Tracing the History of Journalism’s Wise Guys

“Feisty, antiauthoritarian, very independent ‘wise guys’” – that’s how Ed Lordan describes his “heroes” – editorial cartoonists like Joseph Keppler, Thomas Nast and Tom Toles, whose humorous and poignant drawings capture the heart of a matter in a memorable way.

In his new book entitled, Politics, Inc.: How American Cartoonists Skewer Politicians From King George III to George W., Lordan traces the history of American political cartoonists beginning with one of his favorites, Benjamin Franklin, who was the first American to lampoon in a cartoon and ending with Mark Fiore, who crafts his cartoons on the Internet.

In his research and interviews with some of today’s leading cartoonists, Lordan found that while their messages and the medium may have changed over time, much of what motivates them has remained the same.

“By nature, most cartoonists are highly controversial, and they hate hypocrisy,” says Lordan. “Much of what they illustrate is humorous, but it’s more important to them that they be stimulating.”

Several political cartoonists also admitted to the author that great art does not make a great comic. “It’s not how well they draw that necessarily makes them good editorial cartoonists,” says Lordan. “What is important is the concept behind their drawings and their ability to reduce a complicated issue to its very core, quickly and dramatically.”

As an example, Lordan points to work by one of today’s top cartoonists, Tom Toles, whose drawings are very simple and child-like. “With just a few sparse strokes, he really captures people,” says Lordan. “He’s brilliant.”

While there is no place for complexity in today’s political cartoons, says Lordan, drawings by cartoonists like Joseph Keppler in the 1800s often included numerous characters. “They would draw an entire cabinet scene, for example,” says Lordan. “You would never see anything like that today.”

And, with the rise in syndications and the decline in the numbers of newspapers, says Lordan, few cartoonists today would be considered as influential as one of Keppler’s contemporaries, Thomas Nast.

 “Nast was an extremely talented cartoonist during a period in American history that offered huge events when newspapers were king,” explains Lordan.

The high point for political cartooning, claims Lordan, was Nast’s work following the Civil War.  In his book, he describes Nast’s unrelenting campaign against Tammany Hall beginning in 1868 until the “Ring” lost the 1871 election, and Boss Tweed was jailed two years later. 

“In the three months leading up to the November 1871 election,” writes Lordan, “Nast drew as many cartoons about Tammany Hall for Harper’s Weekly as he had in the previous three years.”

Today, fewer newspaper slots and greater syndication mean limited opportunities for new cartoonists, but, Lordan points out, some editorial cartoonists like Mark Fiore have adapted well to the new medium of the Internet. Lordan, himself, has bookmarked web sites, which post hundreds of political cartoons, the largest being Daryl Cagle’s Professional Cartoonists with Slate online magazine.

“I probably go to Cagle’s more than I should,” he laughs. “But, it’s so enjoyable.”

A communications and public relations expert, Ed Lordan joined West Chester University’s communications faculty in 2001. He is the author of more than 500 newspaper columns, reviews, features and news articles, and has taught at Temple and Villanova Universities. A graduate in English from West Chester University, Lordan earned his master’s degree in communications from Temple and his doctorate in mass communications from S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.