Sutton Impact: The Political Cartoons of Ward Sutton

Sutton's political cartoons show that he possesses keen observational skills and that his ability to discern correctly the elemental hypocrisy in the current political climate is much higher than most Americans. Unlike those Americans who have given up on the reality that politics could be honorable and good, Sutton still believes that honesty and intelligence are not only possible but required qualities in elected officials. Rather than being naive, Sutton's incredulity at the actions of politicians and government officials is more the product of a Cassandric prescience and an ability to read between the lines of government-speak & behavior to see where this all will go in the not-so distant future. Very smart. As I read this book, I kept having to recheck when the individual work was published, and each time the date showed that Sutton was way ahead of other critical voices in America, most of which were largely silent or complicit in the steamrolling of civil liberties and democratic governance after 09/11/01. What's more, he was right time and time again. Definitely recommended reading for anyone interested in the ability of the graphic arts to say things of value in times when saying valuable things is of the utmost importance.

That is the question. How does Ward Sutton manage to continue to come up with good ideas for his weekly cartoons? And by good I mean fabulously funny and incisive cartoons, week after week, year after year. For those not familiar with Sutton, his politics are well to the left of center, which means he's as eager to skewer Democrats as well as Republicans. No one gets off easy within the borders of a Sutton cartoon.

Back in the 80s and early 90s when I was the staff political cartoonist for City Pages (now owned by the Village Voice) in Minneapolis and saw Ward Sutton's early comics in the Twin Cities Reader, I was not impressed. I never even bothered to pick up the TCR to look at his work, only looked at it when I saw a copy laying open at the laundromat or coffeeshop... But today he has evolved into by far my favorite comic artist. The work he has been doing for the Village Voice for the past few years is the best political comic art in the country. I show his work in the cartooning course I teach at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design as exemplary. It isn't exactly "political cartooning" and I would rather the term "political comic" be used so as not to totally snuff out what little is left of the former art form. Whatever you want to call it, it is inspired, expressive and direct from the gut. (Frankly I'm amazed the Voice would use anything this good!) My hats off to him for finding a way to use comic art to make incisive political commentary in a time when the traditional one-panel political cartoon has all but croaked. Above all, good move getting out of Minneapolis, Sutton!

Though not all-inclusive, this volume gives readers a chance to enjoy Ward Sutton's distinctive take on current events (and excellent artwork) all in one place. Out on the Left Coast we don't get the Village Voice, but I've enjoyed his panel comics in The Funny Times and when I've run across them in major publications. Sutton is a gifted cartoonist whose work I've been able to follow since he drew the weekly strips for our college newspaper. Get this book, you won't be disappointed! Um Ya Ya!