"This Modern World Needs Your Help" - Note from Ed

100 Pacer

https://www.pearljam.com/news/modern-world-needs-your-help

03.11.09

Dear Friends,

We all know the economy is bad and likely to get worse in the days ahead. I’m sure you know people who’ve been affected. I want to tell you about a friend of mine who recently took a huge hit, cartoonist Tom Tomorrow, creator of “This Modern World.”

In January, Village Voice Media, the largest group of weekly newspapers in the country, indefinitely suspended all syndicated cartoons. In a single day, Tom’s strip was cut from 12 papers. Obviously that means a loss of income for him. Perhaps even worse is the lost connection to readers who faithfully turn to Tom and his sardonic penguin Sparky to help them survive the absurdities of the world around us.

Political cartoons have a powerful history in the United States. Many cartoonists were the Jon Stewarts of their day, quickly cutting complex issues to their cores. Decades before the Revolutionary War, Ben Franklin sketched a disjointed snake to rally the colonies to unity, creating a lasting symbol of the time. Herb Block’s incisive visual commentaries played a significant role in the public perception of Watergate. Alt-weeklies have provided a home to some of our finest subversive comic art, from Bill Griffith’s “Zippy the Pinhead” to Simpsons-creator Matt Groening’s “Life in Hell.”

Cartoons are a great deal for alt-weeklies: they provide some of the least expensive and yet most popular content. Many times you have picked up Seattle Weekly, the Village Voice, Minneapolis City Pages or LA Weekly – just some of the Voice Media papers – and turned right to the cartoon section. Now that has vanished.

The only way this vital artwork will return is through a sustained outcry from readers. We have to tell editors at our local alternative weeklies that we don’t want them to suspend cartoons; if they already have, we want them brought back. When you write, please be polite and respectful. Many of the editors at these papers are friends of the cartoonists we’re supporting – after all, they’re the folks who gave the cartoons a home in the first place. Suspending the work was a corporate decision made during incredibly tough times for all newspapers.

So send an email, write a letter, make a call, and then ask your friends and families to do the same. I appreciate your help very much – and so does Tom.

-Ed

Cinnamon Girl

I just commented...it's a nice shout out to his friend and the shit situation he's in. So many people are losing their jobs, and Ed is just fightin' the fight on his friends behalf. I wish them luck.

Stephen Flow

i also commented... i work @ a newspaper... going to see if they'd be able to start running his cartoon.

BrainofBGA

What are the chances of the new album being 'The Modern World'?

Seems like an appropriate title!

pjalive21

is Ed going to still blame Bush?

how about Obamaleaguer?


on a serious note, this sucks, but so many average Americans are suffering too and that should be pointed out as well

i do see Modern World being the album title

Gary Carter

the newspaper i work for used to print the village voice. used to read the village voice while at work. his comics always made me say funny but true. sucks his going through rough times

CranMalReign

OK, so maybe I'm a jerk, but I just don't buy into the anecdotal tragedy business. In a country where unemployment is over 8% and rising, and covers the whole spectrum of police officers, construction workers, medical professionals, software engineers, grocery store cashiers, customer service reps, etc etc etc, I think it's a little "self-centerd" in a way to use your powers of influence over a devoted fanbase on behalf of this one cartoonist whose paycheck diminished somewhat and, oh, just happens to be a friend of yours.

Yes, it's noble to try to help your buddy out, but isn't it just a little off to be playing him up like a special tragedy of the system as if so many Americans weren't suffering along with him or even worse... unemployed? It seems to me like an insult to the rest who are suffering, and suffering far worse.

I am still gainfully employed, but if I were not and I read that, I'd give a big middle finger, b/c he still has a job. Will Ed send out a plea to all of us if his buddy Jim loses his wallet? Seriously, the timing and context are awful. The newspaper companies are not evil ogres out to silence the voice of the people so much as, if his paycheck doesn't get trimmed, someone else's may get axed.

