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The Complete Peanuts #3
The Complete Peanuts, Vol. 3: 1955-1956
Over half of the strips in this volume have never been printed since they ran in newspapers decades ago! Even the most dedicated Peanuts fan is sure to find many new treasures. Introduction by Matt Groening. The third volume in our acclaimed series takes us into the mid-1950s as Linus learns to talk, Snoopy begins to explore his eccentricities (including his hilarious first series of impressions), Lucy's unrequited crush on Schroeder takes final shape, and Charlie Brown becomes...well, even more Charlie Brown-ish! Over half of the strips in this volume have never been printed since their original appearance in newspapers a half-century ago! Even the most dedicated Peanuts collector/fan is sure to find many new treasures. The Complete Peanuts will run 25 volumes, collecting two years chronologically at a rate of two a year for twelve years. Each volume is designed by the award-winning cartoonist Seth ( It's a Good Life If You Don't Weaken ) and features impeccable production values; every single strip from Charles M. Schulz's 50-year American classic is reproduced better than ever before. This volume includes an introduction by Matt Groening ( The Simpsons ) as well as the popular Complete Peanuts index, a hit with librarians and collectors alike, and an epilogue by series editor Gary Groth. 2005 Eisner Award winner, Best Archival Collection/Project. 730 black-and-white comic strips
325 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
About the author
Charles M. Schulz
3,222 books1,545 followersCharles Monroe Schulz was an American cartoonist, whose comic strip Peanuts proved one of the most popular and influential in the history of the medium, and is still widely reprinted on a daily basis.
Schulz's first regular cartoons, Li'l Folks, were published from 1947 to 1950 by the St. Paul Pioneer Press; he first used the name Charlie Brown for a character there, although he applied the name in four gags to three different boys and one buried in sand. The series also had a dog that looked much like Snoopy. In 1948, Schulz sold a cartoon to The Saturday Evening Post; the first of 17 single-panel cartoons by Schulz that would be published there. In 1948, Schulz tried to have Li'l Folks syndicated through the Newspaper Enterprise Association. Schulz would have been an independent contractor for the syndicate, unheard of in the 1940s, but the deal fell through. Li'l Folks was dropped from the Pioneer Press in January, 1950.
Later that year, Schulz approached the United Feature Syndicate with his best strips from Li'l Folks, and Peanuts made its first appearance on October 2, 1950. The strip became one of the most popular comic strips of all time. He also had a short-lived sports-oriented comic strip called It's Only a Game (1957–1959), but he abandoned it due to the demands of the successful Peanuts. From 1956 to 1965 he contributed a single-panel strip ("Young Pillars") featuring teenagers to Youth, a publication associated with the Church of God.
Peanuts ran for nearly 50 years, almost without interruption; during the life of the strip, Schulz took only one vacation, a five-week break in late 1997. At its peak, Peanuts appeared in more than 2,600 newspapers in 75 countries. Schulz stated that his routine every morning consisted of eating a jelly donut and sitting down to write the day's strip. After coming up with an idea (which he said could take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours), he began drawing it, which took about an hour for dailies and three hours for Sunday strips. He stubbornly refused to hire an inker or letterer, saying that "it would be equivalent to a golfer hiring a man to make his putts for him." In November 1999 Schulz suffered a stroke, and later it was discovered that he had colon cancer that had metastasized. Because of the chemotherapy and the fact he could not read or see clearly, he announced his retirement on December 14, 1999.
Schulz often touched on religious themes in his work, including the classic television cartoon, A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), which features the character Linus van Pelt quoting the King James Version of the Bible Luke 2:8-14 to explain "what Christmas is all about." In personal interviews Schulz mentioned that Linus represented his spiritual side. Schulz, reared in the Lutheran faith, had been active in the Church of God as a young adult and then later taught Sunday school at a United Methodist Church. In the 1960s, Robert L. Short interpreted certain themes and conversations in Peanuts as being consistent with parts of Christian theology, and used them as illustrations during his lectures about the gospel, as he explained in his bestselling paperback book, The Gospel According to Peanuts, the first of several books he wrote on religion and Peanuts, and other popular culture items. From the late 1980s, however, Schulz described himself in interviews as a "secular humanist": “I do not go to church anymore... I guess you might say I've come around to secular humanism, an obligation I believe all humans have to others and the world we live in.”
Schulz's first regular cartoons, Li'l Folks, were published from 1947 to 1950 by the St. Paul Pioneer Press; he first used the name Charlie Brown for a character there, although he applied the name in four gags to three different boys and one buried in sand. The series also had a dog that looked much like Snoopy. In 1948, Schulz sold a cartoon to The Saturday Evening Post; the first of 17 single-panel cartoons by Schulz that would be published there. In 1948, Schulz tried to have Li'l Folks syndicated through the Newspaper Enterprise Association. Schulz would have been an independent contractor for the syndicate, unheard of in the 1940s, but the deal fell through. Li'l Folks was dropped from the Pioneer Press in January, 1950.
Later that year, Schulz approached the United Feature Syndicate with his best strips from Li'l Folks, and Peanuts made its first appearance on October 2, 1950. The strip became one of the most popular comic strips of all time. He also had a short-lived sports-oriented comic strip called It's Only a Game (1957–1959), but he abandoned it due to the demands of the successful Peanuts. From 1956 to 1965 he contributed a single-panel strip ("Young Pillars") featuring teenagers to Youth, a publication associated with the Church of God.
Peanuts ran for nearly 50 years, almost without interruption; during the life of the strip, Schulz took only one vacation, a five-week break in late 1997. At its peak, Peanuts appeared in more than 2,600 newspapers in 75 countries. Schulz stated that his routine every morning consisted of eating a jelly donut and sitting down to write the day's strip. After coming up with an idea (which he said could take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours), he began drawing it, which took about an hour for dailies and three hours for Sunday strips. He stubbornly refused to hire an inker or letterer, saying that "it would be equivalent to a golfer hiring a man to make his putts for him." In November 1999 Schulz suffered a stroke, and later it was discovered that he had colon cancer that had metastasized. Because of the chemotherapy and the fact he could not read or see clearly, he announced his retirement on December 14, 1999.
