–photo: Michael Maslin
The New Yorker’s centennial included all kinds of interesting doings. Here’s the lot of them.
The Special Issues:
There were four special anniversary issues this year (called “centenary” issues on the magazine’s Table of Contents). The keepsake of the four for most readers is likely the Feb.17 & 24, 2025 (double) issue, shown above, which marked the actual 100th birthday week (the debut issue of The New Yorker carried the date of Feb. 21, 1925).
Three of the four centenary issues used Rea Irvin’s Eustace Tilley cover (slightly modified to include “100”), but Tilley only appeared once on the cover (that issue of Feb 17 &24). Tilley was a page within the issue for the other two centenary issues. For some reason the second special issue — (a double — May 12 & 19, 2025) — did not use Tilley at all. I’d say that was a shame, since it would’ve made for a nice set, but what’s done is done. Bottom line for me: I was thrilled Tilley was on the Feb. 17 & 24 issue. The other Tilleys were icing on the birthday cake.
The Exhibits:
The Society Of Illustrators:“Drawn From The New Yorker: A Centennial Celebration”
An exhibit of cartoons and covers (and even a few Spot drawings) that spanned the magazine’s history, curated by Liza Donnelly, a long-time New Yorker contributor. The opening drew (no pun intended) a crowd of 500. A whole lot of the magazine’s cartoonists showed up.
The New York Public Library: “A Century of The New Yorker”
A wide ranging exhibit that looked at all aspects of the magazine’s 100 years.
The New York Transit Museum: “Commentary on the Commute: A Century of The New Yorker’s Transportation Cartoons”
A look at some of the magazine’s mass transportation art over the years.
L’ Alliance New York: “Covering The New Yorker”
An exhibit that mostly focused on the magazine’s cover editor and the covers produced during her tenure at the magazine.
The Parties
The New Yorker‘s “official” big bash at Jean’s in NoHo, February 26, 2025.
Oh, what a crush of New Yorkery people!
A Cartoonists Party at Maxwell Social, February 22, 2025.
A packed cartoonist-only party at a private club in Tribeca.
Here’s the Spill piece on it. And here’s a party post by one of the organizers, cartoonist Zoe Si.
The Films:
“Women Laughing”
From co-directors Liza Donnelly and Kathleen Hughes, Women Laughing, a documentary film that features a number of contemporary women New Yorker cartoonists as well as their predecessors, including Helen Hokinson, Mary Petty, and Barbara Shermund.
“The New Yorker At 100”
From director, Marshall Curry, The New Yorker At 100, a documentary film that is both a look at the present-day New Yorker as well as The New Yorker of the past.
The Book:
Much to my surprise, At Wit’s End: Cartoonists Of The New Yorker is the only book focused on celebrating New Yorker cartoonists in this 100th year. Emma Allen, the magazine’s cartoon editor, wrote the Foreword, and this cartoonist took care of 51 of the 52 essays that accompany Alen MacWeeney’s terrific photographs (Peter Steiner was kind enough to write the essay about me). That’s Barry Blitt on the cover.
The Digitized Archive:
Amid all the hoopla of special issues and whatnot, the digitization of The New Yorker‘s archive snuck into magazine’s website and made itself comfortable. I’ve yet to fully comprehend how I’ll be using it in years to come. My attachment for many years has been to the online archive provided to subscribers along with the database that came (in the form of discs) with The Complete New Yorker back in 2005. Any search function should be, and is, of course, welcome.
The magazine’s website has an area devoted to the 100th anniversary. Visit here.
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And Now…Onward and Upward!
Eustace Tilley has stayed alert and nimble through the decades, and remains so as the magazine moves on to its 101st year. I’ve found myself, during these past twelve months, wondering what The New Yorker‘s founder and first editor, Harold Ross would’ve made of his “comic weekly” surviving 100 years. I’d like to think he would’ve been amused, and possibly surprised; magazines don’t usually last that long. Ross’s genius, as editor, was not settling for that’ll do. He reached for perfection, knowing perfection would always be just out of reach.
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Video Of Interest… “The New Yorker: Eustace Tilley At 50” With Brendan Gill, Roger Angell, Calvin Trillin, and Charles Addams
A wonderful program from American Archive, with Harrison Salisbury interviewing Brendan Gill, Roger Angell, Calvin Trillin and Charles Addams. Watch here!
