They Keep Just Missing Out On Recognizing Matt
By which I mean 2020 is a good year for Matts over at The Nib. First, Matt Lubchansky was the finalist for the Herblock Foundation’s annual prize for editorial cartooning (although the promised gala at the Library of Congress was postponed, perhaps indefinitely, from April due to friggin’ coronavirus), and now Matt Bors has been revealed as a finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning.
I know it’s traditional to say that it’s an honor just to be nominated, but look at the other names on the ballot: Lalo Alacaraz, Kevin Kallaugher, and winner Barry Blitt have between them dozens of awards, including previous Pulitzer finalists, Herblock Foundation awards, Thomas Nast awards, and others in the US and Europe. Bors himself was a Pulitzer finalist in 2012, and took the Herblock award that same year. It’s a distinguished group, and if Matt & Matt haven’t gotten the actual Big Prize form any of these outfits for their work at The Nib, they’ve got a damn impressive track record of recognition and something maybe more important.
That would be the respect one gets from one’s peers for paying cartoonists for their work. When the news broke yesterday, I could scarcely keep up with the heartfelt congratulations from Nib contributors, because they know that Bors and Lubchansky not only have keen editorial eyes and will give them a place to present their work, but they’ll also provide the cash money that makes cartooning a more viable career.
Speaking of viable careers, here’s a just-released book you might want to check out, from a cartoonist that’s got an body of work like nobody else. Lucas Elliott draws things under the sea. Sometimes that’s a warrior starfish, and sometimes it’s manly mermen. We’re here about the starfish today:
FRIENDS!
I’m happy to finally announce BATTLE STAR #2 is finally available for purchase through my shop!! I had hoped to have these ready for #eccc, but life happens.
Head to my shop, http://lucaselliottart.storenvy.com to get your copy!
#art #comic #storenvy #alaska
The life that happened was, naturally, COVID-19 disrupting the crap out of everything, so his journeys to ECCC and VanCAF (and the commerce that would have happened there) didn’t/ain’t gonna happen. But you can jump in on a comic that has right here (along with some earlier work, it’s all great). If you don’t want to take my recommendation, perhaps you’ll check out his A-Z Star Wars fanart challenge, his Revenge of the Fifth fanart¹, or follow his daily contributions to daily contributions to #MerMay.
And, at some point in the future when we can all get together in groups again, should you meet Elliott in person, do not be scared of his massive beard. He is a gentle sort, and rumors that smaller friends and fans have been devoured by the beard and never seen nor heard from again are almost certainly not true. Probably.
Spam of the day:
We’d like to introduce to you our explainer video service which we feel can benefit your site fleen.com.
Huh. I could spend the US$159 to get a 0-1 minute video telling everybody I’m awesome and also explaining what this “blog” is about, or I could give that money to creators in exchange for their work. Decisions, decisions.
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¹ What can I say, dude likes Star Wars.
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