Having the last laugh – Cartooning in SA today.

Zapiro: Assisted Suicide-Press Laws Immenent. © 2010 Zapiro - Reprinted with permission - For more Zapiro cartoons
visit www.zapiro.com.
 Having the last laugh – Cartooning in SA today.
Written by V.C.Wilkinson.

Incisive wit combined with skilled technique - a lethal combination and essential prerequisite for
successful political cartooning. Some of South Africa’s best political cartoonists presented their takes
on reality and cartooning history at the Iziko South African National Gallery Annexe in July and
August.

Head of the newly founded Centre for Comic, Illustrative and Book Arts (CCIBA) at Stellenbosch
University; cartoonist and historian Andy Mason with Iziko’s Kathy Coates facilitated a political
cartooning Master Class and Kids Toonlab. The programme featured Jonathan Shapiro, Brandan
Reynolds, Jeremy Nell, John Curtis - managing editor ofAfricartoons accessible through a website
currently hosting a petition signed by leading editors opposed to the threat of a media tribunal and
legislation curbing press freedom in South Africa.

Respected cartoonist Stacey Stent believes that this challenge will encourage cartoonists to inform the
public in alternative ways through the comic medium. As a veteran of the former Weekly Mail’s
‘Who’s Left’ and currentlyNoseweek cartoonist her sensitive intellectual interpretations deal with
issues like education, politics and the double standard. Informal discussion with Argus cartoonist Chip
Snaddon provided insight into working methods and sensitivities employed when creating cartoons
that link to news on a daily basis. Networking and professional proactivity among these hypertalented
and well informed artists is paramount to the success of their comic humour. Cartoon genres targeting
different sectors of the community were discussed by the Treknet partnership of Gavin Thomson and
Dave Gomersdal who publish internationally and have developed characters based on their
neighbourhood in Fish Hoek and Kalk Bay. These have stereotypical qualities that reflect the human
condition in a multitude of guises that are widely recognizable. Thomson and Gomersdal provided
insight into the freelance position where so much depends on perseverance, courtesy and the
willingness to negotiate in order to make a living.

The Master Class was the first to be held in Cape Town. Mason is very pleased with results having
just completed 3 consecutive weekend Master Classes/ Toonlabs in Stellenbosch, Johannesburg and
the mother city. His purpose is to identify and select cartoon artists in SA to work with and mentor.
Pointing out that the discipline is regarded as formal in the fine art field, Mason emphasized the
importance of drawing skills for some types of comic rendition. The internationally successful Supa
Strikas soccer themed comic and TV series which is distributed locally and internationally and
supported by corporate sponsorship is produced by the Woodstock based Strika Entertainment team.
Here 45 to 50 people work in a ‘bull-pen’ environment like DC and Marvel comics in the USA, a
stimulating environment where ideas are shared. This practice became less common in the early
nineties when technology made it easier for artists and writers to work alone from home.

For the Supa Strika soccer series accurate rendition of figurative models is integral to the quality of
the cartoons. Painstaking attention to detail and production of other cartoons for the masses including
the popular animé/Disney hybrid Arcadia, which appears in Huisgenoot, give examples of Alex
Kramer’s success since the inception of Strika Entertainment in 2000. In April this year they launched
‘Unleashed’ for National Geographic cartoon fans.

The value of historical models was illustrated by power point presentations that introduced visual
examples in text and image since the 16th century. These days in Europe the production of
contemporary dialogue-free cartoons rely on a cultural commonality of experience and history much
as religious narratives painted on walls and ceilings in churches and temples do. The communicative
power of cartoon images to convey information in symbols and signs requires less reading time. This
can be a valuable source of humour and insight into prevailing sentiment and prejudice.

For more information visit www.cciba.sun.ac.za and www.africartoon.com

wilkinson.veronica@gmail.com Tel/fax: 021 797 4882.

Chip Snaddon shows his work. Photo by V .C. Wilkinson
Zapiro en die Groot Krokodil . Photo by Venessa Smeets
Zapiro: Press Freedom. © 2010 Zapiro - Reprinted with permission - For more Zapiro cartoons
visit www.zapiro.com.
Chip Snaddon Argus cartoonist hanging work at SANG Annexe . Photo by V .C. Wilkinson
John Curtis and Jerm (Jeremy Nell). Photo by Venessa Smeets
Jerm (Jeremy Nell), John Curtis and Brandan. Photo by Venessa Smeets
Xolisa Pezisa and Thobelani Maloyi compare notes at the Cartooning Master Class Photo by V.C. Wilkinson
Christopher Fatman Supa Strikas cartoonist at the Cartooning Master Class Photo by V.C. Wilkinson
Strika Ent Supa Strikas comic - Alex Kramer team
Strika Ent Arcadia comic - Alex Kramer team
Chip Snaddon and Andy Mason photo by Vanessa Smeets
Chip Snaddon, Andy Mason and Zapiro. Photo by Vanessa Smeets
Chip , Andy and Piet. Photo by Vanessa Smeets
© 2010 Zapiro - Reprinted with permission - For more Zapiro cartoons
visit www.zapiro.com.
© 2010 Zapiro - Reprinted with permission - For more Zapiro cartoons
visit www.zapiro.com.
Andy Mason in background at Cartooning Master Class photo by VC Wilkinson