I Only Read It For The Cartoon is a unique look into the creative minds, styles, and processes of several cartoon contributors to The New Yorker. Written by pop culture journalist Richard Gehr, with a foreword by Matt Groening, it spotlights the great artists that helped define magazine.
Classic contributors such as Charles Adams are noted, along with a dozen profiles of artists such as Gahan Wilson, Sam Gross, Robert Mankoff, Edward Loren, and longtime editor Lee Lorenz. Along with brief histories and overviews of how their styles developed, there are several unpublished works from each artist. The highlight for me was the section on the *great* Roz Chast. Her quirky style is instantly recognizable, the first cartoons I seek when flipping through The New Yorker. She has a unique (and I think correct) view that the cartoons form a magazine within a magazine - that you first flip through and take in the month's collection, then pick it up again fresh and begin with the articles.
Each artist has a unique story of how they made their way towards becoming a cartoon creator - each a different story of their first submissions - followed by the continual monthly process of knocking on the door to be admitted again. Many artists submit, and there are only a few spots available. Sometimes you hit the jackpot and make the cover. Also of interest is the obverse viewpoint from longtime cartoon editor Lee Lorenz, as he describes his own drawing style, how he chooses pieces for each edition, and juggling inevitable office politics. Gehr also describes the joy/pressure of the magazine's popular and challenging cartoon caption contest that many artists and writers strive to win. A worthy read for anyone who submits their art for critique, those interested in magazine culture, and fans of The New Yorker.
2014 / Hardcover / 218 pages
Opmerkingen