Briefly, I'd like to highlight a few more personally influential editorial cartoonists... from the top, Jim Borgman (Cincinnati Enquirer), Milt Priggee (then, Spokane Spokesman-Review) and Kirk Walter (Toledo Blade). Some of the best cartoonists in the biz and some of the nicest guys. There's still a boatload to follow... so check back.
The top doodle of Bill Clinton is enlarged from the front of Jim's book "Disturbing the Peace"; a collection of his editorial stuff (Jim also does a little comic strip called "Zits"). He drew this along side his autograph ("To Mike - with admiration and warm wishes to a fellow inker in the Ohio cartoon trenches, Jim Borgman"). Like Will, Jim's doodles and sketches are to be envied and coveted.
The middle panel is an enlarged and cropped signed original from Milt. The neat thing with originals, is that you can get a great close-up look at the pen and brush work, that the printed cartoon doesn't allow. The look on this Soviet general's face is priceless, and I love the touch of the hat and it's placement!
Finally, the final panel is of another signed original, this one Kirk gave me, also enlarged and cropped. I will never, ever, attempt to draw Karl Marx - because I can't even come close to Kirk's Marx. So why bother!? This is so darned beautiful and I stare at it longingly like some guys look at a centerfold. Okay, I'll just go ahead and say it; I lust after Kirk's Marx, okay?! Those eyes... that brow... that beard... oh, baby!
Anyway, besides there stuff, these cartoonists are nice folk. Once, I sat next to Jim Borgman at aNCS chapter dinner. As we ate, Jim and I were speaking and Jim made reference to "we" cartoonists as he motioned indicating he and me. That is one of the best gifts anyone has ever given me!
On a few occasions, I spoke with Milt on the phone... picking his brain and trying to absorb his talent through the long distance telephone lines... never once did Milt act like I was bothering him or that he had a thousand other things to do. And I am sure I did and he did.
And I went up to Toledo (back when Toledo was "up" and not "down") to see Kirk in his studio at the Blade. I figured I'd grab an hour and show him my stuff, and pick his brain (and see if maybe I would have better luck absorbing his talent by being in the same room) and then hit the road. "Nah," he said on the phone, "you've got a long drive. Come up early and spend the day! Make it worth your while!" So I spent the day sitting at his elbow and watching him draw his weekly "Maumee Dearest". Later, when it hit the wire services that my editorial cartoons for the Marion Star and the Delaware Gazette won me a first place in both Division I and Division II, in the Ohio Associated Press Awards (the first year I was "professional"), Kirk faxed me a nice note of congratulations early that day! Again, another great gift!
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