Mark Knight (b. 1962): The Political Cartoonist Who Captures Australia’s Imagination

Mark Knight (born 1962) is a renowned Australian cartoonist best known for his sharp editorial cartoons, AFL premiership posters, and decades-long influence on the national conversation. As the political cartoonist for Melbourne’s Herald Sun, Knight has played a significant role in shaping public opinion through his vibrant illustrations and social commentary. His bold visual storytelling, deep understanding of Australian culture, and commitment to satire have made him one of the most enduring figures in contemporary cartooning.

Infobox: Mark Knight

Full Name: Mark Knight
Born: 1962, Marrickville, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Nationality: Australian
Occupation: Editorial Cartoonist, Illustrator
Employer: Herald Sun (Melbourne)
Education: East Sydney Technical College
Years Active: 1980–present
Known For: Political cartoons, AFL premiership posters, Leuk the Duck character
Notable Awards: Seven Quill Awards, Five Walkley Awards, Eight Stanley Awards, MoAD Political Cartoonist of the Year (2014), The Age Cartoonist of the Year (2007)
Style: Satirical, caricature, political commentary

Early Life and Influences

Knight was born in Marrickville, Sydney, and raised in Lakemba, a diverse working-class suburb in the city’s southwest. Growing up in an area known for its vibrant multiculturalism and working-class roots, Knight was exposed to a wide range of perspectives that would later inform his socially attuned cartoons. From an early age, he displayed a fascination with art and visual storytelling. His father, also artistically inclined, nurtured his son’s creative potential, encouraging him to draw during family gatherings. These informal sketch sessions were more than mere entertainment—they became the foundation for Knight’s understanding of character, gesture, and expression. Knight began by sketching humorous caricatures of family members, turning mundane moments into miniature scenes of satire.

When he was six, his father gifted him a copy of Paul Rigby’s 1967 cartoon annual, which proved to be a defining moment in his artistic development. Knight became enthralled with Rigby’s style and message, particularly the way Rigby embedded political commentary within visual humour. He meticulously created scrapbooks of Rigby’s cartoons clipped from The Daily Telegraph, which he studied and imitated. Through this self-directed learning, Knight developed an early appreciation for caricature, timing, and the subtle relationship between image and editorial voice.

Knight attended Wiley Park Primary School and Narwee Boys’ High School, where his talent was recognized and encouraged by teachers and peers alike. He became the de facto school cartoonist, often contributing illustrations to school publications and posters. After completing high school, he secured a cadetship with The Sydney Morning Herald in 1980, where he initially filled in black squares for crossword puzzles—a humble beginning that marked the entry point into the world of publishing. Knight quickly absorbed the atmosphere of a busy metropolitan newsroom and began assisting more senior artists. His ability to quickly interpret news stories through image helped him stand out.

Determined to refine his technique, he enrolled at East Sydney Technical College, where he studied life drawing, painting, and etching. This formal training gave him a solid foundation in anatomy and composition, as well as exposure to a range of artistic movements and techniques. He developed a nuanced understanding of visual dynamics, learning how to blend humour, exaggeration, and realism. These skills would serve him well in developing exaggerated yet realistic caricatures that balanced recognizability with expressive satire.

Career Development

Knight’s professional career gained traction when he joined The Australian Financial Review in 1984 as a political cartoonist. He swiftly made a name for himself with cartoons that deftly blended satire with striking visual clarity, capturing the attention of both readers and editors alike. His quick wit and sharp line work quickly drew attention, leading to increasing visibility and respect within Australia’s editorial cartooning community.

By 1987, Knight was recruited by the Herald and Weekly Times to join The Melbourne Herald, where his work began to reach a broader Victorian audience. His appointment marked a turning point in his career, offering him a daily platform in one of Australia’s most widely read newspapers. His visual style—recognizable for its bold strokes, expressive caricatures, and acute sense of timing—set him apart from many of his contemporaries. His commentary was often as much cultural as it was political, touching on themes of working-class resilience, urban change, and the ironies of public life.

