The global cartooning labour force, its problems and coping mechanisms: the travails of the marginalised cartoonist

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Work Organisation, Labour and Globalisation

Volume 4, Issue 2

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The global cartooning labour force, its problems and coping mechanisms: the travails of the marginalised cartoonist

research-article

Author(s): John A. Lent

Publication date (Print): Autumn 2010

Journal: Work Organisation, Labour and Globalisation

Publisher: Pluto Journals

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Abstract

Cartoonists, whether print or film, have faced dismal working experiences historically and globally. At times, they have been denied credit for and ownership of their creations, were paid poorly, and laboured under insecure, strenuous, and isolated circumstances. They have also faced the wrath of oppressive governments, political correctness gone awry, and conglomerate takeovers of cartooning/animation industries, with resultant self-censorship, disemployment, and narrowing of job opportunities. This article, drawing on interviews and documentary sources, surveys the state of cartooning in a number of countries around the world. In addition to describing the problems cartoonists face, it finds signs of resistance and solidarity.

Content

Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (doi): 10.13169

Journal ID (publisher-id): workorgalaboglob

Title: Work Organisation, Labour and Globalisation

Publisher: Pluto Journals

ISSN (Print): 1745641X

ISSN (Electronic): 17456428

Publication date (Print): Autumn 2010

Volume: 4

Issue: 2

Pages: 160-172

Article

Publisher ID: workorgalaboglob.4.2.0160

DOI: 10.13169/workorgalaboglob.4.2.0160

SO-VID: 7caba8d8-3c90-4717-9d7d-47c807b653ea

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All content is freely available without charge to users or their institutions. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission of the publisher or the author. Articles published in the journal are distributed under a http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

History

ScienceOpen disciplines: Sociology,Labor law,Political science,Labor & Demographic economics,Political economics

References

Barbera, J. (1994) My Life in 'Toons , Atlanta: Turner Publishing, Inc
Jehl, D. (1998) ‘Poking fun must be artfully done’, New York Times , Jan. 31:A4
Kitchen, D. (2001) ‘The origins of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’, Comics Buyer's Guide , No. 1432 (April 27):38
Klein, N. M. (1993) 7 Minutes: The Life and Death of the American Animated Cartoon , London: Verso
Lent, J. A. (1998) ‘The animation industry and its offshore factories’ in G. Sussman & J. A. Lent (eds) Global Productions: Labor in the Making of the ‘Information Society’ , Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press:239–254
Lent, J. A. (2000) ‘East European cartooning: differences over time and space’, International Journal of Comic Art , Vol. 2, No. 1:102–108
Lent, J. A. (2001) ‘Cartooning in Sri Lanka’, in J. A. Lent (ed) Illustrating Asia: Comics, Humour Magazines and Picture Books , Richmond, Surrey: Curzon:81–99
Lent, J. A. (2006) ‘The richness of African cartooning: a secret far too long’, International Journal of Comic Art , Vol. 8, No. 1:71–136
Lent, J. A. (ed) (2008) ‘Women and cartooning: a global symposium’, International Journal of Comic Art , Vol. 10, No. 2:3–241
Lent, J. A. (2009) ‘An illustrated history of Indian political cartooning’, International Journal of Comic Art , Vol. 11, No. 2:3–25
Marston, J. (1997) ‘Em Sokha and Cambodian satirical cartoons’, Southeast Asian Journal of Social Science , Vol. 25, No. 1:59–78
Medubi, O. (2009) ‘Cartooning in Nigeria: Large canvas, little movement’, in J. A. Lent (ed) Cartooning in Africa , Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press:197–214
Rall, T. and M. Bors (2009) ‘Ted Rall & Matt Bors’, The Comics Journal , No. 300:180–199
Repetti, M. (2007) ‘African “ligne claire”: the comics of Francophone Africa’, International Journal of Comic Art , Vol. 9, No. 1:515–541
Wallis, D. (ed) (2007) Killed Cartoons: Casualties from the War on Free Expression , New York: W. W. Norton

Comments

Comment on this article

[1] Barbera, J. (1994) My Life in 'Toons , Atlanta: Turner Publishing, Inc

[2] Jehl, D. (1998) ‘Poking fun must be artfully done’, New York Times , Jan. 31:A4

[3] Kitchen, D. (2001) ‘The origins of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’, Comics Buyer's Guide , No. 1432 (April 27):38

[4] Klein, N. M. (1993) 7 Minutes: The Life and Death of the American Animated Cartoon , London: Verso

[5] Lent, J. A. (1998) ‘The animation industry and its offshore factories’ in G. Sussman & J. A. Lent (eds) Global Productions: Labor in the Making of the ‘Information Society’ , Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press:239–254

[6] Lent, J. A. (2000) ‘East European cartooning: differences over time and space’, International Journal of Comic Art , Vol. 2, No. 1:102–108

[7] Lent, J. A. (2001) ‘Cartooning in Sri Lanka’, in J. A. Lent (ed) Illustrating Asia: Comics, Humour Magazines and Picture Books , Richmond, Surrey: Curzon:81–99

[8] Lent, J. A. (2006) ‘The richness of African cartooning: a secret far too long’, International Journal of Comic Art , Vol. 8, No. 1:71–136

[9] Lent, J. A. (ed) (2008) ‘Women and cartooning: a global symposium’, International Journal of Comic Art , Vol. 10, No. 2:3–241

[10] Lent, J. A. (2009) ‘An illustrated history of Indian political cartooning’, International Journal of Comic Art , Vol. 11, No. 2:3–25

[11] Marston, J. (1997) ‘Em Sokha and Cambodian satirical cartoons’, Southeast Asian Journal of Social Science , Vol. 25, No. 1:59–78

[12] Medubi, O. (2009) ‘Cartooning in Nigeria: Large canvas, little movement’, in J. A. Lent (ed) Cartooning in Africa , Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press:197–214

[13] Rall, T. and M. Bors (2009) ‘Ted Rall & Matt Bors’, The Comics Journal , No. 300:180–199

[14] Repetti, M. (2007) ‘African “ligne claire”: the comics of Francophone Africa’, International Journal of Comic Art , Vol. 9, No. 1:515–541

[15] Wallis, D. (ed) (2007) Killed Cartoons: Casualties from the War on Free Expression , New York: W. W. Norton