SMC Spring Speakers: ‘Comix, Cartoons and the Uncensored Artistic Mind: The Editorial Cartoon and Political Satire in America’

Dwayne (aka “Mr. Fish”) Booth
Truthdig cartoonist and columnist

This presentation examines how graphic commentary and weaponized jokes from cartoonists, satirists and fine artists from the early 20th century to the present have been communicated in American media. The work presented will be chosen for its unique ability to demonstrate the profound effect of political art, humor and critical thinking on a society so often perplexed by the democratic viability of artistic free expression.

Dwayne Booth has been a freelance writer and cartoonist for 22 years, publishing under both his real name and the pen name of Mr. Fish with many of the nation’s most reputable and prestigious magazines, journals and newspapers. In addition to his weekly cartoon for Harper’s and daily contributions to Truthdig, he has also contributed to the Los Angeles Times, The Village Voice, LA Weekly, The Atlantic, The Huffington Post, The Nation, Vanity Fair, Mother Jones, The Advocate, Z Magazine, Slate.com, MSNBC.com and others.  In May 2008, he was presented with a first place award by the Los Angeles Press Club for editorial cartooning. In 2010 and 2011, he was awarded the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Editorial Cartooning from the Society of Professional Journalists.  In 2012, he was awarded the Grambs Aronson Award for Cartooning with a Conscience. Currently he is working on a multimedia, e-book version of his USC Annenberg School of Communication exhibit, “Drawing Conclusions: The Editorial Cartoon.”