The clocks have fallen back, and subsequently the nights are drawing in, so as we race towards Christmas publishers are putting out books on cartooning. Here’s a selection of recent example that may be filling stockings come December.

First up is The History of the Beano: The Story so Far, a comprehensive round-up of the iconic DC Thompson comic from the last 70 years, here reviewed by the Daily Record and by Danny Baker in The Times. This book also ties in with the recent exhibitions in Dundee and the Cartoon Museum in London.

The History Of The Beano – The Story So Far is published by D.C. Thomson and Waverley Books, priced £25. The Beano and Dandy Birthday Bash continues at the The Cartoon Museum, 35 Little Russell Street, London WC1A 2HH until 2nd November 2008.

Next is Cartoons and Coronets: The Genius of Osbert Lancaster on the life and times of the late Daily Express pocket cartoonist Osbert Lancaster, which is reviewed in the New Statesman, the Spectator and by cartoonist Nicholas Garland in the Telegraph. This book also ties into an exhibition at the Wallace Collection (reviewed in the Telegraph, the Guardian, and the Independent) .

Cartoons and Coronets: The Genius of Osbert Lancaster, edited by James Knox, is published by Frances Lincoln Publishers Ltd, priced £25. The exhibition continues at The Wallace Collection, Hertford House, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN until 11th January 2009.

And finally we come to The Best of Punch Cartoon, a collection of cartoons from the legendary satirical magazine spanning over 150 years of humour, the launch of which was attended by the PCO’s own Pete Dredge. Reviewed here by cartoonist Peter Brookes of the Times, by Michael Heath, cartoon editor of the Spectator, and in the Independent.

The Best of Punch Cartoons, by Helen Walasek, is published by Prion Books, priced £30.

The PCO: Great British cartoon talent

Bloghorn spotted this great work this week …

One: Steve Bell in the Guardian on Sarah Palin’s wardrobe allowance.

Two: Nick Newman in the Times on the Madonna/Guy Ritchie divorce.

Three: Dave Brown from the Independent on George Osborne and Peter Mandelson’s boat trip.

Week ending 24th October 2008

The PCO: British cartoon talent

Bloghorn spotted this great work this week…

One: Mike Williams in Private Eye on something feline

Two: Colin Whittock in the Birmingham Mail: “All the best spots have been nicked by bankers …”

Three: Tim Sanders in The Independent: Just say cheese!

The PCO: British cartoon talent

Bloghorn spotted this great work this week. Quite a lot of it appeared to be bashing the Prime Minister …

One: Dave Brown in the Independent on the Large Hadron Collider at CERN

Two: Noel Ford in the Church Times on Fairtrade clergymen

Three: Mac (Stan McMurtry) in the Daily Mail on life’s little problems. “Maybe it’s someone to see the house”

Week ending 12th September 2008

It’s British cartoon talent

Bloghorn spotted this great work this week…

One: Holland in the Oldie on Playing Health and Safety

Two:
Matt of the Telegraph on the GCSE results

Three:
Peter Schrank of The Independent on Russian bears

British cartoon talent

An Independent Line – an exhibition of cartoons from The Independent newspaper, by Dave Brown, Peter Schrank and Tim Sanders, is at the Political Cartoon Gallery in London from June 18 until October 18.

The exhibition promises to be a treat for lovers of satire, as it features a wealth of work from the Indie’s three political cartoonists. Drawing on the best of more than 12 years of material, it features cartoons from the John Major years to the present day.

The show will be accompanied by a fully-illustrated hardback book with a foreword by comedian Mark Steel.

The Political Cartoon Gallery is at 32 Store Street, London WC1E 7BS, and is open Monday to Friday 9.30am – 5.30pm and on Saturdays between 11.30am – 5.30pm.

It’s British cartoon talent

Caricature of Prime Minister Gordon Brown appearing in cartoonist Dave Brown‘s one-man show at this year’s Shrewsbury International Cartoon Festival. Cartoon courtesy of Dave Brown. Click to enlarge the image.

British cartoon talent

Six exhibitions of high-quality cartoon and comic art opened at the Shrewsbury festival yesterday evening. All free to enter and available to all, are the But is it Art? cartoon show and a one man show for Dave Brown of The Independent. The national UK Cartoon Museum has lent a collection for display and there is also a caricature show and contributions from cartoonists and artists from both Belgium and America.

British cartoon talent

Here is our second preview of the one-man cartoon show which will be running at Shrewsbury next month. Dave Brown, cartoonist for the Independent, will be exhibiting work from his Rogues Gallery of art pastiches. Here is a recent example looking at the race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama for the Democratic party nomination for the presidency for the United States.
British cartoon talent

Dave Brown cartoon pastiche of Hell by Hieronymus Bosch as the US Presidential election campaign of 2004.

One of the highlights of this year’s Shrewsbury festival is a one-man show of the work of Dave Brown, editorial cartoonist for the Independent newspaper here in the UK. Dave is well known for his weekly Rogues Gallery feature, which pastiches great works of art and reworks them for current affairs – it’s a sort of painterly version of an internet mash-up. Dave has allowed us to preview some of his work here in the run up to the event.

British cartoon talent