will receive the Herblock Award during an event tonight at the Library of Congress. Sutton talked to The Washington Post's Michael Cavna in this wide-ranging Comic Riffs interview.   Update: Comic Riffs posts a second interview with Sutton after the Herblock award ceremony. Oh and The Daily Cartoonist has […]

When an editorial cartoonist and H.L. Mencken joined forces to fight lynching

While Maryland was considered part of the north, and fought on the side of the Union during the Civil War, it is still south of the Mason-Dixon line, and African-Americans living there were lynched into the 1930s. In 1931, Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Edmund Duffy joined with H.L. Mencken in a years-long newspaper campaign to fight […]

Cartoonists “celebrate” World Press Freedom Day

May 3rd is #WorldPressFreedomDay — to mark the occasion, here are the winners of this year's World Press Freedom International Editorial Cartoon Competition. Lot of blood, sweat & tears here. https://bado-badosblog.blogspot.com/2018/05/18th-world-press-freedom-international.html

Keep an eye out for the Mr. Fish doc

Variety reviews the new doc on political cartoonist Mr. Fish (aka Dwayne Booth), calling it "a stubbornly amiable film about a compulsively provocative talent." The documentary has been playing film festivals around the country; look for showings at https://www.mrfishmovie.com/ https://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/mr-fish-cartooning-from-the-deep-end-review-1202791223/

U of VA to be Pat Oliphant’s forever home

Pat Oliphant,one of the most influential political cartoonists of the 20th century, has donated his papers to the University of Virginia, an archive that includes correspondence, original artwork, sketchbooks & sculptures.    https://augustafreepress.com/famed-political-cartoonists-archives-arrive-at-uva/     UPDATE: Radio IQ talks to Pat Oliphant about the recent donation of his papers to the University of Virginia. The […]

What me, Worry? MAD Magazine exhibit opens at Ohio State

There probably isn't an editorial cartoonist out there who hasn't been influenced by MAD Magazine. Long the fool's gold standard for satire, the 70-year-old publication recently went through a major change, moving from its long-time home in New York City to California. The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum celebrates the magazine's storied history with […]

Lalo on Coco, diversity & appropriation

Cartoonist and recent Academy Award winner Lalo Alcaraz held court over the weekend at SD Comic Fest '18 to discuss his political cartoons in the time of Trump, and his efforts to keep Pixar's Coco as authentic as possible. https://www.comicsbeat.com/sd-comic-fest-18-cartoonist-lalo-alcaraz-on-how-he-didnt-want-disneys-coco-to-be-the-aladdin-of-mexicans-and-more/   Lalo also sat in on a panel at the Comic Fest discussing cultural appropriation in […]

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 […]

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 […]

Sunday reading #4: A new exhibit on Ding Darling opens in Iowa

Reading for your Sunday afternoon #4: A new exhibit on Jay "Ding" Darling looks at one of the most influential cartoonists of the early 20th century. The multiple Pulitzer Prize winner's work had a profound effect on early conservation efforts across the country. https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/local/columnists/daniel-finney/2018/03/24/ding-darling-environment-conservation-wetlands-preservation-duck-stamp-cartoonists-drake-university/437563002/

Sunday reading #3: KAL celebrates 40 years at the The Economist

Reading for your Sunday afternoon #3: The Economist interviews it's own Kevin Kallaugher on 40 years of killer cartooning. Kal celebrates 4 decades with the venerable publication this April.   https://medium.economist.com/40-years-of-kal-cartoons-150145ea7a46?platform=hootsuite    

“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 […]

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

Political Cartoonist helps Coco win Oscar

A huge congratulations to cartoonist and long-time AAEC member Lalo Alcaraz. Lalo was part of the Pixar team that created Coco, which just (and justifiably) won the Oscar for Best Animated Movie. Alcaraz was one of the cultural advisors on the film, keeping Disney's efforts authentic, and helping to shape the movie into one of the […]

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 […]

Etta Hulme talk this Friday

Like political cartoons? Love the work of Etta Hulme? In Texas? Friends of the UTA Libraries will discuss the late cartoonist's groundbreaking work this Friday, February 9 at 7:30pm. Click here for details.