When The Herald merged with The Sun News-Pictorial in 1990 to form the Herald Sun, Knight was appointed the paper’s principal political cartoonist. This role positioned him at the heart of one of the country’s most influential newsrooms. His daily cartoons became essential viewing for readers seeking both amusement and insight into the political climate. His growing body of work became known not only for poking fun at politicians but also for providing a visual record of major national events, from leadership spills to sports controversies.

In this capacity, Knight created a daily visual commentary that resonated with Australians from all walks of life. His work was widely syndicated and frequently appeared in Choice Magazine, The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Bulletin, reflecting his growing national reputation. He also became a regular contributor to cultural and political anthologies like Kaz Cooke’s Beyond a Joke and War on the Wharves, further demonstrating the depth of his engagement with humour, labour politics, and the Australian public’s concerns.

Beyond newspaper work, Knight contributed to impactful public service campaigns. One of his most memorable was a cartoon created for the 1991 Quit smoking campaign, which used humour and empathy to address serious health issues—a rare combination that earned praise from both public health advocates and the general public. His works have also been exhibited in high-profile venues; in 1997, several of his pieces were featured in the National Museum of Australia’s Bringing the House Down exhibition, which showcased a year of Australia’s best political humour through editorial cartoons and offered a glimpse into the minds of the country’s most influential satirists.

Career

Editorial cartoonist

Knight worked as an editorial cartoonist for The Herald, and later for the Herald Sun after The Herald and The Sun were united in 1990. In 1999 Knight, alongside Bill Leak and other male political cartoonists, were criticized by the Labor Party’s deputy leader, Jenny Macklin, who argued that cartoons such as those by Knight and Leak showing Meg Leeson sexual relations with John Howard were demeaning to women politicians. Knight created the children’s character “Leuk the Duck” (derived from leukemia), a mascot for the Challenge cancer foundation, which has subsequently been used in the organization’s educational material.

Knight is also well-known for his Australian rules football imagery. After cartoonist William Ellis Green (“WEG”) died in 2008, Knight took over his role as the Herald Sun‘s creator of Australian Football League (AFL) premiership posters and, because of this, has made media appearances on AFL shows, including designing alternate posters. For example, in 2017 on The Front Bar ahead of that year’s grand final between Richmond and Adelaide, he unveiled a poster showing co-host and Richmond fan Mick Molloy wearing a Tiger onesie.

Caricaturist

In September 2018, a cartoon by Knight depicting tennis player Serena William having a tantrum during the 2018 US Open was criticized as racist by international media and commentators, who noted the resemblance between Williams’ facial features in the cartoon and American racist caricatures of the 19th and 20th century. Knight and the Herald Sun defended the caricature as depicting Williams’ behavior and having nothing to do with race, and Knight said he knew nothing of the Jim Crow period or drawings. A day later, the Herald Sun reprinted the caricature depicting Williams on the front page with the headline “Welcome to PC World”.

Other works

Other publications in which Knight’s cartoons appeared include Christopher Sheil’s War on the Wharves: A cartoon history (Evatt Foundation & Pluto Press, Annandale NSW, 1998), an anthology of newspaper cartoons about the 1998 Wharfies’ strike. A witty cartoon, The announcement of Bob and Hazel’s Divorce, showing Bob weeping to the media ‘This is a very sad moment for Hazel and I…’ while Hazel does a joyful handstand in the background, was reused in Ann Turner’s book of interviews, In Their Image: Contemporary Australian Cartoonists (NLA, 2000).

Turner claimed in the NLA News (October 2000) that on the criteria she established for the book (circulation figures) Knight and Warren Brown of the Sydney Daily Telegraph were the most influential cartoonists in Australia. Both appear seven days a week. The Herald-Sun sells over 560,000 copies on weekdays (making it Australia’s largest selling weekday paper), 520,000 copies on Saturdays and 530,000 on Sundays.

