Caricature Books

Rob's portrayal of characters and the trials and tribulations they encounter is hilarious and insightful. Those of us that work with Rob always look forward to his cartoons and caricatures; The Single File: The Complete Collection is no different. Rob has really nailed what it is to be thirty-something and newly-divorced. I bought extra copies for my family and friends.

Howells happy hour experience shines through in a book full of strips about a happless and divorced bunch of barflys who follow lead character Rob (actually based on Howell)through one misadventure after another. I read the strip when it was in a local weekly paper faithfully. Now, all of them are available in one volume. I haven't been through a divorce, but I've had my shair of breakups. Enough to know that The Single Files echoes real life situations. Sit at your local bar long enough and you'll know. Great book. Get one, you'll love it.

I am honored to have a copy of The Single File. I was/am part of "The Edge Group" and have seen Robbie draw many cartoons on napkins or anything writeable. I've kept a few of myself that he has drawn. Eventhough "Hal" is portrayed as single, I snagged him a couple of years ago. I love having my husband in a comic strip that Robbie, a dear friend of mine, has drawn. Even if you don't know the characters in the book personally, it's worth reading because so many single people can relate to it. BUY AND READ THIS BOOK!

If you like sitting around with your buds having a beer and griping about your ex wives and girlfriends, if youve ever been dumped, divorced, if you ever dialed a 900 number or answered a personal ad or went to therapy, this strip will be right up your alley. I had seen a few of Howells strips in a local paper and always thought they were funny, but when you sit down and read them all as one continuing storyline, they are really great. Howell is a budding talent and his personal experiences transfer to the comic well. His somewhat dry style at times is reminiscent of Doonsebury and some people will get it, others won't. The ones who do will love it. No doubt that most everyone has had friends like these characters. I highly enjoy Howells humor and I think other readers will as well.

This book is filled with some of the greatest portrait art I have ever seen! Kruger uses a wide variety of styles. Some images seem to be caricature in nature, while others are more realistic, and still others are totally unique in style and hard to catagorize. The common thread of all the images in this book is that they portray the character of the subject with unmatched accuracy and ability. The images in this book can best be described by one word, 'WOW'! The high quality of this book's printing also does great justice to these astounding images. All in all I give this book 'two thumbs up' 'way up'! Highly recommended for those interested in art that is innovative and masterful.

No need to say that it is again the collection of Mr Kruger's brilliant caricutures of stars from which you can find out those great brush strokes stand out.

Outstanding illustrations of celebrities in verious fields, such as movie stars, singers... Great reference and resource for character design.

sebastian kruger is the best caricaturist of his generation. i would put him up there with levine and hirshfeld. but unlike those two kruger doesn't have a style. his consistency lies in his constant exploration of other styles. He approaches each celebrity with a fresh eye. No two pictures in this book look the same, but all are done with impeccable skill. This book is wonderful at showing some of his more popular subjects. The reproductions are great except for two blurry images. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in celebrities, caricatures, acrylics, airbrushes, and people with big noses.

Read this book when it first came out in the early 70's. I think it is still my favorite book on the history of comics, and make sure you pick up the 2nd volume also.

A real must read. Enjoy

This is a great history of comics and the earlier pulp magazines. I used to have both volumes, but sold them during some rough financial times. Sterankp covers the history of the two genres well, in a short space. Most people take longer on one or the other and short change the second half. He shows how the pulps shifted into the comics, with many of the same writers, like Edmond Hamilton. Hamilton I knew only as a comic book writer for the Legion of Super Heroes. I saw reprint of his Starwolf sereis and bought it. T

I was only 10 years old when James Steranko's HISTORY OF COMIC BOOKS, Volume 1 was published but its impact hit me like a bullet. Up until then I had only been weened on comics published after 1960 (hence known as the SILVER AGE, of course) but it was here that I discovered the history and lore of comic book's GOLDEN AGE. Steranko, a brilliant artist, laced his book with a unique layout style that weaved his words around art samples and hundreds of old comic books and pulp magazine covers from that era. The result is a dazzling tableau that, while not a definitive history (Steranko merely stops at the pop art's greatest hits before the mid 1950's), is nontheless invaluable. His chapter on pulp magazines alone is something of a classic. Volume 2 rates just as high and lets hope Mr. Steranko publishes an anniversay edition since these books are a must for a new generation of comic book fans.

