Bidding Cox and Forkum a sad adieu

[Rule of Reason Blog]

By Nicholas Provenzo from The Rule of Reason,cross-posted by MetaBlog

I'm sure I'm not the only one who is disappointed to hear that Cox and Forkum have decided to stop producing editorial cartoons. Alan Forkum offers his rationale here and one can hardly disagree with his reasoning. Nevertheless, this creative duo will be deeply missed.

As someone who grew up as a boy reading editorial cartoons in the Buffalo News, I recall how I used to eagerly flip to the editorial pages when the news truck dropped of the papers that I would deliver on my paper route. Invariability, the wry wisdom offered by Tom Toles or Oliphant would strike to the heart of the matter and reveal the hypocrisy of whomever was being lampooned. Yet as I grew up intellectually and came to agree with Objectivism, I found that most editorial cartoons seemed to do little more than serve as a mouthpiece for the shrill and America-hating left. Over time, I simply gave up on what had once been a special passion of mine.

Thankfully, that editorial drought changed when Cox and Forkum arrived upon the cartooning scene. For the first time in my adult life, there were editorial cartoons that defended my values—and did so with intelligence and aplomb. In the time that the pair were active, Cox and Forkum's cartoons served as a brilliant and wholly original beacon of light in the dull gray world of American politics. They heaped criticism on those who deserved it. They stood up and fought for the good like few others. They, like their ubiquitous Uncle Sam character, beat the drum of freedom and American pride with a sharp mind and an obvious glad heart.

So I thank Cox and Forkum for their insight and creativity. Since at least part of their reasons for shutting down are financial, I'd be the first to acknowledge that they gave more than they got back, and I'm saddened to see it. They were simply the best political cartoonists in America and in their absence they will be missed.

http://ObjectivismOnline.com/archives/002859.html

[D'kian]

I am sad and disappointed, too.

But I'm also heartened by the rather large response their retirement elicited in the blogosphere. Cox & Forkum are very popular with many blog readers, mostly in the center-right and right side of politics. Certainly Little Green Footballs will keep the C&F designed masthead for some time (and knowing the blog owner, will re-post their cartoons from time to time).

The Uncle Sam character was always used to great effect. I think Cox and Forkum used him most effectively in their tribute to Ronald Reagan. That was a powerful, emotional cartoon. (edited to add link to the Reagan farewell cartoon June 7 2004: http://www.coxandforkum.com/archives/2004_06.html )

I'll miss them.

Edited October 3, 2007 by D'kian

[John McVey]

Just in case some didn't realise it, John Cox still does a lot of work that goes online in his cartoon blog. The visual style of the art is the same, but the content is significantly different (that was what Allen supplied).

JJM

[softwareNerd]

Thanks. I didn't know that existed.

[exaltron]

Thanks. I didn't know that existed.

I thought of C&F today when I saw this little nugget of anti-environmentalist irony (probably more nihilistic than anything, but still very perceptive):

[khaight]

I thought of C&F today when I saw this little nugget of anti-environmentalist irony (probably more nihilistic than anything, but still very perceptive)...

Ouch. I'd laugh at that, except it's tragically true. That's what the 'viros want for us all.