Cartoonist Profiles 207
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Featuring John Rose, Gilbert Shelton, Terri Libenson, Steve Breen, Chris Schweizer, Rich Powell, Drew Friedman.
Barney Google and Snuffy Smith and John Rose
John Rose, who since 2001 has been the cartoonist for the Barney Google and Snuffy Smith strip, will be at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History at 1 p.m. Sunday for what he calls a “Chalk Talk.”
Rose, 61, hand-draws the strips that appear in hundreds of newspapers across the nation — including the Danville Register & Bee — and around the world.
Charles Wilburn for the Danville Register and Bee interviews cartoonist John Rose. (Or here.)
After college, he did freelance work of drawing sports cartoons for the Journal Messenger in Manassas.
He later landed a full-time position at the Warren Sentinel in Front Royal, where he worked as a cartoonist and did other graphic design work. He eventually moved up to the Daily News Record in Harrisonburg, which was owned by the same chain, continuing to create cartoons and work in the graphics area.
In 1998, Fred Lasswell — the previous cartoonist for the Snuffy Smith strip — hired Rose as an inking assistant.
When Lasswell died in 2001, Rose took over as cartoonist.
Gilbert Shelton and His Freak Brothers
Gilbert Shelton, a legend and a true pioneer in the world of comics, is coming to Galway Cartoon Festival 2025 to tell tales from his remarkable life.
The 85-year-old from Dallas, Texas, is the creator of the iconic characters The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and Fat Freddy’s Cat, and stands alongside Robert Crumb as one of the major figures in the Underground Comix movement of the 1960s.
The Galway Festival throws a spotlight on Gilbert Shelton, their guest of honor the first weekend of October.
Shelton first came to prominence in the early 1960s with his superhero parody Wonder Wart-Hog, but he sealed his legend when, in 1968, he created the characters of Freewheelin’ Franklin Freek, Phineas T. Phreak, and Fat Freddy Freekowtski.
In The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, Shelton’s mix of social satire, druggie humour, and affectionate spoofing of the hippie counterculture he was part of left no doubt that Underground Comix were a breed apart, intended for an adult readership.
Emmie Counts Terri Libenson as a Friend
If you’ve ever balanced a work deadline with a school pickup, The Pajama Diaries felt like a mirror. In our latest episode, creator Terri Libenson walks us through the moment she realized a candid diary voice could take readers straight into Jill Kaplan’s head—and why she let Jill, Rob, Amy, and Jess grow up on the page, milestones and all.
The Inside the Kingdom podcast interviews comic strip cartoonist and graphic novelist Terri Libenson.
We talk about drawing from real life without making loved ones the joke, and the arcs that cut closest to the bone, including a personal health storyline that sparked a wave of heartfelt letters from readers living with the same condition.
Why end a beloved strip? For Terri, it was a mix of creative timing and practicality. As Emmie & Friends gained momentum, juggling daily tasks and two books a year became impossible.
Caption Steve Breen’s Cartoons
Steve Breen’s Cartoonishness [emphasis and link added] is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Steve Breen, he of political cartoons and the Caption It! reader participation panel, has just had his substack added to the TDC Support Your Local Cartoonist list. A reminder to find your favorite cartoonist there or have them added if not there.
Chris Schweizer was also just added to the list. Let us know who else belongs there.
Rich Powell Is Not That Serious
HIGH POINT — Acclaimed North Carolina illustrator and comic artist Rich Powell will be featured in an exhibition opening this week at High Point University’s Sechrest Art Gallery.
“It’s Not That Serious,” [instagram link added] a vibrant exhibition that looks back on Powell’s colorful career, opens Wednesday and will remain on display through Oct. 3. An artist talk and opening reception will be held Wednesday from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
The High Point Enterprise features Rich Powell on the eve of his cartoon exhibit.
Powell, who is from Asheboro, developed a national reputation through his contributions to MAD Magazine, where his satirical illustrations connected him to a long tradition of American cartooning.
Since 2014, he has also been a regular contributor to Highlights for Children, creating spot-the-difference drawings, joke pages and other playful visuals that showcase his ability to adapt his humor for younger audiences. His one-panel gag cartoon “Wide Open!” [link added] (originally titled “Dixie Drive”) launched in 2006 and became nationally syndicated in 2010.
Drew Friedman: Vermeer of the Borscht Belt
The first time I ever saw Drew Friedman’s art was inside Raw Magazine. The legendary post-modern comix had a wide variety of cartoonists, but his panels stuck to me because he was so hyper realistic in his drawings of celebrities. In this case a demented version of The Andy Griffith Show.
Joe Corey at Inside Pulse brings news of the availability of the Drew Friedman documentary.
Los Angeles, CA – In a tribute and deeper look at the life and art of the highly notable illustrator and cartoonist, Shout! Studios, a Radial Entertainment company, presents DREW FRIEDMAN: VERMEER OF THE BORSCHT BELT available on Digital and On Demand across major digital platforms on September 23, 2025. Director Kevin Dougherty takes viewers behind artist Drew Friedman’s fascinating life and blend of absurdity, comedy and humanity best shown through his acclaimed comics and portraits.
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