Punch 'n' Judy on Holiday

William Steig — The New Yorker — May 31, 1982

I Don't Even Know What to Title This

William Steig — The New Yorker — May 24, 1993

Really. A Fine Day. In May.

William Steig certainly kept the child's spirit alive in his work.

William Steig — The New Yorker — May 18, 1981

Neighborhood Watch

William Steig — The New Yorker — May 11, 1963

Cock of Dawn

William Steig — The New Yorker — May 8, 1965

May — Spring at It's Best

William Steig — The New Yorker — May 5, 1962

1984

William Steig

December 31

Directly below, I do believe Charles Addams' New Year baby was reflecting the attitude of America, facing Kennedy's New Frontier. It was the birth, not only of a new year and a new decade, but of a new post-war era.

In his acceptance speech at the Democratic convention earlier in the year, Kennedy said:

We stand on the edge of a New Frontier—the frontier of unfulfilled hopes and dreams, a frontier of unknown opportunities and beliefs in peril. Beyond that frontier are uncharted areas of science and space, unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered problems of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus.

In the words of Robert D. Marcus: “Kennedy entered office with ambitions to eradicate poverty and to raise America’s eyes to the stars through the space program"

Above, somebody always grabs a magazine to solve a math problem.

December 29

Above, the Winter Fiction issue

December 28

December 27

Time is running out for the old guy directly below, but I'm going to post it again on January 3rd and it'll be like new.

December 26

Maybe you think cuz Christmas is over that I'm through posting the New Yorker covers.

No sir, think again. Because of the magazine's publishing schedule, sometimes the cover date shot a bit over the holiday date, but still had holiday art. And sometimes, in the later years, two weeks would be combined into one, with two cover dates. And besides, New Year's is coming up, as you well know, and there's plenty covers covering that theme.

The long and short of it is that you're gonna see New Yorker covers for at LEAST another week. Oh you'll still see other stuff as well, so tough it out—grin and bear it ; )

Have I mentioned how I especially love the William Steig covers?

December 24

Yay, another William Joyce:

Yay, a couple more William Steigs:

December 23

Well, I'm back in command central, having been on the road for the last number of days. Trying to dial in posts from various makeshift interfaces is daunting for me, but at least I've been able to keep in touch on a daily basis.

I've been in New Mexico, for business and personal reasons, and I've seen some nice art along the way, which I will share sometime in the new year.

Until then, I've still got lots of holiday art on the docket, jingling and jangling, wanting to make an appearance. First, some more New Yorker holiday stuff:

Below, the New Yorker has printed some very dark covers over the years, of course none more so than after 9/11. Yet this cover from 1950 is dark and drear:

December 16

December 14

William Steig was a wonder for the New Yorker. Starting off primarily as a cartoonist, he developed into a cartoon expressionist, making subtle, funny, and accurate observations of the human character. The top cover below demonstrates that, with the subtlety of facial expressions between a large generational gap. And the one below it demonstrates the childlike and colorful style that he brought to so many wonderful covers throughout the year, over many years.

As many wonderful covers and cover artists there have been for the New Yorker for 85 years now, Steig's work adds up to be probably my favorite overall.