A native of Cedar Rapids, IA, Conrad first began cartooning for the University of Iowa's student newspaper while earning his B.A. in art. Upon graduation, Conrad quickly landed a job at the Denver Post, where he would remain for 14 years and meet his future wife Kay King. Later lured away to the Los Angeles Times, Conrad played a pivotal role in helping the local, right-leaning publication transform itself into an influential paper of national significance. While many critics would attempt to fault Conrad for his liberal stance on issues, he refused to bend to any political party and frequently showed just how informed his opinions truly were by setting his sights on Republicans and Democrats alike. Later, when the Los Angeles Times went from being a family-owned publication to the lone asset of a massive, multi-faceted corporation, Conrad opted to strike a deal with Tribune Media Syndicate that allowed him to draw four cartoons a week for papers that circulated nationwide.
A native of Cedar Rapids, IA, Conrad first began cartooning for the University of Iowa's student newspaper while earning his B.A. in art. Upon graduation, Conrad quickly landed a job at the Denver Post, where he would remain for 14 years and meet his future wife Kay King. Later lured away to the Los Angeles Times, Conrad played a pivotal role in helping the local, right-leaning publication transform itself into an influential paper of national significance. While many critics would attempt to fault Conrad for his liberal stance on issues, he refused to bend to any political party and frequently showed just how informed his opinions truly were by setting his sights on Republicans and Democrats alike. Later, when the Los Angeles Times went from being a family-owned publication to the lone asset of a massive, multi-faceted corporation, Conrad opted to strike a deal with Tribune Media Syndicate that allowed him to draw four cartoons a week for papers that circulated nationwide.