Cartoonists usually submit a batch of cartoons weekly to The New Yorker. How does a cartoon submitted to The New Yorker become a cartoon in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest?
Most (nearly all the time) TNY asks the cartoonist if they would like to sell it for the Contest.
That means TNY either didn't like the cartoonist's caption or they've identified the cartoon as a good choice for the Contest. Rarely, if ever, does a cartoonist submit their batch of cartoons and request one
specifically for the Contest.
Do cartoonists like having their cartoon in the Contest? The Contest payment is the same as a "regular" cartoon in the magazine, but there is an obvious difference.
Their caption was rejected and then TNYCCC winner's caption is put on the cartoon. Later the cartoon can show up in numerous places and there is no indication that the caption
is not the cartoonist's caption. So, do cartoonists like having their cartoon in the Contest? The answer seems pretty obvious. But, you may not get that insinuation from the cartoonist; for obvious reasons.
The chart shows the majority of TNYCCC cartoonists have between two and nine cartoons in the Contest. Recent trends have more new cartoonists featured in the magazine.
Hover over the columns to view the number of cartoonists for each cartoon range.
Cartoonist Contest Count Distribution
The table shows a commanding lead by P.C. Vey. The next three cartoonists have a sizeable lead over the fifth place cartoonist. The first and last cartoon
in the Contest is also displayed for each cartoonist.
Use the pagination controls, column sorting, and search box to navigate results.
Cartoonist Counts (Current through Contest #998)
| Cartoonist |
Cartoon
Count |
Latest
Contest |
First
Contest |
Analyzing the Visual Architects: The Cartoonist Index Methodology
The Cartoonists index serves as a specialized historical archive dedicated exclusively to tracking the artists whose visual concepts form the foundation of the caption contests. Unlike the captioning leaderboards which monitor text-based submissions, this dataset isolates illustration volume, frequency, and publication trends within the creative community. By cataloging which artists are selected for captioning cycles, this portal maps the editorial preferences of magazine panels and provides a structured overview of the visual styles that routinely invite comedic interpretation.
The underlying database processes records by linking individual artist profiles to their total volume of featured contest drawings. This tracking allows researchers and humor enthusiasts to observe shifting editorial eras, noting when legacy illustrators dominate the cycle versus when a influx of contemporary artists are introduced to the rotation.
Tracking Illustration Frequency & Visual Data
To preserve the accuracy of this artistic catalog, the data framework focuses strictly on volume distribution and layout analytics rather than caption placement tiers.
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Volume Distribution Modeling: The data tracks the exact number of times an artist’s work has been adapted for a contest environment. This allows users to segment the data by high-frequency contributors (the core roster with ten or more entries) versus emerging or guest illustrators who may only feature in a single contest window.
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Interactive Layout Controls: The data grid relies on front-end scripts that allow users to instantly re-order the rankings by cartoon count or alphabetically by artist name. Built-in pagination and client-side search fields make it simple to query specific creators instantly, providing a fast way to cross-reference historical illustration data.
The Significance of Mapping Comic Art
Why analyze single-panel cartoonists through a statistical lens? The success of a caption contest relies entirely on the open-ended nature of the drawing itself; the image must contain enough narrative tension to inspire thousands of different punchlines. By measuring which artists appear on this board most frequently, we gain insight into the specific types of visual setups—whether absurd, domestic, or surreal—that make for perfect comedic prompts. It honors the craftsmen who draw the silent worlds that the rest of the community spends a week trying to explain.
After all, a picture is worth a thousand words, but here we just want to know how many times they drew it.