This post is to memorialize the untimely passing of a giant in the cartoon world
Almost every day I would look forward to getting a message from Facebook letting me know a new cartoon was out by Glenn Foden. You see, I love cartoons. Every Sunday — as a kid — I looked forward to grabbing the Sunday Funnies from my grandma and reading through them while watching Sunday morning cartoons. As an adult I followed many cartoonists, Chuck Asay, Cox and Forkum, Richard Ramirez, Eric Allie, Lisa Benson, Gary Varvel, etc. I considered Foden one of the biggies. I even for a very long time had my own “Sunday Funnies,” where I would collect many of the weeks cartoons or humorous pics and post them on my site. Glenn was ALWAYS a part of this early A.M. part of my life as his was one of the first pages I would visit… maybe sneaking in his afternoon Sunday upload or saving it till the next week..
Once in a while he would get a left leaning individual noting how he disliked his cartoons… often times he would thumbs up the comment. I just thought to myself this had two affects: (a) it probably drove the person bonkers, and (b) it showed Glenn’s love of the 1st Amendment. You see, one can tell how a man thinks when he draws a single frame picturing his mind’s view on a complicated issue. The cartoonist shares his complete view in one picture that others (like myself) might take paragraphs to explain.
I used his cartoons in a few things on my site or in my YouTube uploads. The most recent cartoon was used in my upload of Larry Elder talking about the bias of media, giving the example of Chevy Chase:
Glenn mentioned this after I posted the video on his timeline:
- Thanks, Sean. At one time media would at least pretend to be offended when accused of bias. Now they just smile, shrug their shoulders and say, “So what?”
In a post of mine that grows as more progressive-power-hungry legislators make clear their goals, I used a recent cartoon of Glenn’s to accompany an update to the post:
And in true Glenn Foden fashion, he commented on the post:
- Green shirts have replaced the brown. Well done, sir!
He had a way of acknowledging those of us who were fans of his talent. Others would even post their own personal cartoons on Glenn’s Facebook to get what his thoughts on it were. He was always gracious and uplifting to the person… always showing grace and care to those starting down the path of their own talents.
I never interacted with his family, but I know he will be missed. Just these simple interactions and ability to pear into his mind, frame-by-frame allowed me to know that he will leave a hole in peoples lives, but overflow it with memories of the man he was. I hope and pray he loved the Lord and I will actually get to meet him in the life originally meant for us by our Creator.
I pray that in these rough weeks and months ahead for the longing of the kinds words of a father, husband, uncle, brother, friend, and author of a legend in the cartoonist world… that comfort and solace will be found in faith and relationships garnered though Glenn’s life.
Glenn, I never met you but I felt like I knew you. Thank you for sharing yourself with those beyond your family and friends,
Sean G
A Fellow Cartoonist Memorial
