Back in Black India Ink

The cartoons I didn’t draw, and why I’m drawing them now

In the late 90s and 2000s I was the editorial cartoonist at the Deseret News, a Mormon church-owned paper in one of America’s reddest states. I had cartoons killed, received a death threat over a gun-control cartoon, and softened more cartoons than I care to admit. After years, I’m back and syndicated with Cagle Cartoons, drawing the cartoons I didn’t draw.

Public Affairs for the Mormon Church purchased the original of this cartoon as a gift to then president Gordon Hinckley.. It’s a good example of how far I went to keep my publisher happy. (“So Luke Has a Sister!”, May, 1999)

Subscription Benefits:

FREE Subscription — New cartoons, an occasional time-lapse video, an occasional cartoon from The Redraw file.

PAID Subscription — Features like:

  • The Redraw - cartoons I’ve drawn that I wish I’d done differently.

  • The Mailbag - Some of the hate mail I’ve received over the years, and the cartoons that prompted them.

  • Drawing on Video - Timelapse videos, caricature lessons, and live drawing sessions.

  • Access to my vault of hand-drawn originals (brushed India Ink on Bristol). For purchase only.

Founding Members receive a free signed Giclée print on high-quality Hahnemühle German Etching Archival Paper. First-in-line access to purchase hand-drawn originals from my vault.


I am very grateful for the support of my subscribers. Newspapers have cut drastically cut cartoonist positions over the years. Subscribers like you can keep this work alive.

User's avatar

Subscribe to Inkstains

by Jonathan Brown Subscribe to see my latest cartoons.

People