“Nowhere else can we find history’s blood pressure being monitored regularly in this manner. . . . It’s an education and entertainment to browse through the recent history of the nation that is represented in every volume of this series.”
—Comic Art Professional Society (CAPS) Newsletter
“The value of this series grows right along with it as the chronicle of the ‘hot’ topics of each year.”
—East Texas Historical Association
“The granddaddy of all such compilations.”
—Comics Journal
Every year since 1972, Pelican has presented this diverse compilation of the most outstanding editorial cartoons from publications across the country. Selected for the clarity of their position as well as for their exceptional execution, this collection includes the work of Pulitzer Prize-winning artists, the year’s major award-winning cartoons, and the best work from Canadian cartoonists.
This year’s edition, covering the events of 2002, features cartoonists’ commentaries on all the major news events of the year: George Bush’s preparations for war against Saddam Hussein, the worldwide struggle to combat terrorism, the battle for control of the U.S. Congress, the sentencing of former Taliban fighter John Walker Lindh, and an economy that continues to sputter. There are also sections devoted to some of the issues we as a nation encounter year in and year out: crime, education, sports, and the environment. Together, whether individual cartoons stand as a biting retort or to rouse support, these assembled cartoons present a view of 2002 that is incisive, memorable, and, more often than not, humorous.