The Editorial Cartoons of Herblock (No. 53)

The Editorial Cartoons of Herblock (1929-2001)

REVIEW BY RON EVRY:

(from The 100 Best Comics of the Century! in The Comics Journal #210, 1999)

In the field of editorial cartooning, the 20th century belongs to one man: Herbert Block, who has been signing his cartoons since 1929 with the name "Herblock". At 20, Herblock's pointed barbs at politicians and other scallywags graced the pages of the Chicago Daily News. Even then, his drawings demonstrated a mastery of the conventions of the political cartoon. His blend of bold lines and crayon-based shading matured over the decades, but drawings from the days of Herbert Hoover and Hindenburg are still recognisably Herblock's.

The early '30s brought Herblock to Cleveland, where he drew exclusively for syndication at NEA. Curiously, as the decade wore on, Herblock grew more liberal as his syndicate's politics became increasingly conservative. By the late '30s, the syndicate shrank the size of his cartoons, and begrudgingly waited out the term of his contract. But in 1939, the cartoonist won the first of his three Pulitzer Prizes, and he became the NEA's darling again. After serving in the military during World War II, Herblock joined The Washington Post in 1946, where he has remained since. 

There are few cartoonists today who draw in anything remotely like Herblock's style. Moreover, There are even fewer cartoonists who are as effective. Like the great editorial cartoonists of the 19th century such as Nast, Davenport, McDougall and Keppler, Herblock's cartoons clarify issues to the public and earn the ire of his targets. The '50s saw Herblock crusading against the mud-slinging hate-mongers and red-baiters; he was responsible for coining the word "McCarthyism".

Herblock's power as a cartoonist made itself clear during the Nixon era, when he frequently pointed an accusing finger at the White House, earning the President's hatred and a place on the "Enemies List". Approaching 90, Herblock still chronicles the outrages of today, with a clear view of outrages that came before.

FURTHER READING:

The Herb Block Foundation
Herblock Editorial Cartoon Exhibitions

Herblock at The Library of Congress