Chicago Tribune Hires New Editorial Cartoonist

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: Scott Stantis named first Chicago Tribune editorial cartoonist since 2000 : Bucking a trend in newspapers in which editorial cartoonists have become something of an endangered species, the Chicago Tribune has hired Birmingham News cartoonist Scott Stantis for its editorial board, effect Sept. 1. : Stantis, 50, will be the Tribune's first staff cartoonist since the June 2000 death of Jeff MacNelly, one of four Chicago Tribune cartoonists to win the Pulitzer Prize. : Stantis had been with the News since 1996, and his work has appeared in more than 400 newspapers. He previously worked for the Orange County (Calif.) Register, the Memphis Commercial Appeal and The Arizona Republic in Phoenix. A gallery of his work is available at chicagotribune.com/stantis. : At the Tribune, he follows in the tradition of MacNelly, Dick Locher, Carey Orr and John T. McCutcheon. "Scott has tremendous respect for that history and plenty of ideas about the future of the political cartoon," Bruce Dold, editorial page editor of the paper, said in the announcement. : "Clearly I'm honored, I'm thrilled, I'm proud," said Stantis, who also does the nationally distributed Prickly City comic strip. "What a remarkable lineage to step into. And not to mention the chance to get my teeth into the local issues there, I can't wait. Absolutely cannot wait." : Gerould Kern, the Tribune's senior vice president and editor, said Stantis' print and online work "will focus primarily on news and issues of special relevance to Chicago and Illinois and give a new dimension to our role as watchdog over the community's interests." : The hire was hailed by fellow syndicated cartoonist Ted Rall, president of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists. : "Competing with the Internet requires newspapers to showcase their editorial pages and to use edgier, more graphic content," the AAEC's Rall said in a statement. "Editorial cartoons are a vital part of that formula, especially the local- and state-issue cartoons that only a staff editorial cartoonist can provide. The Tribune's decision is notable since Scott Stantis is respected by his peers as a thoughtful, edgy and daring cartoonist." : A member and former president of the AAEC, Stantis is a California native who spent part of his childhood in Madison, Wis., before returning West. He is the married father of two sons. : "Scott will bring a sharp wit and penetrating commentary to the Illinois political landscape," Kern said. : Posted at 01:14:12 PM by Phil Rosenthal, Chicago Tribune

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