Clay Jones A Casualty of CNN Downsizing

From The Daily Cartoonist. 

Clay Jones informed fans and supporters last night that his CNN engagement has come to an end:

… One of the assistant editors, Jane, informed me last Friday (July 12) that after five years, I no longer had a freelance gig with CNN. The editor of the opinion section, Rich, gave me a courtesy call this morning to express his appreciation and to wish me well. 

I’m going to miss working with the Opinion team at CNN, but I never allowed myself to believe this would last forever…

Winners of the 9th World Humor Awards

From World Humor Awards.

The Comics Journal #310

From Fantagraphics. 

Multimedia artist and satirist Gerald Scarfe, best known globally for his Pink Floyd’s The Wall and Disney’s Hercules iconography, talks to Gary Groth about his scabrous film, TV, and comics career, spanning 60+ years.

Zach Rabiroff does a journalistic deep dive into Bill Jemas’s tenure as Vice President of Marvel from 2000–2004, the creation of the Marvel Ultimates Universe, and much more. 

Also: visual artists Aidan Koch (Earth Comics, The Blonde Woman) and Lale Westvind (Grip) in conversation; a Jess Johnson sketchbook; a Fair Warning interview with TCJ Best of 2022 cartoonist Juliette Collet; a look at Chris Companik’s HIV-awareness comics, original work by Allee Errico, and much more.

The Comics Journal #310

On sale August 27, 2024

$24.99

2024 Sigma Delta Chi Award Winners

From the Society of Professional Journalists.

Congrats to this year's recipients of the Sigma Delta Chi award from the Society of Professional Journalists.

Rob Rogers won in the category of Editorial Cartooning (circulation 40,000+), 

Canada's heat wave

From Vetustideces.

Canada's heat wave has sparked a humorous wave of softened architecture. 

The warped CN Tower in Toronto stands out in the urban panorama of David Parkins in The Globe and Mail, Bado turned those of the tower of the Federal Parliament of Canada located in Ottawa into soft Dalinian clocks. 

Jules Feiffer on the Artists and Works from His Collection

From Swann Auction Galleries.

David Levine, Jules Feiffer with Cigar, 1983, unpublished.

Jules Feiffer’s career spans decades, producing a remarkable range of projects and generating numerous awards and honors. 

His contributions to the field of comics since his start in the late 1940s have been recognized with his induction into the Comic Book Hall of Fame and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Writers Guild of America. 

His satirical strip, Feiffer, which explored contemporary politics and social issues, ran for 42 years and earned him a Pulitzer Prize in 1986. 

Cartoonist Symposium in Montreal

 

Canadian and American editorial cartoonists, as well as a few European guests, will meet this fall in conjunction with a conference on the digital future of the profession organized by the Université du Quebec à Montréal.

Iranian Cartoonist Sentenced to Six Years

From The Daily Cartoonist. 

From Iran International:

The Revolutionary Court of Tehran has handed down a six-year prison sentence to Atena Farghadani, a cartoonist targeted for her critique of the government.

According to her attorney, Mohammad Moqimi, Farghadani has been behind bars since her arrest on April 13, charged with “insulting sacred values and propagating against the ruling system”. 

Farghadani received five years for the former and an additional year for the latter. Moqimi blasted the proceedings as a “sham trial” in a post on the X, denouncing the judiciary’s manipulation of charges to secure the harshest possible sentence.

"What, Me Worry? The Art and Humor of MAD Magazine" Exhibition

From the Norman Rockwell Museum.

Illustration by Richard Williams

The Norman Rockwell Museum will explore the art and satire of MAD magazine in the exhibit, What, Me Worry? The Art and Humor of MAD Magazine. 

Over 150 pieces of original art will be displayed, including paintings, drawings, cartoons, ephemera, artifacts, and other media. 

One gallery will be focused solely on the work of Mort Drucker, who spent more than five decades drawing caricatures and illustrations for MAD.

Rainer Hachfeld 1939-2024

German political cartoonist and playwright Rainer Hachfeld died of a stroke in Berlin on May 27.

