In a significant achievement for the Canadian arts scene, Vancouver-based cartoonists Ian Boothby and Pia Guerra have earned a prestigious spot: their collaborative cartoon graces the cover of The New Yorker's 2026 calendar. The duo, who have been contributing to the iconic magazine since 2017, discovered the honor somewhat by accident.
A Surprise Cover and a Viral Beginning
"I was about to buy the calendar online and suddenly realized our cartoon was on the cover," revealed Pia Guerra. She noted the calendar had been available since June 2025, yet neither artist was aware of their featured placement. The cover artwork presents a modern twist on a classic myth: a woman in a Roman toga sits by a Doric column, gazing at an open laptop. The caption reads, "Despite all warnings, Pandora opened the comments section."
This milestone follows their previous contributions to the publication's calendar, which included a small cartoon initially and a full month feature last year. "I honestly didn't expect us to be included again," admitted Boothby. "Seeing the cover was a huge thrill — especially because it was one of our earliest cartoons."
The path to The New Yorker began unexpectedly. Shortly before their first submission in 2017, one of Guerra's editorial cartoons for The Washington Post went massively viral. Titled "Big Boy," it depicted Steve Bannon holding a miniature Donald Trump on his lap, symbolically signing executive orders. "It was drawn out of pure frustration," Guerra explained. The image was broadcast on major American news networks and even attracted attention from media in Japan, catapulting Guerra into a role as an editorial cartoonist for the Post.
The Creative Process: From Snowmen to Submission
Boothby and Guerra have developed a highly effective collaborative routine for their New Yorker work. Ian Boothby is the idea generator, typically brainstorming about 20 concepts on Sunday nights. He then refines this list down to roughly seven options for Guerra to illustrate, ultimately completing four or five finished cartoons.
"When I run out of gas, I always default to snowmen, Greek gods, or superheroes — those wells never seem to dry up," Boothby said, confirming the Pandora cartoon fell squarely into the Greek gods category. "Greek gods will always give you something."
Pia Guerra then selects the ideas that genuinely make her laugh. "That's always the test," she stated. Her drawing marathon often lasts through the night, with work typically finished by seven or eight in the morning. The completed batch of roughly five cartoons is submitted to New Yorker cartoon editor Emma Allen every Tuesday by 9 a.m. Pacific Time.
The Thrill of the "OK" and Building a Legacy
The waiting game culminates on Friday when they learn if any cartoons were accepted. "That's literally the subject line of the email — 'the OK,'" Boothby shared. "It's still a total crapshoot, which is what keeps it exciting. They always seem to pick the weird ones." To date, The New Yorker has published just over 100 of Boothby and Guerra's cartoons.
Cartoons that don't make the cut find a home on their Patreon page, patreon.com/mannequinonthemoon, allowing them to share more of their work directly with fans. Their success in the world of editorial cartooning has been a surprising second act, particularly for Guerra, who spent two decades focused on comic book work. This new trajectory led to her being named a finalist for the 2023 Pulitzer Prize in Illustrated Reporting and Commentary for her Washington Post contributions.
"I'd spent 20 years doing comics, and this side career just appeared out of nowhere because I started drawing things to share with friends online," Guerra reflected. For both artists, the cover of The New Yorker's 2026 calendar stands as a crowning recognition of their unique voice, collaborative synergy, and the unexpected journey that brought their Vancouver-based humor to a global audience.
