RJ Matson is another one of the all time great editorial cartoonists! RJ was the longtime cartoonist for The St. Louis Post Dispatch and he draws for Roll Call in Washington DC, he’s drawn for Mad Magazine, The New Yorker and a gazillion different places. I went through our archives to select my favorite Matson Christmas cartoons – enjoy!
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Our reader supported site, Cagle.com, still needs you! Journalism is threatened with the pandemic that has shuttered newspaper advertisers. Some pundits predict that a large percentage of newspapers won’t survive the pandemic economic slump, and as newspapers sink, so do editorial cartoonists who depend on newspapers, and along with them, our Cagle.com site, that our small, sinking syndicate largely supports, along with our fans.
Pat Bagley is one of the all time great editorial cartoonists! Pat has drawn for the Salt Lake (Utah) Tribune for decades. I went through our archives to select my favorite Bagley Christmas cartoons – enjoy!
Want to get EVERY new CagleCartoon from our 62 syndicated newspaper editorial cartoonists, in your email box every day? Just become a Cagle.com HERO and you get the exclusive daily emails of ALL THE CARTOONS! See all the cartoons before the newspapers print them and never miss a cartoon! Support the cartoonists! Be a Cagle.com Hero!
Our reader supported site, Cagle.com, still needs you! Journalism is threatened with the pandemic that has shuttered newspaper advertisers. Some pundits predict that a large percentage of newspapers won’t survive the pandemic economic slump, and as newspapers sink, so do editorial cartoonists who depend on newspapers, and along with them, our Cagle.com site, that our small, sinking syndicate largely supports, along with our fans.
Here are our most reprinted cartoons of last week (December 27th through December 19th 2020).
Five of the cartoons have Christmas themes, eight of the cartoons are about COVID19. As usual, no drawings of Trump or Biden made the Top Ten. No cartoons about foreign issues were popular. There are three ties which is quite unlikely considering the large number of editors downloading cartoons.
The Top Ten cartoons are what readers see since only 20% of the cartoons get 80% of the reprints.
John Darkow won the week with a Christmas/COVID cartoon, Jeff Koterba had two cartoons in the Top Ten. Great work, gentlemen!
Our Top Ten is a measure of how many editors choose to reprint each of our cartoons, from the 62 cartoonists in our CagleCartoons.com syndication package. Just about half of America’s daily, paid circulation newspapers (around 700 papers) subscribe to CagleCartoons.com.
Our reader supported site, Cagle.com, still needs you! Journalism is threatened with the pandemic that has shuttered newspaper advertisers. Some pundits predict that a large percentage of newspapers won’t survive the pandemic economic slump, and as newspapers sink, editorial cartoonists who depend on newspapers sink too, and along with them, our Cagle.com site.
John Darkow wins the week with this Christmas/pandemic cartoon.
#2
Gary McCoy is tied for second place with another Christmas Pandemic cartoon.
#2
Dave Whamond shares the tie for second place with another Christmas/COVID combo cartoon.
#4
Steve Sack takes 4th place with yet another Christmas/COVID combo cartoon.
#5
Dave Granlund shares a tie for 5th place with this COVID vaccine cartoon.
#5
Bruce Plante shares the tie for 5th place with this vaccine cartoon.
#7
Jeff Koterba claims 7th place with a “what a bad year 2020 was” New Years cartoon – a theme that editors love.
#8
Dave Fitzsimmons wins 8th place with yet another Christmas/COVID combo cartoon.
#9
Pat Bagley ties for 9th place with an oldie that he strategically reposted to the syndication flow. This is the first time I can recall that a reposted oldie made the Top Ten. A heavy snowstorm hit the northeast, and Washington DC this week.
#9
Jeff Koterba shares 9th place with this vaccine cartoon, which is Jeff’s second cartoon in the Top Ten this week.
Want to get EVERY new CagleCartoon from our 62 syndicated newspaper editorial cartoonists, in your email box every day? Just become a Cagle.com HERO and you get the exclusive daily emails of ALL THE CARTOONS! See all the cartoons before the newspapers print them and never miss a cartoon!