Jim Steranko did more for the comics medium than any other single artist since Windsor McCay, IMHO, and his book set is a MUST for anyone serious about the history of the comics. However it is a bit heavily slated towards the 1930's, with a lot of information about the pulps and little about developments in the late '60's and '70's, ironically the very period where his contribution was so important.

Jeffrey Metzner is ingenious with a nack for inventing things that one wishes they had invented. This book is a must have and will soon be incorporated into every art history textbook - I'm sure. I had the priveledge of being mentored by Jeffrey Metzner in advertising classes in SVA. All I can say is hopefully these prints are in production in a large scale signed by you! 1 of 1 signed Jeffrey Metzner! I'll pay any amount of money for "The Godfather."

I got this for my birthday. I am an art teacher and this was purchased for the art history portion of the book (I am a movie and history buff as well...so bonus) What a treat looking through this book and trying to guess what each stick person picure might be. I am planning on showing these to my graphic design students, what a great lesson in the making! It was the hit of the party!

This book is great. It offers the right amount of humor and portrays the scenes perfectly to the exact work. Jeffrey Metzner was one of my great friend and mentor when i attended the School of Visual Arts. Hes an aclaimed artist and a great guy to learn from. Highly recommended

Stick is a genius idea and a pleasure to read. This book is filled with interesting stick figure drawings of famous works of art, great moments in history and iconic images. Jeffrey Metzner's style is obviously simple but mentally interactive. And I never thought stick figures could be so beautifully humorous. This would make the perfect gift for literally anyone at any age. I know because I just flipped through the entire book with my 8 yr. old nephew and my 72 yr. old grandfather. We all three enjoyed it equally.

If you love NASCAR like I do you will love this book of 'toons. The Dale Earnhardt 'toons are priceless!! Enjoy :)

StockcarToons: Grins And Spins On The Winston Cup Circuit is a wry, lighthearted, and chuckle-inducing collection of cartoons drawn and captioned by Mike Smith about the good, the bad, and the ugly of car racing on the Winston Cup Circuit. The simply executed black-and-white 'toons completely capture the emotion and essence of the ironies in the sport, and how recent events such as a ban on cigarette advertising have affected it. StockcarToons would make a superb and greatly appreciated giftbook choice for any dedicated auto racing fan.

This book is a MUST HAVE for any NASCAR fan. It is hilarious! Mike Smith has a great sense of humor. Don't believe me? Check out his most recent "stockcartoons"...
You'll really like this book if you are an Anti-Jeff Gordon fan....although Mike Smith is nice to Gordon a few times.

The first thing I do every Friday is go to the website of the Las Vegas Sun and downloaded Mike Smith's latest cartoon on the previous NASCAR race! This book is a absolute must for the NASCAR Fan. Mike treats the reader with tongue in cheek humor and he handles the hard times in Nascar with comforting insight. His ability to draw our heroes is unparalleled! This is the perfect gift for any NASCAR Fan on your list. It will definitely be under my tree this Christmas....and I've probably seen them all!!!

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.

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!

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!

This book will make you laugh. A nice easy read. Great to have where someone might need to read just a little at a time. Hospitals and bathrooms come to mind. This was a great book for the money !!

Readers of THE NEW YORKER or even individuals who occasionally just peruse the magazine's wonderful cartoons will be familiar with the talent of Leo Cullum, who has had over five hundred of his cartoons published there since 1977. This marvelous collection of his animal cartoons from the pages of that magazine provides the reader with 124 separate opportunities (including the cartoons on the front and back cover) to smile, chuckle, laugh out loud and occasionaly sympathize and commiserate with the animals portrayed. As the author states in his introduction, "animals are masters of metaphor...[and] the area of the cartoonist [is] to take an animal's personal cliche and blow it out of all reasonable proportion" or to cause us to see it in a new light. Of course we have the chicken crossing the road and the early bird ordering the worm, but we also have the unexpected grazing buffalo on his cellphone confiding that "I love the convenience, but the roaming charges are killing me".

