Merrill Blosser (May 28, 1892 – January 9, 1983) was an American cartoonist, the creator of the comic strip Freckles and His Friends, which had a long run (1915–1971). Although his strip was set in the small town of Shadyside, it was obviously based on Blosser's hometown of Nappanee, Indiana, since Blosser often referenced real Nappanee locations, such as Johnson's Drug Store.