Joe Wos, Cartoonist-Illustrator-TV Host-Episode #380

Joe Wos is the 6-time Emmy Award-winning creator and host of “Cartoon Academy” as seen on PBS affiliates nationwide.

Joe’s been a professional cartoonist since the age of 14. Over the past 35 years, as he’s sought new and innovative ways to pursue his passion for the cartoon arts, his career path has taken as many twists and turns as one of his wonderful mazes. For example, he spent 30 years touring the U.S. as a performer, illustrating stories live as he told them. He founded and ran a cartoon art museum here in Pittsburgh called the Toonseum. He illustrated symphony performances live with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. And he’s exhibited his art in museums worldwide. Beyond all that, Joe’s been the visiting resident cartoonist of the Charles M. Schulz Museum for over 23 years.

With MazeToons — his unique hybrid illustration that is part cartoon and part puzzle — Joe has fulfilled a lifelong dream to appear in the funny pages.

He’s the author and illustrator of a dozen books, including “A-Maze-Ing Peanuts”, “Mega Maze Challenge,” “Our A-Maze-Ing National Parks,” “A-Maze-Ing America,” “A-Maze-Ing Animals,” “The Exploding Kittens Activity Book,” and many more. Joe’s also the Brand Character Integrity Consultant and artist for Charlie the Tuna of StarKist fame.

Joe won the 2020 Divisional Reuben Award for the Variety Category as presented by the National Cartoonists Society.

For the record, Joe and I have known one another for more than a decade, from his days running the Toonseum here in Pittsburgh.