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, […]

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, […]

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 […]

How to draw Trump

After the Disney disaster, there have been no shortage of cartoonists pointing out where the audioanimatronic of Donald Trump went wrong. Matt Wuerker and Politico have put together a helpful guide on HOW TO DRAW TRUMP, with suggestions from some of the best cartoonists working today. And now, with out further collusion: https://www.politico.com/interactives/2017/drawing-trump/  

Like Santa? Thank cartoonist Thomas Nast

It's almost Christmas — which means it's time to roll out the annual retelling of how political cartoonist Thomas Nast helped create Santa Claus. https://www.investors.com/news/management/leaders-and-success/thomas-nast-drew-the-iconic-st-nick-and-created-political-cartoons/

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: […]

Dwane Powell talks turkey about cartooning

Cartoonist Dwane Powell appeared on WUNC's The State of Things Monday, Dec. 18, discussing his career and the future of editorial cartooning. Listen to the cached version here.

Books & shows, books & shows

If you like political cartooning, this season has some lovely sugar plums for you to enjoy. + + + +   David G. Brown has published a new book on the Obama legacy. "Barack, Race and the Media: The Obama Legacy" features a collection of political cartoons from Brown, Angelo Lopez, Lalo Alcaraz, David Horsey, Tim […]

Military cartoonist lands at Gettysburg

Veteran combat artist —and long-time AAEC friend— Chip Beck has a new gig: Artist-in-Residence at Gettysburg National Battlefield.  On Friday, Dec. 1, Beck will discuss his residency at an Artist Showcase Presentation at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is free, and open to […]

New show highlights women cartoonists and illustrators

The Library of Congress opens a major exhibit tomorrow focusing on women artists, including current AAEC President Ann Telanes. "Drawn to Purpose: American Women Illustrators and Cartoonists" looks at the work of 43 professional female illustrators over the last 150 years. The Library will release a companion book, by curator Martha H. Kennedy, in the spring […]

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 […]

Sunday reading #1: A look back at the work of John Chase

The Times-Picayune highlights the work of it's long-time editorial cartoonist John Chase, who, beginning in 1927, drew for the paper for almost 60 years. The article manages to leave out two important facts: Chase was instrumental in the establishment of the AAEC in the early years of the association, and he edited and published "Today's Cartoon," […]

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, […]

Announcing The Rollin Kirby Project

Joseph S. Colello has undertaken an effort to get cartoonist Rollin Kirby, the first winner of the Pulitzer Prize, commemorated on a U.S. Postal Stamp.

Peter Dunlap-Shohl: What was I thinking?

“The danger of asking a boy what he wants to be when they grow up is that he’ll answer with something ridiculous and impractical. And then stick with it. That’s been my formula for success….”

Rogers drops 25-year retrospective

Rob Rogers has published a 25-year retrospective of his work at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. With a Foreword by Dave Barry, “No Cartoon Left Behind! The Best of Rob Rogers” is now available from Carnegie Mellon University Press.

Endowment honoring Corky Trinidad seeks funding

By Belinda A. Aquino Today, the late Corky Trinidad would have reached the age of 70, and as far as we know, he never missed a deadline. Family, friends, colleagues and admirers have chosen this day to begin a campaign to memorialize Corky’s artistic and professional legacy. The “Friends of Corky” initiative aims to establish […]

Saving Pease

By Dennis Myers Jefferson High School in Portland, Ore., was built in 1909, and recently a clean up of its storage room turned up several dozen pieces of art, many of them by New Deal-era artists like Otis Oldfield and Elinor Stone.Also found were the originals of 19 cartoons by Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist Lucius […]

Founding Member Jim Lange, 82

Jim Lange, who for 58 years contributed cartoons to the editorial page of The Oklahoman, and was one of the founding members of the AAEC, died on April 16. Lange, 82, retired in October after a prodigious career for the daily newspaper in his adopted hometown. From 1950, when he joined The Oklahoman at the […]

Draper Hill, Dead at 73

Draper Hill, the long-time Detroit News cartoonist and eminent cartoon historian, passed away on May 13. In addition to his decades of work as a staff cartoonist, he published biographies of Thomas Nast and James Gillray, and was long considered the “institutional memory” of the AAEC. “He wanted to increase the awareness of people and […]

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.