Scott Adams 1957-2026

From AP News.

Scott Adams, whose popular comic strip “Dilbert” captured the frustration of beleaguered, white-collar cubicle workers and satirized the ridiculousness of modern office culture until he was abruptly dropped from syndication in 2023 for racist remarks, has died. He was 68.

His first ex-wife, Shelly Miles, announced the death Tuesday on a livestream posted on Adams’ social media accounts. “He’s not with us right anymore,” she said. 

The end of Artizans

 

Edmonton Sun editorial cartoonist Malcolm Mayes informed his clients yesterday that he was pulling the plug on Artizans, the cartoon syndicate he created decades ago.

Artizans carried the works of mostly Canadian cartoonists but also counted on its' roster the late American cartoonist Ed Hall as well as Cuba's Alfredo Martirena.

Dale Cummings, Sue Dewar, Paul Fell, Jake Fuller, Graham Harrop, Marian Kamensky, Chuck Legge, Graeme Mackay, Bruce MacKinnon, Theo Moudakis, Dan Murphy, Adrian Raeside, Vance Rodewalt. Harley Schwadron and Wes Tyrell will now have to distribute their own work.

A few had already lost full-time positions in the past and relied on the syndicate for a modest income.

Book Banning Series in Crankshaft Comic Strip

From The Daily Cartoonist. 

Tom Batiuk, creator of the tremendously popular Crankshaft and Funky Winkerbean comic strips, has created a compelling storyline that illuminates the challenges librarians and store owners currently face around book banning. 

 The series began August 26 [2024] in the Crankshaft comic strip and continues through October. 

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…

Nancy Beiman Introduces "Fur Babies"

From Fur Babies

Veteran animator Nancy Beiman retired last Fall and then when Winter came, took up comic stripping.

‘Dilbert’ dropped after cartoonist’s racist rant

From The Washington Post.

Newspapers across the United States have pulled Scott Adams’s long-running “Dilbert” comic strip after the cartoonist called Black Americans a “hate group” and said White people should “get the hell away from” them.

Chris Browne, long time cartoonist of Hägar the Horrible, has died

From The Comics Beat.

Chris Browne, the continuing cartoonist of the popular ongoing syndicated comic strip  Hägar the Horrible – and son of the series’ original creator Dik Browne – has died following a long illness. 

He was 70 years old. The news broke mere days after the strip passed its landmark fiftieth anniversary.

Counterpoint Media to Launch New Cartoon Syndication Platform

From Counterpoint. 

Counterpoint Media, an independent organization of political cartoonists of all perspectives, will represent former Washington Post syndicated editorial cartoonists and more beginning on June 1st. 

The initial list of cartoonists for licensing and syndication includes: Clay Bennett, Lisa Benson, Tim Campbell, Jeff Danziger, Jack Ohman, and current Counterpoint contributor Pedro X. Molina. 

Counterpoint will service each cartoonist’s existing clients while eventually expanding the roster of talent available.

The last few years have proven tough for political cartoonists – economic pressures on newsrooms have led to major publications eliminating the role of editorial cartoonists, and some have stopped printing cartoons entirely.

Lalo Alcaraz wins the 2022 Herblock Prize

From NBC News

Lalo Alcaraz, a Los Angeles-based political cartoonist, becomes the first Latino recipient of the prestigious 2022 Herblock Prize in recognition of his editorial cartooning and his "passion, dedication and brilliance" in covering civil rights and other issues impacting U.S. Latinos.

The $15,000 award announced Thursday by the Herb Block Foundation is named after the late Washington Post syndicated editorial cartoonist Herbert Lawrence “Herblock” Block, who for many years was best-known for his commentaries on domestic and foreign policy issues.

De Adder reprinted in "The Washington Post"

 

The above cartoon, drawn by Michael de Adder for Counterpoint, was republished (in black and white) in today's edition of The Washington Post.

A Cartoon Collection by Harry Bliss and Steve Martin

 

Entertainer Steve Martin has joined forces with New Yorker cartoonist Harry Bliss and will be collaborating on the syndicated “Bliss” cartoon panel indefinitely.

Steve shared caption and cartoon ideas, Harry provided artwork, and together they have created A Wealth of Pigeons, a collection of humorous cartoons and comic strips, with amusing commentary about their collaboration throughout.

Underground cartoonist and production designer Ron Cobb dies at 83

 From The Hollywood Reporter.

Ron Cobb, the underground cartoonist turned production designer who influenced the making of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and helped shape the worlds of Conan the Barbarian, Alien and Back to the Future, has died. He was 83.

Cobb died Monday — his birthday — of Lewy body dementia in Sydney, his wife of 48 years, Robin Love, reported.

Former Universal Press Syndicate President Lee Salem Dies

Lee Salem, 73, of Leawood, KS, passed away on September 2, 2019.

"Mo" by Ann Telnaes

From GoComics.

Washington Post editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes now produces a weekly comic strip "Mo", syndicated by GoComics.

Comic Strip Pulled Over ISIS Reference

From National Coalition Against Censorship.

Cartoonist Stephen Pastis, creator of the popular comic Pearls Before Swine, announced on his Facebook yesterday that his July 27 strip was pulled by syndicators and newspapers for being overly offensive.

Garry Trudeau announces extended hiatus

Michael Cavna in The Washington Post.

What do you want first: the bad news or the worse news?
Okay, the bad news: Doonesbury is going on hiatus (again). The worse news: The sabbatical is entirely open-ended.

I Wish I'd Drawn… (28)

... this wonderful cartoon by Dan Murphy.

While we're on the subject of the Conservatives, this one by David Parkins in Monday's Globe & Mail:

2013 NCS Cartoonist of the Year Nominees

From the National Cartoonists Society website.

NCS membership nomination voting has been tabulated, and the nominees for the 2013 Reuben Award for “Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year” are: Wiley Miller, Stephan Pastis, Hilary Price and Mark Tatulli.

Trudeau puts daily ‘Doonesbury’ on long-term hiatus to work on renewed ‘Alpha House’

Michael Cavna in Comic Riffs.

At this point in Garry Trudeau’s career, John Goodman has just proved to be more irresistible a roommate than Zonker.

Hello, daily call sheet; goodbye for now, daily comics page.

Bill Watterson Interviewed in Comics Journal

Excerpts from a Richard Samuel West interview in The Comics Journal #127 (March 1989).

Bill Watterson values his privacy and only rarely gives interviews. He agreed to do this one on the grounds that Calvin and Hobbes be the center of discussion. The interview was conducted, transcribed, and edited by Richard West, editor of the late and lamented political cartoon journal Target, and longtime friend of Watterson.