Gary Brookins is a cartoonist and painter living in Richmond, Virginia. Originally from Florida, he received a BA degree in Studio Art from the University of West Florida. He had a long career as a syndicated political cartoonist with the Richmond Times-Dispatch. He began working with Jeff MacNelly in the 1990s. He took over MacNelly's one-panel feature 'Pluggers' in 1999 and also started working with MacNelly and Chris Cassatt on 'Shoe' in 1999.
When Jeff MacNelly passed away in 2000, Brookins continued to work on 'Shoe' with Cassatt and Susie MacNelly. He is now the sole artist of the feature, following the death of Chris Cassatt in 2013. 'Pluggers' is also still syndicated by Tribune Media Services to about 75 newspapers nationwide.