Schulz often touched on religious themes in his work, including the classic television cartoon, A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), which features the character Linus van Pelt quoting the King James Version of the Bible Luke 2:8-14 to explain "what Christmas is all about." In personal interviews Schulz mentioned that Linus represented his spiritual side. Schulz, reared in the Lutheran faith, had been active in the Church of God as a young adult and then later taught Sunday school at a United Methodist Church. In the 1960s, Robert L. Short interpreted certain themes and conversations in Peanuts as being consistent with parts of Christian theology, and used them as illustrations during his lectures about the gospel, as he explained in his bestselling paperback book, The Gospel According to Peanuts, the first of several books he wrote on religion and Peanuts, and other popular culture items. From the late 1980s, however, Schulz described himself in interviews as a "secular humanist": “I do not go to church anymore... I guess you might say I've come around to secular humanism, an obligation I believe all humans have to others and the world we live in.”
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September 25, 2018
Still a step behind of their most known version.
FUSS-BUDGETS UNCHAINED
This is the third volume of the Complete Peanuts, from 1955 and reaching until 1956.
The deal about Lucy & Linues is still odd, in the sense of the memories of most people (me included) where Lucy and Linus should be of an age contemporary with Charlies Brown and in the same class, but nope, Lucy still is younger than Charlis Brown, she’s in kindergarten, while Charlie Brown already in school’s first grade, meanwhile Linus is even younger than Lucy.
So, I guess that Superboy Prime still hasn’t punched the reality to changed this odd situation to make it as most people we remember the comic strip.
Snoopy has a facet of doing imitations during the volume, where the sky is the limit to his resourceful skills of performing imitations.
There is a disturbing recurring gag about Linus in this third volumen where he “shoots” everybody with his finger, saying “bang”, that obviously is something that many kids do, and I’m sure that Charles Schultz hadn’t any bad intention about it, but just portraiting a normal facet in children, however, there is a strip where things got out of control, where Linus put his finger in the head of Snoopy, telling “bang” and saying that it was better to put him out of his misery…
…oooookay.
Quite disturbing in what should be an innocent comic strip for the family!
Sure, Snoopy didn’t ger hurt, it was a finger, not a real gun, but the scene and the dialogue, I think turned into a too dark path.
Actually, after using a lot that recurring gag for Linus, after that particular strip, the gag changed into sounds of other “weapons” like arrow and stuff, since while the 50s wasn’t like nowadays where society reached the writers right away making known their thinking about the published material, but I have no doubt that some letter should reach soon enough to Schultz making him see how innapropiate was that particular strip (that I thanked it was censored out of the collection, since while it was disturbing, you shouldn’t erase history or you’ll be doomed to repeat it).
DAVY CROCKETT V. BEETHOVEN: DAWN OF CHILDHOOD
Shermy, one of the founding characters of the comic strip (but doomed to dissapear eventually) is still around but he’s being used a lot less, and since Linus is still too young, it falls into Schroeder in playing the role of “best buddy” for good ol’ Charlie Brown.
They shared arguments in this volume, about who was cooler, if Davy Crockett or Beethoven, the childhood’s heroes of each of them.
Along with that, Schroeder has to deal the relentless approaches by Lucy trying to get his attention; meanwhile Charlie Brown met his insidious nemesis, the kite-eating tree!
Moreover, Charlie Brown gets his first iconic pranks by Lucy involving the football kick and the pile of leaves.
FUSS-BUDGETS UNCHAINED
This is the third volume of the Complete Peanuts, from 1955 and reaching until 1956.
The deal about Lucy & Linues is still odd, in the sense of the memories of most people (me included) where Lucy and Linus should be of an age contemporary with Charlies Brown and in the same class, but nope, Lucy still is younger than Charlis Brown, she’s in kindergarten, while Charlie Brown already in school’s first grade, meanwhile Linus is even younger than Lucy.
So, I guess that Superboy Prime still hasn’t punched the reality to changed this odd situation to make it as most people we remember the comic strip.
Snoopy has a facet of doing imitations during the volume, where the sky is the limit to his resourceful skills of performing imitations.
There is a disturbing recurring gag about Linus in this third volumen where he “shoots” everybody with his finger, saying “bang”, that obviously is something that many kids do, and I’m sure that Charles Schultz hadn’t any bad intention about it, but just portraiting a normal facet in children, however, there is a strip where things got out of control, where Linus put his finger in the head of Snoopy, telling “bang” and saying that it was better to put him out of his misery…
…oooookay.
Quite disturbing in what should be an innocent comic strip for the family!
Sure, Snoopy didn’t ger hurt, it was a finger, not a real gun, but the scene and the dialogue, I think turned into a too dark path.
Actually, after using a lot that recurring gag for Linus, after that particular strip, the gag changed into sounds of other “weapons” like arrow and stuff, since while the 50s wasn’t like nowadays where society reached the writers right away making known their thinking about the published material, but I have no doubt that some letter should reach soon enough to Schultz making him see how innapropiate was that particular strip (that I thanked it was censored out of the collection, since while it was disturbing, you shouldn’t erase history or you’ll be doomed to repeat it).
DAVY CROCKETT V. BEETHOVEN: DAWN OF CHILDHOOD
Shermy, one of the founding characters of the comic strip (but doomed to dissapear eventually) is still around but he’s being used a lot less, and since Linus is still too young, it falls into Schroeder in playing the role of “best buddy” for good ol’ Charlie Brown.
They shared arguments in this volume, about who was cooler, if Davy Crockett or Beethoven, the childhood’s heroes of each of them.
Along with that, Schroeder has to deal the relentless approaches by Lucy trying to get his attention; meanwhile Charlie Brown met his insidious nemesis, the kite-eating tree!
Moreover, Charlie Brown gets his first iconic pranks by Lucy involving the football kick and the pile of leaves.
August 17, 2024
The Complete Peanuts, Vol. 3: 1955-1956 collects Peanuts strips from 1955-1956, as the title indicates.
My archaeological dig into the early days of Peanuts continues with this volume, the third in Fantagraphics' Peanuts library.
Schulz style continues to evolve strip by strip, inching ever closer to the fully realized form it achieved sometime in the 1970s and coasted on for a couple decades more. The old strips take more chances with the art than the later strips, using more perspectives and a couple more camera angles.
