Starting this week, GreeneCountyNewsOnline readers will occasionally see political cartoons drawn by professional comic artist Ron Wagner of Des Moines. You’ll find them under the Opinion tab, usually on Sunday.
Ron graduated from what is now East Marshall High School. He graduated from the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art in Dover, NJ, and from the School of Communication Arts in Raleigh, NC.
He has worked for major comic book companies such as Marvel Comics, D.C. Comics, Dark Horse and Image, and he has drawn titles that include Batman, Superman, G.I. Joe, Punisher, Daredevil and The Flash.
Ron’s art isn’t limited to comic books. Diners at Zombie Burger in downtown Des Moines enjoy Ron’s apocalyptic mural and he also does portraits in oil, acrylic, pencil and pastel.
He also draws political cartoons, an interest that he traces back to his great-grandfather and Ding Darling. “My great-grandfather had a book full of Ding Darling cartoons that I insisted on seeing every time we went to visit when I was a kid,” he recalls. “When he passed away my grandmother made sure I received the book. I still have it to this day.
“That began my interest in political cartooning. As I have gotten older I am more aware of the world and what is happening in it. Doing political cartoons gives me a voice that I don’t feel like I would have otherwise.”
Welcome, Ron, to GreeneCountyNewsOnline. As with all things posted under the Opinion tab, the views expressed are not necessarily the views of the publisher, but they’re all worthy of discussion. ~Tori Riley, publisher
