Tulsa cartoonist resigns after plagiarism uncovered

Cartoonist David Simpson has resigned his contract position with the Urban Tulsa Weekly, after it was revealed he plagiarized last week. A second plagiarized cartoon appeared this week because that issue had already gone to print, said Urban Tulsa Weekly Creative Director Gavin Elliott. Simpson had been on contract with the Weekly since 2005. “I’m disappointed,” Elliott told me by phone. “He’s a good cartoonist as far as the actual work goes.” Elliott joined the Weekly this past August, after working in marketing at the Tulsa Zoo. He said the publication will probably get another contract cartoonist and will put safeguards in place as a result of this, though they are still reviewing what those protections might be.