Welcome to
New York Cartoons!

A free cartoon in your inbox every week, plus a photo of my Frenchie, Morris, who has contributed nothing to this newsletter and never will.

I’m Jason, a New Yorker cartoonist and comedian in New York City. Every week I send you a hand-drawn dispatch from the strangest city on earth: a cartoon, a short story pulled from real life, and the ongoing documentation of what happens when an Australian wanders into New York and forgets to leave for 12 years.

You’ll get the comedy shows, the eavesdrawing (secretly sketching strangers on the subway while trying not to get punched in the teeth), and the overheard conversations that prove New Yorkers aren’t born; they’re forged in steam vents. Sometimes it’s funny. Occasionally it’s profound by accident. There is always a dog.

This is for you if…

…you like your humour observational, a little dark, and built on the radical premise that the person telling the story is usually the idiot in it.

It’s probably not for you if…

…you want trendy hot takes, hustle tips, or anything resembling a cohesive brand. I have a pen and a midlife crisis. That’s the whole operation.

What other Substacks say:

What current readers say:

I Will Draw You Anything… LIVE!

In addition, each week I host a FREE Substack Live video with my favourite artists, authors, comedians, actors, and other creative people while live drawing from your requests in the chat. (With all replays available to paid subscribers.) These are like an AMA (Ask Me Anything) but with drawing. So, a DMA (Draw Me Anything.)

For around $1 a week, you will receive:

Exclusive access to additional art and writing, as well as:

• Join Subscriber-Only Discussions with a community of interesting fellow readers.

• Full Archive Access: Read the entire back catalogue of posts and unlock all sketchbooks.

• Live Streaming Drawing Sessions: Watch the creative process unfold live and make drawing requests in real time, or revisit recordings afterwards.

• Exclusive Cartoons & Sketchbooks: 20+ Years of journals and drawings never shared before.

• Comedy Chronicles: Behind-the-scenes stories from 18 years of stand-up.

• Discover Creative Connections: Artists & Writers profiles.

• Long & Short Reads from around New York

• Submit Your Stories: Share your own New York moments for illustration

But look… I should back up.
If we haven’t already met— Hi, I’m Jason! 👋

I’m a New Yorker cartoonist, author, and comedian originally from Perth, Western Australia, which is roughly as far from New York as a person can get without leaving the planet. I live in Hell’s Kitchen with my flatulent Frenchie, Morris.

I’ve drawn cartoons professionally for over twenty years and somehow got myself elected President of both the Australian Cartoonists Association and the National Cartoonists Society here in the States. (A glutton for punishment, and for unpaid administrative work, apparently.)

What I haven’t done, until now, is open the journals. Eleven years of New York is a lot of material I’ve never shown anyone. Yet.

I’ve worked as a professional cartoonist and served on the boards of cartoonist organisations for 20+ years, being elected President of both the Australian Cartoonists Association and National Cartoonists Society (US). (A real glutton for punishment, I know.)

I’m looking forward to sharing my stories with you.
With sincere gratitude and ink-stained hands,

Your pal,