Another in a series of quick looks at an artist’s very first New Yorker cartoon and their last. 

 

Looking through the Spill’s A-Z this morning, my attention turned to Richard Oldden (1931-1995).  A search immediately turned up this entry on Lambiak Comiclopedia. The entry included a number of things I hadn’t known before including this:

“On 14 May 1973, Oldden and gag writer Sam Gross launched their daily newspaper comic ‘The Genius’ (1973-1977) through King Features Syndicate.”

Reading this brought memories of speaking with Sam on the phone — sometimes long conversations about cartoonists I knew little about. I can still hear Sam, in his distinctive voice, saying “Dick Oldden” this and “Dick Oldden” that (oddly, Sam never mentioned “The Genius” strip).

Checking The New Yorker’s database, I found that the magazine published 72 Oldden cartoons. Here’s the first, from the issue of July 23, 1966:

And here’s the last Richard Oldden New Yorker cartoon, published in the issue of September 6, 1993:

 

 

 

 

The post Wednesday Spill: First And Last…Richard Oldden first appeared on Inkspill.

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. Two duos, that we know of (the Spill counts duos as one cartoonist). The longest active contributor in the issue is this cartoonist (I began contributing in 1977).

This week’s cartoons (in a slideshow)

This week’s Cartoon Caption Contest (Avi Steinberg provides this week’s contest drawing)

The Rea Irvin Talk Watch

Once again, Rea Irvin’s perfect Talk design (shown here) has not returned to the magazine. Every Monday morning, since May of 2017, when a redrawn(!) version by a contemporary illustrator replaced Mr. Irvin’s work, I’ve opened up the newest issue hoping to see the original, but alas…

Read more here.

___________________________________

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.

 

The post Monday Tilley Watch, The New Yorker Issue Of June 8, 2026 first appeared on Inkspill.

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.

__________________________________

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.

The post Monday Tilley Watch, The New Yorker Issue Of June 1, 2026 first appeared on Inkspill.

James Thurber, speaking to Alistaire Cooke on Omnibus:

“…after I had sold a few to the New Yorker magazine, Andy White, my colleague there, found me carefully shading in something and he said, “ Hey, stop that, don’t do that — if you ever became good you’d be mediocre.” 

This somewhat famous quote has stuck with me for decades (I’m not really sure how famous it is). It seems, on its face, simple advice, but I believe there’s way more to it than “Hey…don’t do that.” E.B. White, who of course was an advocate of clarity in writing, was heading off a notion that so many fledgling artists develop — that they should aspire to becoming “better” at drawing. If that’s really what you want to do, than, “Hey…do that!”  But I believe the hunt for “better” can sometimes stifle the artist (please remember I said, “sometimes”).

One of the very best things about The New Yorker is that it embraced Thurber’s art as it was, not as New Yorker editors might wish it would be. That’s one of the wonders of the magazine’s editorial DNA: staying out of an artist’s way. Back in 2013, in my interview with veteran artist, Dana Fradon, he discussed The New Yorker’s Art editor, James Geraghty. Mr. Fradon said Geraghty’s editorial direction was simply, “Make it beautiful.” Thanks to the magazine’s hands-off policy, and E.B. White’s two cents, Thurber did Thurber (beautifully!) and we are all the luckier for it.

__________________________________________________________________

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

 

 

The post Thurber Thursday: “If You Ever Got Good At It You’d Be Mediocre” first appeared on Inkspill.

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

 

_______________________________________________________________________

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.

________________________________________________-

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!

________________________________________________________________

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

 

 

 

The post Thurber Thursday: New Additions to The Spill Library; Attempted Bloggery On A Recently Auctioned Thurber Drawing first appeared on Inkspill.

 

Two New Yorker Artists Are Pulitzer Finalists

 

We learned yesterday that Peter Kuper (above, left) and Ivan Ehlers (on the right) were named finalists in the Pulitzer Prize category of Illustrated Reporting and Commentary. The Spill congratulates both of these fine folks.

Mr. Kuper began contributing to The New Yorker in 2011; Mr. Ehlers in 2021.

Peter Kuper’s website

Ivan Ehlers’ website

See the full list of 2026 winners and finalists here.

________________________________________________________________

Article Of Interest: Alan Dunn’s Architectural Drawings

 

From Apollo Magazine, April 27, 2026, “The Cartoonist with A Fine Line In Architectural Criticism” 

— this piece by Will Wiles comes just weeks before the publication of Gabriele Neri’s Alan Dunn: The Cartoonist As Architectural Critic (May 25, 2026. MIT Press).

Mr. Dunn was, for many years, the most published New Yorker artist.

(My thanks to Mike Rhode for the link) 

______________________________________________________

Alan Dunn’s A-Z Entry:

Alan Dunn (self portrait above from Meet the Artist) Born in Belmar, New Jersey, August 11, 1900, died in New York City, May 20, 1974. New Yorker work: 1926 -1974 Key collections: Rejections (Knopf, 1931), Who’s Paying For This Cab? (Simon & Schuster, 1945), A Portfolio of Social Cartoons ( Simon & Schuster, 1968). One of the most published New Yorker cartoonists (1,906 cartoons) , Mr. Dunn was married to Mary Petty — together they lived and worked at 12 East 88th Street, where, according to the NYTs, Alan worked “seated in a small chair at a card table, drawing in charcoal and grease pencil.”

