Comics lawyer Mitch Berger in hospice (UPDATED)

Mitch at Awesome Con 2014. Photo by Bruce Guthrie

by Mike Rhode

Local comics and cartoon lawyer, editor and collector Mitchell Berger posted on Facebook last night that he's in the final stages of hospice care, after suffering from "a rare cancer called neuroendocrine tumor, or NET" for years. Mitch was a lawyer who graduated from Antioch School of Law in the District, but he has also attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He merged his career and his hobby for decades.

From October 2010 - April 2014, Mitch edited NPR's Double Take feature showing 2 political cartoons. As far as I can tell, he did it anonymously (to the public at least. I'm sure the cartoonists knew). Mitch would frequently weigh in on legal issues in comics, including this comment from 1995 about fair use of political cartoons: "As a lawyer and as the consulting editor on NPR's Double Take Toons, while I disagree with Chip Bok's view of Net Neutrality, but I do support him on his understanding of fair use. His statement "come up with something on your own," is what resonates with me the most. Chip has the right to have the words he speaks and the images he draws to be presented as he intended them. In fact, he has an internationally recognized legal and moral right to protect the integrity of his work. Replacing his words with someone else's isn't just criticism, it supplants and therefore silences his speech. And because of the way the internet works, it is quite possible that some might mistake the parody of his work, as his work." Another of his legal comments can be seen here.

He was also cited by Tom Spurgeon as an editor of cartoons on Kaiser Health News website.

One of Mitch's long-time roles was as "Supernatural Law’s legal consultant Mitch Berger" for Batton Lash's comic book about lawyers with monsters for clients. Lash, who also had attended SVA, passed away earlier this year.

Mitch, Jackie Estrada and Batton Lash at Awesome Con 2014. Photo by Bruce Guthrie

An interview with Will Eisner that Mitch co-conducted with Mike Barson and Falls Church's Ted White, was published in Heavy Metal's November 1983 issue, of all places. He was a founding board member (1991) and vice president for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Eric Reynolds of the Comics Journal recalled that he resigned under pressure in 1994 after the failure in defending Mike Diana. He also provided other cartoonists with legal services. At some point, according to Mary Fleener, he worked for DC Comics and helped her get rights to a story back. He also posthumously assisted Dori Seda to ensure her literary rights went to the person she had wanted them to go to.

Crumb drawing donated to Columbia's library

In 2015, Mitch donated his sketchbook to the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum and allowed us to reproduce his Facebook post about it. In 2017, Mitch contributed money in the name of his first wife, Peggy Girsham*, to increase the print run of Resist! #2. His most recent donation was a drawing by Robert Crumb to Columbia University's Library this year. Librarian Karen Green confirmed this for me, noting it was "A very, very kind and generous donation."

I never got to know Mitch particularly well. We would run into each other infrequently at political cartoon events such as the RFK Awards, but by the time I met him he'd already been a long-time part of the comics scene and certainly didn't need me to introduce him to anyone in the field. As seen here, Bruce Guthrie has pictures of him locally at Awesome Con and the Herblock Awards.


On his Facebook post, Mitch writes,dictated to his brother, "I am not at the end yet, but I am getting weaker and losing strength. I can't say enough about how supportive hospice care has been. A hospice nurse makes sure that I have no pain or suffering. A very professional and caring hospice worker comes three times a week to give me a bed bath and change the bedsheets, so I am always clean, pain-free, and comfortable."

Mitch and Mark Fiore at Fiore's Herblock Award, 2016. Photo by Bruce Guthrie

A cross-section of the comics world have responded to his post including Rick Veitch, Mary Fleener, Keith Knight, Jim Wheelock, Shannon Wheeler, Mark Fleck, Jackie Estrada, Wayno, Rick McKee, Ted Rall, Robert Greenberger, Sean Howe, Keith Brown, Clay Jones, Karen Green, Michael Cavna, Paul Levitz, Bob Staake, Barbara Dale, Paul Mavrides, Brian Bassett, Michael T. Gilbert, Stephen Bissette, Nina Paley along with simple 'likes' from Bob Smith, Mark Wheatley, Teresa Roberts Logan, Caitlin McGurk, Carol Tilley, Jimmy Margulies, Ron Evry, Tom Heintjes, Mark Newgarden, Heidi MacDonald, Noah Van Sciver, RL Crabb, Mark Stokes, Tom Orzechowski,  Greg Wallace, John Branch, Doug Ready, Barbara Randall Kesel, Randy Bish, Jim Valentino, Ray Alma, James Owen, Matthew Hansel, Denys Cowan, Maggie Thompson, Michael Fry, Darrin Bell, Diana Schutz, Robert Gregory, Mark Zingarelli, Pete Maresca, Greg Koudoulian, Christine Tripp, and probably others. Additonal comments have been made by Glenn McCoy and Jen Sorenson, with likes from Frank Cammuso, Jeff Trexler and Mike Lester.

This post will be updated as new information or comments come in, with new pieces in italics. 