It's impossible for me to pick a favorite from among this universally good collection, but I will mention a few others to provide some further flavor. While difficult to choose among the several which include political commentary, my favorite is probably the lion looking with regret at his paw and exclaiming to his mate - "He damaged a nerve when he pulled ther thorn out. I'd have a surefire malpractice suit if I hadn't eaten him." There are also several that simply include marvelous wordplay, such as the cowpoke explaining to his sidekick as he stands over the hogtied calf while brandishing his branding iron, "this part is easy. The tough part is instilling brand loyalty". But is is hard to top the title cartoon on the front cover, the TEQUILA MOCKINGBIRD dressed in Mexican garb and enjoying his drink at Jose & Rosa's Cantina.

As I hope it is clear, this book is highly recommended whether you are an avid reader of THE NEW YORKER or just one of the multitude of us who engage in anthropomorphism with regard to our coinhabitants of the animal kingdom. Warning: this book does not include any of Cullom's cartoons involving dogs; those are in the companion volume SCOTCH AND TOILET WATER (review 10/18/2004), which captures the essence of dogdom and which dog lovers will enjoy but is not quite as highly rated due to the more uneven quality of that collection. in summary, as the title of this review advises, this is a book to share with others. If you need a gift that will bring a smile to the face of the recipient, this is a wonderful choice. But you'll want a copy for yourself after perusing it, so you might as well just purchase two now.

Tucker Andersen

I was thrilled to discover this new volume of animal cartoons by New Yorker cartoonist Leo Cullum!

Like Scotch & Toilet Water?: A Book of Dog Cartoons, Tequila Mockingbird is further evidence that Cullum's first name is so appropriate. It's a cartoon jungle out there, and Leo's the king.

A wonderful 128 page volume, the book is stuffed with wonderful animal cartoons from Smokey the Bear on the witness stand testifying that "Absolutely! Where there's smoke there's fire," to a businessman commenting to his suit clad simian counterpart "You've had enough 'monkey see,' Edwards. We want some 'monkey do.'"

By far my favorite though is one in which a doctor with his stethoscope on a giant raven's back is asking the bird to "quoth." Its cartoons like that that continue to challenge me to write better.

Please pick this up in hardcover (my mother-in-law and I agree that the only real books are hardcovers) as soon as your cartoon book budget will allow. And if you don't currently have a cartoon book budget, then shame on you.

You know who you are -- those of you out there who pick up "The New Yorker" only to read the cartoons. There have been priceless collections through the years, from James Thurber to volumes such as "The New Yorker Book of Dog Cartoons", and so on.

Leo Cullum fits into that group of cartoonists for the thinking person, inspiring everything from a wry grin to a burst of laughter. Typical is the mouse on the psychiatrist's couch who says, "Do people go 'eek!' when you enter a room?" or the cow in the lone ranger mask who proclaims that he is mystery meat.

A fine group of cartoons, as is his other collection, "Scotch and Toilet Water" (picture a dog at a bar...).

I have been a fan of Editorial Cartoons and cartoons in general for many years. The Editorial Cartoons we get in our daily papers are pretty much written around the news of the day and are wonderful in their own way.However, they tend to lose their punch very quickly and are not intended to be otherwise.
What Sorel gives us is more the thinking man's portraits presented as caricatures.His portraits are more akin to what you see in the higher scale magazines such as The New Yorker and Esquire. Because more thought goes into these portraits;they tend to give a picture of that person over a much longer period of time and therefoe gets to their real essence.
When you look at one of these portraits,say the one of Marlon Brando and Al Pacino on page 94,you can't help but agree that Sorel has really captured the essence of these two great actors.His portrayal of the 5th Anniversary of Watergate,on page 147,as a picnic ,leaves one with the thought;What a party it was! Then on page 108 ,he steps back and portrays the Great Modern Irish Writers,Joyce,Yeats,O'Casey,Beckett,Lady Gregory,Oliver St.John O'Gogarty and Synge,and what a serious and determined lot they be;and little wonder there was no place among them for the irrasible Brendan Behan.Whether it's Sinatra,Bacall,LBJ,Nixon,Bogart,Hefner,Eastwood,Caruso,Napoleon,MadonnaReagan,Quale,Truman & Ike on page 166,Clinton in the company of Past Presidents,or Gingrich being consoled by Uncle Sam;if you like characters and the artistic portrayal of them by a great caricaturist;you'll love this book

