According to Mike Rhode's ComicsDC blog , yesterday was the anniversary of the first appearance of Ben Franklin's 1754 "Join, or Die" cartoon in the Pennsylvania Gazette. This image is regarded as the first American political cartoon, and there's an interesting Wikipedia page about it.
For Franklin's 300th birthday a few years back, I drew this. Franklin has always seemed like the most approachable of the Founding Fathers; he's a foxy grandpa, witty courtier, twinkly-eyed roue', home-grown Leonardo, and philosopher who wouldn't be king all rolled into one gouty package. And a pretty good cartoonist. If only he'd pursued it, what couldn't he have accomplished?
I bet the syndicates weren't as picky then.
ReplyDeleteThe comb over joke almost sent coffee spewing at the screen!
Have a great weekend!
Ciao, I've just finished to read your stories on Linus, Alice is just adorable! I love your comics, i need more!!! ;)
ReplyDeleteLove it. Y'know, Gary Cooper was a budding editorial cartoonist, too. They kept promising they would put some of his art on the Cooper website, but they never did. I don't know, maybe they really stink.
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