Bishakh Som In Group Exhibit

The exhibit, “Drawn Out: A Queer Comics Celebration” includes work by Bishakh Som, who began contributing to The New Yorker in 2018.

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Roxie Munro Gallery Appearance

The terrif New Yorker cover artist, Roxie Munro, was recently at The Annapolis Gallery, signing books, and talking about her work. Visit her website here. 

Ms. Munro contributed 14 covers to The New Yorker.

The Monday Tilley Watch takes a glancing look at the art and artists of the latest issue of The New Yorker

The Cartoonists and Cartoons

Fifteen cartoons, fifteen cartoonists. No newbies. One duo, that we know of (the Spill counts duos as one cartoonist). The longest active cartoonist contributor in the issue is Roz Chast, whose first New Yorker cartoon appeared in the issue of July 3, 1978.

This week’s cartoons (in a slideshow).

The Cartoon Caption Contest (Hartley Lin provides the drawing for this week’s contest).

The Rea Irvin Talk Watch 

This week marks the 9th “anniversary” of Rea Irvin’s perfect Talk heading (above) disappearing from The New Yorker (only to be replaced — if you can believe it! — by a redrawn version courtesy of a contemporary illustrator). Using the word “anniversary” seems like a bad fit…here at the Spill it’s head shaking time. The abandonment of Mr. Irvin’s work continues to haunt. Read more here.

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Rea Irvin’s A-Z:

Rea Irvin (pictured above. Self portrait above from Meet the Artist) Born, San Francisco, 1881; died in the Virgin Islands,1972. Irvin was the cover artist for the New Yorker’s first issue, February 21, 1925. He was the magazine’s first art and only art supervisor (some refer to him as its first art editor) holding the position from 1925 until 1939 when James Geraghty assumed the title of art editor. Irvin then became art director and remained in that position until William Shawn officially succeeded Harold Ross in early 1952. Irvin’s last original work for the magazine was the magazine’s cover of July 12, 1958. The February 21, 1925 Eustace Tilley cover had been reproduced every year on the magazine’s anniversary until 1994, when R. Crumb’s Tilley-inspired cover appeared. Tilley has since reappeared, with other artists substituting from time-to-time. Number of New Yorker covers (not including the repeat appearances of the first cover every anniversary up to 1991): 179. Number of cartoons contributed: 261.

New Addition(s) To The Spill Library

With the arrival this week of the Armed Services edition of Thurber’s masterpiece, My Life And Hard Times, the Spill library has moved closer to a completing the Thurber Armed Services editions. Just The Thurber Carnival and Is Sex Necessary remain. All in good time! (I’m in no hurry).

Read more about the Armed Services editions here.

below: the other Thurber titles in the Spill library

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Also this week

Some time back I posted the above photo of the well-used (tattered?) dust jacket covering my copy of Burton Bernstein’s Thurber: A Biography. I bought this copy in 1975, the year it was published, when I was in my last year of college, diving deep into The New Yorker‘s history. I’ve read Mr. Bernstein’s book through and through, again and again (and it shows). Each time the book comes off the shelf I imagine the jacket loses a small piece or two (I’ve been patching it for years).

Strolling through the internet the other day I was so pleased to see a copy of Mr. Bernstein’s book in near new condition (price paid: $3.85). My 51 year old copy can now take it easy; from now on this “new” one will do the heavy lifting.

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Attempted Bloggery On A Recently Auctioned Thurber Original 

A Spill fave site, Attempted Bloggery, is all over the recently auctioned Thurber original shown above. Read it here!

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James Thurber’s A-Z Entry

James Thurber Born, Columbus, Ohio, December 8, 1894. Died 1961, New York City. New Yorker work: 1927 -1961, with several pieces run posthumously. According to the New Yorker’s legendary editor, William Shawn, “In the early days, a small company of writers, artists, and editors — E.B. White, James Thurber, Peter Arno, and Katharine White among them — did more to make the magazine what it is than can be measured.”

Key cartoon collection: The Seal in the Bedroom and Other Predicaments (Harper & Bros., 1932). Key anthology (writings & drawings): The Thurber Carnival (Harper & Row, 1945). There have been a number of Thurber biographies. Burton Bernstein’s Thurber (Dodd, Mead, 1975) and Harrison Kinney’s James Thurber: His Life and Times (Henry Holt & Co., 1995) are essential. Website

Early Cover Release…Knicksmania At The New Yorker

The New Yorker has early released (online) the cover for the issue of June 22, 2026. David Remnick, the magazine’s editor, recently said he’d like to run 20 Knicks covers. Only 18 to go now. Cover artist: Pierre-Emmanuel Lyet:

The magazine has also run a half dozen Knicks-centric cartoons:

here

here

here

here

here

here

…not to mention, in non-cartoon news, the post-game live Substack wrap-ups with Mr. Remnick and two New Yorker contributors (Vinson Cunningham and Louisa Thomas), as well as this Sporting Scene piece by Mr. Remnick, this piece by Louisa Thomas, and this Daily piece.

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Now That’s A Cover!