Just sayin...

arthurdent

Newspapers around the country are in pretty piss-poor shape right now. Classified inches are down because of ebay and Craigslist, and the national advertising market is in the tank with the rest of the economy. They're cutting 10-15% of their workforce, putting reporters and editors and mandatory unpaid vacation and cutting the number of pages printed. Cutting syndicated cartoons is a way to reduce costs without cutting into the local news budget. It sucks, but that's just the way it is.

Vedder_Girl77

It is tough times for everyone.

I don't think this comic runs in my local newspapers but good luck to Tom and everyone else who has recently lost their jobs...

URthekey

Video killed the radio star, then the internet killed newspapers. There has been a steady decrease in cirrculation of print media since the early 90's, the economic situation just may be the nail in their coffin.
Sorry to Tom, it's not just the loss of his job, but an art form that is being jeapordized, but this shit is happening everywhere, every day, to friends of us all.

Beachman44

CranMalReign wrote:

OK, so maybe I'm a jerk, but I just don't buy into the anecdotal tragedy business. In a country where unemployment is over 8% and rising, and covers the whole spectrum of police officers, construction workers, medical professionals, software engineers, grocery store cashiers, customer service reps, etc etc etc, I think it's a little "self-centerd" in a way to use your powers of influence over a devoted fanbase on behalf of this one cartoonist whose paycheck diminished somewhat and, oh, just happens to be a friend of yours.

Yes, it's noble to try to help your buddy out, but isn't it just a little off to be playing him up like a special tragedy of the system as if so many Americans weren't suffering along with him or even worse... unemployed? It seems to me like an insult to the rest who are suffering, and suffering far worse.

I am still gainfully employed, but if I were not and I read that, I'd give a big middle finger, b/c he still has a job. Will Ed send out a plea to all of us if his buddy Jim loses his wallet? Seriously, the timing and context are awful. The newspaper companies are not evil ogres out to silence the voice of the people so much as, if his paycheck doesn't get trimmed, someone else's may get axed.

Just sayin...

I agree. I thought it was very odd when I read this last night. So many things wrong with the economy right now and Ed is asking his HUGH fan base to write newspapers about cartoons? I know he has two little ones at home that probably watch a lot of cartoons, but I think this is a little selfish. How about asking everyone to write the politicians that are doing shady things. Handing out money to corrupt "friends" banks, companys, etc. Adding wasteful earmarks to bills. So lets not channel our writing power to newspapers, which is a old fashion to get the news, and channel it to the people that are trying to fix the bigger problem the wrong way.

Sorry guys, this is how I feel.

Thanks

Cinnamon Girl

In response to the last few posts: He can use his position to say whatever he wants. We don't have to write to anyone. It's something he feels strongly about, and he's never been one to not voice his feelings.

I personally don't read these cartoons, therefore I don't have the desire to ask anyone to keep them. Ed doesn't choose his words lightly. This message is well thought out, of course and I see nothing wrong with him using his platform to call attention to the situation. We ultimately decide whether its an important issue to us.

I figured some people would be bothered by his message.

redrock

CranMalReign wrote:

.... I think it's a little "self-centerd" in a way to use your powers of influence over a devoted fanbase on behalf of this one cartoonist whose paycheck diminished somewhat and, oh, just happens to be a friend of yours.

It's not JUST about Tom, but the 'industry' as a whole. He is not asking for us to write to tell us to give Tom his cartoon space back - it's far more reaching. He is talking about the art and 'voice' the political cartoon has and how this 'voice' will not be heard by the general public if not published in papers with a general distribution.

Thats' all.

A drop in the water, but a drop nevertheless in the ocean of shit this world is in. Ed is just fortunate enough to be able to write/say something and have people listen to him/read what he writes. No different than touring for change, lending your voice/image to a charity, etc. If one can use his/her celebrity status for such things, I don't see the problem. Lots of famous people do so.

CranMalReign

Cinnamon Girl wrote:

In response to the last few posts: He can use his position to say whatever he wants. We don't have to write to anyone. It's something he feels strongly about, and he's never been one to not voice his feelings.

I personally don't read these cartoons, therefore I don't have the desire to ask anyone to keep them. Ed doesn't choose his words lightly. This message is well thought out, of course and I see nothing wrong with him using his platform to call attention to the situation. We ultimately decide whether its an important issue to us.

