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By Jere Hough Meteorologist / Feature Reporter

M30o93H7pQ09L8X1t49cHY01Z5j4TT91fGfr J. D. Crowe

Published: Tue, October 09, 2007 - 2:57 pm
Last Updated: Tue, October 09, 2007 - 3:40 pm

Jere Hough

Twenty years ago there were over two hundred political cartoonists working for newspapers in the United States. Today there are about ninety...less than two per state! One of that rare breed lives and draws right here on the Gulf Coast. He produces five cartoons a week for the Mobile Press Register, and also syndicates cartoons dealing with national issues. In the last year his work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and USA Today among others.

Typical of his work is a cartoon which compares legislators to manatees, the large lethargic animals which inhabit coastal waters in summer. He draws legislator faces on the manatee bodies and says, "These beasts return each year, but there is little evidence of anything they actually do while they're here."

He says, "Being a political cartoonist, I'm going to thrive where the goofiest politicians and some of the most bizarre news happens...and I think down here in Lower Alabama, I've found my mecca." He laughs and says, "I have the best writers in the Country," referring to our elected officials.

One of his all time favorite pieces was created the day of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. He and his young daughter came up with seven stars in the shape of the number seven on a black background. There was no caption. Crowe says that best cartoons speak for themselves...no words needed.

He loves baseball and it is a subject of his cartoons occasionally. He says that had he been able to add ten miles an hour to his fastball, he'd be in baseball today. But he adds he loves his work. In fact, when he was applying for jobs as a staff artist, someone took a look at his humorous sketches and said, "That's what you ought to be doing." His response, "You mean I can get paid for that??"

His latest collection of cartoons is Smell the Love. It is available at Page and Pallette in Fairhope, Bienville Books in Mobile, and at the Mobile Press-Register offices in downtown Mobile. You can also visit his website http://www.crowetoons.com/

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