Born on March 9, 1939 in Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Hachfeld studied animation and stage design from 1956 to 1960 at the Master School for Arts and Crafts in Berlin

Reuben Nominees for 2023 Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year

From the National Cartoonists Society.

The National Cartoonists Society has revealed the nominees for the Reuben Award (Cartoonist of the Year). Due to a tie there are six finalist rather than the usual five.

• Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist Darrin Bell and the creator of Candorville. 
• Daniel Clowes – comic book creator of last year’s highly acclaimed graphic novel Monica.
• Cartoonist Will Henry, creator of the Wallace the Brave comic strip. 
• Hilary B. Price – cartoonist, storyteller, speaker (Hillary’s 12th year being nominated). 
• Phoebe and Her Unicorn comic strip and best-selling books cartoonist Dana Simpson. 
• Lio’s cartoonist and graphic novel author Mark Tatulli (Mark’s 11th nomination for The Reuben).

The winner of the Reuben will be announced on August 23, 2024 at the Reuben Awards Banquet, part of the annual NCS Conference held this year in San Diego.

Chinese agents hatched plot to kidnap RFA cartoonist

From Radio Free Asia.

Chinese security forces once sought to kidnap Radio Free Asia cartoonist Rebel Pepper, a defector has claimed to the Australian Broadcast Corporation, or ABC.

A Chinese national who used the pseudonym Eric revealed on the ABC program “Four Corners” that he once worked as an agent in the Ministry of Public Security, or MPS, where he was tasked with luring overseas dissidents back to China for the police.

Pictures at an exhibition

From the Facebook pages of Benoit Peeters and Jenny Robb.

The “Comics 1964-2024” exhibition opened yesterday at the Centre Pompidou.

750 original documents linking European, American and Japanese creations in a relevant and often magical way, undoubtedly makes it the most beautiful to date.

You can discover admirable originals by George Herriman, Geo McManus, Hergé, Calvo as well as creations by Lorenzo Mattotti, Chris Ware, Blutch, David B, Emmanuel Guibert, Catherine Meurisse and many others.

The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum also lent artworks by Winsor McCay, Will Eisner, Aline Kominsky-Crumb, Jay Lynch and Bill Watterson.

Turhan Selçuk Competition revokes winning cartoon

 

The first prize of the 14th Turhan Selçuk International Cartoon Competition has been revoked after allegations of plagiarism were levelled at the author. 

An investigation determined that Mehmet Akif Özdal had previously participated in various competitions by copying other artists’ cartoons.

Two Quebec journalists receive the Michener-Baxter Award

From the Michener Awards. 

The Michener Awards Foundation (MAF) announced it is awarding Chantal Hébert and Terry Mosher its prestigious Michener-Baxter Award for exceptional service to Canadian public service journalism.

The Michener-Baxter Award was established in 1983 and is presented at the discretion of the foundation’s board of directors. 

The award is named for Clive Baxter, who received the first Michener Award in 1971 from then-Governor General Roland Michener.

Ed Hall 1962-2024

Talented artist, editorial cartoonist, designer and teacher Ed Hall lost his battle to cancer last Sunday. 

He bravely battled the disease over the last 8 years, never letting it slow his creativity. 

"Comics on Every Floor" at the Centre Pompidou

From Paul Gravett's Facebook page.

Illustration by David B, "L’ascension du Haut Mal", 2002
© David B, courtesy L’Association & galerie anne barrault

This summer, the Centre Pompidou in Paris is presenting an exceptional celebration of the ninth art.

The "Comics on Every Floor" event explores the sheer breadth of diversity of this form of artistic expression, displayed in all areas of the Centre Pompidou and catering to all ages.

Here's the programme: 

New stamp series celebrates Canada's iconic graphic novelists

From Cision. 

Canada Post unveiled yesterday a stamp issue celebrating Canada's graphic novelists. 

The set of four stamps features the works of Chester Brown, Michel Rabagliati, Seth, and cousins Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki – all of whom have made significant contributions to the genre and continue a long line of Canadian storytellers honoured by Canada Post.

Toronto Cartoon Art Festival 2024

From the TCAF website.

