Tornoe's Toons: Saying good-bye to Jim Borgman (sort-of)

For those of you that may not have heard, Pulitzer prize-winner Jim Borgman, The Cincinnati Enquirer's staff editorial cartoonist for the last 32 years and the artist behind the popular comic strip Zits, has applied for and was granted severance under the company's voluntary program.

This is indeed a sad day, because Jim's work has always been a source of inspiration for me as a cartoonist.

When I was in college, trying to decide on a direction I wanted to take my art (at the time, I was leaning towards doing comic books), I was in an old bookstore rummaging through stuff when I came across a collection of Jim's cartoons.

It was like a revelation. I had always been interested in politics, and had enjoyed political cartoons that appeared in the paper, but until that moment, it hadn't occurred to me that I could make a career out of it.

An early attempt at political cartooning from me back in college.: (click to enlarge)I rushed home and attempted to pen my thoughts, mimicking the lose linework and general duo-shade style of the cartoons. Of course, my first attempts were pathetically remedial (Cheney likes oil, Clinton likes women), but I kept working and refining my work, always looking back to Smorgasborgman and others for inspiration.

Luckily, I'll still be able to read Zits everyday. And Borgman's planning to do a weekly feature for the paper, but I'll miss logging on to his blog every morning and checking out his latest thoughts rendered in beautiful black & white with his amazing linework.

On the back of Smorgasborgman, it says that Jim Borgman "has tested the patience of the Cincinnati Enquirer for six years." It later goes on to say that he "plans on testing everyone's patience for some time to come."

I, for one, thank you for making those editors pull their hair out for the last 32 years. You may have tested the patience of some, but you have inspired many more. Enjoy being able to relax!

Here's the sketch:

Related stories:

• Longtime Cincinnati Enquirer cartoonist to take severance
• Borgman interviewed on WLWT TV about leaving Enquirer