For four decades Since the mid-'80s, Kevin Tobin has been Newfoundland and Labrador's most prominent cartoonist. He can combine a week's worth of newspaper headlines into one completely poignant scene. From Donald Trump to the chronic shortage of doctors in the province, from Mark Carney's rise to power to Putin's invasion of Ukraine, thousands of his cartoons for Telegram not a single target was spared. Each one, signed “KT,” is filled with satire, empathy and the unmistakable, salty-tinged provincial wit. There's almost always a tiny fly – his alter ego – hovering over his panels, consuming it all. Calling himself a “conventional draftsman,” Tobin compiles the highlights of his years at the drafting table in his new book: Fly on the wall. We've chosen figures that demonstrate his range, from fast strikes to slow strikes. Combined with selected quotes, they provide a visual album of the moments that shaped Atlantic politics—and the country.
—Carmine Starnino
“I have pleasant memories of my father reading Western Star the daily newspaper after dinner, and I especially liked the color comics in the Saturday morning edition, the sweet smell of newsprint and ink emanating from the pages.”
“Most people have heard the phrase “ink is in the blood.” This means having a predisposition or passion for the written word and how it reflects life. For me, the ink in my blood is what gives life to the cartoons I draw.”
“Flies are hard workers. Flies convert feces into feed for livestock and are also live food and fuel for birds, frogs and lizards. They serve as pollinators for a variety of plants. They also buzz around people and make us wave our arms to shoo them away, thereby encouraging physical activity.”
Excerpt, with permission, from Fly on the wall by Kevin Tobin, published by Breakwater Books Limited, 2025.
Kevin Tobin (CT) was a cartoonist for the St. John's daily newspaper. Telegram for forty years.
