Cartoonist's Note: While I take time away from my drawing board to organize the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists convention AAEC - Annual Convention, I am featuring the work of some attendees. Ted Rall's cartoons are often found in "alt-weekly" publications, which claim to be edgier than traditional newspapers.
Alt-weekly publications cater to a younger demographic which seems to find panel cartoons, with their longer narratives, more to its Gen X taste. I can't be sure, but the emergence of graphic novels may have something to do with cultivating an appetite for the long-form cartoon.
I admit to being old-school. I was immersed in the gospel that a good editorial cartoon is one that sneaks up and mugs you, not one that wants a commitment. But some of the newer (and yes, younger) alt-cartoonists have won me over. Their stuff is truly great and reinforces the real golden rule of cartooning: There Are No Rules. You'll be seeing more alt-cartoonists in this space in the run-up to the AAEC convention.
You can find more Ted Rall at his blog http://www.rall.com/rallblog/
~Pat Bagley