The familiar characters already look how they're supposed to look but Shermie, Patty, and Violet haven't been run out of town for their parents' scandalous love triangle yet. Sally Brown, Peppermint Pattie, and Marcie still haven't appeared.
The stories are darker than the later ones as well, partly due to Charlie Brown's low self esteem and partly due to Violet and Patty being irredeemable bitches. Lucy actually likes Charlie Brown while the other two are just mean for the sake of being mean. Highlights include Linus being some sort of genius/magician and Snoopy acting like a python or alligator.
The Complete Peanuts, Vol. 3: 1955-1956 shows that before the Peanuts characters were selling insurance, they were a much darker, enjoyable bunch. Four out of five stars.
My archaeological dig into the early days of Peanuts continues with this volume, the third in Fantagraphics' Peanuts library.
Schulz style continues to evolve strip by strip, inching ever closer to the fully realized form it achieved sometime in the 1970s and coasted on for a couple decades more. The old strips take more chances with the art than the later strips, using more perspectives and a couple more camera angles.
The familiar characters already look how they're supposed to look but Shermie, Patty, and Violet haven't been run out of town for their parents' scandalous love triangle yet. Sally Brown, Peppermint Pattie, and Marcie still haven't appeared.
The stories are darker than the later ones as well, partly due to Charlie Brown's low self esteem and partly due to Violet and Patty being irredeemable bitches. Lucy actually likes Charlie Brown while the other two are just mean for the sake of being mean. Highlights include Linus being some sort of genius/magician and Snoopy acting like a python or alligator.
The Complete Peanuts, Vol. 3: 1955-1956 shows that before the Peanuts characters were selling insurance, they were a much darker, enjoyable bunch. Four out of five stars.
March 7, 2023
I recently received access to the entire Peanuts catalogue via some wonderful reprints of the comic strips by Fantagraphics. These hardcover tomes are gorgeous, meticulously curated, indexed, and crafted in a way that pays proper homage to the fifty-year work of Charles Schulz. The works are collected and divided into two-year volumes. This third volume collects all of the Peanuts comic strip from the years 1955 and 1956. Matt Groening writes the introduction to this book. The gang looks a little more like what a modern audience might remember with a different Patty, Shermy, and different Violet. Linus is no longer a non-speaking toddler and seems to be replacing Schroeder as Charlie Brown's best friend. The reader can witness the inception of some tropes that debut in this volume: Linus and his square balloons, Linus' first Halloween, Snoopy imagines himself to be a snake, a lion, an alligator, Charlie Brown and his kite, nobody likes me rants, and Lucy with the football, dancing Snoopy, Lucy schooling her brother on made-up "facts." Overall, a spectacularly funny volume. This will serve as my #4 of 10 GN / TPBs for my 2023 reading goal.
May 27, 2020
I've shared before how comic strips, especially Garfield, had a big impact on me; however, Peanuts was the most influential of them, save for the Tubby Tabby. I didn't just read the comics in the paper; I had compilations of the strips in book form, most of which came from garage sales; I watched the various television specials, episodes, and movies, including The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show; I played a Snoopy game on a family member's Commodore 64; and, one year, I was even Charlie Brown for Halloween. Though I've moved on to other media in recent years, Charles Schulz's infamous comic strip will always hold a place in my heart.
That said, some of these strips were not all that humorous. If you're one of those people like Maddox who thinks that Garfield isn't funny, wait until you see these. Also, the strips felt a bit repetitive at times; then again, that tends to be the nature of the funny pages. Sure, there were some cute moments, but, overall, it may not be what millennial fans who grew up reading Charlie Brown's misadventures in the paper are expecting. Also, the edition I have has an unfortunate misprint which makes part of Matt Groening's foreword practically illegible. (For those who have also read this: Did your copy have the same error?) So, this was a bit of a mixed bag.
That said, some of these strips were not all that humorous. If you're one of those people like Maddox who thinks that Garfield isn't funny, wait until you see these. Also, the strips felt a bit repetitive at times; then again, that tends to be the nature of the funny pages. Sure, there were some cute moments, but, overall, it may not be what millennial fans who grew up reading Charlie Brown's misadventures in the paper are expecting. Also, the edition I have has an unfortunate misprint which makes part of Matt Groening's foreword practically illegible. (For those who have also read this: Did your copy have the same error?) So, this was a bit of a mixed bag.
September 29, 2019
We're back for round three of Peanuts, a collection covering all of 1955 and '56. No major new characters are introduced, but we get to know Linus and "Pig-Pen" better, Snoopy has more solo adventures, and the strip continues refining its wisdom and humor. January begins with a few snowy scenes. Lucy fights with Linus over his security blanket on January 4 (page three), leading to an amusing visual after Lucy finally wins. Linus will not relinquish his blanket easily. Fresh snowfall is perfect for playing outdoors, but that can be a burden, as Charlie Brown muses on January 8 (page four). Some days he doesn't feel like making snowmen, and the pressure to take advantage of the snow before it melts can be annoying. What should you do when a somewhat rare opportunity arises, but you'd rather do something else right now? January 10 (page six) is one of the funniest strips in the book, Lucy's reaction to Schroeder adding a metronome atop his piano. The question she asks is quintessential Lucy van Pelt, and made me laugh out loud. Lucy builds a snowman on February 2 (page fifteen), a short, stout figure she declares the "world's largest snowman". Charlie Brown begs to differ, but Lucy is indignant: "Well, it's the largest snowman that I've ever built!" We tend to assign our own accomplishments outsized merit; objectively evaluating your own work is a tall order.
Lucy often laughs when Charlie Brown tells her a fact she didn't know about the world, dismissing him as a boy with a wild imagination. February 11 (page nineteen), Lucy feels sure Charlie Brown is inventing names for the constellations when he points to one he calls the "Big Dipper". Does he expect her to believe such an obvious fabrication? March 13 (page thirty-two) might be the funniest Sunday of this collection. Charlie Brown sees Lucy flying a kite, and admires the extreme height at which she's keeping it afloat. His esteem changes in the final two panels of the strip, however. It's one of the best sight gags from the first half decade of Peanuts. Charlie Brown and Lucy are reading in a big, comfortable chair on April 5 (page forty-two) when he mentions that people used to think the earth was flat, and you could sail over the edge and be consumed by sea beasts. Lucy scoffs at mankind's former foolishness, but isn't sure herself what we believe nowadays. It's easy to reflexively deride our predecessors for their failings, but we shouldn't be too hasty. In some ways their wisdom was superior, and we, too, will eventually be subject to the unthinking criticism of our descendants. Taking a charitable view of those who came before is a sign of integrity.