Illustration by Nina Bunjevac

The Toronto Reference Library will be hosting the Toronto Cartoon Art Festival next weekend.

This Saturday at TCAF Joe Ollmann will be interviewing Seth, Chris Oliveros and Brad Mackay about their new book “The Collected Doug Wright: Canada’s Master Cartoonist (1963-1980)” live and in-person at the Hinton Room of the Toronto Reference Library at 12 p.m. 

Clay Bennett, 2024 Pulitzer Prize Finalist

From the Pulitzer Prizes website.

Columbia University today announced the 2024 Pulitzer Prizes, awarded on the recommendation of the Pulitzer Prize Board.

Medar de la Cruz, a New Yorker contributor, won the Illustrated Reporting and Commentary category.

The finalists were Angie Wang (contributor, The New Yorke), Claire Healy, Nicole Dungca and Ren Galeno (contributors, The Washington Post) and Clay Bennett of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

Alexandra Bowman awarded first John Locher Memorial Fellowship

From The Daily Cartoonist.

The John Locher Memorial Award has evolved into the John Locher Memorial Fellowship and the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists has announced that Alexandra Bowman is the first beneficiary of the new honor.

Bowman is a political cartoonist, journalist, and satirist based in Washington, DC. 

24th World Press Freedom International Editorial Cartoon Competition (Results)

First Prize: Bruce MacKinnon, Canada

The jury, composed of five members of World Press Freedom Canada committee, met on April 9 to select the winners of the 24th World Press Freedom International Editorial Cartoon Competition.

The theme, this year, was "Artificial Intelligence: yes or no?"

Clay Bennett Takes the 2024 Headliner Award

From The Daily Cartoonist.

The Press Club of Atlantic City has announced the winners of their 2024 National Headliner Awards.

The annual contest honors the best print, radio, television and online journalism in the United States published during 2023.

Clay Bennett of The Chattanooga Times Free Press won the Editorial Cartooning category. 

Bruce MacKinnon wins National Newspaper Award 2023

From the NNA Twitter account.

Bruce MacKinnon of the Halifax Chronicle Herald is the winner in the Editorial Cartooning category at the 75th edition of the National Newspaper Awards for a record ninth time.

Brian Gable of The Globe and Mail  and Michael de Adder (Halifax Chronicle Herald / Hill Times) were the finalists.

Gerhard Gepp 1940-2024

Austrian cartoonist and painter Gerhard Gepp died in Tulln an der Donau on 26 March 2024, at the age of 83.

Gepp was born in 1940 on the western edge of Vienna in Pressbaum where he lived and worked until his death.

Iran Alert – Atena Farghadani

From Cartooning for Peace.

The non-governmental organisation HRANA published an article drawing attention to the situation of the Iranian press cartoonist and former political prisoner Atena Farghadani. 

Arrested on April 13th and detained in Qarchak prison, she was clearly ill-treated during her arrest. 

She was allegedly arrested for trying to display one of her drawings on the wall of Avenue Pastor, where the presidential palace is located. The criminal charges against her have yet to be confirmed.

World Press Photo 2024 (Global Winners)

From World Press Photo 2024.

A Palestinian Woman Embraces the Body of Her Niece, Mohammed Salem, Reuters

Inas Abu Maamar cradles the body of her 5 year old niece Saly who was killed, along with her mother
and sister, when an Israeli missile struck their home, in Khan Younis, Gaza.

The photographer was at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis on October 17 when he saw Inas Abu Maamar, 36, in tears, holding the little girl's body wrapped in a white cloth in his arms at the morgue.

The photo was taken 10 days after the start of the conflict, sparked by an unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel.

The Zehra Ömeroğlu trial is postponed

 

The trial for "obscenity brought against cartoonist Zehra Ömeroğlu  for a drawing published in Leman which deals with the effects of Covid, could not be heard because the Istanbul Criminal Court judge of First Instance was excused.

The trial in which the illustrator risks a prison sentence is postponed until September 26.

Steve Brodner Wins Herblock Prize

From The Herblock Foundation.