This gag is stolen from a fourteen year old cartoon by the great, retired, Canadian editorial cartoonist, Thomas “Tab” Boldt, who used the gag when there was a transition in government in Ottawa.
We used to syndicate Tab.
I miss Tab.
I’ve tried to talk him into coming back, with no luck – at least not yet.
Want to get EVERY new CagleCartoon from our 62 syndicated newspaper editorial cartoonists, in your email box every day? Just become a Cagle.com HERO and you get the exclusive daily emails of ALL THE CARTOONS! See all the cartoons before the newspapers print them and never miss a cartoon!
See a collection of Will’s columns here. Will is a great political comic, and his columns read like his comic routines – perhaps they were his comic routines. I miss Will and I remain hopeful that he will return to writing for us.
Will’s wife, Debi, has put up a GoFundMe page to help pay for Will’s long and difficult recovery. I hope all of our Will Durst fans will visit the page. Here is Debi’s plea from the GoFundMe page:
Hey Everybody!
Debi Durst here. As some of you may know, Will had a stroke last October. Five months later, Will needs further therapy in a facility that can cater to his current needs. There is no insurance coverage available to pay for this expense. We have immediate need of financial assistance to make sure Will can stay at this facility and receive the appropriate amount of care so he can recover and eventually return home.
He is totally dependent on assistance at this point and will not regain further use of his left arm or leg without this intensive therapy.
Will has been an important voice in and for our community and he wants to get back to making people laugh out loud on purpose as soon as he can.
For all of you who have been on the receiving end of Will’s remarkable humor and talent, this is your chance to give him support to show how much you appreciate his efforts and help him on the road to recovery so he can get back on the boards and continue his mission of spreading love through laughter. Please donate–any amount is neither too big nor too small.
Thank You from the bottom of our hearts. Will and Debi Durst
YOU CAN’T DO THAT Raging Moderate, Will Durst
October 7, 2019
All of Washington is vibrating like the foam on a latte in the cup holder of a convertible jeep riding railroad tracks over a bridge. Republicans are scrambling to hold together their diverse coalition of rich white men frightened about the next election and well-to-do white men worried about the next election. Democrats also seem mildly engaged, which to them borders on a frenzy.
It’s all due to the substantial evidence that Donald Trump conspired to withhold military aid to Ukraine unless President Volodomyr Zelensky agreed to assist in the upcoming election by digging up dirt on Joe Biden’s family. A great way to resolve this would be to launch an investigation into corruption activities by all family members of the executive branch of government, past and present, but that’s probably not going to happen.
The proof of Mr. Trump’s malfeasance consists of texts, emails, depositions, multiple whistleblowers and a little thing called Trump’s own admission. Either he doesn’t believe he can commit a crime, doesn’t think anybody cares, or considers himself untouchable (stemming from the fact that lately, nobody wants to touch him).
The problem with swimming with Trump is he’s constantly pooping in the pool and expecting everyone to pretend not to notice while smiling at the honor. Then he pees from the high board and calls it liquid gold. And still his enablers are surprised when they get out and no one will lend them a towel.
It was bound to happen: you cut enough corners, eventually all you’re left holding is a hole, hopefully big enough to hide in. Which is what all of his staffers and appointees are looking for right now as the investigation spreads like basement mold.
He then didn’t just double down, he quintupled down by publicly threatening to ask China to do the same thing. First he leverages Ukraine, then China, who’s next; Wakanda? Ruritania? Fredonia? He’s already got Absurdistan’s support, aka: Fox News.
Why does Trump have to dig up dirt on anybody when he has plenty Trump branded dirt in his own back yard? Obviously, he’s not going to give away his extremely valuable dirt for free, but couldn’t he lend Biden a couple of wheel barrels full at 10 percent interest?
