Good grief, good news
Sep. 10th, 2003 04:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rootbeer1Just read that Fantagraphics Books is coming out with a complete, year-by-year collection of one of the greatest works of literature of the 20th century. Charles Schulz's comic strip Peanuts.
OK, not all of it was great, but the 1958-1968 strips were terrific. As a kid, as a teenager, and as an adult, I have read old Peanuts paperback collectionss from that period and enjoyed their humor, pondered their philosophy, and been charmed and moved by the characters and situations.
After 1968 or thereabouts, the strip lost a bit of its charm. I'm not sure why. Maybe Schulz tasted too much success. Snoopy became the dominant character, over Charlie Brown. The supporting cast faded away (why have Violet and Patty around when Lucy is an all-purpose cranky fussbudget?). By the time Snoopy's brothers were introduced, and Rerun appeared (talk about unnecessary characters!), I was no longer a fan of the strip. Sure, I read it, but by the early '70s, an adult comic strip that could be enjoyed by kids was now being primarily aimed at kids. For me, for my tastes, Schulz coasted on his earlier work for the last 30 years of his life, with only a few bright spots here and there.
The "Classic Peanuts" strips still appearing in newspapers date from after 1974, when Peppermint Patty, Marcy and Woodstock had already joined the cast, when the decline had already begun. This is proof that the syndicate that distributes these strips wouldn't know quality if it bit them in the ass.
Previous collections of old strips have been chopped up, truncated, and out of sequence. It didn't help that Schulz said there were some strips of his that he never wanted reprinted. But now, with his estate's permission, there's going to be a complete, in chronological series of books, including strips from the early '50s that show -- *gasp* -- the Peanuts gang interacting with adults!
I'm really looking forward to these collections. I'll probably get all of them, up to the early '70s. Evidently there will be a subscription available, offering reduced rates and special freebies.
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In the late '60s, my parents bought me a Peanuts coloring book. As much as I liked the strip at the time, that coloring book was amazingly boring! Nothing much to color but the characters, maybe some grass or sky. If I had more imagination at the time I would have drawn in more backgrounds.
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I've always identified with Linus. His intellect, his spirituality, his good-heartedness, his bratty sister, his crushes on his teacher, his hidden abilities, his craving for a security blanket ... that's me in a nutshell! And what a theme song! Vince Guaraldi's "Linus and Lucy" is the best song ever written for a television cartoon.
And that's also why I try not to miss A Charlie Brown Christmas. When Linus explains the meaning of Christmas at the Christmas pageant, my eyes go watery and I sniffle all the way through the final "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing."
"It's not a bad little tree, Charlie Brown. All it needs is a little love."
OK, not all of it was great, but the 1958-1968 strips were terrific. As a kid, as a teenager, and as an adult, I have read old Peanuts paperback collectionss from that period and enjoyed their humor, pondered their philosophy, and been charmed and moved by the characters and situations.
After 1968 or thereabouts, the strip lost a bit of its charm. I'm not sure why. Maybe Schulz tasted too much success. Snoopy became the dominant character, over Charlie Brown. The supporting cast faded away (why have Violet and Patty around when Lucy is an all-purpose cranky fussbudget?). By the time Snoopy's brothers were introduced, and Rerun appeared (talk about unnecessary characters!), I was no longer a fan of the strip. Sure, I read it, but by the early '70s, an adult comic strip that could be enjoyed by kids was now being primarily aimed at kids. For me, for my tastes, Schulz coasted on his earlier work for the last 30 years of his life, with only a few bright spots here and there.
The "Classic Peanuts" strips still appearing in newspapers date from after 1974, when Peppermint Patty, Marcy and Woodstock had already joined the cast, when the decline had already begun. This is proof that the syndicate that distributes these strips wouldn't know quality if it bit them in the ass.
Previous collections of old strips have been chopped up, truncated, and out of sequence. It didn't help that Schulz said there were some strips of his that he never wanted reprinted. But now, with his estate's permission, there's going to be a complete, in chronological series of books, including strips from the early '50s that show -- *gasp* -- the Peanuts gang interacting with adults!
I'm really looking forward to these collections. I'll probably get all of them, up to the early '70s. Evidently there will be a subscription available, offering reduced rates and special freebies.
------------------------------
In the late '60s, my parents bought me a Peanuts coloring book. As much as I liked the strip at the time, that coloring book was amazingly boring! Nothing much to color but the characters, maybe some grass or sky. If I had more imagination at the time I would have drawn in more backgrounds.
------------------------------
I've always identified with Linus. His intellect, his spirituality, his good-heartedness, his bratty sister, his crushes on his teacher, his hidden abilities, his craving for a security blanket ... that's me in a nutshell! And what a theme song! Vince Guaraldi's "Linus and Lucy" is the best song ever written for a television cartoon.
And that's also why I try not to miss A Charlie Brown Christmas. When Linus explains the meaning of Christmas at the Christmas pageant, my eyes go watery and I sniffle all the way through the final "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing."
"It's not a bad little tree, Charlie Brown. All it needs is a little love."
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no subject
Date: 2003-09-10 05:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-09-10 07:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-09-10 07:17 pm (UTC)I can't wait for these myself. I would have to agree with you about the decline. There was a period of time when it just wasn't funny, yet I remained a faithful reader and fan. I also recall a period when it seemed, well, a little out there, even for Peanuts.
no subject
Date: 2003-09-10 09:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-09-10 10:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-09-11 07:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-09-11 12:13 pm (UTC)I always identified with Linus too. Charlie Brown was cool, but I just never felt like him.
Linus rules.
I get all sniffly too watching the Christmas special. The whole anti consumerism angle is very interesting. Would something like that get made today?
PEANUTS
Date: 2003-09-11 04:18 pm (UTC)I don't think it is still there, but on opening weekend they had strips from different cartoonists when Mr. Schulz was sick and then when he died. They were very moving. A particularly moving one had Charlie Brown talking to someone saying, "Today, I kicked the football, we won a baseball game, and the little red haired girl sent me a valentines day card." The person next to him said, "You're in heaven Charlie Brown." Well, it might not mean much but it was tear jerking when I saw it.
If you get a chance, go see it. And the hockey rink next door has the BEST ice cream I have ever eaten.
Re: PEANUTS
Date: 2003-09-11 09:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-09-11 08:54 pm (UTC)Man I miss my security blanket.
no subject
Date: 2003-09-11 09:38 pm (UTC)We All Hate You, Charlie Brown
It's Not Just a Cold Sore, Charlie Brown
Don't Let The Door Hit You On The Way Out, Charlie Brown