'H-L' is drawn to visual letters from its readers

By: Dave Astor Like many newspapers, the Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader runs syndicated editorial cartoons. Like some papers, it has a staff editorial cartoonist. But unlike most papers, the Herald-Leader also publishes editorial cartoons that are drawn by readers.

The "Cartoon to the Editor" feature usually appears about three times a month on the Sunday opinion section's letters page. Herald-Leader Editorial Page Editor Vanessa Gallman sees these reader cartoons as letters to the editor that happen to be drawn. "I have a lot of appreciation for the effectiveness of a good cartoon and the hard work that goes into it," she says.

The feature started about eight years ago. Now, five or so readers regularly contribute cartoons, with roughly half of the drawings rejected. "Even the smallest 'Cartoon to the Editor' takes up the space of two letters, so it's held to a higher standard," says Gallman. Topics can be local, national, or international.

What does staff cartoonist Joel Pett, the Pulitzer Prize winner distributed by Universal Press Syndicate, think of the reader feature? "I have mixed feelings," he replied, noting that there are times he'd rather see the space used for syndicated work. But, Pett adds, "some of the cartoons are very good."