Jump to November 2011 archive page: 1 2
  • RIP Bil Keane

    I just found out that my friend Bil Keane, the legendary cartoonist and creator of “The Family Circus,” died yesterday of congestive heart failure at the age of 89.

    Bil Keane, creator of "The Family Circus."

    Bil started his career as a messenger fro the Philadelphia Bulletin before serving in the Army, drawing for Yank and Pacific Stars and Stripes. It’s hard to believe that Bil starting drawing the adventures of Billy, Jeffy, Dolly and P.J. all the way back in 1960. After nearly a half century of continuous publishing, Family Circus is in over 1,500 newspapers across the country.

    Bil was also the president of the National Cartoonists Society from 1981 to 1983 and was the emcee of the Society’s annual awards banquet for 16 years. He was also named the Society’s Cartoonist of the Year and received the Reuben Award in 1982.

    Bil’s talented son Jeff, who has been working on Family Circus for many years, will continue the legendary panel.

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  • Joe Paterno Scandal

    Rick McKee / Augusta Chronicle (click to start slideshow)

    Joe Paterno is Penn State. The legendary coach is now expected to retire at the end of the season as he has suddenly found himself in the middle of a horrifying child sex abuse scandal.

    Jerry Sandusky, his former assistant coach and one-time heir, is accused of assaulting boys as young as 10 between 1994 and 2009.

    What do our cartoonists think about all this? Check out our new Joe Paterno Scandal cartoon slideshow to find out.


     

  • Toon-Off: Do-nothing Congress

    If anyone wonders why Congress has an approval rating of just 9 percent, simply look to a recent vote passed by the House of Representatives that reaffirmed the phrase "In God We Trust" as the official motto of the United States. I don't know what this does to create jobs, and I'm pretty sure there are more pressing issues Congress should be addressing.

    So who drew the best cartoon about Congress - John Darkow of the Columbia Daily Tribune, or David Fitzsimmons of the Arizona Daily Star?

    John Darkow / Columbia Daily Tribune

    David Fitzsimmons / Arizona Daily Star

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  • Charlie Hebdo – Love Is Stronger Than Hate

    If you’re a magazine publisher, what do you do after your offices are firebombed and your Web site is hacked after you release an issue “guest edited” by the Prophet Muhammad?

    You double down, of course!

    The French satire magazine Charlie Hebdo hasn’t let last week’s firebombing keep them down. In fact, they didn’t even let it mess up their production deadline. Their next issue was released on schedule, and features a doozy of a cover drawn by the French cartoonist Luz showing the cartoon likeness of Charlie Hebdo publisher and cartoonist Charb engaged in a sloppy kiss with a bearded Muslim man. The headline reads L’Amour plus fort que la haine, which translates into “love is stronger than hate.”

    Unlike last week’s edition, which featured the Prophet Muhammad on the cover saying, “100 lashes if you don’t die of laughter”, there is nothing specifying that it’s Muhammad on their latest cover. Last week’s edition was also renamed Charia Hebdo (which is a play on the Islamic word sharia), and was intended to “celebrate” the victory of an Islamic party in last month’s Tunisian elections.

    For his part, Luz refuses to condemn religious extremists for the attack, writing that people should be cautions before laying blame.

    “There’s every reason to believe it’s the work of fundamentalists,” he wrote. “But it could just as well be the work of two drunks.”

  • Toon-Off: Underwater mortgages

    It's a scary time for homeowners. According to quarterly data, nearly 30 percent of homeowners with mortgages owe more on their loans than their homes could sell for. Even worse, with more foreclosures creating a glut of unsold homes, it looks like home prices are starting to fall again.

    So who drew the best cartoon about our terrible housing market - Jeff Parker of Florida Today or Jimmy Margulies of The Bergen Record?