The man has never heard the words, “You can’t do that.” From anybody. Ever. Whether it concerned legal, ethical, moral or strategic matters. He’s Billy Mumy in that Twilight Zone episode. Either you agree with what he wants or suffer the consequences. Hopefully he’ll hear “No, I’m sorry, you can’t betray your oath of office, you’re fired” from the American people soon.
But right now, the president is double-dog daring Congress: “Yeah, I did it, and I’ll do it again, and who’s going to stop me? You? Right, you and what army?” Even though he’s under intense fire for abuse of power, the House of Representatives – controlled by Democrats – decides this information is so critical, they immediately spring into action… and take a two- week recess.
But in the middle of October, when they get back, Congress is expected to buy a one-way ticket on the Impeachment Train without any idea of where it’s going, when it’ll get there or how much it’s going to cost.
And here’s my own Christmas COVID cartoon again, from a couple of weeks ago.
I’m sure we’ll see a lot more of these soon!
Want to get EVERY new CagleCartoon from our 62 syndicated newspaper editorial cartoonists, in your email box every day? Just become a Cagle.com HERO and you get the exclusive daily emails of ALL THE CARTOONS! See all the cartoons before the newspapers print them and never miss a cartoon!
Here are our most reprinted cartoons of last week (December 5th through December 12th 2020).
Six of the cartoons combined Christmas with Covid themes, which is clearly what newspaper editors want to see right now. As usual, no drawings of Trump or Biden made the Top Ten, even as transition problems and Trump’s last lawsuit dominated cable news. No cartoons about foreign issues were popular, despite some excellent cartoons about Boris Johnson, the EU and failing Brexit trade negotiations.
The Top Ten cartoons are what readers see since only 20% of the cartoons get 80% of the reprints.
Rick McKee won the week with a strong #1 cartoon, Jeff Koterba and John Darkow each had two cartoons in the Top Ten. Great work, gentlemen.
Our Top Ten is a measure of how many editors choose to reprint each of our cartoons, from the 62 cartoonists in our CagleCartoons.com syndication package. Just about half of America’s daily, paid circulation newspapers (around 700 papers) subscribe to CagleCartoons.com.
Our reader supported site, Cagle.com, still needs you! Journalism is threatened with the pandemic that has shuttered newspaper advertisers. Some pundits predict that a large percentage of newspapers won’t survive the pandemic economic slump, and as newspapers sink, editorial cartoonists who depend on newspapers sink too, and along with them, our Cagle.com site.
Rick McKee wins the week with this very popular Christmas/pandemic cartoon.
#2
RJ Matson takes second place with this impressive cartoon that he tells me he created in Photoshop in only two hours. Unbelievable.
#3
Jeff Koterba snags third place with this Christmas/COVID combo cartoon.
#4
Jeff Koterba takes 4th place with another Christmas/COVID combo cartoon.
#5
Nate Beeler takes 5th place with this Christmas/COVID combo cartoon.
#6
Pat Byrnes claims 6th place with this COVID cartoon.
#7
John Darkow claims 7th place with a cartoon implying that 2020 was a bad year and 2021 will be better – one of the most popular themes for editors.
#8
John Darkow wins 8th place with this Chuck Yeager memorial cartoon. There was a time when obit cartoons were the most popular with editors, but those days have been drowned out by the pandemic.
#9
Dave Granlund nabs 8th place with the only cartoon about the ugly presidential transition that dominates the news, but not the ink. The candy coating of a 2020 year cartoon makes it a cartoon that editors will swallow.
#10
John Cole takes 10th place with a cartoon about virtual learning during the pandemic. Education during the pandemic is another favorite theme for editors.
Want to get EVERY new CagleCartoon from our 62 syndicated newspaper editorial cartoonists, in your email box every day? Just become a Cagle.com HERO and you get the exclusive daily emails of ALL THE CARTOONS! See all the cartoons before the newspapers print them and never miss a cartoon!
Update 12/11/20 5:30pm: The Supreme Court just dismissed the Texas lawsuit. Good for them.