Linus isn't perfect, but his "naughty" deeds are not those of an average boy. Other toddlers draw on the walls, but how many do so with the flair Linus exhibits on April 19 (page forty-eight)? It's hard to stay angry at a rebel when they act with artistic ingenuity. Imaginative rogues get away with more than their less whimsical counterparts. In June, Charlie Brown and Schroeder engage in the eternal debate: who was greater, Davy Crockett or Beethoven? June 7 and 8 (page sixty-nine) are hysterically funny parts of this storyline. A simple remark between Charlie Brown and Lucy on August 23 (page one hundred two) results in a potent punchline about a rich man who earned a hundred dollars every second of the day, and on September 19 (page one hundred fourteen), Snoopy dabbles in physical comedy when Charlie Brown tries to get him to smile while they play fetch. The beagle's exaggerated smile is amusing, but a subtle point is made. Personal enjoyment has little to do with whether our expression of the feeling satisfies others. It looks weird when someone has to express their enjoyment in a way that's unnatural for them. October 23 (page one hundred twenty-eight) is one of the more philosophical comics in the book. Charlie Brown is agitated to see Patty and Violet talking and laughing just out of his earshot. He decides they're ridiculing him, and steps in to challenge the pair. Violet yells back that their conversation had nothing to do with Charlie Brown; they weren't even thinking about him. But that doesn't make him any happier. Humans are like that: we worry about others criticizing or mocking us, but going unnoticed feels just as bad. Is happiness possible if we obsess over things we can't control?
A new city ordinance requires dogs to be tied up (November 3, page one hundred thirty-three), and Charlie Brown's method of compliance for Snoopy is hilarious. November 16 (page one hundred thirty-eight) is a classic demonstration of what makes "Pig-Pen" who he is. What other kid can get messy with no dirt in sight? Snoopy's talent for doing impressions results in several good strips in November. November 26 (page one hundred forty-two) is my favorite, as the witty beagle does an uncredited impression of Mickey Mouse. There's no mistaking those ears and nose! December 3 (page one hundred forty-five) is a punchline right out of the 1965 television special, A Charlie Brown Christmas. What does Linus think of the taste of falling snowflakes? Sunday, December 11 (page one hundred forty-nine) is an example of the snowman humor that provides some of the best fodder for Peanuts over the years. December 16 (page one hundred fifty-one) is a bit of philosophy with Biblical roots, Charlie Brown and a friend noticing how cold Snoopy is outside and deciding to help. Their "comfort" isn't much good; encouraging him to "be of good cheer" does nothing to keep our favorite beagle from shivering in the snow. True charity requires action, not platitudes. January 7, 1956 (page one hundred sixty) is another joke from It's a Charlie Brown Christmas, Pig-Pen's quippy response when Violet suggests he should be ashamed of how filthy he is. Violet tries to make Charlie Brown feel inferior on March 12 (page one hundred eighty-nine), pointing out that her parents and extended relatives all graduated college, but he doesn't take the bait. The antidote to the smugness of others just might be happily acknowledging their achievements and not inferring that they make you any less than you are.
Charlie Brown spots Violet and Patty whispering on March 24 (page one hundred ninety-three). Thinking they're making fun of him, his mood darkens, and he wonders why people are always ruining his day. When our default assumption is that others constantly speak badly of us behind our back, it's a sign we lack modesty; people don't focus on us as much as we might fear. Keeping that perspective guards us from getting worked up for no reason. Linus enthuses on May 5 (page two hundred eleven) about life's potential in the future, after he turns six. He'll cross the street unattended, get his own food and drink from the refrigerator... "Unlimited opportunity!!" he proclaims. Every stage of life seems to look that way before you enter it, as though you're leaving the mediocrity of today for an exciting expanse of challenges and responsibilities. But that rosy picture is never fully accurate, and around the next corner there will always be another new stage we expect to save us from life's doldrums. On May 9 (page two hundred thirteen) Charlie Brown and Lucy observe a colony of black bugs marching along the ground. Lucy points out the queen, who sits and watches her subjects slave away, but Lucy is in for a surprise when Charlie Brown takes a closer look. The two-panel punchline is superb. Violet and Patty argue over what physical trait is most winsome in a dog on May 10 (page two hundred fourteen). Violet goes gaga for sad eyes and droopy ears; Patty loves to look at a happy dog. Wanting to please both, Snoopy demonstrates how strange it looks when you're preoccupied with satisfying everyone; most of the time, you come off as unappealing.
Snoopy is stylish and innovative even when playing fetch; he has the finesse to catch a soap bubble in his mouth without popping it. But Sunday, July 1 (page two hundred thirty-six) reveals that Snoopy isn't always light on his feet. Charlie Brown's remark to cap the strip is insightful; people with incredible skills in one area may be tactless in another, and the incongruity is jarring. It's how people are built, talents counterbalanced by ineptitudes. Charlie Brown and Snoopy are similar on that score. Charlie Brown's lack of aplomb in debating an opposing viewpoint is humorously obvious on September 7 (page two hundred sixty-five), but aren't many of us just as unreasonable? He laments that "It's almost impossible to get people to change their minds these days!", but no one is convinced by you screaming at them. Controlling your temper is hard, but essential for effective reasoning, which is the only way to sway someone to consider your point of view. A variation of this theme shows up September 11 (page two hundred sixty-seven). Charlie Brown pleads with friend after friend to "Believe in me!", but what good will begging do? Better to work on your flaws and develop your strengths, becoming someone that others believe in automatically.
