From 1915, Frankenstein’s Monster as War flexes its long
claws, brewing Hatred, Malice, Envy and Ambition. Kings scramble, crowns flying
off their heads.
Editorial cartoonists adopted the Frankenstein theme as a metaphor for things gone out of control. Until the Twentieth century, when
the Karloffian icon — flat head, bolts and all — became the standard image for
Frankenstein’s Monster, cartoonists usually represented The Monster as a
disheveled, towering giant.
Cleveland-based cartoonist Robert W. “Bob” Satterfield
(1876-1958) first achieved prominence when he covered the McKinley
assassination in Buffalo, in 1901. He would go on to produce editorial cartoons
and illustrated features widely distributed through the NEA Service, America’s
first syndication outfit. His favorite caricature subject was President Teddy
Roosevelt. In 1924, when Satterfield signed an exclusive agreement with the
Publishers Autocaster Service of New York, the company proclaimed him as “America’s
greatest Cartoonist” and “the
most talented and highest priced cartoonist who has ever produced a feature for
this field.”
The illustration here appeared front and center on the first
page of The Tacoma Times for November 9,
1915. Curiously, copies appeared in other publications often badly cropped,
with the sides cut and the bottom part with signature chopped off. The cartoon
also occupied a full page in Chicago’s radical newspaper The Day Book of November 6 with Satterfield’s name painted out. This
might indicate use without permission or payment of the syndication fee.
Info updated, with thanks to M W Gallaher.
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4 comments:
The claws remind me of Charles Ogle, though the beard gives me pause. The Santa-stein Monster?
The whiskers and helmet evoque the Kaiser. Perhaps the Frankenstein reference has to do with the German-sounding name as well.
The artist is Robert Satterfield, an American editorial cartoonist in the early 1900's.
Thank you very much MW! I have updated the post.
Much appreciated.
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