Dear Readers,
Michael Ikeda-Chandler recently let us know that he wanted to stop doing political cartoons.
“I just don’t have my heart in it anymore,” Michael said. “It wasn’t the hate mail that changed my mind, I’ve been ready to move on from political cartoons for a little while now.”
Michael has been involved as a regular contributor to The Local Voice since April of 2008, when he was first interviewed as an up-and-coming artist, and he drew the cover of TLV #52. Michael’s political cartoons first appeared in issue #73, when The Local Voice started publishing our Comix page. In fact, our Comix page was pretty much built because of Michael Ikeda-Chandler’s awesome art.
Of course, we are disappointed and we are sure you are too. Michael has been one of the most consistent and recognizable parts of The Local Voice for the last six years. In addition to his political cartoons, Michael Ikeda-Chandler has illustrated many covers, articles, and stories. Although no one agrees with every cartoon or opinion, Michael’s perspective is a breath of fresh, local air.
We’ve invited him to keep contributing to The Local Voice as much as he wants. Perhaps one day he will reconsider and start doing political cartoons again, but in the meantime, we’d love to recruit another local or Mississippi-based cartoonist to contribute. We would much rather run local artists than national syndicated cartoonists.
If you or anyone you know is interested, please send samples to us at thelocalvoice@thelocalvoice.net.
And we’d also love to hear your opinion on Michael’s sudden retirement!
–TLV Editorial Staff
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This note from TLV editors was printed in TLV #196 (published January 23, 2014). To download a PDF of this issue, click HERE.
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To read the “Letter to the Editor” about Mr. Ikeda-Chandler’s work from TLV #194, click HERE.
If you choose to read Mr. Latham’s letter, we here at TLV also strongly urge you read the “Letter to the Editor” written two issues later (TLV #196) in response, located HERE.
