Back in January, when the world was “different,” the Portland political cartoonist submitted entries for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning. He became busy with other obvious pressing things to even think about the Pulitzer until Monday morning, May 4.
“I wasn’t aware that I was a finalist until about two hours before (the winner) was announced,” said Bors, who operates The Nib website and publications. “I tuned in and watched (the announcement) while eating lunch. They said my name.
“I had been a finalist before (in 2012) and it wasn’t out of the question to be chosen again, but I didn’t expect it. It was a nice little boost in these times.”
Bors, the first alt-weekly cartoonist to win the Herblock Prize for Excellence in Cartooning, is fighting the good fight for the political cartoon industry…he started The Nib six years ago.
The Nib features political cartoons, nonfiction journalistic cartooning and nonfiction comics, and it publishes daily content and quarterly “Power” magazines with themes — “Death,” “Family,” “Empire,” “Scams” and, most recently, “Animals.” An entire upcoming edition will be devoted to the pandemic. The Nib also has a strong social media presence.
The Portland Tribune talks to Matt Bors about The Nib, cartooning, politics, and changes.