Editorial cartooning

Scott Stantis is “Stepping Away” from Editorial Cartooning

Scott Stantis, Smerconish – December 26, 2025

So we noticed that Scott Stantis has been missing from the Smerconish Cartoon Corps (Steve Breen, Jack Ohman, Rob Rogers, Scott Stantis) of late, his last being the day after Christmas.

So we went to the source and asked about it. Scott told The Daily Cartoonist that “I am stepping away from editorial cartooning to make time for other projects.”

Note that this is not a retirement notice. The statement allows that he may return to editooning in the future.

Scott has a nearly 45 year career as a newspaper editorial cartoonist, beginning in the early 1980s freelancing with The Orange County Register and some L.A. area Copley papers. From there he went staff with The Memphis Commercial Appeal (1986-89), The Arizona Republic (1990-91), The Grand Rapids Press (1992-93), The Birmingham News (1996-2009), and The Chicago Tribune (2009-19). Since 2019 he has been freelancing for The Chicago Tribune and The Dallas Morning News.

As of this writing Scott’s latest Chicago Tribune cartoon (as presented on GoComics) is for January 7, 2026:

Scott Stantis, The Chicago Tribune – January 7, 2026

Scott assures The Daily Cartoonist that he will continue producing Prickly City and working with Ted Rall on the DMZ podcast (“for now”). We are looking forward to seeing Scott’s future projects.

p.s.: Scott Stantis’ compatriot Eric Allie is the new Smerconish cartoonist beginning yesterday January 9, 2026.

feature image is a detail of Scott’s farewell to The Birmingham News readers:

Scott Stantis, The Birmingham News – August 30, 2009
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Comments 1

  1. This makes me sad. Scott’s is a voice we sorely need in the national dialogue. While I rarely agreed with him, he maintained his personal and creative integrity and never sold out.

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