*Oct 30: Ms. Girsham's name was previously misspelled as Grisham. Thank you to Eva Zelig for the correction.

100 Years of Cartoons in El Universal exhibit opened last night (corrected)

100 Years of Cartoons in El Universal, an exhibit of political cartoons opened at the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington, DC last night, featuring remarks by Ambassador Martha Bárcena, El Universal newspaper editorial director David Aponte, and curator Augustin Sanchez Gonzalez.

(correction: we had earlier mis-identified Mr. Aponte and apologize for the error)




My pictures are at https://www.flickr.com/photos/42072348@N00/albums/72157710704426503

Regarding the photos of the remarks, the podium was flanked by the Mexican and American flags. Due to the angle I was standing at, I was only able to get the American flag in my shots.

The website description is

 EXHIBIT: 100 YEARS OF CARTOON IN EL UNIVERSAL

September 4 - October 30, 2019 at the Mexican Cultural Institute 

El Universal newspaper editorial director David Aponte

The Mexican Cultural Institute is proud to announce its newest exhibit, 100 Years of Cartoons in El Universal: Mexico - United States as Seen by Mexican Cartoonists, taking place from September 4 through October 30, 2019. The exhibit collects a brief sample of the thousands of cartoons published in 100 years in the widely known newspaper, El Universal, where almost all Mexican cartoonists of the 20th century have traveled through. This exhibit reads as a nodal part of the history of the cartoon in Mexico and includes a brief representation of the artists who traced and portrayed the history of the country. The pages of El Universal have shown the critical work, with aesthetic greatness, by artists such as Andrés Audiffred, Eduardo del Río Rius, Helioflores and Rogelio Naranjo, who have all shaped Mexican national events with art and humor.

The exhibition consists of seventy pieces; sixty-two of them orginal and of great value. Most came from the Museum of the Cartoon of Mexico City, from the authors themselves, and from private collectors. The works follow three themes: the American cartoon, the vision of the cartoonists around Uncle Sam and their vision around the American presidents. 100 Years of Cartoons in El Universal is complemented with the first cartoonists of El Universal and concludes with the great masters of the Mexican cartoon.

Ambassador Martha Bárcena

Right to left: Ambassador Martha Bárcena, El Universal newspaper editorial director David Aponte, and curator Augustin Sanchez Gonzalez.

curator Augustin Sanchez Gonzalez.

Comic Riffs on Marshall Ramsey's George Bush obituary cartoon

How this emotional George H.W. Bush cartoon went viral — touching even his family

By Michael Cavna

Washington Post Comic Riffs blog December 1 2018

https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2018/12/01/how-this-emotional-george-hw-bush-cartoon-went-viral-touching-even-his-family/

Winsor McCay on communications neutrality... in 1929

In this 1929 cartoon, McCay shows that issues stay the same - now, instead of radio, Internet neutrality is being discarded in favor of corporate media interests.

Photographed from the collection of Warren Bernard. See our earlier post of cartoons here.

Back to the Future with Winsor McCay

by Mike Rhode

Warren Bernard is known to many as the Executive Director of the Small Press Expo, but he's also an indefatigable collector of specialties in the comic art field. He and I refer to these as the "Secret History of Comics." Lately, he's been providing a lot of ads drawn by New Yorker cartoonists to Michael Maslin's Ink Spill. When I visited him recently, he pulled out a whole box of Winsor McCay's editorial cartoons clipped from the Chicago Herald and Examiner. I looked through barely any of the box (there's always something more to see at his house), but what struck me was how sadly relevant are these cartoons dating from 1929-1930 by McCay (who was also creator of Little Nemo, and Gertie the Dinosaur, and a founding father of animation). Almost 90 years later, we're still dealing with many of the same issues and Warren provided scans for me to share with you.

There's a narcotics problem hollowing out the social and civil life of our country....

  

and an international drug problem...

 

...although it's apparent to everyone that the  War on Drugs dating back to Ronald Reagan and the 1980s has been a stunningly expensive failure.

Distrust and ill will lead to tariffs that block trade and business...

...while a President's speech disrupts international organizations.

  

Schools are failing their students, leading to high levels of ignorance... 

  

... which is infecting the mood of the country...

... leading to an endemic lack of trust in government among certain Americans ...

 ...while also filling prisons, which now are being run for profit, and thus prime for overcrowding. 

Public works projects, including highways, are desired by 'common citizens and tax payers' ...

... but the large companies in the country are using their power to manipulate Congress and the media on their own behalf...

...while farmers suffer from high seed prices, low commodity prices and high debt while big agribusinesses like Monsanto and Archer Daniels Midland Company get even bigger. 

Meanwhile, there's ongoing probes of the Executive Branch and Congress for sexual, ethical, lobbying and foreign interference issues...

that's going to take a lot of effort to resolve and preserve democracy.

 Meanwhile, 16 years of ongoing wars have led to tens of thousands of veterans, many with medical issues, having problems integrating back into society.