This is a great book and a must have. Not only are the illustrations great but the text is also wonderful

"Unauthorized Portraits" is a sumptuous must-read for the working cartoonist or illustrator (like myself). Edward Sorel's clever drawings and candid text will amuse, inspire, humble, and even comfort any commercial artist or pop culture enthusiast. Sorel is an artist and a gentleman (I know; I've met him) - but he is also a visual raconteur. I hope his agile pens never run dry.

Mr. Sorel is the most elegant cartoonist there is! His sophisticated draftsmanship is superb, the subtle way he uses colors has no match and, well, I guess even the guys he most mercilessly trashes ought to be proud to appear in such fantastic cartoons!

Besides, the man obviously knows what he's talking about: art, books, movies, music, politics... Simply put, Edward Sorel's work is THE example of what an intelligent cartoonist should look like.

How dare "Gooch"(if that is his real name) claim such an outragious statement! Mr. Friedman was one of the hardest-working caricaturists in business from the time period in which he used innumerable ammounts of dots in his work(and certainly the same for hard-working cartoonists, right up there with Henriette Valium)! I admire his work greatly, and I would not prefer it to many cartoonists if in fact your "rapidograph" statement was indeed (psssh!) true! From now on, research something before ya write a review claiming something you obviously made up, thinking no one could have such great talent. And claiming that Vonnegut got "high-minded" when compairing Drew to Goya is an insult to both Mr. Friedman, and Mr. Vonnegut. Furthermore, I will enjoy your reply and/or apology and/or insult posted on this fair site, that is, if you will stop being insulted, and actually take in what I have typed. May the Earth smell of Drew Friedman's philosophical celebrity skewerings evermore, amen.

Ya see? This is what happens when 2 shlubs waste their precious time watching Sandler & Young on THE MIKE DOUGLAS SHOW. (Didn't Bruce ever tell them to go outside and get some fresh air?)

Josh's wordage really outdid itself in ENTERTAINMENT FREAK (my favorite thingy). Wherein the word "entertainment" takes on the hypnotic quality of a mantra. The sour crabby look on Miriam's face happens to be the greatest pictorial rendering of anything since...oh...I'd have to go back to Margaret Keane in her prime.

In case you're curious, Drew accomplishes his stuff with something called a rapidograph. Kurt Vonnegut got all high-minded by claiming that Drew is right up there with Goya. But I very much doubt if Goya or Van Gogh or even Ernie Bushmiller (the illustrious illustrator of NANCY & SLUGGO) could've been capable of the meticulous subtlety on display here.

Mr. Gooch McCracken is quite incorrect. Drew Friedman has NEVER used a rapidograph pen in his work, EVER. He uses a Crowquill pen with a HUNT nib, the reason being that the line drawn by a rapidograph does not vary. Mr Friedman is much more of a true ARTIST than THAT.

The Friedman brothers are without a doubt two of the most brilliant satirists alive. Warts and All contains capsule biographies of a variety of obscure individuals and bygone celebrities. There are odd juxtapositions of serial killers and celebrities. The artwork (meticulously crafted with rapidograph) is excellent. Warts and All is dark, very dark comedy. It is not for everyone. However, if the reader is familiar with the references, one can appreciate what a virtuoso work this is. Highly recommended for the twisted lay person.

Rubin's masterful understanding of the inner workings of a pet's mind translates into hilariously funny cartoons. I strongly recommend this book as a gift to friends who enjoy laughing!

The funniest thing I have ever read. I wet myself while reading the series.

I would suggest that you keep a spare pair of underwear handy when reading these books.

Leigh Rubin captures the wild side of our pets that makes us laugh out loud and immensely glad to claim four-legged critters as our friends. All his cartoon collections are fantastic, but the Wild Life series should appeal to EVERYONE. Beautiful books, and very afforadble. Great gifts for people (and critters) of all ages!

This book is just too funny! I laughed out loud several times while reading it. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because of the price; $7 is a lot for a 20 minute read.