    Jeff Parker, Florida Today

    Jimmy Margulies, The Bergen Record

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  • Toon-Off: Cain Allegations

    We're now in week two of the Herman Cain sexual harassment controversy, and the only thing we know is Mr. 9-9-9 has been able to survive this brush up relatively unscathed. The former Godfather's Pizza CEO has moved to the top of GOP presidential polls by being a folksy straight-talker, and to many of his supporters hate the media as much as they dislike Obama, making it easier to weather the political storm.

    So who drew the best cartoon about the sexual harassment claims - Brian Fairrington of PoliticalCartoons.com, or Rick McKee of the Augusta Chronicle?

    Brian Fairrington / PoliticalCartoons.com

    Rick McKee, Augusta Chronicle

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  • Euro Debt Crisis Cartoons

    Hajo / PoliticalCartoons.com (click to start slideshow)

    The entire world is waiting and watching Europe, as Eurozone countries attempted to bailout Greece and prevent them from defaulting on their debt. Greece is still in trumoil, as Prime Minister George Papandreou has decided to step down as soon as a new coalition comes together push the bailout deal through parliament and keep the nation from going bankrupt. 

    What do cartoonists from around the world think about what's going on in Europe? Check out our new Euro Debt Crisis cartoon slideshow to find out. 


     

  • Best Cartoons of the Week

    Bill Day / PoliticalCartoons.com (click to start slideshow)

    Every Friday, we collect the best political cartoons of the week and stuff them into one big, glorious slideshow.

    Herman Cain dominated the news cycle, as sexual harassment allegations were unearthed about the former Godfather's Pizza CEO. In addition, the Occupy Wall Street protests continued to pick up steam, even as Greece threatens to destroy us all!

    Catch up on it all by checking out our Week in Political Cartoons slideshow.


  • Toon-Off: Occupy Oakland crackdown

    One of the most contentious Occupy protests is going on in Oakland. More were arrested yesterday, including journalists, a week after an Iraq War veteran suffered a brutal injury during a police crackdown of an Occupy camp.

    Some blame the long-brewing tensions between Oakland and its troubled police department as protesters called for a general strike, which prompted hundreds of downtown workers to stay home or leave their jobs early.

    So who drew the best cartoon about the Occupy Oakland crackdown - Monte Wolverton of PoliticalCartoons.com, or Rick McKee of the Augusta Chronicle?

    Monte Wolverton / PoliticalCartoons.com

    Rick McKee / Augusta Chronicle

    RELATED: Cartoonist Susie Cagle Arrested While Covering Occupy Oakland


     

  • Cartoonist Susie Cagle Arrested While Covering Occupy Oakland

    UPDATE #4: Susie appeared on ABC7 News to talk about her arrest:

    UPDATE #3: Susie has been released from Santa Rita, but she has been charged with misdemeanor “present at raid.” According to Susie, she had her press pass in full view when she was arrested, and one of the Oakland Police Department officers even recognized her and knew her comics.

    UPDATE #2: Susie has been “signed out” of Santa Rita, but it’s still an indefinite amount of time before she is released.

    UPDATE #1:
    Susie is being held at Santa Rita Jail in Alameda County, California, charged with unlawful assembly, even though she was there covering the event and had a press badge. Obviously, they took her phone when she was arrested, but you can follow updates on her Twitter feed, @Susie_C. It’s being updated by her friend Joel Kraut (@myunderpants).

    I’ll keep you posted as I know more.

    As many of you know, my daughter, cartoonist Susie Cagle, has been covering the Occupy Oakland protests. Last week, she was teargassed when police attempted to prevent a peaceful march of Occupy Oakland protesters from walking to the police department.

    One of Susie's sketches.

    Last night, Susie was arrested along with dozens more, according to police. She’s been spending time at Occupy Oakland as part of her graphic series of the movement, which she funded through Spot.Us.

    She’s not the first journalist to be arrested trying to cover Occupy movements. Nashville Scene reporter Jonathan Meador was one of two dozen or so people arrested by Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers at Occupy Nashville.


