Former BJ political cartoonist Chuck Ayers no longer draws “Crankshaft,” a spinoff of the school bus driver in “Funky Winkerbean.”

 

Dan Davis, one of the “Garfield” pencilers since 2012, took over Chuck’s role on April 2. Dan lives in Celina, Ohio with his wife, Lisa.

Chuck was at the BJ for more than 25 years, 13 as the political cartoonist.

Kent State graduate Chuck has been drawing “Crankshaft,” written by his former KSU  classmate Tom Batiuk of Medina, since 1987. In 1994, Chuck started also drawing Batiuk’s other comic strip, “Funky Winkerbean.”

At a Kent State gathering several years ago, Chuck gave me his “Crankshaft” autograph on a restaurant take-home box. Chuck said it was his first styrofoam autograph.

It has a place of honor in my Tallmadge den, known in my family as the West Virginia University Shrine.