Editorials Illustrated

Rounding up a few items about editorial cartoonists and cartooning.

For 13 months political commentator Michael Smerconish had had cartoonists contributing exclusive political cartoons to his newsletter three or four times a week; for the most part they have been Steve Breen, Jack Ohman, Rob Rogers, and Scott Stantis. Now he is publishing those cartoons in a book for this coming election.

Smercomics 2024 is scheduled to ship in the Fall of this year and is available for pre-order now.

The newsletter features twenty news links each day, hand-selected by Smerconish in an effort to deliver media balance in a polarized world. The newsletter also showcases the work of four award-winning editorial cartoonists who each draw exclusively for the newsletter one day per week: Steve Breen, Jack Ohman, Rob Rogers, and Scott Stantis. 

What better way to chronicle and remember the most tumultuous presidential election of our lives than to reproduce in book form the cartoons that tell the story of the 2024 presidential election? You might laugh or cry as you view the illustrations, but you will certainly enjoy them.

Format: Hardbound, Landscape. Number of Pages: 320 pages Measurements: 12 x 9-inches; 5lbs (5#!)
Publication Date: Fall, 2024

In the video promo for the book Smerconish hopes that the results of the November 5th election are finalized quickly and that, The Good Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, the book will reach customers before Christmas.

Michael Smerconish has an archive of the political cartoons at his website.

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As for Steve Breen…

We noted 10 months ago that Steve had joined inewsource. But lately the above promo is appearing on various social media pages. I guess just a reminder where to see Steve’s editoons and caption contests.

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Another book, but more graphic journalism than editorial cartoons.

Jane Rosenberg keeps her “go” bag by the front door. She never knows when she’ll get the call and have to head to court — not to argue a case but to draw it.

For more than 40 years, Rosenberg has traveled the country and sat ringside for some of the most dramatic high-profile trials, including those of Bill Cosby, Bernie Madoff, Harvey Weinstein, John Gotti and (multiple times) Donald Trump. After this spring’s Trump trial, “I needed a break desperately,” she said in a recent video interview from her home in New York.

In her new book, “Drawn Testimony,” she describes some of the costs of sitting that close to the action. “I have drawn scenes, including a man’s execution in the electric chair, that have left me feeling guilty, washing and rewashing my hands to expunge something more than pastel dust,” she writes.

Court sketch artists are a dwindling breed. But they remain vital because photographers aren’t allowed into many courtrooms, and artificial intelligence isn’t quite ready to take over. It’s a stressful and often wrenching job. “Oh no, it’s not happy,” Rosenberg said.

Nora Krug at The Washington Post interviews Jane Rosenberg about her work and her new book, “Drawn Testimony.” We had overlooked this book until Bado’s Blog informed us of its existence and The WaPo interview.

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While Australia may be a day ahead, they are looking at the year before.

We might be glad 2023 is in the rear-view mirror – but you do not want to miss Behind the Lines 2023: All Fun and Games!

Have a laugh or reflect on the year gone by in the latest retrospective of hot political issues of 2023, as seen through the eyes of Australia’s most insightful political cartoonists.

From The National Tribune:

Behind the Lines is a touring exhibition of 100 cartoons, developed by the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House (MoAD) in Canberra, Australia’s national collecting institution dedicated to sharing the stories of Australia’s democracy.

The exhibition is showing at The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre’s Kerry Packer Civic Gallery, University of South Australia from 4 September to 15 November.

A highlight of this year’s exhibition is a collection of works by Fiona Katauskas [emphasis and link added], a cartoonist for The Guardian, who was named 2023 Political Cartoonist of the Year. Judges acknowledged Katauskas’ work for its heart, humour, and diversity.