____________________________________________________________________

More Dunn…Rejections (Knopf, 1931), and Who’s Paying for This Cab? A Book of Cartoons from the New Yorker (Simon and Schuster, 1945).

 

__________________________________________________________

 

 

 

The post Tuesday Spill: Two New Yorker Artists Named Pulitzer Finalists; Article Of Interest…Alan Dunn’s Architectural Drawings first appeared on Inkspill.

Exhibit Of Interest: Edward Sorel & Madeline Sorel 

Sorry I missed the opening date of this exhibit, but there are still two weeks left to see it. Edward Sorel and his eldest daughter, Madeline Sorel in a joint exhibit of their work. From Kingsborough Community College’s Linkedin :

Father and daughter are now launching a unique joint-show at the college where Madeline has taught illustration for the past 25 years. The Family Line: Edward and Madeline Sorel, seeks to tell the story through each artist’s work of overcoming external influences to develop one’s own voice and in doing so, develop their own sense of self.

The exhibit is at the Kingsborough Art Museum (KAM) at Kingsborough Community College, 2001 Oriental Boulevard, Brooklyn, NY. The show, free and open to the public, runs through May 20.

__________________

 Madeline Sorel, an illustrator, collagist, felt artist and, the past 25 years, professor in Kingsborough Community College’s art department.

Edward Sorel’s A-Z Entry:

Edward Sorel (self-portrait above from a strip appearing in The Nation following the death of Marlene Dietrich. Drawing used by permission of Mr. Sorel). Born 1929. New Yorker work: 1990 – . All of Mr. Sorel’s books are of great interest; Unauthorized Portraits (Alfred A. Knopf, 1997) is particularly essential. Website: edwardsorel.net

 

The post Wednesday Spill: Exhibit Of Interest: Edward Sorel & Madeline Sorel first appeared on Inkspill.

Polly Lou Adams Guests On The Latest Cartoon Caption Contest Podcast

Polly Lou Adams (upper left in the photo), who began contributing to The New Yorker in June of 2025, joins two of four CCCP co-hosts, Paul Nesja (upper right) and Nicole Chrolavicius. It’s Episode #249 for those keeping track. Listen here. 

Visit Polly Lou Adams website here. ___________________________________________________________________

A New Yorker State Of Mind Digs Into The Issue Of April 25, 1936

 

A New Yorker State of Mind: Reading Every Issue of The New Yorker Magazine continues its good work. 

Read it here. 

Cover by Rea Irvin: 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. 

____________________________________________________________________________

Article Of Interest…Guy Richards Smit

From The Creative Independent, April 30, 2026, Mr. Smit’s  conversation with Brandon Stosay. 

Guy Richards Smit began contributing to The New Yorker in 2022.

 

____________________________________________________________________________

Live Interview Of Interest: Liza Donnelly On Radio Free Rhinecliff

Liza Donnelly, long-time New Yorker contributor, and filmmaker (Women Laughing) will be live today at 5 on Radio Free Rhinecliff. Listen here.  

 

Photo: Eric Korenman

 

 

The post Friday Spill: Polly Lou Adams Guests On The Latest Cartoon Caption Contest Podcast; A New Yorker State Of Mind On The issue Of April 25, 1936; Article Of Interest…Guy Richards Smit; Live Interview Of Interest: Liza Donnelly On Radio Free Rhinecliff first appeared on Inkspill.

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.

______________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

The post Saturday Spill: The Tilley Watch Online, May 11-15, 2026 first appeared on Inkspill.

I love it when a Thurber moment comes out of the blue. In this case the moment involves a 2020 Esquire article on Jerry Stiller, who played George Costanza’s father, Frank, on Seinfeld.

It’s difficult to imagine Seinfeld with Jerry Stiller’s Frank Costanza character as meek, but according to the article that’s exactly how Frank was originally conceived. We’ll never know how that would’ve worked out, but the way it did work out was comedy gold (I don’t suppose it’s necessary to mention that Jerry Stiller’s real life son, Ben Stiller directed, co-produced, and starred in a modern day take on Thurber’s Walter Mitty…well, no matter — I just mentioned it).

_____________________________________________

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

 

 

The post Thurber Thursday: “I Was Supposed To Be Her Thurberesque Husband.” first appeared on Inkspill.

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):

______________________________________________________

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.

 

 

____________________________________________________

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 post Tuesday Spill: Award Of Interest…Bruce Eric Kaplan; Hilary Campbell Has A Sketchbook Club; Liana Finck Speaks first appeared on Inkspill.

And The Award For (Possibly) Most UnThurberlike Book Cover Goes To…

The 1974 Czechia edition of Thurber’s The 13 Clocks.

Originally published in the US in 1950 by Simon & Schuster, and illustrated by Marc Simont:

_______________________________________________________________

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

The post Thurber Thursday: And The Award For (Possibly) Most UnThurberlike Book Cover Goes To… first appeared on Inkspill.