Violet and Patty are conversing again on September 14 (page two hundred sixty-eight), agreeing that people should be more gentle and considerate. These sentiments evaporate when Charlie Brown bungles onto the scene; they yell at him to scram. It's easy to applaud flowery statements about kindness and selflessness, but not so easy to apply those concepts with someone who gets on our nerves. Public discourse would be more pleasant and productive if we treated everyone decently, but we're typically blind to our own faults in this regard. Sunday, September 16 (page two hundred sixty-nine) is classic Peanuts, Lucy tricking Charlie Brown so he jumps into a big pile of leaves. The pile isn't what it seems, as becomes apparent right after Charlie Brown's dramatic leap. September 28 (page two hundred seventy-four) is one of Snoopy's funniest imitations. He mimics Lucy behind her back as she angrily stomps away. October 30 and 31 (page two hundred eighty-eight) are bits familiar to fans of the 1966 television special It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. The poignancy of Charlie Brown's youth drives the November 10 (page two hundred ninety-two) strip. Childhood is surely the hardest part of life, he speculates. "Then, after you grow up, all your troubles are over!" Charlie Brown may not be correct that adulthood is the end of all problems, but neither are adults right who forget that their childhood was at least as harrowing as post-adolescence. Life is overwhelming at times regardless what stage you're in.
November 15 (page two hundred ninety-five) sees Snoopy dance past Charlie Brown and Lucy, a huge smile on his face. Charlie Brown says he wishes he were that happy, but Lucy doesn't say the same for herself. "It's too hard to feel sorry for yourself when you're happy". We think we want things to go our way, but the dark pleasure in resentment is powerful. At least Lucy admits she'd rather feel sorry for herself than be content. An iconic scene unfolds on December 16 (page three hundred eight) with Lucy persuading Charlie Brown to attempt to kick a football she holds for him. He suspects a trick, but Lucy wouldn't do that to him...would she? 1956 concludes with another strip that inspired a scene in a Peanuts television special (December 30, page three hundred fourteen), followed by a New Year's Eve gag, and then we're ready to move into 1957 for three hundred sixty-five days of new jokes, surprises, and wisdom with Charlie Brown and friends. I wouldn't miss it.
The quality of the early Peanuts comics measures up to the television specials in most ways. Charles Schulz's humor is subtle and genuinely funny, but Peanuts wouldn't be as strong a work of literature if not for the undercurrent of philosophy. Schulz respects his readers' capacity for thought whether they're young or old, which is why Peanuts is loved by all ages. I'd rate this book at least two and a half stars, maybe the full three, and I can't think of many better reads with which to celebrate the lost art of the daily newspaper comic. I'll always love Peanuts.
Lucy often laughs when Charlie Brown tells her a fact she didn't know about the world, dismissing him as a boy with a wild imagination. February 11 (page nineteen), Lucy feels sure Charlie Brown is inventing names for the constellations when he points to one he calls the "Big Dipper". Does he expect her to believe such an obvious fabrication? March 13 (page thirty-two) might be the funniest Sunday of this collection. Charlie Brown sees Lucy flying a kite, and admires the extreme height at which she's keeping it afloat. His esteem changes in the final two panels of the strip, however. It's one of the best sight gags from the first half decade of Peanuts. Charlie Brown and Lucy are reading in a big, comfortable chair on April 5 (page forty-two) when he mentions that people used to think the earth was flat, and you could sail over the edge and be consumed by sea beasts. Lucy scoffs at mankind's former foolishness, but isn't sure herself what we believe nowadays. It's easy to reflexively deride our predecessors for their failings, but we shouldn't be too hasty. In some ways their wisdom was superior, and we, too, will eventually be subject to the unthinking criticism of our descendants. Taking a charitable view of those who came before is a sign of integrity.
Linus isn't perfect, but his "naughty" deeds are not those of an average boy. Other toddlers draw on the walls, but how many do so with the flair Linus exhibits on April 19 (page forty-eight)? It's hard to stay angry at a rebel when they act with artistic ingenuity. Imaginative rogues get away with more than their less whimsical counterparts. In June, Charlie Brown and Schroeder engage in the eternal debate: who was greater, Davy Crockett or Beethoven? June 7 and 8 (page sixty-nine) are hysterically funny parts of this storyline. A simple remark between Charlie Brown and Lucy on August 23 (page one hundred two) results in a potent punchline about a rich man who earned a hundred dollars every second of the day, and on September 19 (page one hundred fourteen), Snoopy dabbles in physical comedy when Charlie Brown tries to get him to smile while they play fetch. The beagle's exaggerated smile is amusing, but a subtle point is made. Personal enjoyment has little to do with whether our expression of the feeling satisfies others. It looks weird when someone has to express their enjoyment in a way that's unnatural for them. October 23 (page one hundred twenty-eight) is one of the more philosophical comics in the book. Charlie Brown is agitated to see Patty and Violet talking and laughing just out of his earshot. He decides they're ridiculing him, and steps in to challenge the pair. Violet yells back that their conversation had nothing to do with Charlie Brown; they weren't even thinking about him. But that doesn't make him any happier. Humans are like that: we worry about others criticizing or mocking us, but going unnoticed feels just as bad. Is happiness possible if we obsess over things we can't control?
A new city ordinance requires dogs to be tied up (November 3, page one hundred thirty-three), and Charlie Brown's method of compliance for Snoopy is hilarious. November 16 (page one hundred thirty-eight) is a classic demonstration of what makes "Pig-Pen" who he is. What other kid can get messy with no dirt in sight? Snoopy's talent for doing impressions results in several good strips in November. November 26 (page one hundred forty-two) is my favorite, as the witty beagle does an uncredited impression of Mickey Mouse. There's no mistaking those ears and nose! December 3 (page one hundred forty-five) is a punchline right out of the 1965 television special, A Charlie Brown Christmas. What does Linus think of the taste of falling snowflakes? Sunday, December 11 (page one hundred forty-nine) is an example of the snowman humor that provides some of the best fodder for Peanuts over the years. December 16 (page one hundred fifty-one) is a bit of philosophy with Biblical roots, Charlie Brown and a friend noticing how cold Snoopy is outside and deciding to help. Their "comfort" isn't much good; encouraging him to "be of good cheer" does nothing to keep our favorite beagle from shivering in the snow. True charity requires action, not platitudes. January 7, 1956 (page one hundred sixty) is another joke from It's a Charlie Brown Christmas, Pig-Pen's quippy response when Violet suggests he should be ashamed of how filthy he is. Violet tries to make Charlie Brown feel inferior on March 12 (page one hundred eighty-nine), pointing out that her parents and extended relatives all graduated college, but he doesn't take the bait. The antidote to the smugness of others just might be happily acknowledging their achievements and not inferring that they make you any less than you are.
