Captains of Capitalism

all Images, Kevin SproulsGeeeez, This economy is discouraging! Not that one couldn't see it coming, with the wild gyrations of markets, "irrational exuberance", and the cavernous, expanding maw of the national debt over 8 long years. Needless to mention that paying for our two current war efforts is off the books, @ $1 mil per annum per troop. Its certainly more than my mind can wrap itself around.That's why we call in "the Experts".Hank Paulson, Treasury Secretary under George W. This illustration was produced for Fortune Magazine, December '06. Mr. Paulson presided over some pretty good times, for Wall Street, at least. Still, I miss Paul Volker...Image above produced at the Wall Street Journal, mid-80's... concept: global banking.I go back to the times before atm machines. You wanted cash, you got your fanny into the local bank building! But, back to the story:An image of Ben Bernanke in better times, produced for Forbes Magazine, November '06.Things soon became somewhat messy for this Fed Chairman. One might say the timing could not be worse for Mr. Bernanke. Congressmen wanted to know (perhaps in order to point fingers), so there were hearings.In the midst of tremulous economic times, a magazine called simply "Radar" commissioned me to do a few portraits in my accustomed wall steet journal style, with a twist. The A/D wanted to reflect the situation some of the big wigs were in, on the hot seat, as it were. Caricatures of Messrs. Bernanke, Fuld, and Geithner. Mr. Fuld was head of the collapsing Lehman Brothers Bank, an unenviable position to be in. Geithner is now Treasury Secretary, but he had his grilling, too.I'm happy to say I did receive full payment for this assignment, but sad to report that Radar Magazine was shuttered before these were published.Like I said, it's a tough economy!