Cartoonapalooza!

Image courtesy of www.editorialcartoonists.com

The annual Association of American Editorial Cartoonists is having their 50th anniversary convention next month, and it looks to be quite an event as usual.

It’s being held at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington D.C. on July 4th -7th. Like always, it’s chock full of speakers and panel discussions with titles like “What’s so Funny About War?” or “What Do You Mean You’re Not Animating Yet?”. They also usually con one of their targets into being the keynote speaker… this year is Democratic presidential candidate and veggie lover Dennis Kucinich. I don’t know how they do that. The convention was here in Minneapolis a few eyars ago and the speaker was Charleton Heston aka Mr. NRA. It got ugly.

One event they’ve got planned this year is “Cartoonapalooza”, where a gaggle of the nations top editorial cartoonists will discuss their most controversial cartoons, and other topics (like… SURPRISE!: politics!). Quite a line up, including more than a few Pulitzer prize winners:

• Ted Rall, Universal Press Syndicate
• Tom Toles, Washington Post
• Mike Luckovich, Atlanta Journal Constitution
• Mike Peters, Dayton Daily News
• Rob Rogers, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
• Jack Ohman, The Oregonian
• Ruben Bolling, Tom the Dancing Bug
• Ann Telnaes, Cartoonists and Writers Syndicate
• Keith Knight, The K-Chronicles
• Mark Fiore, Animated Political Cartoonist

This part of the convention seems to be open to the public, as if you are in the D.C. area it is definitely something something to put on your calendar. Click here for more info.

Back when the AAEC convention was in Minneapolis, I happened to be president of the National Caricaturists Network and wanted to plan a summer mini-con in Minnesota. The AAEC had a panel discussion scheduled on caricature moderated by Bob Staake, and featuring David Levine, David Cowles, Philip Burke and Steve Brodner. Talk about a line-up! We were allowed to attend the panel as part of our Minnesota mini-con, and it was throughly worth the time. Brodner was a no-show, but the rest attended and we made pests of ourselves asking questions. The convention itself looked to be a great time.

The AAEC conventions have a great reputation as being informative, fun and full of fireworks… almost makes me wish I was an editorial cartoonist. Almost.