Jeff MacNelly was my favorite political cartoonist. Yes, I liked his politically conservative POV. But he was also genuinely funny. Liberal cartoonist Jules Pfeiffer of the Village Voice was a MacNelly admirerer. Not only was MacNelly funny and on-tardet but his artistry was top notch. I loved his rich ink-pen cross hatching, his hugely imaginative visual perspectives and his sharp edged caricatures.

A cartoon that sticks in my mind is from the 1980 presidential campaign (Carter vs Reagan). It was a single panel, labeled "one small reason to vote for Reagan". The panel was empty except for a the lower right corner which contained a caricature of a tiny Carter as the ultimate wimp in his cardigan sweater. Unfair? Sure, deliciously unfair. That is why it was funny. That is why Oliphant or any of the Liberal cartoonists are funny too.

MacNelly was syndicated out of the Chicago Trib. He also did a daily strip, Shoe, and illustrated many of Dave Barry's books. A hero dead at 52. Dang.

JEFF MACNELLY

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), June 08, 2000

Answers

This hurts. Gonna miss waking up to Cosmo, Shoe, Roz, Skyler & even senator Belfry.

-- Carlos (riffraff@cybertime.net), June 08, 2000.

This is really sad news.

goto http://macnelly.com

-- (retired@nd.sad), June 08, 2000.

Yep, a tough year for cartoonists. First Charles Schultz and now MacNelly. Makes me feel old; I grew up with these guys. They will be missed.

-- E.H. Porter (Just Wondering@About.it), June 08, 2000.

I liked McNelly as well, tough loss for the planet. I most enjoyed his way of making fun of political nonsense, sometimes on both sides of the isle.

-- FactFinder (FactFinder@bzn.com), June 08, 2000.