The Monday Tilley Watch Takes A Glancing Look At The Art & Artists Of The Latest Issue Of The New Yorker
This is another “Archival” issue, with “Celebrity” as its theme. The cartoons are new, not re-runs as in the 2018 “New York City” archival issue. The cover is also new.
The Cartoonists & Cartoons:
Fifteen cartoons, fifteen cartoonists (the Spill counts duos as one cartoonist — there are two duos in this issue… that we know of). Two newbies in this issue: Jorge Penne, and Andy Babbitz (Mr. Babbitz has contributed to Daily Shouts pieces, but this is, unless I’m mistaken, his first New Yorker cartoon). These two cartoonists are the 15th and 16th additions to the magazine’s stadium this year, and the 116th and 117th additions under Emma Allen, who took the cartoon editor reins in May of 2017.
The longest active contributor in this issue is the one-and-only Sam Gross. Mr. Gross’s first New Yorker cartoon appeared in 1969. Here’s his Spill A-Z entry:
Sam Gross Born 1933, Bronx, NY. New Yorker work: August 23, 1969 -. Other than his work in The New Yorker Gross is probably best known for his work in National Lampoon. He’s edited a large number of collections, including Dogs Dogs Dogs, Cats Cats Cats, Food Food Food: A Feast of Great Cartoons (originally published as All You Can Eat: A Feast of Great Cartoons); Golf Golf Golf, Ho! Ho! Ho!, Movies Movies Movies. Key collections: I Am Blind and My Dog is Dead (Avon, 1978), An Elephant is Soft and Mushy (Avon, 1982)
Rea Irvin Talk Watch
Being that the current issue is an archival issue it would’ve been an excellent opportunity to bring back Rea Irvin‘s perfect design (shown directly above) that sat atop the magazine’s Talk Of The Town for 92 years before being 86ed in May of 2017 by — gasp! — a redraw. But nooooooo — the redraw remains.