Sadly, I'm afraid that Warren and I could have added many more cartoons if I had time to look through more than a tenth of the box.

Ann Telnaes wins Silver Reuben award for editorial cartooning

Ann Telnaes with her award, courtesy of Barbara Dale

Ann Telnaes has won the Silver Reuben award from the National Cartoonists Society in the editorial cartooning section. Ann does animated cartoons for the Post's website. This is the second big win for an political cartoon animator, as Mark Fiore just accepted his Herblock Prize this past week. While still doing ink on paper cartoons, Ann won the Pulitzer Prize in 2001, so she's still got it.

The other winners, all a worthy bunch, are detailed at -

2016 Reubens: Michael Ramirez, Anton Emdin are big winners at ‘the Golden Globes of comics’

By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs May 29 2016 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2016/05/29/2016-reubens-michael-ramirez-anton-emdin-are-big-winners-at-the-golden-globes-of-comics/

Political cartoonist Glenn Foden of Maryland has died

Foden's work appeared on Comics Kingdom.


His Facebook profile says

• Studied at University of Massachusetts Amherst

Lives in Mount Airy, Maryland

Married to Teresa Franklin Foden

From Chelmsford, Massachusetts

All posts from Mr. Foden's page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glenn.foden

Randy Bish

March 21 2016

 Greensburg, PA ·

I was saddened to wake this morning to the news of the loss of conservative editorial cartoonist, Glenn Foden.
Glenn was about as good as a friend as any person could ever ask for. I was unfortunate in that I never had the chance to meet him in person, but we spoke quite often online, and it felt as if we had been pals for years. He was a gifted cartoonist whose witty online comments I thoroughly enjoyed.
My thoughts and prayers are with his wife and family during their time of loss.

Jeanie Clements with Glenn Foden.

March 21 2016

A brain aneurysm has taken this brilliant and talented man decades too soon. RIP Glenn Foden, designer of the first Curtis Knight Band logo and renowned "custom cow painter".

Terry C Wise

March 21 2016

  Glendale, KY
Fellow conservative editorial cartoonist and friend, Glenn Foden has passed. I enjoyed our side conversations, his advice, his humor, and his tenacity.
You'll be missed in many ways by many.

Gary McCoy‎ to Glenn Foden

March 21 2016

·

Deepest condolences to Teresa and the rest of Glenn's family on his tragic loss. My prayers are with you. Our conservative side lost a champion voice in our medium. And humanity lost an all around great guy.

John Rose‎ to Glenn Foden

March 21 2016

I am so sorry to hear of Glenn's death! I will miss his conservative voice on the editorial pages and his beautiful artwork. I have followed Glenn and his work since the days when we were both creating cartoons for Associated Features--what a huge loss for our cartooning community. He was such a terrific talent! My prayers go out to Teresa and his friends and family.

Clay Jones 

March 20 2016

I want to express my condolences to the family of Glenn Foden. Glenn passed away today. Glenn was a very conservative editorial cartoonist who I often enjoyed arguing with. I hope he enjoyed it too. We shared a love of Beagles, free speech and fiery debate. Mahalo, Glenn.

Flugennock's Latest'n'Greatest: "#F26"

"#F26"
http://sinkers.org/stage/?p=1665

On February 26, the possession, use, sharing and growing of marijuana officially becomes legal in the District Of Columbia.

___________________________________________________________
Mike Flugennock, flugennock at sinkers dot org
Political Cartoons: dubya dubya dubya dot sinkers dot org

Talburt in 1952

We've been poking around a bit lately, figuring out who Harold Talburt was. Here's the final piece we could find, courtesy of Randy Scott and Michigan State's Comic Art Collection. It's a 1952 article, reprinted in Cartoonews #15 (1977).

Je Suis Charlie by Steve Artley

I offer my quickly rendered tribute to the satirists of Charlie Hebdo. Rather than a cleverly glib commentary, here I offer a serious statement. I proudly stand in plain view and loudly utter the phrase, "je suis Charlie (I am Charlie)!" This is what editorial cartoonists do; stand and show ourselves. On every one of our rendered opines we proudly inscribe our names for all to see. Yes, I drew this. Yes, I wrote this. I said this. Me, an individual with a voice. And, I published it, sent it to my syndicate, posted it on the Internet for all the world to see.

The cartoonists killed in the Paris attack today were not hiding unseen in the bushes. Unlike their murderers, the people killed were not nameless clandestine cowards who hide their identity under balaclavas and secret themselves away into hiding after perpetrating extreme violence on unarmed targets. They didn't use guns or bombs. No weapons were among their tools, nor were threats of violence issued. They openly drew pictures that lampooned, that provoked thought, that made a statement through satirical renderings. For that they were gunned down.I appeal to those who cherish freedom to stand united against these cowards, against those who aid them and against those who applaud them. Silence allows them to flourish, so speak out. Let your voices be heard, your pencils unsheathed, your keyboards tapped. ‪#‎JeSuisCharlie‬ ‪#‎CharlieHebdo‬

- Steve Artley