Jeff Koterba
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey Koterba is an American editorial cartoonist based in Omaha, Nebraska
. He has been Omaha World Herald's cartoonist since 1989 and his work is syndicated nationwide to over 400 newspapers by King Features Syndicate
.
newspaper. While at the University of Nebraska at Omaha
he was the editorial cartoonist of the college newspaper, the Gateway. In college he also drew cartoons for the suburban Omaha newspaper, the Bellevue Leader. After college he drew sports cartoons on a part-time basis for the Kansas City Star from 1986 to 1989 where his work also regularly appeared in the Los Angeles Times
. He was hired by the Omaha World Herald in 1989 as the editorial cartoonist, filling a 9-year void at that position. While at the World Herald, Koterba has occasionally written editorials and feature stories. Koterba describes himself as "passionate centrist".
, Chicago Tribune
, USA Today
, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, Washington Post and CNN
. He has also been featured in many magazines and high-profile websites. His cartoons regularly appear in the Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year, and Best Political Cartoons of the Year publications. Koterba also regularly appears on panels discussing his craft. In 2009 he was part of an editorial cartooning panel at Comic-Con
in San Diego.
Koterba is the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter for the Omaha-based swing and jump-blues band the Prairie Cats, who have released three albums. The Prairie Cats have been featured at the South by Southwest
music festival, the Hudson River Festival, have toured nationally, and will appear in the up-coming motion picture Lucky featuring Ann-Margaret, Colin Hanks
, and Ari Graynor
. They have been included on several Sony/BMG compilations in Europe alongside the likes of Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole, and Frank Sinatra.
He has published two collections of his cartoons including a book on Nebraska Cornhuskers
football cartoons he drew while in college. In October 2009, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt published Koterba's memoir, Inklings, which deals with his dysfunctional childhood and his lifelong love of cartooning and music.
On April 5, 2010, two original Koterba cartoons blasted off into space aboard Space Shuttle Discovery
compliments of astronaut Clayton Anderson
.
. In 1996 he was a finalist for the H.L. Mencken Award, placed second in the 2000 National Headliner Awards
and in 2002 he was a finalist for Editorial Cartoonist of the Year (Reuben Award) from the National Cartoonists Society
. In 2009 Koterba won first place in the Great Plains Journalism Competition.
On May 6, 2010, Koterba was honored by the Omaha Press Club as his "Face" was put on the Barroom Floor. He was the 125th "Face" in a tradition dating back to 1971. Past honorees have ranged from local politicians, business leaders and members of the press to national figures with Omaha ties such as Warren Buffet, Johnny Carson
, and President Gerald Ford
. The "Face on the Barroom Floor" is a drawing of Koterba and his life that is encased on the barroom floor to be walked upon and admired by members until a new "Face" is unveiled. His "Face" will then be moved to a lofty position on the Club's walls.
and also survived a lightning strike in high school. He has one child, Josh Koterba, who is a singer and a songwriter. Koterba lives in Omaha, NE.
Koterba is friends with filmmaker Alexander Payne
and was an extra in Payne’s 2002 movie About Schmidt
. However, his scene was deleted. A Koterba cartoon also appeared in Payne's 1999 movie Election
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
. He has been Omaha World Herald's cartoonist since 1989 and his work is syndicated nationwide to over 400 newspapers by King Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate, a print syndication company owned by The Hearst Corporation, distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and games to nearly 5000 newspapers worldwide...
.
Biography
Koterba started drawing editorial cartoons for the Omaha South High SchoolOmaha South High School
Omaha South High School is an Information Technology and Visual/Performing Arts magnet school which educates students in grades 9–12. It is one of the largest high school buildings in Nebraska....
newspaper. While at the University of Nebraska at Omaha
University of Nebraska at Omaha
The University of Nebraska at Omaha is a four-year state university located in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. Founded in 1908 as Omaha University, the institution became the public Municipal University of Omaha in 1931. It assumed its current name in 1968 following a merger into the University...
he was the editorial cartoonist of the college newspaper, the Gateway. In college he also drew cartoons for the suburban Omaha newspaper, the Bellevue Leader. After college he drew sports cartoons on a part-time basis for the Kansas City Star from 1986 to 1989 where his work also regularly appeared in the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
. He was hired by the Omaha World Herald in 1989 as the editorial cartoonist, filling a 9-year void at that position. While at the World Herald, Koterba has occasionally written editorials and feature stories. Koterba describes himself as "passionate centrist".
Work
His work regularly appears in many major U.S. newspapers including The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, Washington Post and CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
. He has also been featured in many magazines and high-profile websites. His cartoons regularly appear in the Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year, and Best Political Cartoons of the Year publications. Koterba also regularly appears on panels discussing his craft. In 2009 he was part of an editorial cartooning panel at Comic-Con
Comic-Con
Comic-Con, Comic Con or ComiCon may refer to any of the following Comic book conventions, none of them affiliated to any other:*San Diego Comic-Con International, annual fan convention in San Diego held since 1970, also known as Comic-Con or San Diego Comic-Con*Dallas Comic Con, annual fan...
in San Diego.