Iconic Projects and Public Recognition

Among Knight’s most iconic contributions is his continuation of the AFL premiership posters—a cherished Melbourne tradition started by William Ellis Green (WEG) in 1954. After WEG’s death in 2008, Knight was chosen to carry the torch, not just as a cartoonist, but as a steward of cultural memory.

Each year, he unveils a celebratory poster that features a caricature of the winning team’s mascot, often infused with clever cultural references and subtle tributes to the club’s history, players, and fanbase. These posters are more than just souvenirs—they serve as visual time capsules that capture the spirit and atmosphere of each season’s grand final. Fans often queue up outside newsagents the morning after the final to collect their copy, many of whom have followed the tradition for decades.

Knight has also appeared on popular sports shows like The Front Bar, where he reveals special edition posters and engages with fans. His 2017 illustration of comedian Mick Molloy in a tiger onesie ahead of Richmond’s clash with Adelaide became a fan favorite, blending football fanaticism with tongue-in-cheek humour. He has also created alternate designs and special prints for milestone club anniversaries, player retirements, and AFL community events, further embedding himself in the cultural life of the sport. His close relationship with AFL clubs, players, and fans has turned him into something of an unofficial historian of the league through caricature.

Another of Knight’s well-known and heartfelt creations is Leuk the Duck, a cheerful cartoon character designed for the Challenge cancer foundation, which supports children and families living with cancer. Originally developed as a mascot to help children with leukaemia better understand their illness and treatment, Leuk has evolved into a beloved educational figure. The character is used in interactive programs, storybooks, animated videos, hospital kits, and games that explain complex medical procedures in a comforting and age-appropriate way. Knight continues to collaborate with Challenge to refine Leuk’s messaging and expand his presence in pediatric wards, cementing his legacy not only as a cartoonist but as a compassionate creative force in children’s healthcare advocacy.

Controversy and Public Debate

Knight’s willingness to tackle contentious topics has also led to public debate and sustained media scrutiny. In 1999, he was criticized—along with fellow cartoonist Bill Leak—by Labor Deputy Leader Jenny Macklin for depictions of female politicians in sexualized contexts, specifically involving Meg Lees. These cartoons were seen by critics as reinforcing gender stereotypes and undermining the credibility of women in public life. The ensuing backlash sparked broader discussions about the portrayal of women in political media, the responsibilities of cartoonists, and the evolving public expectations of gender representation in satire.

More prominently, in September 2018, Knight created a cartoon following Serena Williams’ heated argument with an umpire during the US Open final. The caricature, which depicted Williams in an exaggerated pose smashing her racket and crying, was widely criticized internationally for echoing racist and sexist tropes historically used against African Americans. Compounding the backlash, her opponent Naomi Osaka, a Japanese-Haitian athlete, was drawn as a passive, light-skinned blonde woman—further inflaming concerns over misrepresentation and racial erasure.

The cartoon provoked condemnation from prominent athletes, civil rights organizations, and media figures worldwide. Critics argued that regardless of intent, the imagery evoked a long and painful tradition of racist caricature, while defenders of Knight claimed the work was simply a commentary on poor sportsmanship. Knight and the Herald Sun doubled down in defense of the cartoon, arguing that the outrage was an example of “political correctness gone mad.” The newspaper even reprinted the image on its front page under the headline “Welcome to PC World.”

The controversy went global, sparking intense discussions about unconscious bias in media, the limits of satire, and the responsibilities of artists in a multicultural society. Major U.S. outlets like The Washington Post and The New York Times published critiques, while the cartoon was debated on social media platforms and in international press outlets. Despite widespread criticism, in February 2019, the Australian Press Council ruled that the cartoon did not breach media standards, citing the editorial context and artistic intent. Nevertheless, the incident remains one of the most polarizing and widely known moments in Knight’s career, prompting reflection on the balance between freedom of expression and social responsibility in editorial cartooning.

