American journalism scarcely noticed, but America has lost one of its most interesting political cartoonists. Cartoonist Greg Peters, whom I included in my 2004 anthology Attitude 2, died of a congenital heart condition at age 50.
Greg was a principled graphic journalist who elevated the clip art cartooning form in order in work specifically targeted to his hometown of New Orleans and Louisiana. “Suspect Device” ran in Gambit Weekly, the alternative weekly newspaper in New Orleans, from 1999 to 2010. Like a number of other brilliant cartoonists of the post-9/11 era, Greg was underappreciated by editors, which deprived readers of a singular, intelligent, hilarious voice that deserved to be heard.
More important than his career, Greg was a cool guy. I enjoyed talking to Greg during the series of interviews for Attitude 2, and also subsequently as he and I both tried to navigate the treacherous waters of the transition from print to digital cartooning. He will be missed by his readers, the world of cartooning and, most of all, his two sons. If anyone has information on where donations for them may be sent, I will post it here.
