Tom Toles
Encyclopedia
Thomas Gregory Toles is an American
political cartoonist
. He is the winner of the 1990 Pulitzer Prize
for editorial cartoon
ing. Similar to Oliphant's
use of his character Punk, Toles also tends to include a small doodle
, usually a small caricature
of himself at his desk, in the margin of his strip.
Toles wrote for The Buffalo Courier-Express, The Buffalo News and The Washington Post. He left The Buffalo News
in 2002, accepting an offer from The Washington Post
to replace Herblock
, their late, legendary cartoonist, and is under contract by Universal Press Syndicate
. Part of his acceptance of his new job required him to give up his cartoon strip Randolph Itch 2 a.m., a one-panel cartoon based on Toles' thoughts while battling insomnia. Toles was replaced at the Buffalo News by Adam Zyglis
.
Toles' cartoons appear in more than 200 newspapers throughout the country and on several website
s. He received the National Cartoonist Society Editorial Cartoon Award for 2003.
http://www.forbes.com/lists/2010/94/best-colleges-10_University-at-Buffalo-SUNY_94423.html. Toles and his wife Gretchen have two children, Amanda and Seth.
In 2008, Toles began performing with the rock band Suspicious Package at venues around Washington, D.C. The band consists of Toles on drums, HUD
senior official Bryan Greene on guitar, Josh Meyer of the L.A. Times on lead guitar, Tim Burger of Bloomberg News on bass, and Office of the U.S. Trade Representative senior official Christina Sevilla on keyboard. The band debuted May 30, 2008 before a maximum-capacity crowd at The Red and the Black
in Northeast D.C.
in editorial cartooning in 1990. He was one of two finalists for the prize in 1985, and was one of three finalists for the prize in 1996.
in the form of a protest letter signed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff
. With regard to some recent assessments of the United States Army, the cartoon depicted the Army as a quadruple amputee soldier with a doctor resembling Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
, declaring the Army "battle hardened". The Joint Chiefs of Staff stated, "Using the likeness of a service member who has lost his arms and legs in war as the central theme of a cartoon [is] beyond tasteless." Toles was quoted responding, "I think it's a little bit unfair in their reading of the cartoon to imply that is what it's about." On February 14, 2006 Tom Tomorrow
published a cartoon comparing the reactions to the Muhammad cartoons
to the Tom Toles cartoons, alleging a double standard.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
political cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
. He is the winner of the 1990 Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
for editorial cartoon
Editorial cartoon
An editorial cartoon, also known as a political cartoon, is an illustration containing a commentary that usually relates to current events or personalities....
ing. Similar to Oliphant's
Pat Oliphant
Patrick Bruce "Pat" Oliphant is the most widely syndicated political cartoonist in the world, described by the New York Times as "the most influential cartoonist now working"...
use of his character Punk, Toles also tends to include a small doodle
Doodle
A doodle is an unfocused drawing made while a person's attention is otherwise occupied. Doodles are simple drawings that can have concrete representational meaning or may just be abstract shapes....
, usually a small caricature
Caricature
A caricature is a portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness. In literature, a caricature is a description of a person using exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others.Caricatures can be...
of himself at his desk, in the margin of his strip.
Toles wrote for The Buffalo Courier-Express, The Buffalo News and The Washington Post. He left The Buffalo News
The Buffalo News
The Buffalo News is the primary newspaper of the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area, and the area's only daily newspaper. It is the only newspaper owned by Berkshire Hathaway.-History:...
in 2002, accepting an offer from The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
to replace Herblock
Herblock
Herbert Lawrence Block, commonly known as Herblock , was an American editorial cartoonist and author best known for his commentary on national domestic and foreign policy from a liberal perspective.-Career:...
, their late, legendary cartoonist, and is under contract by Universal Press Syndicate
Universal Press Syndicate
Universal Press Syndicate, a subsidiary of Andrews McMeel Universal, is the world's largest independent press syndicate. It distributes lifestyle and opinion columns, comic strips and other content. Popular columns include Dear Abby, Ann Coulter, Roger Ebert and News of the Weird...
