Cartoonist Tributes to Charles Schulz
schulzmuseum.orgThe thing that most stood out to me about Charles Schultz is the thing least stood out - consistency. Peanuts was where and what was expected for 50 years.
I can't say he's an example to me because that regularity of quality is too far beyond what I'm capable of. At best I could maybe model Piers Anthony where I work constantly and some of it is crap and some not.
All that said, happy posthumous 100 to my first ever fandom.
I feel the same way about Hank Ketcham, who I have only recently come to appreciate. It is easy to lump Dennis the Menace in with Family Circus and Marmaduke in the "unfunny single panel comics" set but Ketcham's artwork is so lively that it is often hilarious in its own right and contains amusing details that a first glance might miss.
Oof, Piers is a hard one. I loved the Xanth books as a kid, but looking at some of his stuff again as an adult, he comes off as incredibly creepy, especially knowing about some of his non-Xanth works. It really casts that 1-800-HIPIERS hotline in another light.
Charles Schulz/Peanuts was the Beatles of comic strips. After Peanuts, all comic strips were one of two things: influenced by Peanuts, or lied about not being influenced by Peanuts.
From the Big Nate strip:
> Some people might say comics aren't important, but those people are blockheads. Y'know what I say to them? Read "Peanuts."
> Charlie Brown never wins a game or gets a valentine or kicks the football, but he's a champ in my book.
I still can't understand how the 2015 film decided that Charlie Brown would strike up a relationship with the little red-haired girl. It gives the movie a happy ending.
But if Peanuts has one message, it's that Charlie Brown doesn't get happy endings. That ending to the film flew in the face of everything that ever happened in the comic strip.
I don't think I have understood Peanuts. Granted, my parents never subscribed to a newspaper where it was published, so I only intermittently got in touch with it. I understand it may be something you grow to love as you develop a relationship to the characters?
Yes
Ah, good, I'm glad this was shared. It got a little emotional reading the paper this morning.
My favorites: Bizarro and Rose is Rose.
I think the best ones were the ones that didn’t just cheap out and draw Peanuts characters (which, to be honest isn’t that hard) with a “Happy Birthday Sparky.”
I think Gil Thorpe was the one that I was most surprised that I liked it. Dick Tracy also gets bonus points for drawing Snoopy, Woodstock and Charlie Brown in its own style.
Mine is Family Circus, making sure to be as Family Circus-y as possible and not make their tribute funny or interesting.
If there was no Family Circus, there would be no Dysfunctional Family Circus.
Doonesbury is my pick.
The Schulz museum (and hockey rink) is one of the coolest museums I've been to in person. Very chill atmosphere, gobs of interesting and expressive art with beautiful exhibit design and surroundings.
For those who miss new Peanuts strips, check out Haircut Practice:
Calvin and Hobbes was Watterson trying to make a Peanuts x Krazy Kat strip. or, peanuts in 3d as he sometimes put it.
Pure coincidence, we decided to do this remix this month after 40 years of loving the original... https://soundcloud.com/soopadaark/soopadaark-peanuts-christm...
What an unbelievable and incredible coordinated tribute. I only managed to get through 35 of over 100 tribute comics but the magnitude the coordination is absolutely stunning.
There was a great one shortly after his death. My favorites then were Tank McNamara and Boondocks.
Loved McNamara, but also loved how The Duplex did it.
“Linus and Lucy” Vince Geraldi
The peanuts theme is now stuck in your head
duh daDA DA DA!
[Vince Guaraldi][1]. It's a classic.
This is so lovely. Thanks for sharing. :-)
Good old snoopy :)
Thanks, Chuck!
It’s “Schulz”. There’s no “t” in it.
Dagnabbit!
Thanks for pointing that out. Would edit if I could.