President Trump has been losing his lawsuits to overturn the election results. One last try is a desperate suit by the embattled Texas Attorney General, joined by Republican states and, as I’m posting this, 126 Republican congressmen. The Supreme Court is expected to decline to hear this latest atrocious lawsuit very soon, and that is the reason for my cartoon today – I’m anticipating a reasonable response from the Supreme Court.
I was flipping through my oldies and I found this SCOTUS gavel cartoon I drew back in 2000, showing Al Gore taking it on the head when the Supreme Court intervened to decide the election for George W. Bush. It seems like an appropriate image for today, presuming the court doesn’t make electoral trouble again.
Today I put Trump into that twenty year old drawing. Here’s the sketch.
I like drawing losers getting bashed with the gavel – sometimes the losers are sympathetic. Here is the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals striking down gay marriage back in 2009.
Here are the four, gavel waving conservative justices of the Supreme Court, back in 2013, when I thought they were about to ban gay marriage again – they surprised me and did the right thing that time.
We can’t ever be sure that the courts will do the right thing, but most of the time they do. Gotta hope for the best.
Want to get EVERY new CagleCartoon from our 62 syndicated newspaper editorial cartoonists, in your email box every day? Just become a Cagle.com HERO and you get the exclusive daily emails of ALL THE CARTOONS! See all the cartoons before the newspapers print them and never miss a cartoon!
I’ve actually drawn quite a few Trump Doggies. I remember when Trump hired his The Apprentice contestant, Omarosa, in the White House, then he called her a “dog” and she bit back, writing a tell-all book.
Here is Trump as Putin’s dutiful doggie, when Trump was congratulating Putin on his re-election.
Here’s a Christmas cartoon from 2016 with Trump and former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson as Putin presents.
Here are some of my favorite Trump Doggies from the CagleCartoonists. This one is from Bill Day.
Here’s a Trump doggie oldie with ex-Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, by Ed Wexler.
This one with Trump and France’s President Macron is by Dutch cartoonist Joep Bertrams.
Want to get EVERY new CagleCartoon from our 62 syndicated newspaper editorial cartoonists, in your email box every day? Just become a Cagle.com HERO and you get the exclusive daily emails of ALL THE CARTOONS! See all the cartoons before the newspapers print them and never miss a cartoon!
Here’s my cartoon comparing the sizes of the worst pandemics in history.
The cartoon may look familiar; I’ve been updating it as deaths from COVID-19 have been growing through the year, with deaths now rounded off at 300,000 in the USA and 1,600,000 worldwide. That’s our coronavirus in the lower right corner – here’s what he looked like a couple of months ago on September 20th when there were “only” 950,000 worldwide deaths and he didn’t even merit legs.
Moving back to August 3rd, COVID-19 was looking pretty tiny at only 690,000 worldwide deaths.
Our coronavirus was little more than a speck back on March 30th when the worldwide death estimate was only “thousands.” COVID deaths are skyrocketing now and I’ll keep updating the cartoon every month or two. It is likely that our COVID-19 character will grow larger than the combined 17th Century Great Plagues (bottom row left) that were resurgences of the Bubonic Plague in Europe. Later this Spring, COVID-19 may stand taller than the Antonin Plague (top row right) that killed as much as one third of the population of the Roman Empire in 165 to 180 AD and was suspected to be either smallpox or measles.
With so many people who won’t have access to a vaccine, or who reject taking a vaccine, there’s no telling how long I’ll keep updating this cartoon, and how big COVID will grow.
Want to get EVERY new CagleCartoon from our 62 syndicated newspaper editorial cartoonists, in your email box every day? Just become a Cagle.com HERO and you get the exclusive daily emails of ALL THE CARTOONS! See all the cartoons before the newspapers print them and never miss a cartoon!
My brilliant cartoon-journalist daughter, Susie Cagle, graces the cover of the current issue of The Nation magazine. Susie does original reporting in cartoon form.
