Author: Ruben Bolling

1.

First of all, I am only deeply thrilled and honored by the decision by the Editorial Cartooning Pulitzer Jury to name me a Finalist for the 2021 Pulitzer Award (for the second time), along with such amazing talents as Lalo Alcaraz and Marty Two Bulls, Sr.  And I don’t want anything else I say to diminish my appreciation for that.

And whenever I'm recognized in any way, I always want to thank my syndicate, Andrews McMeel Syndication, all of Tom the Dancing Bug's print clients, its web clients BoingBoing.net, DailyKos.com, and GoComics.com, and the fantastic, indispensable, proud & mighty Inner Hive.  I am so deeply grateful for these entities, and the people behind them, for sustaining Tom the Dancing Bug, and I make it my entire professional goal to give them more than they give to me.

At the end of this post are some of my comics from 2020 that the Pulitzer Prize Jury considered in naming me a Finalist.

————————

2.

But the decision by the Pulitzer Prize Board to refuse to name a winner from among those Finalists, as is the custom, or from among any other cartoonists, as is their right, is frustrating, baffling, and wrongheaded.

I don’t know what happened that the Board was unable to name a winner.  But it sure looks like they were saying that no cartoonist did work that was Pulitzer-worthy this year.

I’ve never begrudged a judging panel their decision for an award.  Not in cartooning, not for my favorite movie at the Oscars, not for best pie at the county fair. I've always been ambivalent about the whole Awards idea.  There aren't many kinds of human endeavors less suited to comparative judging than the arts.  But I understand their role in marketing, and I've certainly been a beneficiary of the whole thing — I've been fortunate enough to have won some¹ — so I'm happy to play along.  

I do think it’s silly, childish and arrogant to think there’s an objectively correct comparative winner of any award in the arts; judges simply make their best subjective call, and we all move on.

But this looks like it’s the Pulitzer Board members who are the silly, childish and arrogant ones, effectively declaring that there’s some objective standard of Pulitzer-worthiness, and going far, far out of their way to make a grandiose statement that nothing in an entire field was at that level.  In a year in which, my comics aside, I think some of the best and most vital work in the history of the artform was done.

As though you can look back at the 100 years of editorial cartooning work that has been awarded Pulitzer Prizes and sniff that nothing done this year was of even a similar "quality."  When it comes to subjective award-judging in the arts, I don’t think there’s much you can say that is wrong.  But that is just wrong.

I don’t mind anyone saying this or that cartoonist's work is better than mine.  They're probably right, and who's to say?  But I absolutely resent the Pulitzer Board saying that my work is definitionally not worthy of a Pulitzer and neither is any of my colleagues’ in the entire artform.

I’ve honestly never been insulted by losing an award; I try to think about them as little as possible, and I don’t feel I’ve ever deserved anything.  But I am insulted by this decision by the Board, on behalf of myself and all cartoonists.

—

¹ I cringe to do this, but the Pulitzer Board has me feeling defensive.  In addition to Pulitzer Prize panels of jurors (twice), the following organizations in the past did not find my work categorically unworthy of an award, and somehow found themselves a way to bestow a top award on Tom the Dancing Bug:  The Association of Alternative Newsweeklies, The Society of Professional Journalists, the National Cartoonists Society, The Society of Illustrators, The Herblock Foundation, and The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights.  And by the way, of course the other Finalists, Lalo Alcaraz and Marty Two Bulls, Sr. have both received numerous honors, and are clearly far from definitionally unworthy of a top award.

—

6/15 UPDATE: A Washington Post article about the controversy here.

————————

3.

Finally, not that any tragedy has befallen me, or that I'm in any dire need of Support Through This Difficult Time, but if this feels like a good time to join the INNER HIVE, to get each week's Pulitzer-unworthy Tom the Dancing Bug comic at least a day before it's published anywhere, with commentary and other exclusive comics, and to join the team that literally makes Tom the Dancing Bug possible…

YOU CAN DO SO HERE.

Thank you, I hope to see you there.

