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Charleston City Paper cartoonist Robert Ariail is the only weekly cartoonist to be a finalist in a national competition for excellence in local cartooning.
On Friday, the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists appointed Press day‘s Matt Davies as the 2021 recipient of the “Rex Babin Memorial Award for Excellence in Local Cartoon. “Ariail, with David Horsey of Seattle weather and Matt Murphy from (Louisville, Kentucky) Mail-Journal were named finalists.
“Robert Ariail is taking on his territory of Charleston, South Carolina with a new comic called ‘Lowcountry’,” the judges commented. “The narrative is brought to life by local creatures – raccoons, turtles and seagulls – who address political, social and environmental issues that affect the entire state. It is important work staged in a charming local style.
The judges said the quality of the cartoons in this year’s competition deserved to name three finalists for the first time since the competition began in 2017.
“We’ve had another bumper crop of Babin Award nominations this year,†wrote one judge. “It makes me feel good to see so many diligent cartoonists doing the Lord’s work, giving a voice to the voiceless and sticking it to the so-called corrupt at the local level. “
Ariail, who lives in Camden, was the editorial cartoonist for State newspaper from 1984 to 2009, and was twice named a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 1995 and 2000. His editorial cartoons are now unionized.
“What an honor for Robert to be recognized nationally by his peers,†said City paper editor Andy Brack. “The City paper is proud to showcase his talented work to people across the Lowcountry, the state and the nation. “
The City paper is the only newspaper in South Carolina with two original editorial cartoonists. Longtime cartoonist Steve Stegelin, also a member of AAEC, has won several state and national awards and was a panelist on a Saturday chat on how cartoonists stayed sane during the pandemic.
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