Lowcountry by Robert Ariail, Not-New Local Comic

We are embarrassed that, until the recent news that Robert Ariail was a Rex Babin Award finalist, we were unaware that Robert was creating a weekly comic strip. And it is not some new comic strip; no, it started a year ago!

Lowcountry by Robert Arial debuted thirteen months ago in The Charleston City Paper.

Along with Ariail’s first strip the City Paper introduced Robert in September 2020:

Nationally syndicated cartoonist Robert Ariail will begin to appear in the City Paper this week with a new cartoon series he’s calling, “Lowcountry.”

Ariail, who lives in Camden, was the editorial cartoonist for The State newspaper from 1984 until 2009, and was twice named a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 1995 and 2000.

His new cartoon series will focus on coastal issues, a topic he said he’s innately familiar with.

“I spent my sunbaked childhood searching the beaches for shark’s teeth and shells and plying the waters of the creek for flounder and blue crab behind my grandfather’s house,” said Ariail. “So creating a comic strip with the beauty of South Carolina’s Lowcountry as a backdrop came naturally and is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.”

So include Lowcountry among the 2020 Comic Strip Debuts.

LOWCOUNTRY
by ROBERT ARIAIL
September 9, 2020 – present
weekly (mostly, he skips a week now and then and passed on August 2021)
Charleston City Paper

The City Paper is kind enough to supply an archive of Lowcountry.

The City Paper also noted Robert’s recent honor as a Rex Babin Award finalist:

Charleston City Paper cartoonist Robert Ariail is the only weekly newspaper cartoonist to be a finalist in a national contest for excellence in local cartooning. 

“What an honor for Robert to be recognized nationally by his peers,” said City Paper publisher Andy Brack.  “The City Paper is proud to showcase his talented work to people across the Lowcountry, state and nation.”

Ariail, who lives in Camden, was the editorial cartoonist for The State newspaper from 1984 until 2009, and was twice named a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 1995 and 2000.  His editorial cartoons now are syndicated.

The City Paper is the only newspaper in South Carolina with two original editorial cartoonists.  Longtime cartoonist Steve Stegelin, also a member of the AAEC, has won multiple state and national awards and served as a panelist on a Saturday discussion about how cartoonists stayed sane during the pandemic.

© Robert Ariail

Apologies to Robert for the late notice.