This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Cartoonist's Note: While I take time away from my drawing board to organize the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists convention AAEC - Annual Convention, I am featuring the work of some attendees. Ted Rall's cartoons are often found in "alt-weekly" publications, which claim to be edgier than traditional newspapers.
Alt-weekly publications cater to a younger demographic which seems to find panel cartoons, with their longer narratives, more to its Gen X taste. I can't be sure, but the emergence of graphic novels may have something to do with cultivating an appetite for the long-form cartoon.
I admit to being old-school. I was immersed in the gospel that a good editorial cartoon is one that sneaks up and mugs you, not one that wants a commitment. But some of the newer (and yes, younger) alt-cartoonists have won me over. Their stuff is truly great and reinforces the real golden rule of cartooning: There Are No Rules. You'll be seeing more alt-cartoonists in this space in the run-up to the AAEC convention.
You can find more Ted Rall at his blog http://www.rall.com/rallblog/
~Pat Bagley