I figured some people would be bothered by his message.

First, I'll start by saying this forum sucks b/c I typed up a nice long reply and when I hit "submit", it logged me out and scrapped everything.

Now back to the topic...

I believe in free speech. I believe Ed has the right to say what he wants to whom he wants how he wants. I believe I have the right to note the irony in Ed's completely narrow focus to the benefit of his buddy.

I know the importance of political commentary. I also know the importance of a paycheck. But if fewer people get their political and social hahas and Tom gets less income b/c of a decision of the big mean paper company, I think that's ok. Why? The alternative is the big mean paper company giving the axe to more low-wage workers, more copy editors, more desk jockies. That's $0 a year salary for those folks. That's soup kitchen. That's living under a highway overpass that stinks like piss.

I feel for Tom. It sucks. Maybe if I knew Ed, he could have you all write a letter to my mortgage company since I owe more than my house is worth. Then the tens of thousands of dollars they cut out of my principle would equate to some customer service rep's salary, perhaps.

Ed's narrow, biased focus is ironic. I wouldn't have expected such a plea from him on his band's website. Everyone is suffering, many moreso than Tom. Just doesn't feel appropriate given the circumstances and I'm a little disappointed. I know there's no gun to anyone's head... just, a little disconcerting.

Cinnamon Girl

CranMalReign wrote:

Cinnamon Girl wrote:

In response to the last few posts: He can use his position to say whatever he wants. We don't have to write to anyone. It's something he feels strongly about, and he's never been one to not voice his feelings.

I personally don't read these cartoons, therefore I don't have the desire to ask anyone to keep them. Ed doesn't choose his words lightly. This message is well thought out, of course and I see nothing wrong with him using his platform to call attention to the situation. We ultimately decide whether its an important issue to us.

I figured some people would be bothered by his message.

First, I'll start by saying this forum sucks b/c I typed up a nice long reply and when I hit "submit", it logged me out and scrapped everything.

Now back to the topic...

I believe in free speech. I believe Ed has the right to say what he wants to whom he wants how he wants. I believe I have the right to note the irony in Ed's completely narrow focus to the benefit of his buddy.

I know the importance of political commentary. I also know the importance of a paycheck. But if fewer people get their political and social hahas and Tom gets less income b/c of a decision of the big mean paper company, I think that's ok. Why? The alternative is the big mean paper company giving the axe to more low-wage workers, more copy editors, more desk jockies. That's $0 a year salary for those folks. That's soup kitchen. That's living under a highway overpass that stinks like piss.

I feel for Tom. It sucks. Maybe if I knew Ed, he could have you all write a letter to my mortgage company since I owe more than my house is worth. Then the tens of thousands of dollars they cut out of my principle would equate to some customer service rep's salary, perhaps.

Ed's narrow, biased focus is ironic. I wouldn't have expected such a plea from him on his band's website. Everyone is suffering, many moreso than Tom. Just doesn't feel appropriate given the circumstances and I'm a little disappointed. I know there's no gun to anyone's head... just, a little disconcerting.

I understand your points. Nicely worded. I am also surprised that he'd use the website...but he's not touring now...so he has to relieve those urges somewhere!

Ed is Ed. If we know anything about him its that he will use his position to address issues that mean something to him. I'll consider, as always, and make my choice based on what is important to me. I suggest others do the same. We can't get away from opinion, it's everywhere.

peace.

cincybearcat

I wonder how many of the people that write, call, etc. actually buy the papers and read the comics...if you don't you have no business calling/writing.

redrock

cincybearcat wrote:

I wonder how many of the people that write, call, etc. actually buy the papers and read the comics...if you don't you have no business calling/writing.

Exactly. He is highlighting a 'cause' that means something to him. If it means nothing to you, ignore it. If it is important to you, take action. Simple.

FinsburyParkCarrots

I think some of the detractors here are missing Ed's point, which is a good one that anyone with a minimum of artistic sensibility or understanding of art's social force should be able to grasp. This isn't about Ed "and his kooky blog", which no-one said but one or two implied. This is about the future of political art. If it can't survive in alt-weeklies, we're really in trouble. More than a million ephemeral column-inches, we need art as a mirror up to our nature, in order to understand who we are. If the artists lose their platform in a recession, we're all lost. Art is worth more than journalism. It lasts longer in the mind, too.