Rb

————————

Some of the 2020 Tom the Dancing Bug comics nominated by the Pulitzer Prize Jury:

4/6/20

—

4/20/20

—

5/4/20

—

6/22/20

—

8/17/20

—

9/21/20

—

9/28/20

—

6/16/21 UPDATE:

In the U.S., editorial/political/topical/satirical cartoonists get very little respect in the journalism world that’s supposed to support us. But for some reason, the world over, these cartoonists are on the front lines of threats, censorship, prosecution, and even murder, for their work. From the cartoonists killed for the Mohammed cartoons, to the Charlie Hebdo massacre, to jailed and/or tortured cartoonists in Turkey, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Egypt, etc., etc.

Maybe that’s because what cartoonists do is vital, popular, and effective.

American mainstream journalism dismisses cartoons, firing cartoonists for financial and political reasons, and repeatedly marginalizing their contribution. Yet cartoons always are among the most popular, best-read features on any outlet that runs them, and somehow effective enough to draw the targeted ire and even violence of authoritarians and extremists.

The refusal of an awards judging board, representing the behemoths of American mainstream journalism, to name a winner in the 100 year old cartooning category, and thus (in my view) insulting the cartooning art form and profession, is a silly, meaningless imbroglio, and what should be called a First World Problem.

But I thought I’d turn it around in some tiny, personal way and announce a contest benefitting Cartoonists Rights Network International (CRNI), which "Defends Political Cartoonists on the Front Lines of Free Speech" around the world.

Most recently, they’re defending Malaysian cartoonist Zunar, who’s been jailed, released, and is now under investigation by police again. And Bangladeshi cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore, jailed for ten months, during which he was beaten and tortured.

Egyptian cartoonist Ashraf Hamdi was arrested in January for “spreading false information and misusing social networks,” and he hasn't been seen or heard from since.

If you join me in making a contribution, of any amount, to CRNI and send the screenshot of the receipt to me at teamdancingbug@gmail.com with the subject “CRNI DONATION” by 6/25/21 11:59pm ET, you’ll be entered in a random drawing for a free Tom the Dancing Bug: Into the Trumpverse (2020) book.

Thanks.

<

To raise money for Alice's Kids, I'm offering to re-draw one of two comics for $1,100 ($1,000 to Alice's Kids, $100 for my expenses including shipping).

You can choose one of these two comics, and I'll re-draw* it on 11×14 bristol board, pencil/pen/ink (so black and white line art, not color), and sign it however you like:

Lucky Ducky, in "Red Flags"

or It's the Great Storm, Charlie Brown

Alice's Kids' mission is to "enhance the self-esteem of children in need by providing them targeted financial assistance that will facilitate their participation in scholastic, recreational and social activities."

"Over the years we have built a network of hundreds of teachers, social workers, police department personnel, homeless shelter staff and others who, upon identifying a child with a specific need, send us a request form for assistance. The child might need a winter coat or glasses, They might hide in the back of the classroom as others are exchanging senior yearbooks that they could not afford or cannot attend school because they cannot afford the school uniform. The teacher asks for help and we process the request within 24 hours. In the case of a gift card (e.g., the child needs track shoes), we might send the teacher a Dick's Sporting Goods gift card. The teacher prints it out and presents it to the parent who then can proudly announce to their child that they are going shopping for those shoes! All of our assistance is provided anonymously to help preserve the dignity of the child."

Email me at tomdbug at gmail dot com to let me know you'd like to purchase this commission and help Alice's Kids!

Thanks, Rb

—

*Because I'm re-drawing the comic, it may not look exactly the same as the published comic; I'll be doing my best to re-draw to it as faithfully as possible, but there will certainly be small differences.

—

5/1/21 UPDATE:

Many thanks to @cdsaether who purchased this commission! (Thanks go to Patton Oswalt, who inspired the commission because of his work in helping and publicizing Alice's Kids.)

Okay, ya filthy landlubbers.  As I told ya in this week's "Uncle Cap'n's Nifty N.F.T.s," you can actually bid on this here picture I drew of myself, as an NON-FUNGIBLE TOKEN.

A few things:

• The varmints at Rarible don't seem to allow a real auction: they only allow an auction that takes bids forever, and it's up to me to accept one, or not.  So to make this more like a real auction, I'll take the highest bid as of Friday, April 16, 11am ET or thereabouts.  I'm told that because I'm not going to accept a set Sale Price, I pay the "gas fee" (?) on the sale instead of you, so take that into account when ya bid, ya stingy skinflints.

