Africa and Cartoons - Zemun 2008 catalogue

Jean-Marie recommends everybody the Zemun 2008 catalogue with Africa as theme, and sent us his cartoonbook file.


This is both a thematic cartoon catalogue and a reference book, as it also contains a detailed article, written by Branko Najhold (11 pages written in English & Serbian), titled: “A brief History of African Cartooning”. Such a knowledgeable and interesting book worth to be read.

Ross Thomson and Milenko Kosanovik

Damien Glez (Burkina Faso) and Yves Hemedi Tshianzi (DR Congo):
African cartoon talent

Learn more:
Zemun Cartoon

Cartoonbook file:

The World Encyclopedia of Cartoons by Maurice Horn

A voluminous cartoon knowledge base
avant-la-lettre: 676 pages

They exist: cartoon encyclopedias. It took some time but eventually I was able to buy on eBay this cartoon encyclopedia. For 9,99 usd... but with shipping cost and an unexpected custom tax it costed a lot more. But it was value for money. A must-have for cartoon book collectors.

The World Encyclopedia of Cartoons (Chelsea House Publishers, 1980), prepared by 22 authors and editors from a dozen different countries, is a comprehensive and unique reference source on the world of cartoons,one of mankind's liveliest arts. It is the indispensable companion volume to Maurice Horn's The World Encyclopedia of Comics published by Chelsea House.
With more than 900 cartoons in blackwhite and color, this volume is both an encyclopedic source book and a joyous trove for happy browsing.
Covered here, both broadly and in depth, is the whole field of cartooning arts-animation, syndicated panels, humor, editorial, sports, caricature. All aspects of cartooning are examined and evaluated-historic, aesthetic, social, cultural and commercial. The exhaustive data compiled for this book from around the world has been obtained, for the most part, first-hand by researching original sources and through interviews with cartoonists, animators, editors, publishers and producers active in the field. In conjunction with its companion volume,

A look inside

The index with more than 1200 entries

the World Encyclopedia of Comics, the cartoons encyclopedia constitutes a unique overview of all the cartooning arts; by itself, it provides a broad range of fascinating information in a field that has touched all important phases of history for the past 200 years.

The book with its dust jacket

There are more than 1200 alphabetical and cross-referenced entries on cartoons and cartoonists with special emphasis on styles, themes, cultural contributions, and influences on other artists. On the cartoons themselves, in their various forms, the entries include brief histories, summaries of theme and plot, evaluations of the work and its particular historical perspective as well as its adaptation to other media.
In addition to the entries, The World Encyclopedia of Cartoons includes: the history of animation; a chronology of cartoon developments; a glossary, bibliography and appendix.
The 22 editors and authors from a dozen countries have contributed to the development of this work under the direction of Maurice Horn, world-renowned comic authority. These contributors, each outstanding in his own field, have brought to this book their own perceptions and insights and particular national perrspectives, thus making it truly an encyclopedia which, in its style and outlook, is global in scope.
The World Encyclopedia of Cartoons is an indispensable reference tool for students and researchers in the field and an endless source of information and entertainment for the general reader on every aspect of the art.

Cartoonbook file:

Olympic Book - Olymic Sports Cartoons

The Cartoon Aid Olympic Book (1988)

Beijing 2008! Olympics! Time to get familiar with some sports cartoon books.
The thick Cartoon Aid Olympic Book (1988, Cartoon Aid Ltd) is a collection of approximately 500 sports gag cartoons. Not all the cartoons are top quality, but most of it are quite funny. It's a collection of cartoons made by cartoonists form all over the world. No names of the cartoonists are mentioned, only a country flag above the cartoon. I know there are some other editions, one with yellow and one with black cover, but I have no information about this books.

cartoon by Adoni (Cartoon Aid, 1988)
Makes my think of Michael Phelps

cartoon by Roger Blachon (Blachon Sport, 1988)

Who likes sports cartoons, I recommend the book 'Le Sport' by the French cartoonist Claude Serre and of course, the very very funny sports cartoon books of Roger Blachon (who deceased in April), my favourite sports cartoonist!

Le Sport: a 1979 edition above and 1989 edition below

Roger Blachon: always top class sports cartoons:

Detailed info about this books:

Skulls, skeletons and bones

Last week, I was at the seaside in Koksijde . Outside it was very hot... too hot. My family was at the beach, so I sought a bit of shadow (and culture) and attended a guided tour at the exposition 'Dancing with Dead' in the attractive Museum Ten Duinen. With arco!

"The ‘Dancing with Death’ exhibition illustrates the attitude of man towards death, inside and outside the abbeywalls, from the 12th till the 21st Century.

With manuscripts of the Great Seminary in Bruges and the Catharijne convent in Utrecht, outstanding objects and graphic work by Wim Delvoye, Pierre Alechinsky, Paul Delvaux, Frans Masereel, James Ensor, Käthe Kollwitz, Félicien Rops, Hans Holbein and others besides."

What I didn't expect, was there were several interesting old caricatures to spot. Of course, afterwards, I mailed our guide some contemporary skeletons and bones cartoons. Some of these cartoons would have earned a place at the exhibition.That's my opinion.

For those who are interested in "morbid" cartoons, I refer to the book "Savoir vivre" (Glénat, 1981) by master cartoonist Claude Serre (1938-1998). In that book Serre laughts and plays with dead. 1 of the 3 cartoons is from another Claude Serre book. Who tells me which book?

Claude Serre - "Savoir Vivre - 1981, edition 1998)

Here are some more skeletons and bones cartoons...

Lech Franckowiak (source: Satyrykon 2008 catalogue)

Botezato (source: Anti-narcotics cartoon
exhibition catalogue, Tehran, 1997)

Uwe Moosdorf (Cartoons 2004, Knokke-Heist)

'Andy Warhol' - Karl Meersman
(from: Very Important Paintings, 2007)

Read more:
Savoir Vivre Cartoonbooks file:

Some other Serre cartoons at Irancartoon