It's one thing to be broke. It's another thing to be broke and clueless, with no barometer or voice out there, gauging the measure of the times.


Ed's not just helping a buddy. He's not meaning to be insensitive to plumbers and bricklayers in testing times, by saying "My middle-class artisan chum hasn't anywhere to publish his work." You could spin his words like that, if you want to. However, if you value art with a bit of bite, that challenges you or pisses you off, whatever side of the political fence you stand, you owe it to yourself and to your children to protect the artists from extinction.

Show the demand, and the supply will be maintained.

CranMalReign

FinsburyParkCarrots wrote:

I think some of the detractors here are missing Ed's point, which is a good one that anyone with a minimum of artistic sensibility or understanding of art's social force should be able to grasp. This isn't about Ed "and his kooky blog", which no-one said but one or two implied. This is about the future of political art. If it can't survive in alt-weeklies, we're really in trouble. More than a million ephemeral column-inches, we need art as a mirror up to our nature, in order to understand who we are. If the artists lose their platform in a recession, we're all lost. Art is worth more than journalism. It lasts longer in the mind, too.

It's one thing to be broke. It's another thing to be broke and clueless, with no barometer or voice out there, gauging the measure of the times.


Ed's not just helping a buddy. He's not meaning to be insensitive to plumbers and bricklayers in testing times, by saying "My middle-class artisan chum hasn't anywhere to publish his work." You could spin his words like that, if you want to. However, if you value art with a bit of bite, that challenges you or pisses you off, whatever side of the political fence you stand, you owe it to yourself and to your children to protect the artists from extinction.

Show the demand, and the supply will be maintained.

I hear what you're saying, Fins, but seriously... everyone who thinks art is going extinct due to a 2 year economic downturn, raise your hands.

Did art go extinct in the 90s recession? Did art go extinct during the 80s S&L debacle? Did art go extinct after the Great Depression? I know my references are largely US-centric, so forgive my unworldliness, but art is not going away. Maybe certain traditional media outlets are transforming, but Ed's boy (and his colleagues) getting their comic cut from 12 out of [unknown number of] total papers is not the death of political satire.

You have to draw the line somewhere. What good is having your stinging, digging satire in a newspaper if people are spending their paper money on a box of minute rice for the week? Also hyperbole, but you get the point.

FinsburyParkCarrots

Just because things weren't as bad before, doesn't mean they won't get bad tomorrow. Plus, people were less apathetic than they are now. Unless someone proves me wrong.

arthurdent

FinsburyParkCarrots wrote:

Art is worth more than journalism.

Bullshit!!!! I work as a designer for a weekly publication, so I'm in the thick of this. Which would you rather lose, a "cartoon" which can be published online, or an investigative journalist? Reporters and designers and editors (at least the good ones) are a dying breed as it is. And shrinking budgets industrywide are forcing a lot of hard choices right now.

arthurdent

The lead crime reporter for the paper I used to work at... yeah, he now works as a bail bondsman :(

CranMalReign

FinsburyParkCarrots wrote:

Just because things weren't as bad before, doesn't mean they won't get bad tomorrow. Plus, people were less apathetic than they are now. Unless someone proves me wrong.

Your first point is 100% true. Just as true as it is for the mildly insane panhandler on the street wearing "The End is Nigh" signs. Just b/c the world didn't end yesterday, doesn't mean it won't end tomorrow. Sure, there's always a chance, but history does play at least a teensy weensy role in anticipating future events.

Your second point, well, why does someone have to prove you wrong? Can you prove yourself right? Where's your hard proof that people have been so keen and focused on political and social issues during previous crises but now, well, we're all drooling pop culture cyborgs? I think that society, as a whole, throughout the generations, has needed someone to spoonfeed them opinions. I don't know that there's any more reason to think it's worse or better now than any time before.