Charlie Brown spots Violet and Patty whispering on March 24 (page one hundred ninety-three). Thinking they're making fun of him, his mood darkens, and he wonders why people are always ruining his day. When our default assumption is that others constantly speak badly of us behind our back, it's a sign we lack modesty; people don't focus on us as much as we might fear. Keeping that perspective guards us from getting worked up for no reason. Linus enthuses on May 5 (page two hundred eleven) about life's potential in the future, after he turns six. He'll cross the street unattended, get his own food and drink from the refrigerator... "Unlimited opportunity!!" he proclaims. Every stage of life seems to look that way before you enter it, as though you're leaving the mediocrity of today for an exciting expanse of challenges and responsibilities. But that rosy picture is never fully accurate, and around the next corner there will always be another new stage we expect to save us from life's doldrums. On May 9 (page two hundred thirteen) Charlie Brown and Lucy observe a colony of black bugs marching along the ground. Lucy points out the queen, who sits and watches her subjects slave away, but Lucy is in for a surprise when Charlie Brown takes a closer look. The two-panel punchline is superb. Violet and Patty argue over what physical trait is most winsome in a dog on May 10 (page two hundred fourteen). Violet goes gaga for sad eyes and droopy ears; Patty loves to look at a happy dog. Wanting to please both, Snoopy demonstrates how strange it looks when you're preoccupied with satisfying everyone; most of the time, you come off as unappealing.
Snoopy is stylish and innovative even when playing fetch; he has the finesse to catch a soap bubble in his mouth without popping it. But Sunday, July 1 (page two hundred thirty-six) reveals that Snoopy isn't always light on his feet. Charlie Brown's remark to cap the strip is insightful; people with incredible skills in one area may be tactless in another, and the incongruity is jarring. It's how people are built, talents counterbalanced by ineptitudes. Charlie Brown and Snoopy are similar on that score. Charlie Brown's lack of aplomb in debating an opposing viewpoint is humorously obvious on September 7 (page two hundred sixty-five), but aren't many of us just as unreasonable? He laments that "It's almost impossible to get people to change their minds these days!", but no one is convinced by you screaming at them. Controlling your temper is hard, but essential for effective reasoning, which is the only way to sway someone to consider your point of view. A variation of this theme shows up September 11 (page two hundred sixty-seven). Charlie Brown pleads with friend after friend to "Believe in me!", but what good will begging do? Better to work on your flaws and develop your strengths, becoming someone that others believe in automatically.
Violet and Patty are conversing again on September 14 (page two hundred sixty-eight), agreeing that people should be more gentle and considerate. These sentiments evaporate when Charlie Brown bungles onto the scene; they yell at him to scram. It's easy to applaud flowery statements about kindness and selflessness, but not so easy to apply those concepts with someone who gets on our nerves. Public discourse would be more pleasant and productive if we treated everyone decently, but we're typically blind to our own faults in this regard. Sunday, September 16 (page two hundred sixty-nine) is classic Peanuts, Lucy tricking Charlie Brown so he jumps into a big pile of leaves. The pile isn't what it seems, as becomes apparent right after Charlie Brown's dramatic leap. September 28 (page two hundred seventy-four) is one of Snoopy's funniest imitations. He mimics Lucy behind her back as she angrily stomps away. October 30 and 31 (page two hundred eighty-eight) are bits familiar to fans of the 1966 television special It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. The poignancy of Charlie Brown's youth drives the November 10 (page two hundred ninety-two) strip. Childhood is surely the hardest part of life, he speculates. "Then, after you grow up, all your troubles are over!" Charlie Brown may not be correct that adulthood is the end of all problems, but neither are adults right who forget that their childhood was at least as harrowing as post-adolescence. Life is overwhelming at times regardless what stage you're in.
November 15 (page two hundred ninety-five) sees Snoopy dance past Charlie Brown and Lucy, a huge smile on his face. Charlie Brown says he wishes he were that happy, but Lucy doesn't say the same for herself. "It's too hard to feel sorry for yourself when you're happy". We think we want things to go our way, but the dark pleasure in resentment is powerful. At least Lucy admits she'd rather feel sorry for herself than be content. An iconic scene unfolds on December 16 (page three hundred eight) with Lucy persuading Charlie Brown to attempt to kick a football she holds for him. He suspects a trick, but Lucy wouldn't do that to him...would she? 1956 concludes with another strip that inspired a scene in a Peanuts television special (December 30, page three hundred fourteen), followed by a New Year's Eve gag, and then we're ready to move into 1957 for three hundred sixty-five days of new jokes, surprises, and wisdom with Charlie Brown and friends. I wouldn't miss it.
The quality of the early Peanuts comics measures up to the television specials in most ways. Charles Schulz's humor is subtle and genuinely funny, but Peanuts wouldn't be as strong a work of literature if not for the undercurrent of philosophy. Schulz respects his readers' capacity for thought whether they're young or old, which is why Peanuts is loved by all ages. I'd rate this book at least two and a half stars, maybe the full three, and I can't think of many better reads with which to celebrate the lost art of the daily newspaper comic. I'll always love Peanuts.
June 7, 2020
The more chuckles you finds, the more you’ll see the Peanuts’ art style slightly change, and Snoopy dancing with joy is just so funny. A (100%/Outstanding)
April 13, 2024
In the first pages of this volume, I wondered if the magic was gone. The comics didn’t seem as insightful or hilarious as the previous two collections. But somewhere along the way, the strips return to form, proving the brilliance of Charles Schulz’s view of the world over and over again. How did he so accurately anticipate so much of what was to come in the attitudes and anxieties of the second half of the twentieth century?
