Simply the best

..as Tina Turner says.

The Reuben awards are the annual recognition of the best cartoonists and the best of cartooning. Mort Gerberg observed that cartooning is in decline. That’s mostly because newspapers are fading away. People everywhere love our graphic gags. Maybe we need to move to cell phones. Many of the all time greats were here and a lot of folks who are less well known but nevertheless talented and passionate about the cartoon arts. The field is evolving in many directions – animation, advertising, greeting cards, Internet, book illustration, and so on.

Mike Mikula, above (Roll Call and more) is one of my pals, heroes. So good to visit again with him and Sarah and hear about their family – two boys – and life in Atlanta.

The Ruben Awards is a formal affair, but totally wacky and fun. This year there were about 300 attendees.

At table #22 we passed around my sketch book for contributions.

One of my all time favorites, Richard Thompson (below with the Kodak) rode the train down from Washington DC as a nominee for his feature, Cul de Sac. He’s a very talented guy, who used to be a neighbor in Arlington, VA.

Mike Peters, this year’s MC, is a genuinely happy positive person. Creator of Mother Goose and Grimm, he also does political cartoons and caricature, and he uses a lot of India ink. A fine choice. Below, right is Mike, mugging with moi.

Many of the “old timers,” from the golden era in the 40s and 50s were there, thankfully. Roy Doty, Frank Springer, Bill Wilson, and of course, Mel Lazarus. Below left are Bunny Hoest and Jack Davis.

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