• I'm also sendin' the winner a 2 inch by 2.5 inch drawing of the NFT image, by actual physical mail, drawn by me, yer ol' pal Uncle Cap'n.

• Tom the Dancing Bug, that low-down, do-gooder, tree-hugging' comic strip, is taking 50% of the dollar amount I net out of this thing, and is donating it to The Carbon Fund.

You can bid on this NFT of my glorious mug, a real piece of Digital Art, RIGHT HERE, ON RARIBLE.COM

The rules are up to me, so don't be a bellyacher.

-Uncle Cap'n

UPDATE: This here auction has been switched over a straight-up sale of the NFT.  Anybody wants to pony up 0.10 ETH (something like $240) can just buy the damn thing.

—

After spending the morning wrestling with The New York Times, I can point people to this article about Facebook moderation and the problem they have with satire.

The example they printed of a comic strip that Facebook mistakenly removed from its site, and then allowed back on, was one of mine, the one I did on masks last summer.

Somehow Facebook flagged this comic's appearance on The Nib as a dangerous statement about Covid and masks, and removed it from The Nib's page.  It wasn't long before it was reinstated, because the concern was obviously an error in failing to see the irony, but it did reveal a blind spot in Facebook's efforts to moderate its content.

—

But I was totally blindsided by the article this morning.  I was happily reading it because it was about my pal Matt Bors and his site The Nib, and then suddenly there was my comic, but without the Tom the Dancing Bug header, without the By Ruben Bolling byline, and without any attribution at all.  No mention of me, as though the comic was created by some kind of Nib algorithm.

I had to spend the morning wrestling with the situation, but I finally did get in touch with the editor of the article, who was very apologetic and took full responsibility.  They added an attribution, and they said they'd look into replacing the image with the full image, as the comic originally ran, including the header and byline.  We'll see.

—

Anyway, I've been focused on my own little drama of attribution, but the problem for The Nib explained in the article is an existential one for The Nib.  And the good news is that Matt tells me that The Times getting in touch with Facebook for the article caused Facebook to finally take The Nib off "restricted distribution" probation status.  

For now.

If you've ever thought about joining the INNER HIVE (or even if you haven't), this would be the month to do it.

Members get each weekly comic strip at least a day before it's published anywhere online, plus commentary, sneak peeks, extra exclusive comics, palindromes, giveaways, additional comics, "content", craft projects, juicy gossip, weather forecasts, "other stuff," cautionary tales, hot takes, etc.

But if you sign up for the INNER HIVE from today through the end of March*, I will donate $25 to The Food Bank for New York City, to help provide food for those in crisis during these trying times of the pandemic.

So at base INNER HIVE membership levels, more than DOUBLE the amount of your sign-up/initial membership dues will be donated to help those in need.

You can join through any of these platforms; click for more information or to join:

• PATREON(monthly billing)
• SUBSTACK(monthly billing)
• MAILCHIMP / CAMPAIGNZEE(billing every six months)

(If you don't want to join through one of these platforms, you can make a single PayPal payment for a prepaid two-year non-recurring membership, also triggering the $25 donation.)

More info on inner Hive membership can be found here.

So not only do you get early access to stupid comics, exclusive access to stupid commentary on those stupid comics, and other stupid stuff, you help those in crisis.

Tom the Dancing Bug was designed as a newspaper comic strip, and with the collapse of the newspaper market, the Inner Hive has been absolutely critical in keeping it viable.  I deeply appreciate all who join, and I do my best every week to make sure members get value and are happy with their membership.

Please join the team making Tom the Dancing Bug.  And make me donate!

THANK YOU,

Ruben Bolling

—

Not applicable to Gift Memberships.

*Because Patreon and Substack membership dues are monthly, for members who sign up through those platforms, membership must be maintained for four months to be eligible for this pledge.

—

—

JOIN THE INNER HIVE HERE.

The winners of the Inner Hive BIG INTO THE TRUMPVERSE GIVEAWAY CONTEST are:

Jaquine Hudson Bly
John Robinson 
Joe James

These Inner Hive members will soon be proud possessors of the Tom the Dancing Bug book, Into the Trumpverse.  I thank them and all Inner Hive members for their support in making the Tom the Dancing Bug comic strip possible!