In this volume, Linus grows up much faster than any of the other kids around him (by the end of the book, he has nearly become the Linus we know from the TV specials); Lucy celebrates her status as a fussbudget; Charlie Brown laments his loneliness (though he is also nearly always surrounded by age-mates and a dog); Schroeder cultivates a lifelong devotion to Beethoven; Snoopy yearns to be any animal other than a dog; we meet the female foil to Charlie Brown, the loud-talker Charlotte Braun (how I wish she had continued in the series!); and in a few panels, “Pig-Pen” appears (startlingly) totally clean. This is also the first book in which we see things that would later be brought verbatim into the TV specials—though with some small differences (for example, here it's Linus who "is not very good yet with a scissors" and ends up with a ghost costume that’s all holes). Near the end of this volume is the first time Lucy pulls the football away from Charlie Brown, and even in this first occurrence, the setup includes a promise from Lucy that of course doesn't work out well for Charlie Brown.
I love keeping a Peanuts collection on my bedside table to dip into a little at a time. It’s a good way to end the day, with these amazingly perceptive and hilarious vignettes.
In this volume, Linus grows up much faster than any of the other kids around him (by the end of the book, he has nearly become the Linus we know from the TV specials); Lucy celebrates her status as a fussbudget; Charlie Brown laments his loneliness (though he is also nearly always surrounded by age-mates and a dog); Schroeder cultivates a lifelong devotion to Beethoven; Snoopy yearns to be any animal other than a dog; we meet the female foil to Charlie Brown, the loud-talker Charlotte Braun (how I wish she had continued in the series!); and in a few panels, “Pig-Pen” appears (startlingly) totally clean. This is also the first book in which we see things that would later be brought verbatim into the TV specials—though with some small differences (for example, here it's Linus who "is not very good yet with a scissors" and ends up with a ghost costume that’s all holes). Near the end of this volume is the first time Lucy pulls the football away from Charlie Brown, and even in this first occurrence, the setup includes a promise from Lucy that of course doesn't work out well for Charlie Brown.
I love keeping a Peanuts collection on my bedside table to dip into a little at a time. It’s a good way to end the day, with these amazingly perceptive and hilarious vignettes.
December 11, 2020
So simple in its presentation and drawings, yet so brilliant and acute in its observations about human nature.
August 12, 2021
1 of 26 volumes of collected work. Staggering. Review will be appended to all volumes when I've completed them all.
February 10, 2022
C'est l'une des plus grandes entreprises artistiques du 20e siècle, cé sûr que je vais lui donner cinq étoiles.
Même si c'est toujours génial Peanuts, c'est vraiment plaisant de saisir que y'a des semaines où Schulz est vraiment ''in the zone'' et se met à dessiner chefs-d'œuvres par dessus chefs-d'œuvres de petites bandes bourrées d'humour et de vie. Je pense aussi que ce sont les deux années où il se met à être plus philosophe, à creuser la psychologie des personnages, leurs mauvais plis. Y'a aussi une belle césure entre des personnages assez névrosés et/ou psychorigides (Charlie Brown, Lucy) et d'autres plus jovialistes et bon-enfants (Snoopy, Pig-Pen, j'oserais même dire Linus, mais avec sa couverture).
Vais.acheter.les.25.tomes.c'est.sûr.
Même si c'est toujours génial Peanuts, c'est vraiment plaisant de saisir que y'a des semaines où Schulz est vraiment ''in the zone'' et se met à dessiner chefs-d'œuvres par dessus chefs-d'œuvres de petites bandes bourrées d'humour et de vie. Je pense aussi que ce sont les deux années où il se met à être plus philosophe, à creuser la psychologie des personnages, leurs mauvais plis. Y'a aussi une belle césure entre des personnages assez névrosés et/ou psychorigides (Charlie Brown, Lucy) et d'autres plus jovialistes et bon-enfants (Snoopy, Pig-Pen, j'oserais même dire Linus, mais avec sa couverture).
Vais.acheter.les.25.tomes.c'est.sûr.
April 24, 2023
Despite being the first time that Lucy pulls the pigskin- it made the gag no less repetitiresome to me!
July 14, 2024
-the aging of these characters doesn't even make sense, but I'm along for the ride.
-one of my fav recurring jokes/lines: "500 years from now, who'll know the difference?", it's too deep.
-also i never though i'd say this, but this one has a lot of shooting jokes.
-one of my fav recurring jokes/lines: "500 years from now, who'll know the difference?", it's too deep.
-also i never though i'd say this, but this one has a lot of shooting jokes.
March 6, 2019
Peanuts in just about full form.
Snoopy is merely pretending to be animals -- such as snakes -- and dancing about in mirth, still. But Lucy is authoritatively telling Linus a lot of nonsense, ineptly attempting to flirt with Schroeder, and deriding Charlie Brown and then changing the subject when he disproves her claims. A long sequence when Charlie Brown is a Davy Crockett fan much as Schroeder is a Beethoven one. And more.
Snoopy is merely pretending to be animals -- such as snakes -- and dancing about in mirth, still. But Lucy is authoritatively telling Linus a lot of nonsense, ineptly attempting to flirt with Schroeder, and deriding Charlie Brown and then changing the subject when he disproves her claims. A long sequence when Charlie Brown is a Davy Crockett fan much as Schroeder is a Beethoven one. And more.
September 29, 2023
Bizarre to see how dynamic the earlier strips were, regarding their framing of panels and variety of environments, but I guess Sparky was just younger and still out to prove himself at this point.
February 8, 2021
Charlie Brown: "What's that dotted line on your blanket for, Linus?"
Linus, tearing his blanket in two and giving one half to Charlie Brown: "Happines should be shared."
Linus, tearing his blanket in two and giving one half to Charlie Brown: "Happines should be shared."
December 12, 2021
Another great collection. It is nice to know that no matter how crazy the world gets Charlie Brown and the Peanuts will always be there to brighten my day.
Lucy is still the world's greatest fussbudget and Linus clings to his blanket, and Schroeder plays his piano. Charlie Brown still wishes for a friend and Snoopy the greatest dog ever gets better and better.
I can't wait to continue my journey through this timeless comic strip.
Lucy is still the world's greatest fussbudget and Linus clings to his blanket, and Schroeder plays his piano. Charlie Brown still wishes for a friend and Snoopy the greatest dog ever gets better and better.
I can't wait to continue my journey through this timeless comic strip.
December 29, 2023
I enjoyed this collection. A lot of familiar gags continuing to develop and the characters are coming to be much closer to what they grew to be. I definitely giggled a few times, and stopped to ponder a few as well.