    Here is her Twitter stream from last night:

    #occupyoakland going to north county jail

    #occupyoakland arrested in wagon now

    #occupyoakland sounds like they are declaring unlawful assembly at north end of plaza

    #occupyoakland oh and suddenly I’m on the other side of the police line, in the plaza, where assembly was supposed to be allowed

    #occupyoakland Occupiers possibly holding another building here. Police are lining up on north side of plaza.

    #occupyoakland At 16 and San Pablo now, under police helicopter lights. Wonder what this looks like from the plaza.

    #occupyoakland listening to police radio as they point out their targets in the crowd 2 blocks south

    #occupyoakland San Leandro coming in on OPD relief at 17 & Telegraph

    #occupyoakland cops pointing at me, oh great

    #occupyoakland being blocked by police at 17 and Telegraph. “is the jail going to be able to handle this?” over radio

    #occupyoakland three minutes to leave, police: “mask up!!”

    #occupyoakland first gas of the night? Big bang, “unlawful assembly” announcement

    #occupyoakland Far more tear gas masks on cops here tonight than broken windows in downtown

    #oaklandstrike bus fulls of police in riot gear heading south on broadway just a few blocks

    #occupyoakland nearly run over by black bloc pushing dumpster into growing barricade. Also wood pallets, tires, newspaper boxes.

    #occupyoakland 16th street barricaded by trash cans now, police copter circles lower and lower.

    #occupyoakland Raheim Brown Free School & Community Center. Guessing this is what my source meant by the 2nd library

    #occupyoakland banners unfurled from the roof declare the building a free school & community center

    #occupyoakland “they didn’t break into it, they had the keys” says crowd

    I’ll post more as I know more. In the meantime, follow her on Twitter @Susie_C.

  • Toon-Off: Greek debt

    A European deal to bail Greece out of its massive debt crisis appears to be on the verge of unraveling, causing volatility in stock markets around the globe. Greece Prime Minister George Papandreou will allow voters to accept or reject the European bailout plan, which installs tax increases while making drastic welfare cuts. If voters reject it, Greece could default on its debt and plunge all of Europe into another recession.

    So who drew the best cartoon about this messy situation - Deng Coy Miel of Singapore, or Joep Bertrams of The Netherlands?

    Deng Coy Miel / Singapore

    Joep Bertrams / The Netherlands

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  • Claims against Cain cartoons

    Nate Beeler / Washington Examiner (click to start slideshow)

    Up until a couple of days ago, Herman Cain enjoyed being the media darling of the GOP presidential race. Unfortunately, Politico unearthed the news that the former Godfather's Pizza CEO had been accused of sexual harassment. Now Mr. 9-9-9- has been bending and contorting like a pretzel, trying to defend himself amid the increased media scrutiny.

    What do cartoonists think of this blow up? Check out our Claims against Cain cartoon slideshow to find out.

    RELATED: Herman Cain Toon-Off  |  Herman Cain for President cartoons

  • Toon-Off: Herman Cain

    Herman Cain's 9-9-9 campaign has hit a bit of a road bump, as allegations of sexual misconduct have come to light about the former Godfather's Pizza CEO.

    So who drew the best cartoon - Rick McKee of the Augusta Chronicle, or Adam Zyglis of the Buffalo News?

    Rick McKee, Augusta Chronicle

    Adam Zyglis, Buffalo News

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  • Toon-Off: Occupy Wall Street

    Occupy Wall Street continues to amass followers and strength, despite crackdown efforts in towns like Oakland and Nashville. The protests are having a strong effect on our current politics, as the conversation has changed in Washington and has begun to include discussions on income and wealth inequality and jobs.

    So who had the best cartoon today - my cartoon for msnbc (view more of my cartoons here), or Nate Beeler's cartoon for the Washington Examiner?

    Daryl Cagle / msnbc.com

    Nate Beeler / Washington Examiner


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