Mike Smith is the long-time editorial cartoonist for the Las Vegas Sun,
a liberal-leaning paper inserted, due to a JOA, into a conservative-leaning paper.
Which may explain:
My voicemail message stating that threats will be archived is a reflection of the times. Reaction from readers has become more personal, threatening and angry in nature. I welcome reaction that makes a logical point, but I don’t want to listen to angry rants.
The Nevada Press Association recently interviewed Mike.
Las Vegas Sun political cartoonist Mike Smith has been a professional artist for more than 30 years. In addition to drawing a daily cartoon five days a week for the Sun, Smith is a syndicated cartoonist for King Features Syndicate. Approximately 270 newspapers nationwide distribute his work. He is also the author of StockcarToons, a weekly cartoon on NASCAR racing featuring his signature character Gearhead Gertie. He’s published three collections of NASCAR cartoon books, the latest was “Nuts for Racing.”
Some excerpts from the interview…
Then and Now:
Years ago my cartoons had to be finished by 3:30 pm for pickup by Federal Express. The cartoon arrived at the syndicate the next day where copies were made and mailed to clients. This process took three to four days. Today, once the cartoon is emailed to the syndicate it is available online to clients in 20 minutes.
These days:
Drawing the Trump administration is a daily roller-coaster ride. It has completely changed the way I approach my work due to the rapid barrage of daily headlines triggered by this White House. Before President Trump I could settle on a topic, come up with my ideas and complete the cartoon. Now it’s often necessary to throw away my ideas the same day and start the creative process over because of breaking news. On some days the challenge is to come up with ideas that aren’t about this president.
Read the NPA’s full interview with Mike here.
above: a recent StockcarToon. (Ignored in the interview; but being as sports cartoons and cartoonists are rarities in the 21st Century, I thought I couldn’t pass up the chance to show one.)
Mike is stellar in so many ways, as both political and stock cartoonist. The careening of the two careers has grown much more akin. He also manages a midpoint in the opinion spectrum which serves him well; too bad even there the waters are so close to a boil.