Ed Koren
December 13, 1935 – April 14, 2023
The world now spins differently as a major anchor to its joyful rotation has passed on. The Center for Cartoon Studies and lovers of comics everywhere lost a dear friend last week as cartooning legend Ed Koren, whose magical drawings have been a signature of The New Yorker since 1962, died at his home in Vermont.
While not a native Vermonter, Ed became a truly indelible part of the community, from supporting local and statewide organizations (as a volunteer firefighter for more than three decades, among other pursuits) to incorporating the characters and qualities of his adopted home into his cartooning, often juxtaposing the rural lifestyle of Vermont with more urban elements from his time in New York City. The state recognized Ed’s contributions to cartooning and Vermont through his appointment as Vermont’s second Cartoonist Laureate in 2014.
A longtime friend and regular presenter at The Center for Cartoon Studies, Ed demonstrated his generosity and community-minded spirit to the school and the cartooning world in general through the establishment of the Ed Koren Scholarship Fund at CCS in 2022. Gifts to honor Ed’s legacy and support an emerging cartoonist who is also looking to enrich the cultural and civic life of Vermont can be made to the fund here.
As David Remnick, the editor of The New Yorker, said in an interview after Ed’s Passing, “There’s an immense sweetness to his personality that radiates through his work.” We’ll all miss that sweetness dearly. Bon voyage, Ed.
