34 Comments
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KittyLiterate's avatar

Funny, all the cartoonists you refer to have always been my favorites. I did two books with Roz. Her humor grows on you,.then it overtakes you, and finally, gobbles you down. I love your line drawing about finding Mommy and Daddy's assets. I have the one you did for Erma with the kids in the sandbox, framed and in my bathroom, next to a Cathy Guisewite. You guys bring such joy...always.

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Liza Donnelly's avatar

Thank you, Allia!

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Patrick Houston's avatar

Loved the insight into your artistry! Very learned too. The cartoons give me joy.

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Liza Donnelly's avatar

I'm so glad! Thank you.

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Philip Shane's avatar

So enlightening and beautiful and funny and smart. Love this entry so much. Thanks, Liza.

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Liza Donnelly's avatar

Thanks Philip!

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Kate Delhagen's avatar

Love this more than any caption can convey. ❤️ your stylistic evolution and the mini-dissertation. Thank you Liza! PS and Michael 😊

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Liza Donnelly's avatar

Thank you, Kate!

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John Sherwood's avatar

…but Booth!

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Linda H. Davis's avatar

What a great art lesson, Liza. Wonderful selection. Another of my favorite line artists was Sam Cobean, a good friend of Chas Addams, who brought some Cobeans to the NYer, and launched him there. Unfortunately Cobean died tragically young. Otherwise, I think he’d be better known. (Cobean, by the way, invented the thought bubble.) 🧐

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Liza Donnelly's avatar

Thank you, LInda. For those of you who may be unaware, Linda is Charles Addam's biographer! I love Cobean's work, did not know he died young. This is what made The New Yorker so great, so many unique styles, voices, artistry.

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Patris's avatar

Omg tears in my eyes from laughing. What a legacy and what a master class.

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DeeDee D's avatar

Riveting read. Loved all your selections. Adore Micheals last cartoon here

Confess Im horrified to learn a publication will buy a cartoon then basically kill it to assign the caption to someone else. But you were very matter of fact about it. Still Im shocked and dismayed. Relieved it doesnt happen to you or Michael any more!!

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D.L. Lee | SISTERLY LOVE's avatar

Mee too! That is many things, including downright mean.

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Liza Donnelly's avatar

It is odd, I agree. But back then it was a way to get into the magazine, and others became cartoonists like Michael. Mick Stevens, for one. I never had a caption bought in those early days, or ever. I felt special, haha!

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DeeDee D's avatar

well that made me chuckle. But you are definitely special!

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Daniel L. Cooper's avatar

I’m going to be very honest with you, Liza. I was never one that paid attention to cartoons. I never read them, or looked at them, when I was young.

But, these cartoons of yours, and these you have displayed in this piece, I enjoy. I started checking out your daily cartoons when I joined Substack. I love your drawings. Your husbands are really good, too.

Keep it up, lady! We need you, and more like you!

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Liza Donnelly's avatar

Thank you so much, Daniel! Welcome to my strange world, glad you are enjoying it!

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Kim Andersen's avatar

Beautifully written. I loved Thurber from a young age. You are a true heir.

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DeeDee D's avatar

She really is.

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Liza Donnelly's avatar

Thank you!

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Liza Donnelly's avatar

Thurber is just so wonderful. Can't love his work enough. Thank you!

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

"George! George! Drop the Keys!" That had me laughing aloud. And how beautiful and appropriate that my eye moves upward when I "read" the cartoon.

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Beverley Kort's avatar

Thanks so much for sharing all these amazing cartoonists with all their different styles and senses of humor. I will refer back to it many times - still looking for my own style

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D.L. Lee | SISTERLY LOVE's avatar

Such a good question: What is style? It sure is recognizable. What I see in the youthful drawings of your parent's party, is your power of observation and insights into people in social situations. Your style has definitely evolved into your own.

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Liza Donnelly's avatar

Thank you, Lee. It was fun to find that page of sketches again. My humor voice was looking to emerge, clearly.

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Nana Ellen's avatar

What a pure delight, Liza! A visit to the 'glory-lands of cartoons', past & present. Much glee...

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Sally Lee Stewart's avatar

I love that you shared your childhood cartoon of the party! How cute, and exciting that you were on your path at such a young age. There was a feeling of 'this is too good to be true,' as I kept scrolling down to more and more cartoons that delighted and made me laugh and feel so privileged that you share your process and mentors. I live way out west, outside of Steinberg's NYC, near the Pacific, so been missing the cartoons. I feasted on Steig when my son was growing up, and at the dentist, when I was a child, my mom taught me to read the cartoons, which I didn't understand yet, out of the New Yorker. Laughter is pleasure! I have no idea how you cartoonists figure out the acupuncture points on this body of feeling we surf together. The origins of style are happily elusive to me.

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Liza Donnelly's avatar

Sally, What a lovely comment, thank you. I am glad to make you smile! I never really know what will work, to be honest. It's just a matter of working at it and some trial and error!

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Sidney Eley's avatar

I'm thinking about what makes some cartoons funny. Thinking about the Charles Addams cartoon: 'George! George! drop the keys'. George is toast but the woman is only saying the situation is all about ME. Funny. I hadn't thought about a wash style. Now that I'm aware, I'll watch for it.

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