Don't forget! DMA#27 Live Tuesday @ 12pm with Special Guest Kevin "KAL" Kallaugher
Join me Tuesday at noon Eastern for a live conversation with KAL— Award-winning Editorial/Political cartoonist for the Economist and Baltimore Sun
That’s right, Tuesday at 12pm Eastern, I’ll be drawing and speaking with cartoonist and good pal,
We'll talk about the evolution of political satire, the challenge of drawing the same politicians for years (imagine caricaturing Trump for eight years running), and what it takes to stay sharp when the news cycle moves faster than your drawing hand.
KAL is the editorial cartoonist for The Economist and the recently ex-cartoonist for The Baltimore Sun. He's created over 11,000 cartoons and magazine covers across 47 years at The Economist and 31 years at the Sun.
The man's career reads like a fever dream of achievement. Harvard graduate who cycled through the British Isles, ended up drawing caricatures of tourists in Trafalgar Square (we've all been there), and somehow parlayed that into becoming The Economist's first resident cartoonist in their 145-year history. It's the kind of origin story that makes you want to throw your Wacom tablet out the window (if windows in Hell's Kitchen opened more than three inches.)
What fascinates me about KAL isn't just the sheer volume of his output, but the consistency and longevity. He's been drawing politicians since before some of them were born. He's witnessed the rise and fall of governments, the birth of the internet, and the death of print media—all while wielding what he calls "the ancient mighty pen" with remarkable consistency and bite.
He’s a Herblock Prize winner, two-time Pulitzer finalist, multiple Overseas Press Club award-winner, and has accolades from institutions I can't even pronounce correctly. But what I'm most interested in discussing is the craft itself—how one maintains satirical edge across decades of political absurdity without becoming completely cynical.
KAL has spoken at Oxford, Harvard, Yale, and Google HQ. He's been Artist-in-Residence at multiple universities and created 3D animated political caricatures that premiered at live press conferences. The man has quite literally animated his drawings and made them dance—which is either the future of cartooning or evidence that we've all gone slightly insane.
I'm particularly curious about his transition from drawing tourists on Brighton Pier to becoming one of the most recognised political cartoonists in the world. There's something perfectly absurd about that trajectory—and something deeply instructive about turning necessity into expertise.
I was a guest on KAL’s show during the pandemic in 2020 — it feels like an eon ago, but you can find that one here:
What is a DMA?
You’ve probably heard of an AMA (Ask Me Anything), and sure, that’s always interesting. But I figured since you probably don’t want to just see my face staring back at you for an hour, it might be more interesting if I point my camera at the drawing board and draw away while you ask me questions, make requests, and I can share tips on the creative process!
Be sure to turn on ‘notifications’ on your Substack app to be notified when I go live. If you haven’t downloaded the Substack app yet, you can do so here. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
See you tomorrow!
Your pal,
Such an interesting interview.