Shoe

The strip’s namesake, Shoe, is based on legendary North Carolina journalist Jim Shumaker, Jeff MacNelly’s first news-paper boss. P. Martin Shoemaker is a grouchy, cigar-smoking newspaperbird with a tough side and an even-tougher other side. He is a proud ex-husband five times over. When not editing reporter Cosmo Fishhawk’s stories and columns to shreds, he can be found trying to pick up his next ex-wife or grumbling about the food at Roz’s Diner.

Cosmo

Perfesser Cosmo Fishhawk is an overeducated underachiever. He is the reporter and columnist for Shoe’s newspaper, The Treetops Tattler-Tribune, although he’d much rather be a famous novelist. Even though he’s slightly on the chubby side, Cosmo insists he’s not fat, he’s just fluffy. When not fighting his war on calories, he specializes in being late for work, striking out with the ladies and taking naps at his desk.

Roz

She runs her famous greasy spoon, Roz’s Roost, where the rest of the Shoe gang spends as much time as possible avoiding work. The wisecracking, street-smart redhead takes guff from no one. Her only house rule is “No whining!” And if her diner had a motto, it would have to be, “If I don’t have it, you don’t need it!”

Skyler

Skyler is Perfesser Cosmo Fishhawk’s nephew. He’s a smart kid but refuses to let any of his teachers in on this secret.  Skyler understands how important he is to any team he plays on. As he’s fond of saying. “Without me, the bench would never get warm!”