25 Years of Heart, Humor, and Hootin’ Holler: Celebrating John Rose
For 25 years, cartoonist John Rose has lovingly guided one of comics’ most enduring and endearing institutions: Barney Google and Snuffy Smith. And if you ask anyone who knows him — fellow cartoonists, editors, readers, or fans — they’ll probably tell you the same thing before anything else: John is simply one of the nicest people in the business.
Rose officially took over the reins in 2001, and his origin story is as whimsical and delightful as he is. Working as an editorial cartoonist at the time, he was a member of the National Cartoonists Society, where he learned that cartoonists sometimes had assistants. So he put together some samples of his work and sent them to longtime Snuffy Smith cartoonist Fred Lasswell. The response? A Saturday afternoon call that changed the course of his life when he heard, “I got the packet of samples that you sent me, and I really like the way you draw big noses.” Lasswell ended up hiring Rose as his inking assistant.
John Rose’s first Barney Google and Snuffy Smith comic strip (May 21, 2001)
It was a natural fit. Rose brought a deep respect for the strip’s history, and a warm brand of humor that perfectly matched the world of Hootin’ Holler.
For a quarter century, Rose has managed the delicate balancing act faced by every great legacy-strip cartoonist: honor tradition, but keep the comic lively and fresh for modern readers. It’s a tough ask. Under his stewardship, Snuffy, Loweezy, Barney Google, and the rest of the gang have remained a timeless source of chuckles and guffaws for newspaper readers across generations.
What makes John especially beloved, though, is the same quality that shines through his work every day — kindness. In an industry filled with deadlines and pressures, John has built a reputation for generosity, encouragement, and genuine enthusiasm for Snuffy Smith, cartooning and the people around him. He’s the kind of creator who remembers names, tells stories, supports fellow artists, and makes everyone feel welcome.
That spirit is part of why Snuffy Smith continues to endure. The strip has always been rooted in heart as much as humor, and for the last 25 years, John Rose has been the perfect shepherd for both.
Congratulations, John, on 25 wonderful years — and a bodacious thank you for keeping the laughs coming.
