TOLES AWARDED HERBLOCK PRIZE

When in 2001 the legendary Herblock died at 91 leaving vacant at the Washington Post the editorial cartooning chair he’d occupied there for 55 years, speculation ran rampant through the profession about who would succeed to the nation’s most influential editooning perch. The suspense ended a year later when Tom Toles moved into Block’s old office. A couple weeks ago, Toles picked up, poetically speaking, the rest of his legacy when he was awarded the Herblock Prize.

Mike Cavna at ComicRiffs (which you can find hereabouts among the blog listings) reported that Toles is the eighth cartoonist to win the award, which was created in 2004 "to encourage editorial cartooning as an essential tool for preserving the rights of the American people through freedom of speech and the right of expression." What the Pulitzer is to journalism generally, the Herblock is to editorial cartooning specifically — the most prestigious award in the field. Toles received a tax-free $15,000 cash prize and a sterling-silver Tiffany trophy.

“The Post swept the awards,” Cavna said. “Ann Telnaes, who creates animated cartoons for Washingtonpost.com, was the first finalist to be publicly announced.”

"I walk in Herblock's slippers," Toles told Cavna, alluding the Herblock’s customary garb at work. "I am highly honored."

Toles won the Pulitzer in 1990 while at the Buffalo News. A graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo, he has also drawn for the Buffalo Courier-Express, New York Daily News, and the magazines New Republic and U.S. News and World Report. Previous recognition of his cartooning excellence include John Fischetti Award, the H.L. Mencken Free Press Award, the National Headliners Award and the Overseas Press Club Thomas Nast Award.

The judging line-up for the Herblock this year included two editoonists, both Pulitzer winners — Politico’s Matt Wuerker and the Philadelphia Daily News’ Signe Wilkinson — as well as Harry Katz, curator of the Herb Block Foundation.

Cavna quotes all three about their choice, and he also quotes their discursive analysis of this year’s candidates, “lifting the veil,” as they reveal aspects of their decision-making process — all of which I quote at the usual place; but you should visit Cavna instead for the most authentic version.