Michael Maslin : You know, it?s funny, but I realized this evening while looking up your work on The New Yorker?s database that tomorrow is the 20th anniversary of your first appearance in the magazine, the issue dated December 13, 1993.
What was that moment like for you, selling that first drawing, and then seeing it in the magazine?
Frank Cotham: Total disbelief when I sold one to The New Yorker. I had been sending a batch to them every week for fifteen years ? the first twelve years or so were a little discouraging, but I was glad I kept with it.
Every week for 15 years. That’s persistence.
Every week for 15 years is definitely persistence, but also I’m sure a love of cartooning. If the ideas keep coming and the drawing and writing keep improving, why stop? His work at other publications during that period surely helped, too. Nice interview.
Interesting.
Mr. Cotham should also have mentioned the cartoon he copied verbatim from a Dana Fradon piece and had published in Saturday Review in the 1980’s. Saturday Review booted him over this.