Steve Brodner, Under Trump’s Comb-Over (2015).

Steve Brodner has been named the winner of the 2024 Herblock Prize for editorial cartooning. 

He has been a leading satiric artist for the last 40 years. His goal during this time was to find an outlet for various forms of political and social commentary in the world of independent, freelance art. 

Trina Robbins 1938-2024

From Bleeding Cool.

Trina Robbins at WonderCon 2023, photo by Gage Skidmore 

Comic book writer, artist, editor, publisher and historian Trina Robbins suffered a stroke at the end of February this year and died early Wednesday at the age of 85. 

She is also survived by her daughter Casey Robbins and her partner and fellow comics artist, Steve Leialoha.

Known for works like Vampirella & Wonder Woman, and a feminist comics historian, Robbins had a versatile career from clothing design to creating pro-choice comics.

She leaves a significant legacy in comics, fashion, music, and women's rights activism.

Nominees of the 20th Doug Wright Awards

From Doug Wright Awards.

Here is the list of nominees for the 20th annual Doug Wright Awards which will be presented at the Arts & Letters Club in Toronto on Saturday May 11, 2924.

World Press Photo 2024 (Regional Winners)

From World Press Photo.

Saving the Monarchs, Jaime Tojo, 2024 Photo Contest, North and Central America, Stories

Please find above a link to the 2024 World Press Photo regional winners.

Graeme Mackay meets pushback for an editorial cartoon

From Graeme Mackay's website. 

I was met with push back after my March 20 editorial cartoon depicting Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin engaged in military offensives against innocent civilians juxtaposed with Justin Trudeau announcing Canada’s decision to halting arms sales to Israel.

My mission as an editorial cartoonist includes observing Canada’s place in global affairs, and the vote by Parliament to suspend arms shipments to the Netanyahu government was significant and warranted reaction. 

While the cartoon may appear provocative to some, its intention is clear: to comment on current events and political decisions in a satirical manner.

Don Wright 1934-2024

From Wikipedia.

Long time Miami News and Palm Beach Post editorial cartoonist Don Wright passed away at 90 in West Palm Beach, Florida on Sunday, March 24.

Don Conway Wright was born on January 23, 1934 in Los Angeles, California and was the winner of two Pulitzer Prizes, having received one in 1966 and a second in 1980.

Cartoonist Jimmy Spire Ssentongo threatened

From Cartooning for Peace. 

Ugandan cartoonist Jimmy Spire Ssentongo, member of the Cartooning for Peace network, has received death threats after launching an anti-corruption campaign on X (formerly Twitter) calling Parliament to account. 

This is not the first time that Spire has highlighted dysfunctions in his country through social media campaigns that have earned him threats. 

But this time, Spire’s fears seem to have gone up a notch. He said that Parliament had requested access to his communications data from the Ugandan Communications Commission.

2024 Kesterton Lecture with Michael de Adder

From YouTube.

UDATE

Comics DC transcribes the part of Michael de Adder‘s lecture that involves his parting from The Washington Post:

The Association of Canadian Cartoonists defends Serge Chapleau

Nosfenyahou on his way to Rafah

In the last 24 hours that our colleague at La Presse in Montreal, Serge Chapleau, has been accused of antisemitism due to his latest cartoon of Benjamin Netanyahu.

The following is an excerpt from the CBC:

The 2024 Herblock Prize

From the Herblock Foundation.

Steve Brodner has been named the winner of the 2024 Herblock Prize for editorial cartooning. 

Steve Brodner has been a leading satiric artist for the last 40 years. 

His goal during this time was to find an outlet for various forms of political and social commentary in the world of independent, freelance art.

Dust-up among Canadian cartoonists

Mike Peterson from The Daily Cartoonist.

A bit of a dust-up among Canadian cartoonists, after Dave Whamond’s commentary on the bloodbath controversy drew a slap-down from the mysterious “Rivers” who is permitted to distribute his cartoons through Cagle without signing his real name or explaining his exemption.

National Newspaper Awards 2023 Nominations

The Canadian Daily Newspaper Association announced today the finalists of the 75th National Newspaper Awards.