A spectacular cover by Barney Tobey that includes a New Yorker cover within the cover(!). Mr. Tobey’s New Yorker run lasted 57 years, with 1,040 cartoons and four covers. The one above was his third. His 1983 restrospective, B. Tobey Of The New Yorker is highly recommended.

Barney Tobey (photo above from Think Small, a book of humor produced by Volkswagon) Born in New York City, July, 18, 1906, died March 27, 1989, New York. New Yorker work: 1929 -1986. Essential collection: B. Tobey of The New Yorker (Dodd Mead & Co., 1983). 4 covers; 1,040 cartoons.

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Keith Knight Guests On The Latest Cartoon Caption Contest Podcast

Keith Knight, who began contributing to The New Yorker in 2019, joins the always fun CCCP crew on Episode 254. Listen to it here. 

photo above: clockwise from the top left: Keith Knight, then co-hosts, Paul Nesja, Nicole Chrolavicius, and Beth Lawler

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Simon Fieldhouse’s Latest 3D Portrait Sculpture: Peter Arno

Next up in artist Simon Fieldhouse‘s New Yorker series: Peter Arno. See the sculpture in various settings here.

And here are his other New Yorker 3D sculptures:

Eustace Tilley

Harold Ross

Saul Steinberg

To see all of his 3D sculptures, go here.

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Frank Cotham Returns As Guest On Cartoon Caption Contest Podcast

Frank Cotham, who began contributing to The New Yorker in 1993, returns to the CCCP in this episode (#248 for those keeping track). Listen here.

photo: clockwise, from top left…Frank Cotham, then the co-hosts Paul  Nesja, Vin Coca, Nicole Chrolavicius, Beth Lawler. 

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Paul Karasik Presents…

From The Vineyard Gazette, April 23, 2026, “Film Noir Takes Center Stage” — this piece on films and Mr. Karasik, who began contributing to The New Yorker  in 1999.  Visit his website here.

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The Monday Tilley Watch takes a glancing look at the art and artists of the latest issue of The New Yorker

The Cartoonists and Cartoons

Thirteen cartoons, thirteen cartoonists. No newbies, No duos, that we know of. The longest active contributing cartoonist in the issue is Roz Chast, whose first New Yorker cartoon appeared in the issue of July 3, 1978.

This Week’s Cartoons (in a slideshow).

This Week’s Cartoon Caption Contest (Benjamin Slyngstad provides the drawing for this week’s contest)

The Rea Irvin Talk Watch

Back in May of 2017, Rea Irvin’s perfect Talk design, shown here, was displaced by — gasp! — a redrawn version executed by a contemporary illustrator. The Spill continues to hope that Mr. Irvin’s work returns. Read more here.

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Rea Irvin’s A-Z Entry:

Rea Irvin (pictured above. Self portrait above from Meet the Artist) Born, San Francisco, 1881; died in the Virgin Islands,1972. Irvin was the cover artist for the New Yorker’s first issue, February 21, 1925. He was the magazine’s first art and only art supervisor (some refer to him as its first art editor) holding the position from 1925 until 1939 when James Geraghty assumed the title of art editor. Irvin then became art director and remained in that position until William Shawn officially succeeded Harold Ross in early 1952. Irvin’s last original work for the magazine was the magazine’s cover of July 12, 1958. The February 21, 1925 Eustace Tilley cover had been reproduced every year on the magazine’s anniversary until 1994, when R. Crumb’s Tilley-inspired cover appeared. Tilley has since reappeared, with other artists substituting from time-to-time. Number of New Yorker covers (not including the repeat appearances of the first cover every anniversary up to 1991): 179. Number of cartoons contributed: 261.

Cartoon Caption Contest Podcast Celebrates Its 250 Episode

Congrats to the fine folks at the Cartoon Caption Contest Podcast on their 250th! Listen to their special episode here. 

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Paul Noth Cartoon Collection Cover Revealed

The collection by Mr. Noth, who has been contributing to The New Yorker since 2004, will be out this October.

                                             Arthur Getz’s Memorial Day Cover

I could be wrong about this, but I believe that this Arthur Getz cover, dated May 30, 1958, is the first Memorial Day themed New Yorker cover (I looked through every end of May issue from 1925 to 1958). The cover shows us  The Eternal Light Flagstaff located in Manhattan’s Madison Square Park, along its west side on Broadway.

The screen grab from Google’s street map shows the monument today (the base mostly obscured by a blossom tree. A few of the buildings Mr. Getz painted remain along Broadway.

Dedicated on Veteran’s Day in the mid 1920s, the monument, according to the New York Department of Records includes a:

star-shaped luminaire at the top of the pole [that] is intended to be lit at all times as an eternal tribute to those who paid the supreme sacrifice. 

More about the Eternal Light Flagstaff here, with history and photos

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Arthur Getz’s A-Z Entry:

Arthur Getz Born, Passaic, New Jersey, 1913; died, 1996. NYer work: 1938 -1988. Primarily a cover artist, he had one cartoon published: March 15, 1958. (You might say his career was a mirror image of George Price’s, who was one of the most prolific cartoonists, with over 1200 published, and one cover). According to the official Getz website, he was the most prolific of all New Yorker cover artists, having 213 appear during the fifty years he contributed to the magazine. The official Getz website, containing his biography.