July 16, 2024
Another good charlie brown
September 30, 2015
The cast: Charlie Brown, Lucy van Pelt, Linus van Pelt, Snoopy, Schroeder, Violet, Patty, Shermy, and Pig-Pen. Charlotte Braun only lasts a few strips into this volume, and then she disappears forever. I find it interesting that the cover of this volume is dedicated to Pig-Pen, because he wasn't actually in it that much. I guess there's only so many times Schulz could make a joke about a kid who hates baths.
By now, 5 years into the birth of the most beloved comic of all time, PEANUTS, the main cast of characters, for the most part, have found their identities. Charlie Brown is the depressed, paranoid blockhead that the world now loves. Lucy is the demanding, loud fussbudget that likes to make up "little known facts." Linus, while still not a philosopher yet, has found his security blanket, and Schroeder his piano. Snoopy, on the other hand, needs a little more time. When PEANUTS first started, Charlie Brown was the character Schulz identified most with (Charlie=Charles); but somewhere along the line, around 10 years in, I think, Schulz found much more in common with the most famous dog in the world (I SAID IT, GOOFY!), Snoopy. And while I'm only half-way there with this volume, it's delightful to see Snoopy slowly grow in both personality and in how Schulz draws him. He's still more puppy than human right now, but Schulz has finally settled on using thought bubbles for Snoopy, and he's started trying to be anything but a dog: a rhino, alligator, snake, etc.
One last thing: The introduction to this volume was written by Matt Groening, the creator of the Simpsons. I never knew how much PEANUTS inspired him as an artist, but it was such a brilliant intro.
Can't wait to finish up the '50s!
By now, 5 years into the birth of the most beloved comic of all time, PEANUTS, the main cast of characters, for the most part, have found their identities. Charlie Brown is the depressed, paranoid blockhead that the world now loves. Lucy is the demanding, loud fussbudget that likes to make up "little known facts." Linus, while still not a philosopher yet, has found his security blanket, and Schroeder his piano. Snoopy, on the other hand, needs a little more time. When PEANUTS first started, Charlie Brown was the character Schulz identified most with (Charlie=Charles); but somewhere along the line, around 10 years in, I think, Schulz found much more in common with the most famous dog in the world (I SAID IT, GOOFY!), Snoopy. And while I'm only half-way there with this volume, it's delightful to see Snoopy slowly grow in both personality and in how Schulz draws him. He's still more puppy than human right now, but Schulz has finally settled on using thought bubbles for Snoopy, and he's started trying to be anything but a dog: a rhino, alligator, snake, etc.
One last thing: The introduction to this volume was written by Matt Groening, the creator of the Simpsons. I never knew how much PEANUTS inspired him as an artist, but it was such a brilliant intro.
Can't wait to finish up the '50s!
May 22, 2018
Snoopy's Snoopy, we get the first football kick, the tree eats kites, etc. Schulz is finding the iconic elements of the strip, though there are still occasional odd elements (Snoopy actually talks once or twice, we hear an adult's voice once). Many, many hilarious strips; one forgets how good Schulz was at sight gags.
September 30, 2021
Best recurring line in this collection is awarded to Linus:
"Five hundred years from now, who will know the difference?"
"Five hundred years from now, who will know the difference?"
November 23, 2018
Two fascinating years in the history of the famous strip, especially for Snoopy fans: the year in which Snoopy appeared walking - or rather ice-skating - upright for the first time (1956) and the year preceding this milestone in Snoopy`s anthropomorphization process.
February 20, 2019
Snoopy's impressions are the highlight of this one. Linus is starting to get more complex as a character.
December 15, 2021
Peanuts can make you laugh, brighten up any day and can give you a new perspective on life.
And let's face it, we've all had two years of angst, and frustration. We need a laugh.
And let's face it, we've all had two years of angst, and frustration. We need a laugh.
November 17, 2023
Snoopy dances his happy dance; Lucy explains nature to Linus; Charlie Brown's baseball career unfolds while Lucy tees up the football for another try.
February 12, 2022
Very good comics Schulz is a great cartoonist I especially like the strips where the funny jokes happen.
December 25, 2023
I feel you, Charlie Brown!!!
June 28, 2016
снупі переживає серйозну кризу самоідентифікації;
лайнус знає, що щастя – у фланелевому пледі, і відстоює його перед загрозами ззовні;
люсі все ще не втрачає надії вийти заміж за шродера;
шродер, утім, не зраджує своїй любові – класичній музиці;
вайолет влаштовує вечірки, на які цілеспрямовано не запрошує чарлі брауна;
а бідолашний чарлі браун намагається зрозуміти, чому його ніхто не любить.
і так щодня, з неділями включно.
лайнус знає, що щастя – у фланелевому пледі, і відстоює його перед загрозами ззовні;
люсі все ще не втрачає надії вийти заміж за шродера;
шродер, утім, не зраджує своїй любові – класичній музиці;
вайолет влаштовує вечірки, на які цілеспрямовано не запрошує чарлі брауна;
а бідолашний чарлі браун намагається зрозуміти, чому його ніхто не любить.
і так щодня, з неділями включно.
April 13, 2021
Well, didn't that take no time!
Two days and it's done.
Huh.
Great book and funny comics, this hilarious collection had me up all night reading. I'm surprised that "Pig Pen," although on the cover, was hardly in this collection. Sure, he came up. Just.... not a lot. Charlotte Braun was also not big on this book, which I'm sure everyone was glad for.
"If I had a kite stuck in a tree, I'd yell at it."
"Go ahead. Yell at it until your head falls off, for all I care."
"GET DOWN HERE RIGHT THIS MINUTE!!!"
Kites: *Rain out of tree*
Two days and it's done.
Huh.
Great book and funny comics, this hilarious collection had me up all night reading. I'm surprised that "Pig Pen," although on the cover, was hardly in this collection. Sure, he came up. Just.... not a lot. Charlotte Braun was also not big on this book, which I'm sure everyone was glad for.
"If I had a kite stuck in a tree, I'd yell at it."
"Go ahead. Yell at it until your head falls off, for all I care."
"GET DOWN HERE RIGHT THIS MINUTE!!!"
Kites: *Rain out of tree*
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