Most cartoon-journalists draw in an autobiographical format, drawing themselves reporting a story or depicting themselves as part of a story. Cartoonists often illustrate the work of journalists; the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartoons in 2018 was awarded to a cartoonist who illustrated the work of a journalist, something many cartoonists don’t consider to be either editorial cartooning or cartoon-journalism, rather it is simply “illustration.”
Traditional editorial cartoonists, who draw their own opinions, consider themselves journalists; we are graphic columnists – but original, non-autobiographical reporting by cartoonists is very rare. It is great to see The Nation embrace real cartoon-journalism.
Susie’s cover article reports on how hospitals are crippled by big-money monopolies at a critical time. Here are some excerpts. See the whole article.
Here are our most reprinted cartoons of last week (November 28th through December 5th 2020). The Top Ten cartoons were tightly bunched, and all were big hits with editors.
Five of the cartoons had Christmas themes. Seven of the cartoons are about the pandemic. As usual, no drawings of Trump were popular with newspaper editors. No cartoons about foreign issues were popular. 20% of the cartoons get 80% of the reprints – that means the Top Ten cartoons are what readers see.
Dave Whamond had a great week again this week, with strong #1 and #4 cartoons. RJ Matson had a very impressive week, with the #2 and #6 cartoons. Dave Granlund is also second to no one with two cartoons in the Top Ten.
Congratulations to the other cartoonists with the most reprinted cartoons of the week, John Darkow, Rick McKee,Adam Zyglis andJeff Koterbawho continues his long streak in the Top Ten.
Our Top Ten is a measure of how many editors choose to reprint each of our cartoons, from the 62 cartoonists in our CagleCartoons.com syndication package. Just about half of America’s daily, paid circulation newspapers (around 700 papers) subscribe to CagleCartoons.com.
Our reader supported site, Cagle.com, still needs you! Journalism is threatened with the pandemic that has shuttered newspaper advertisers. Some pundits predict that a large percentage of newspapers won’t survive the pandemic economic slump, and as newspapers sink, so do editorial cartoonists who depend on newspapers, and along with them, our Cagle.com site, that our small, sinking syndicate largely supports, along with our fans.
Dave Whamond wins the week with this very popular Christmas/pandemic cartoon.
#2
RJ Matson takes second place with his first of two cartoons in the Top Ten.
#3
John Darkow snags third place with this about the female football player at Vanderbilt – a topic that editors clearly wanted to see in cartoons.
#4
Dave Granlund is tied for 4th place again with the first of his three cartoons in the Top Ten.
#4
Dave Whamond is also tied for 4th place with his second cartoon on the most reprinted list. Editors love cartoons that complain about how terrible this year has been.
#6
RJ Matson takes 6th place with this beautiful rendering. Waterfalls are hard to draw, the Capitol building is hard to draw, and it is hard to make this dramatic perspective work. This one is an eye-popper.
#7
Jeff Koterba claims 7th place with another Christmas/pandemic cartoon. Jeff seems to have carved out a permanent home on the weekly Top Ten.
#8
Dave Granlund is tied for 8th place with his second cartoon in the Top Ten.
#8
Rick McKee shares the tie for 8th place. Editors don’t seem to shy away from Biden cartoons, as they do with Trump cartoons, but cartoonists don’t draw Biden often.
#10
Adam Zyglis avoids drawing a self-portrait in this auto-biographical cartoon.
Want to get EVERY new CagleCartoon from our 62 syndicated newspaper editorial cartoonists, in your email box every day? Just become a Cagle.com HERO and you get the exclusive daily emails of ALL THE CARTOONS! See all the cartoons before the newspapers print them and never miss a cartoon!
COVID deaths are skyrocketing now and I’ll keep updating the cartoon every month or two. It is likely that our COVID-19 character will grow larger than the combined 17th Century Great Plagues (bottom row left) that were resurgences of the Bubonic Plague in Europe. Later this Spring, COVID-19 may stand taller than the Antonin Plague (top row right) that killed as much as one third of the population of the Roman Empire in 165 to 180 AD and was suspected to be either smallpox or measles.