The Tilley Watch Online, May 11-15, 2026

An end of the week listing of New Yorker artists whose work has appeared on newyorker.com features

Daily Cartoon: Mo Welch, Adam Douglas Thompson, Brendan Loper, Avi Steinberg, (the duo of) Pia Guerra and Ian Boothby. See them here. 

The Daily: How To Win Our Cartoon Caption Contest— a Q&A with Caroline Mimbs Nyce and the magazine’s deputy cartoon editor, Rachel Aster Perlman.

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Ronald Searle’s James Thurber Medallion 

Below is a Ronald Searle designed medallion that turned up on Ebay the other day. I know nothing about medallions, or Ronald Searle‘s part in designing them, so I’m recommending that you visit Attempted Bloggery‘s posts on them here.

I like the dog side of the medallion; the Thurber portrait side…not so much. Here’s the Ebay listing for the piece shown below.

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James Thurber’s A-Z Entry:

James Thurber Born, Columbus, Ohio, December 8, 1894. Died 1961, New York City. New Yorker work: 1927 -1961, with several pieces run posthumously. According to the New Yorker’s legendary editor, William Shawn, “In the early days, a small company of writers, artists, and editors — E.B. White, James Thurber, Peter Arno, and Katharine White among them — did more to make the magazine what it is than can be measured.”

Key cartoon collection: The Seal in the Bedroom and Other Predicaments (Harper & Bros., 1932). Key anthology (writings & drawings): The Thurber Carnival (Harper & Row, 1945). There have been a number of Thurber biographies. Burton Bernstein’s Thurber (Dodd, Mead, 1975) and Harrison Kinney’s James Thurber: His Life and Times (Henry Holt & Co., 1995) are essential. Website

Award Of Interest…Bruce Eric Kaplan

From New Jersey Stage, May 15, 2026, “Bruce Eric Kaplan To Receive The Maplewood Literary Award On May 21st” 

Mr. Kaplan (who signs his work “BEK”) began contributing to The New Yorker in 1991. His most recent book is They Went Another Way: A Hollywood Memoir (Henry Holt & co., 2024)

Below: his first cartoon collection (1999), and his memoir (2015):

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Hilary Campbell Has A Sketchbook Club

Hilary Campbell began contributing to The New Yorker in 2017. All the details about her Sketchbook Club can be found here on Instagram.Her most recent book is The Joy Of Snacking (Andrews McMeel, 2025).

Visit her website here.

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Liana Finck Speaks

From Dorotusa, “An Afternoon With Cartoonist Liana Finck” — notice of an online appearance on May 27th where, according to the organization’s  website:

“Cartoonist and graphic novelist Liana Finck talks about her New Yorker cartoons and her books, which include an adaptation of Yiddish advice column A Bintel Brief and Let There Be Light, an adaptation of the Book of Genesis.” All the info here.

Liana Finck began contributing to The New Yorker in 2013. Visit her website here.

The Monday Tilley Watch takes a glancing look at the art and artists of the latest issue of The New Yorker

The Cartoonists and Cartoons

Nineteen cartoons, twenty cartoonists in this themed (“America At 250”) double issue* (Barry Blitt has the cover). One duo, that we know of (the Spill counts duos as one cartoonist). No newbies. Liana Finck has a ‘Sketchbook” as well as a cartoon.

*Not counting the three cartoonists whose drawings appear as part of the Cartoon Caption Contest. However, the longest active contributing cartoonist in the issue is Mort Gerberg, who supplied this week’s Caption Contest drawing (he began contributing in 1965).

This week’s cartoons (in a slideshow).

The Cartoon Caption Contest 

The Rea Irvin Talk Watch

Back in May of 2017, the above perfect Talk design by Rea Irvin was carted away (after appearing for 92 years!) and replaced –if you can believe it — by a redraw via a contemporary illustrator. The Spill continues to hope Mr. Irvin’s work returns. Read more here.

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Rea Irvin’s A-Z

Rea Irvin (pictured above. Self portrait above from Meet the Artist) Born, San Francisco, 1881; died in the Virgin Islands,1972. Irvin was the cover artist for the New Yorker’s first issue, February 21, 1925. He was the magazine’s first art and only art supervisor (some refer to him as its first art editor) holding the position from 1925 until 1939 when James Geraghty assumed the title of art editor. Irvin then became art director and remained in that position until William Shawn officially succeeded Harold Ross in early 1952. Irvin’s last original work for the magazine was the magazine’s cover of July 12, 1958. The February 21, 1925 Eustace Tilley cover had been reproduced every year on the magazine’s anniversary until 1994, when R. Crumb’s Tilley-inspired cover appeared. Tilley has since reappeared, with other artists substituting from time-to-time. Number of New Yorker covers (not including the repeat appearances of the first cover every anniversary up to 1991): 179. Number of cartoons contributed: 261.