Koterba is the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter for the Omaha-based swing and jump-blues band the Prairie Cats, who have released three albums. The Prairie Cats have been featured at the South by Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
music festival, the Hudson River Festival, have toured nationally, and will appear in the up-coming motion picture Lucky featuring Ann-Margaret, Colin Hanks
Colin Hanks
Colin Lewes Hanks is an American actor who is best known for his work as Shaun Brumder in the film Orange County and as Alex Whitman in Roswell. He also portrayed the role of Henry Jones in Band of Brothers and is currently on the sixth season of the Showtime crime drama Dexter...
, and Ari Graynor
Ari Graynor
Ariel Geltman Graynor, better known as Ari Graynor, is an American actress.-Life and career:Graynor was born in Boston, Massachusetts. She was raised in a Jewish family and attended Buckingham Browne & Nichols, a private school in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Trinity College, in Hartford,...
. They have been included on several Sony/BMG compilations in Europe alongside the likes of Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole, and Frank Sinatra.
He has published two collections of his cartoons including a book on Nebraska Cornhuskers
Nebraska Cornhuskers
The Nebraska Cornhuskers is the name given to several sports teams of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The university is a member of the Big Ten Conference...
football cartoons he drew while in college. In October 2009, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt published Koterba's memoir, Inklings, which deals with his dysfunctional childhood and his lifelong love of cartooning and music.
On April 5, 2010, two original Koterba cartoons blasted off into space aboard Space Shuttle Discovery
Space Shuttle Discovery
Space Shuttle Discovery is one of the retired orbiters of the Space Shuttle program of NASA, the space agency of the United States, and was operational from its maiden flight, STS-41-D on August 30, 1984, until its final landing during STS-133 on March 9, 2011...
compliments of astronaut Clayton Anderson
Clayton Anderson
Clayton Conrad Anderson is an American engineer and a NASA astronaut. Launched on STS-117, he replaced Sunita Williams on June 10, 2007 as a member of the ISS Expedition 15 crew.-Education:...
.
Awards
In 1983 Koterba was awarded the Mark of Excellence Award for college cartooning from the Society of Professional JournalistsSociety of Professional Journalists
The Society of Professional Journalists , formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, is one of the oldest organizations representing journalists in the United States. It was established in April 1909 at DePauw University, and its charter was designed by William Meharry Glenn. The ten founding members of...
. In 1996 he was a finalist for the H.L. Mencken Award, placed second in the 2000 National Headliner Awards
National Headliner Awards
The National Headliner Awards are a prize given out by Press Club of Atlantic City since 1935. Both broadcast journalism and print journalism are recognized, in separate categories.-External links:*...
and in 2002 he was a finalist for Editorial Cartoonist of the Year (Reuben Award) from the National Cartoonists Society
National Cartoonists Society
The National Cartoonists Society is an organization of professional cartoonists in the United States. It presents the National Cartoonists Society Awards. The Society was born in 1946 when groups of cartoonists got together to entertain the troops...
. In 2009 Koterba won first place in the Great Plains Journalism Competition.
On May 6, 2010, Koterba was honored by the Omaha Press Club as his "Face" was put on the Barroom Floor. He was the 125th "Face" in a tradition dating back to 1971. Past honorees have ranged from local politicians, business leaders and members of the press to national figures with Omaha ties such as Warren Buffet, Johnny Carson
Johnny Carson
John William "Johnny" Carson was an American television host and comedian, known as host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for 30 years . Carson received six Emmy Awards including the Governor Award and a 1985 Peabody Award; he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987...
, and President Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
. The "Face on the Barroom Floor" is a drawing of Koterba and his life that is encased on the barroom floor to be walked upon and admired by members until a new "Face" is unveiled. His "Face" will then be moved to a lofty position on the Club's walls.
Personal
Koterba has Tourette syndromeTourette syndrome
Tourette syndrome is an inherited neuropsychiatric disorder with onset in childhood, characterized by multiple physical tics and at least one vocal tic; these tics characteristically wax and wane...
and also survived a lightning strike in high school. He has one child, Josh Koterba, who is a singer and a songwriter. Koterba lives in Omaha, NE.
Koterba is friends with filmmaker Alexander Payne
Alexander Payne
Alexander Payne, born Alexander Constantine Papadopoulos is an American film director and screenwriter. His films are noted for their dark humor and satirical depictions of contemporary American society.- Early life :...
and was an extra in Payne’s 2002 movie About Schmidt
About Schmidt
About Schmidt is a 2002 American comedy-drama film directed by Alexander Payne, starring Jack Nicholson in the title role. It is loosely based on the 1996 novel of the same title by Louis Begley. Many of the scenes were filmed on location, especially in Omaha, Nebraska and Denver, Colorado...
. However, his scene was deleted. A Koterba cartoon also appeared in Payne's 1999 movie Election
Election (1999 film)
Election is a 1999 American comedy film adapted from a 1998 novel of the same title by Tom Perrotta. The plot revolves around a three-way election race in high school, and satirizes both suburban high school life and politics...
Books
- The Big Red Cartoon Book (1985)
- Illustrator, To Spank or Not to Spank(1994), Rosemond, John, author
- Jeff Koterba Back from the Drawing Board (1995)
- Inklings (2009)
External links
- http://jeffreykoterba.com/
- http://www.omaha.com/section/NEWS08
- http://www.prairiecats.com/home.html
- http://www.cagle.com/politicalcartoons/PCcartoons/koterba.asp
- http//www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/12/AR2010041203241.html