Awards and Achievements

Knight’s work has earned him numerous awards and accolades:

• Quill Awards: Seven-time winner, including the prestigious Gold Quill for Best Cartoon (2005).
• Walkley Awards: Five-time recipient, including for “Benefits of a Bedtime Story” (2004).
• Stanley Awards: Eight-time winner, recognising excellence in cartooning.
• The Age Cartoonist of the Year: 2007.
• Australian Comedy Awards: Winner in the visual category for Outstanding Cartoonist (2003).
• MoAD Political Cartoonist of the Year: 2014, awarded by the Museum of Australian Democracy.

Knight’s work has also been featured in multiple art exhibitions and retrospectives, including events at the National Library of Australia and Old Parliament House. His cartoons have been archived as part of national heritage collections, further cementing his status as a key contributor to Australian visual culture.

Influence and Legacy

Mark Knight has carved out a unique position in Australian media as a cartoonist whose work bridges politics, sport, and popular culture. Publishing seven days a week in the Herald Sun, his cartoons reach hundreds of thousands of readers daily and have become a fixture in the morning rituals of many Australians. His ability to tap into the national psyche—using wit, satire, and caricature—has made him one of the most recognizable and influential figures in the field of editorial cartooning.

In Ann Turner’s 2000 book In Their Image, Knight was identified alongside Warren Brown as one of Australia’s most influential cartoonists, based on the sheer reach and frequency of his publications. Turner noted that Knight’s cartoons—by appearing daily in the country’s highest-circulating newspaper—wielded significant influence in shaping public discourse. His work has been described as “a visual chronicle of Australia’s modern political and sporting life,” capturing everything from parliamentary brawls and budget announcements to moments of athletic triumph and public celebration.

Knight’s legacy is also marked by his steadfast commitment to maintaining relevance in a changing media landscape. He has adapted to digital publishing, ensuring his cartoons continue to be shared widely across online platforms, including social media, reaching new and younger audiences. His illustrations have sparked conversations well beyond the printed page, appearing in televised debates, academic discussions, and cultural retrospectives.

He continues to be a provocative and engaging voice in the cultural conversation, balancing humour with critique and nostalgia with immediacy. Beyond merely documenting events, Knight’s cartoons have often influenced public perception and sparked important societal debates. With over four decades in the industry, his legacy is not only preserved in print and archives, but also deeply embedded in the public’s collective imagination as a visual voice of contemporary Australia.

FAQ about cartoonist Mark Knight 

Q1: Who is Mark Knight?

A1: Mark Knight is an Australian cartoonist known for his work as an editorial cartoonist for the Herald Sun, a daily tabloid newspaper in Melbourne.

Q2: Where was Mark Knight born?

A2: Mark Knight was born in Marrickville, Sydney, Australia.

Q3: What inspired Mark Knight’s early interest in drawing?

A3: Mark Knight’s early interest in drawing was encouraged by his artistic father. He began by drawing cartoons of his family and their idiosyncrasies during family gatherings. His father bought him Paul Rigby’s cartoon annual of 1967, which influenced his artwork for many years.

Q4: What did Mark Knight create for the Challenge cancer foundation?

A4: Mark Knight created the children’s character “Leuk the Duck,” derived from leukemia, which became a mascot for the Challenge cancer foundation and was used in the organization’s educational material.

Q5: What is Mark Knight well-known for in addition to editorial cartoons?

A5: Mark Knight is well-known for his Australian rules football imagery. He took over the role of creating Australian Football League (AFL) premiership posters for the Herald Sun and has made media appearances on AFL shows.

Q6: What controversial cartoon did Mark Knight create in 2018, and what was the controversy surrounding it?

A6: In September 2018, Mark Knight created a controversial cartoon depicting tennis player Serena Williams with exaggerated, masculine features. The cartoon was criticized for its resemblance to racist caricatures of the 19th and 20th century. It also depicted Williams’ opponent, Naomi Osaka, as a blonde white woman. The controversy centered around whether the cartoon had racial undertones.

Q7: What awards has Mark Knight won for his cartooning work?

A7: Mark Knight has won several awards for his cartoons, including a Quill Award for Best Cartoon in 2001, a Gold Quill Award in 2005, a Walkley Award in 2004, and The Age Cartoonist of the Year in 2007, among others.