OXFORD — The city lost a distinctive voice when Charlie Zimkus graduated from Miami University last week.

Charlie Zimkus has a book, Drawing A Crowd. (Michael Snyder photo) | ZOOM |

        For 4 1/2 years, his editorial cartoons in the Miami Student and other publications focused on everyone from James Garland, the university president, to supporters of the old Oxford water tower.

        Earlier this year, Mr. Zimkus gathered about 150 cartoons for a book, being sold in local stores.

        “Dr. Garland was a target of my cartoons,” Mr. Zimkus said. “It's nice to know he would write a foreword for my book.”

        Mr. Zimkus started drawing editorial cartoons while at Lebanon High School. But it was at the Student that he made his mark.

        “Charlie's drawings brought us all a sense of perspective,” Dr. Garland wrote in the foreword. “What I like about his drawings is their gentleness. There is nothing mean-spirited about Charlie Zimkus. ... His drawings are ironic and funny, but never sarcastic,” Dr. Garland said.

        The self-published book has brought Mr. Zimkus unexpected attention from across the country.

        “I get orders from California and other states,” he said. “And having Jim Borgman write a second fore word made the book really special to me.”

        With a job awaiting him at the Columbus Dispatch next month, Mr. Zimkus has no regrets about giving his opinion to readers every day.

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