And the winner of the Tom the Dancing Bug Newsletter SUPER-FUN-PAK COMIX READER GIVEAWAY CONTEST is:

Adrian Bartoli

Congratulations to all the winners and the losers of the world, and Merry Happy Everything!

The books can be happily purchased here.

This very strange, socially distanced holiday season, you can give the touching but touchless gift of a Super Fun Tom the Dancing Bug Book Package to that special (insert noun) in your life!

Imagine the thrill of receiving two books filled with award-winning, hilarious, thought-provoking and poignant comics, and how well that bounty will reflect on the magnanimous gift-giver.

Now imagine receiving these two books as a present.

The books

👉 Will be sketched in, dated and signed — and personalized (if requested);

👉 Come with two commemorative bookmarks, also signed; and

👉 Include a special "Artist's" Edition pdf booklet.

And it will be delivered right to the recipient's door, so it's the gift you can give even if you are not physically seeing the givee this season.  See instructions below.

12/8/20 UPDATE: ORDER BY 11:59pm ET, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11 FOR PLANNED DELIVERY BY CHRISTMAS.  No guarantees when it comes to the USPS, but they've been remarkably consistent for months; these packages have always taken 3-7 days for delivery anywhere in the U.S. (except Alaska and Hawaii can take longer).  So, factoring in a healthy late-holiday cushion, the last shipment for a planned delivery by Christmas in the continental U.S. will go out on 12/12.

1.  THE "NAME I'D LIKE BOOKS SIGNED TO" FIELD

If you'd like the books signed to the gift recipient, enter the name in the "Name I'd like books signed to" field.  If not, you can leave the field blank.

For example, if you enter "Otis" in that field, I'll write "For Otis" in addition to all the signing/sketching I'll be doing in the books.

2.  THE "GIFT-GIVER / DATE TO BE OPENED" FIELD

In the "Gift-Giver / Date to be opened" field, enter the phrase, if any, you'd like me to write about who the book came from, a slant, and then the date the gift should be opened, if any, you'd like me to write on the package.

For example, if you enter in that field, "From your buddy Worthington / Kwanza," then in the books I'll write, "From your buddy Worthington," and on the outside of the package I'll write, "PLEASE DO NOT OPEN UNTIL KWANZA."

If you write in that field just, "12/15," then I won't include any note about the giver in the books, but I will write on the outside of the package, "PLEASE DO NOT OPEN UNTIL 12/15."

If you write in that field, "Merry Christmas from your loving high school principal Mr. Garcia," I'll include that phrase in the books, but no date on the outside of the package.

You can also leave this field blank.

Note that the return address on all packages will indicate it is from me, Ruben Bolling.

ON THE PAYPAL ORDER FORM THAT THIS LINKS TO, BE SURE THE RECIPIENT'S POSTAL ADDRESS IS FILLED IN, NOT YOURS.

U.S. only please. Includes Media Mail postage.  For deliveries to other nations, please contact teamdancingbug at gmail dot com 

I've seen that Media Mail takes five to nine days to ship the package anywhere in the U.S., but order as early as possible.

—

Here's an example of what the recipient will receive.

Both books, personalized in the way you indicated (the books pictured are not gifts, so there is no "from"), signed and sketched, plus two signed bookmarks.

And this pdf booklet presenting notes, scripts, sketches, pencils and inks for selected comics from both books. 

Finally, I can't post this video about the books enough:

And why not show the back cover of Into the Trumpverse?

—

Any questions about ordering, please write to teamdancingbug at gmail dot com

It's always nice to be mentioned.  Particularly if it's honorably.

Tom the Dancing Bug won an Honorable Mention for the National Press Foundation's Berryman Award.

Congratulations to Steve Sack!

…

So I started a free e-mail newsletter over at Substack.  You can get information and/or sign up here.

This is a separate list from the Inner Hive, which is a paid membership, and which you can join in various ways, including at Substack and at Patreon.

The first Tom the Dancing Bug Newsletter goes out tomorrow!  Be part of this momentous, historic occasion and sign up today!

—