Cartoonist Zehra Ömeroğlu risks imprisonment over pandemic cartoon

From Cartoonists Rights.

Sex and the pandemic… “At least I didn’t lose my taste and smell…”

Under the auspices of Türkiye’s Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services, the Directorate of Child Services convenes a Board for the Protection of Minors from Obscene Publications. 

On March 8th, 2024, the board returned a report to the Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, having at the judge’s request reviewed a cartoon by Zehra Ömeroğlu that appeared in the pages of LeMan humour magazine on November 25th, 2020.

Saltwire files for bankruptcy protection

From The Daily Cartoonist. 

A private equity fund is initiating insolvency proceedings against Atlantic newspaper owner SaltWire Network Inc., claiming it owes tens of millions of dollars after several years of mismanagement.

The SaltWire Network‘s major daily newspapers are The Chronicle Herald (Halifax), the Cape Breton Post, The Telegram (St. Johns) and The Guardian (Charlottetown).

Bruce MacKinnon and freelancer Michael de Adder are the main editorial cartoonists who could be affected by the newspaper group’s troubles.

A review of Angouleme '24

Dean Simons in Comics Beat.

If there is one thing you can guarantee about the Angoulême International Comics Festival, it’s that you will seldom have enough time to catch your breath – and that remained true for 2024. 

While comparatively quieter than the intense record-breaking crowds of the 50th-anniversary extravaganza last year, some 200,000 people still made their way to the self-proclaimed French capital of comics. 

As always, there were plentiful exhibitions, publishers, creators, and books to catch your eye and empty your wallet.

Basil Wolverton Collection donated to The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum

From The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum.

Monte Wolverton has donated a significant collection of his cartoonist father Basil Wolverton’s archives, ephemera, and some original art to the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum.

The "phony" in Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s ad

From The Guardian.

A ‘poorly considered’ use of AI has resulted in a perplexing number of fingers – and a large amount of mockery.

The couple’s tangled fingers are both too large and too many; there’s a strange sheen making them look more like wax dolls; and then there’s the clothes: she in a tulle gown encrusted with jewels, he in a tuxedo – and, simultaneously, a tulle gown encrusted with jewels. 

Also: she has a large cube on her lap.

It was apparently created by someone who has never seen an orchestra play, and imagines it as rows of violinists seated in the audience, many playing with three hands or one hand or no hands at all.

Mr. Fish accused of antisemitism

The denunciation of cartoons by Dwayne Booth aka Mr. Fish by a DC based  blog and the leveling of accusations of antisemitism has led to safety measures at the University of Pennsylvania where he is an adjunct lecturer.

As the conflict in Gaza continues, reports of both antisemitic and Islamophobic racism are spiking all over the world. 

24th World Press Freedom Canada International Editorial Cartoon Competition

The theme of the 24th International Editorial Cartoon Competition is:

Artificial Intelligence: yes or no?

Some believe that artificial intelligence (AI) will solve all our problems while it inspires apocalyptic talk in others.

AI can help journalists gather information, but “deep fakes” and voice simulators capable of generating believable audio segments, can sow doubt about the authenticity of content and put democracy at risk.

On the other hand, some politicians brandish the term “fake news” to denounce opposing opinions or deny reality.

Finally, using AI to generate illustrations on demand robs artists of their work and infringes on their copyright.

Fortunately, AI  hasn’t yet figured the number of fingers on one hand.

Harvard Faculty & Staff reposts antisemitic cartoon

From The Washington Post.

Harvard University is again embroiled in a controversy over antisemitism on campus, after student groups and a faculty group shared an antisemitic cartoon.

In a statement late Tuesday, Harvard interim president Alan M. Garber condemned the cartoon, calling it “flagrantly antisemitic,” after it was shared on social media by two student groups — the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee and the African American Resistance Organization — and reposted by Harvard Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine.

Jack Higgins 1954-2024

From The Chicago Sun-Times. 

Jack Higgins, Pulitzer Prize-winning Chicago Sun-Times editorial cartoonist died February 10 after a long illness.  He was 69.