. Part of his acceptance of his new job required him to give up his cartoon strip Randolph Itch 2 a.m., a one-panel cartoon based on Toles' thoughts while battling insomnia. Toles was replaced at the Buffalo News by Adam Zyglis
Adam Zyglis
Adam Zyglis is an American editorial cartoonist who works for the Buffalo News of Buffalo, New York, where he replaced Pulitzer Prize winner Tom Toles who became the cartoonist for the Washington Post. Zyglis is also nationally syndicated through Cagle Cartoons...
.
Toles' cartoons appear in more than 200 newspapers throughout the country and on several website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
s. He received the National Cartoonist Society Editorial Cartoon Award for 2003.
Personal life
Toles is a graduate of University at Buffalo, the State University of New YorkUniversity at Buffalo, The State University of New York
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, also commonly known as the University at Buffalo or UB, is a public research university and a "University Center" in the State University of New York system. The university was founded by Millard Fillmore in 1846. UB has multiple campuses...
http://www.forbes.com/lists/2010/94/best-colleges-10_University-at-Buffalo-SUNY_94423.html. Toles and his wife Gretchen have two children, Amanda and Seth.
In 2008, Toles began performing with the rock band Suspicious Package at venues around Washington, D.C. The band consists of Toles on drums, HUD
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, also known as HUD, is a Cabinet department in the Executive branch of the United States federal government...
senior official Bryan Greene on guitar, Josh Meyer of the L.A. Times on lead guitar, Tim Burger of Bloomberg News on bass, and Office of the U.S. Trade Representative senior official Christina Sevilla on keyboard. The band debuted May 30, 2008 before a maximum-capacity crowd at The Red and the Black
The Red and the Black
Le Rouge et le Noir , 1830, by Stendhal, is a historical psychological novel in two volumes, chronicling a provincial young man’s attempts to socially rise beyond his plebeian upbringing with a combination of talent and hard work, deception and hypocrisy — yet who ultimately allows his passions to...
in Northeast D.C.
Pulitzer Prize
Toles was awarded the Pulitzer PrizePulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
in editorial cartooning in 1990. He was one of two finalists for the prize in 1985, and was one of three finalists for the prize in 1996.
Controversy
A cartoon published January 29, 2006 attracted the ire of the PentagonThe Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
in the form of a protest letter signed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
. With regard to some recent assessments of the United States Army, the cartoon depicted the Army as a quadruple amputee soldier with a doctor resembling Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Henry Rumsfeld is an American politician and businessman. Rumsfeld served as the 13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and as the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the oldest person to...
, declaring the Army "battle hardened". The Joint Chiefs of Staff stated, "Using the likeness of a service member who has lost his arms and legs in war as the central theme of a cartoon [is] beyond tasteless." Toles was quoted responding, "I think it's a little bit unfair in their reading of the cartoon to imply that is what it's about." On February 14, 2006 Tom Tomorrow
Tom Tomorrow
Tom Tomorrow is the pen name of editorial cartoonist Dan Perkins. His weekly comic strip This Modern World, which comments on current events, appears regularly in over 90 newspapers across the U.S. and Canada as of 2006, as well as on CREDO Action and Daily Kos, where he is its comics curator...
published a cartoon comparing the reactions to the Muhammad cartoons
Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy
The Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy began after 12 editorial cartoons, most of which depicted the Islamic prophet Muhammad, were published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten on 30 September 2005...
to the Tom Toles cartoons, alleging a double standard.
Other appearances
In March 2010, Toles appeared in the twelfth episode of The Real World: Washington, DC, in which cast member Andrew Woods, an aspiring cartoonist, met with him at the Washington Post to seek career advice.External links
- Tom Toles at The Washington PostThe Washington PostThe Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
- NCS Awards
- Tom Toles comics site
- The editorial cartoon about the quadruple amputee
- Tom Toles Interview