I’m sorry to write that my friend and longtime CagleCartoonist, Steve Sack has retired from editorial cartooning.  Here’s a note Steve wrote for our subscribing editors:

It’s with extremely mixed feelings that after 42 years, and over ten thousand cartoons, I will be retiring from the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

I’ve been away from my drawing table in recent weeks, recovering from hand surgery for carpal tunnel and other nerve issues. I’ll eventually have my hand back. But after truly difficult reflection I’ve decided that I’d like to change my focus. At 68 I have other interests and projects, artistic and otherwise, that I’d like to devote more time to.

I want to sincerely thank you for printing or at least considering my work for your paper. An artist needs an audience and I am most appreciative that you could share my efforts with your readers. As much as cartoonists sometimes complain and butt heads with editors, in truth we depend on you.

I hope you continue to support our unique profession. It’s been my honor to appear on your pages.

Best,
Steve Sack

Steve drew his last cartoon for us two months ago, on February 25th. We were hoping for a quick come back from his surgery, but that was not to be.  This is a sad day, but Steve doesn’t sound sad; he seems excited about different projects. Our door is always open to Steve to return.  Steve’s cartoon archive will remain on our sites, with his oldies available to editors.

Steve’s actual last cartoon, or I should say, most recent cartoon, is this Tucker Carlson gem, in collaboration with Ed Wexler.  Steve called Ed to describe his idea which Ed drew up. I’ve invited Steve to do the same with me; we’ll see if that happens.

Steve wrote this piece for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune and asked me to hold it until today:

Message to Star Tribune readers
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It’s with extremely mixed feelings that after 42 years, and over ten thousand cartoons, I will be retiring from the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

I wish I was able to offer a proper farewell cartoon. I’ve been away from my drawing table in recent weeks, recovering from hand surgery for carpal tunnel and other nerve issues. I’ll eventually have my hand back. But after truly difficult reflection I’ve decided that I’d like to change my focus. At 68 I have other interests and projects, artistic and otherwise, that I’d like to devote more time to.

It’s been a pleasure to work with everyone at the Star Tribune. The support I’ve felt over the years from the editors, writers, and support staff from every department has made this a cartoonist’s dream job.

I’d like to express my sincere appreciation for you, my readers. Since my career’s beginning at the U of M student paper, The Daily, I’ve been cranking out cartoons for 45 years. They haven’t all been gems but I can honestly say I gave each one my all. Some readers have taken exception to a few of the views I’ve expressed. OK, maybe more than a few….that’s the nature of the opinion biz.  The Minneapolis Tribune editor who hired me, the late great Charles Bailey, gave me just one directive: “Never be afraid to make people angry, but know exactly why you’re doing it”. A political cartoonist couldn’t ask for more.

A few years back the Star Tribune published a collection of my cartoons in a book, “The First and Only Book of Sack” (still available in the Star Tribune online store!). To help promote it I stepped up my public appearances and had the opportunity to visit with many of our newspaper’s readers in person. I never failed to be gratified by the appreciation for the Star Tribune’s journalism that was conveyed.

Editorial cartooning is a negative art form, for the most part. We look for things to complain about, find fault, point fingers. The world is a mess and always has been, somewhere. We look for it. Our tools can be harsh: Sarcasm. Caricature. Gross exaggeration. We twist politicians’ words, nitpik their faults and figuratively pull down their pants. The lofty goal of it all this is to expose a Greater Truth. Which simply boils down to sharing one’s view of the world. That’s the goal of every artist.

From Day 1 in 1981 its been my honor to be the cartoonist for the Star Tribune. Whether you loved my cartoons or hated them, posted them on your refrigerator or lined your bird cage, thank you for allowing me to be a small part of your day.

Steve Sack

See Steve’s farewell in the Star-Tribune.

See Steve’s cartoon archive.

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune will continue running CagleCartoons now that Steve has left.

Our weekly Top Ten is now a newspaper column!  Subscribing editors can find it at CagleCartoons.com with download links to grab the cartoons in high resolution.

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