Episode 249| July 17, 2026: Pat Oliphant 1935-2026

Pat Oliphant, one of the most influential political cartoonists of the 20th and 21st centuries, has died. Considering his legacy on DMZ are editorial cartoonists Ted Rall (from the Left), Scott Stantis (from the Right) and Mike Thompson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning American editorial cartoonist known for his sharp wit and bold, expressive style. Born in 1964, he is widely syndicated. Thompson’s work frequently appears in USA Today and other major outlets. 

Born Patrick Bruce Oliphant on July 24, 1935, in Adelaide, Australia, he began his career as a news illustrator for The Adelaide Advertiser before moving to the United States in 1964.

Hired by The Denver Post, Oliphant quickly gained national attention for his bold, fluid line work and savage wit. In 1974 he won the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning. His cartoons appeared in over 500 newspapers through universal syndication, making him a daily fixture in American political discourse for more than five decades.

Oliphant’s signature creation was “Punk,” a small, irreverent, tufted bird who often appeared in the corner of panels delivering a final dry or biting comment. His style blended elegant draftsmanship with ferocious satire, skewering presidents from Lyndon Johnson to Barack Obama with equal glee. He famously said he drew “not to change minds, but to make people angry enough to think.”

Later in life he expanded into sculpture and fine-art painting while continuing to produce cartoons. Oliphant’s work is held in major collections including the Library of Congress. He died in 2026 at age 90, leaving behind a legacy as a defining voice of modern American editorial cartooning.