Steve Breen

Jim Skovmand/San Diego Union-Tribune

Editorial cartoonist Steve Breen was going to be a high school history teacher. That is, until the Asbury Park Press discovered the award-winning cartoons Steve drew for his college newspaper. Impressed with Steve's knack for cartooning, the New Jersey newspaper offered him a job as a full-time editorial cartoonist in 1996. Just about a year later, he captured journalism's highest honor! At age 27, Steve became one of the youngest cartoonists to win the Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning.

Today, Steve is an editorial cartoonist for the San Diego Union-Tribune. His editorial cartoons appear in newspapers and magazines all across the country. He also has a daily comic strip called "Grand Avenue." Steve lives in San Diego with his wife and three kids.

Did you draw a lot when you were a kid?
I drew a lot when I was a kid but had no idea I wanted to be a cartoonist. I was especially good at copying things. If you put a picture of Bugs Bunny in front of me I could copy it really well. That generated a lot of interest among my classmates. I was inspired by Mad magazine in junior high. That's when my interest in cartooning took off. As a kid, I wasn't into editorial cartoons at all. I wish my parents and teachers would have taught me about editorial cartooning because it's a great way to learn.

Why did you like to draw?
I think that when you have a creative talent, it's just kind of a natural talent that comes out and you can't stop. I didn't use anything special. I started with crayons and moved to magic markers.

Why draw political cartoons? How did you get your start?
I had a love of satirizing and cartooning, and I wanted to draw my own cartoons based on school happenings in junior high. And then about six or seven years later when I went to college, I was still kind of doing my own drawings and they were similar to The Far Side. My college newspaper advisor, Bruce Reynolds at the University of California, Riverside, suggested I take a look at other cartoonists. I looked at their work and I knew that this was what I wanted to do.

I'm a political cartoonist because the profession is suited to my interests and talents, which are drawing, political commentary, history, government and politics. I wasn't studying the Constitution when I was in fifth grade. I wasn't super into politics or government. I always liked history, though. And that is the foundation for an aspiring editorial cartoonist, because the current events that you're commenting on become history someday. I did always have that love of history.

What is the most difficult part about drawing the Presidential candidates? Is there anyone who is particularly hard to draw?
I find that attractive people are hard to draw, like John Edwards for instance. It's funnier to see a distorted version than a true-to-life version. The reason you do it is to take this figure on a pedestal... to take him down a notch. Drawing a scathing caricature of a political figure is the civilized version of throwing a pie at their face. But that's our job, to humble the mighty.

Are you allowed to sketch whatever you want, or do the editors influence you?
If something is really big and if everyone is talking about it, you're going to draw it. Yesterday I came up with seven rough sketches of the (Democratic National) Convention. Then there are other days when the news is slow, and I have to do three or four roughs of whatever I choose. The editors never force me to do a cartoon, but they'll ask for certain subjects.

What do you think is the impact of political cartoons in American politics as well as journalism?
I think they are extremely important to both. And sometimes people don't always want to admit it, but they are a potent force in politics. Every newspaper needs an editorial cartoon. That's one of the first things politicians turn to. (Senators) John McCain and Hillary Clinton's aides have called me up wanting the original (cartoon sketch).

Do you have any advice for aspiring cartoonists?
They can buy How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way. That's the book that was influential in my development. The other things I would suggest are to keep drawing and sharpen your skills. I think anyone can be a cartoonist. It's not so much in the cartoon, but in the idea. My most important piece of advice is to keep reading. Read anything you can get your hands on. Reading is rocket fuel for the imagination.

By Brian Oppenheim