Great Editorial Cartoonist Paul Conrad Dead At 86

Quite a hero and unique in his field. In the blog world many try to break through the clutter and offer an original take on the issues of the day in the trenchant style that today requires. Conrad is an inspiration. His art has done that for years.
Los Angeles Times Obituary

Paul Conrad, whose fiercely confrontational editorial cartoons made him one of the leading political provocateurs of the second half of the 20th century and who helped push the Los Angeles Times to national prominence, has died. He was 86.

Conrad died early Saturday of natural causes, surrounded by his family at his home in Rancho Palos Verdes, said his son David.

With an unyielding liberal stance rendered in savage black and white, Conrad both thrilled and infuriated readers for more than 50 years. He won three Pulitzer Prizes, a feat matched by only two other cartoonists in the post- World War II era.

He did help build the Times. It is sad that it is not what it once was. The opinion page would have Robert Scheer and Paul Conrad skewering the right wing for years. Nothing has replaced them. Conservative Jonah Goldberg replaced Scheer and conservative Michael Ramirez replaced Conrad.

1 minute and nine second youtube video with great examples of his work.

The PBS special about him, "Drawing Fire"

An inspiration. May the spirit of his work get passed on.