Four months after Apple said no to an iPhone app from Pulitzer-winning political cartoonist Mark Fiore, the computer company is feeling the blowback from negative publicity and has asked him to resubmit his application.

In its decision to deny the original app application, Apple said Fiore’s work violated their rules against mocking public figures.

Of course, what good is a political cartoonist who makes fun of non-public figures?

That’s the question that many have asked since hearing the news that Fiore’s app had been denied by Apple. And after enough complaints were lodged, Apple says they’re open to reconsidering the app.

“It seems like you need to raise a stink to get something political approved,” Fiore said about his reversal of fortune. “That’s what makes me a little upset, if you are someone people haven’t heard of and have an amazing satire app, you won’t get this through.”

Fiore also points out that other cartoonists — namely Daryl Cagle and Tom Richmond — have had similar experiences with Apple, but haven’t received the attention he has. “I feel a little bit guilty because it feels like I am getting preferential treatment,” he explained.

In addition to the content issue, one problem facing Fiore is that his cartoons are created in Flash, which Apple has not installed on any of their iPhone/iPod/iPad devices.

Bad PR Forces Apple to Reconsider Banning Prize-Winning Satirist [Wired]

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