All of the world leaders are aliens from Andromeda. Unless someone proves me wrong.

cookies

I don't think this is just about his friend. It may be more about how art and music are the ones who are always cut when things are going bad. They are saying that these things are not needed. And they are. Your moral is what gets you going its what makes you want to try harder when you are down. Cutting comics out of the newspapers is no different then taking music and art away from the schools. And if we can make a stand now would be the time. I appreciate music and art I would be lost without it. I am forever in debit to the people who create it. And when a person picks up a local paper to find a job because they just lost their check out a comic that might changed the way they feel or a comic that made them laugh a little. It lightens the burden a little. Comics are needed. So this is not just about a friend it is about the moral of this country. Just like a song can open your eyes a picture can take you places a comic can keep you going. Laughter is very powerful and important to life

Cookies
ôjô

CranMalReign

cookies wrote:

I don't think this is just about his friend. It may be more about how art and music are the ones who are always cut when things are going bad. They are saying that these things are not needed. And they are. Your moral is what gets you going its what makes you want to try harder when you are down. Cutting comics out of the newspapers is no different then taking music and art away from the schools. And if we can make a stand now would be the time. I appreciate music and art I would be lost without it. I am forever in debit to the people who create it. And when a person picks up a local paper to find a job because they just lost their check out a comic that might changed the way they feel or a comic that made them laugh a little. It lightens the burden a little. Comics are needed. So this is not just about a friend it is about the moral of this country. Just like a song can open your eyes a picture can take you places a comic can keep you going. Laughter is very powerful and important to life

Cookies
ôjô

I understand all of this. But the capitalist aspect (you know, the one that runs our nation and society) dictates otherwise. Comics are great, until the paper goes bankrupt or there aren't enough employees left to run it. Again, exageration, but things are dictated by the bottom line, and when that bottom line is shrinking, the first things to go are those that boost that line the least. They'll be back when things turn around. In the mean time, artists are a creative bunch. They perservere. There will always be a place for them, even when newspapers cease to exist (which I'm surprised they haven't already... what a waste of trees).

Yellow Bedwetter

Brendan Adcock wrote:

What are the chances of the new album being 'The Modern World'?

Seems like an appropriate title!

wowww that'd be a sickkkkk title

zootown

I, for one, happen to really dig Tom Tomorrow's stuff-oftentimes its' the only thing I read in the local Indy paper- I haven't checked today's edition to see if his cartoon is gone- but if it is, I will be making a call! Im not doing it to save Tom Tomorrow's ass, Im doing because of my own interests....

arthurdent

CranMalReign wrote:

Comics are great, until the paper goes bankrupt or there aren't enough employees left to run it.

You think you're exaggerating... but you're not :(

editorandpublisher.com
Next week, the 146-year-old Seattle Post-Intelligencer will probably stop publishing, following the Rocky Mountain News into oblivion. After its demise, the Tucson Citizen will probably be the next to go.

The NYT, which recently had to sell its office space and promise to rent it back, says that by next year all "two newspaper" markets could be "one newspaper" markets — and "one newspaper markets" will probably have no newspapers at all.

sweet adeline

i sent an email to the local paper here in SB that runs Tom's cartoon, the Santa Barbara Independent asking that they keep his comic in the paper. I'll let you know what sort of response i get, if any.

Doodah972

he mentioned Minneapolis, maybe thats a sign.

heidihi

Hello I thought that I would offer a different perspective on the importance of the political cartoon. I am a History teacher in Australia and the political cartoons that have been around for centuries are an essential and valuable component of the study of History. They often reflect more of the popular opinions of the people of the time or the readership of the papers and the students are 99% able to understand very complicated ideas via the study of them (rather than boring ho hum History books). If they are simply available on the internet, the problem arises where you can no longer differentiate what were the more valuable cartoons. (We are already starting to have this problem!) I value and respect these political cartoonists and hope that it is an artform that we can save. In 100 years students studying these times will have a polluted version if we do not save these cartoons. The study of History is also dying. The internet and the need it would seem for 'instant gratification' is killing off many things....just a side rant that i thought might fit here!!

I have not banged off a letter as it might be strange to get a letter regarding this from Australia and so far I have not noticed political cartoons vanishing but I will look into it!