Opinion: Cartoonists respond to Charlie Hebdo attack with powerful, poignant illustrations

How do you respond to the attack on Paris’ satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo that left at least 12 people dead?

Commenting on the “martyrs for free speech,” Times cartoonist Ted Rall argues that the big-picture take-away from Wednesday’s tragedy is that “cartoons are incredibly powerful.” He also tipped his hat to his French counterparts, who he says, “struck [him] as more self-confident and cockier than the average cartoonist.”

Rall, whose post you can read here, captured the way he was feeling like this:

A cartoonist shouldn’t have to look over his shoulder while doing his work.

(Ted Rall / For The Times)

He’s not alone. Cartoonists, no surprise, have been commenting with powerful illustrations. The Washington Post’s Comic Riffs has rounded up a few.

Here are some other poignant takes.

Jeff Danziger:

Wait! Look! A man with a pencil.

(Jeff Danziger)

Joel Pett of the Lexington Herald-Leader:

Pardon my French.

(Joel Pett)

Tom Toles:

The pen will endure.

(Tom Toles)

Follow Alexandra Le Tellier on Twitter @alexletellier