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Rating:  -
What could be better than 2 years of Peanuts cartoons in one volume at the height of Charles M. Schulz's creative power? Answer: Nothing. To see strips you've never seen before is wonderful. To see strips you haven't seen in years is great. To laugh when the strips are funny, to be touched when the strips bring a pange of recognition of some of the pain of life are both emotions to be treasured that all of Schulz's work evoked. This is why Schulz was an artist of the highet calibre; because while he did not draw like Michelangelo or sculpt like Rodin or photograph like Ansel Adams he WAS able to reimagine and reinvent an art form so that all of us saw life in a different way from a new perspective and in a light that improved the human condition.
Rating: -
This latest collection's cover (Woodstock's tiny head casting a far-too-large shadow) and introduction (by Billie Jean King, who, unlike a number of the folks whom Fantagraphics has dragooned into providing PEANUTS-related musings, actually knew and was good friends with Charles Schulz) are first-rate, and several of this volume's continuities are among the most ambitious and/or outlandish "Sparky" ever concocted, but one could reasonably argue that Schulz' creation reached a "tipping point" in the mid-70s. Whether it was due to the overuse of Snoopy and Woodstock, the introduction of several less-than-stellar long-running gag themes, or an increasing amount of reliance on what one might call "the PEANUTS of the absurd," one can detect a certain coarsening of the master's touch. For sure, the intelligentsia of the era had moved on to new favorites, particularly DOONESBURY, perhaps reacting to Schulz' refusal to touch upon the partisan rancor and ugliness of the Watergate era. Schulz, who'd made frequent references to Vietnam, hippie culture, space travel, feminism, and the like just a few short years before, completely eschews topical material here, apart from one stand-alone gag in which Sally worries that her school desk has been "bugged." Instead, he indulges in such transient personal passions as running Snoopy through a large number of gags involving tennis, the artist's latest pastime. PEANUTS was never truly about "relevance," but Schulz' decision to shrink the borders of his "universe" marked a definite shift in his thinking. Many later references to pop culture in the strip would be much more exploitative in nature, in the manner of a "hit-and-run" late-night comedian, and lack the cleverness and subtlety of Schulz' work of the mid-50s to the early 70s.
The "rare gems" (you're welcome, Patty) in this collection are a trio of legitimately memorable, and even touching, continuities. The most famous of these is probably "Mr. Sack," in which Charlie Brown begins to envision every round object he discovers as a baseball. He even picks up a seamed rash on his head. Sent off to summer camp as a palliative, the embarrassed Charlie, wearing a sack over his head to hide his rash, quickly becomes the most popular kid in camp! "A prophet is without honor save in his own country," a bemused Charlie sighs regarding his improbable apotheosis. This story is most famous for its completely unexpected ending gag, which, though it resolves nothing insofar as Charlie's malady is concerned, drags in a familiar media figure to provide what, for Schulz, was "shock value." In a sense, however, this story may have ultimately sent Schulz down the wrong path. Charlie's problem is so weird that it might as well have happened to Snoopy, who's long since carved out his own little fantasy-laden "sub-universe" in the PEANUTS gang's neighborhood. There's the rub: what makes "sense" for Snoopy may not work quite as well for the "real" kids. It was soon after this that Schulz introduced one of his zanier notions, the "talking" school building that drops bricks on people it dislikes. More were to follow.
Much more conventional, but every bit as well executed, is the five-week story of Peppermint Patty preparing to enter a "skating competition." Patty is assisted (and, sometimes, hindered) in this project by Marcie and Snoopy, both of whose relationships to the peppy one change dramatically during this era. Marcie is still rather obsequious and still makes with the "Sir"s, but she's far more willing to confront her flighty friend on issues of importance -- none more important than when she forces Patty to realize that Snoopy is actually a dog. Marcie also learns that Patty doesn't have a mother, which leads to a warm moment when, following a botched attempt at making Patty a skating dress, she has her own mother fix the problem. Finally learning that Snoopy is a beagle doesn't prevent Patty from turning to "coach" Snoopy for help in getting ready for the "skating competition" -- which, needless to say, has a funny twist that knocks Patty for a loop.
Finally, there's the "Guest of Honor" continuity from early 1973, in which the gang, wonder of wonders, decides to give Charlie Brown a testimonial dinner in honor of his efforts as a baseball manager. The affair (complete with master(?) of ceremonies Joe Shlabotnik -- who, no surprise, gets lost on the way) ultimately falls apart after everyone realizes that pretending that Charlie is a figure worthy of honor is hypocrisy. There's a real bite to this story, one almost duplicated by the late-1974 tale in which neighborhood snowman-building is "organized" to the point of having leagues, referees, and parental support groups. In between, however, there are rather too many gags about novelist Snoopy's bad puns, Peppermint Patty's classroom denseness, Rerun's near-death experiences on his mom's bike, and, of course, Snoopy's tennis-playing. It's still great reading, of course, but a few cracks in the foundation are now apparent.
Rating: -
So said the jealous Lucy who's had to play 2nd (or more like 1,000,000th) fiddle to Beethoven in Schroeder's eyes. This is one of the stories to look forward to in this volume. I could've quoted Woodstock who dons the cover of this one but I didn't think "!!!!!" was too memorable a title for this review. This particular volume is known for its extended stories. One of the 1st features Charlie Brown getting a celebratory dinner for being such a great manager, complete with a visit from Charlie Brown's hero Joe Shlabotnik (alas, the event becomes a fiasco, thanks to Marcie's big mouth!). Since Billie Jean King appropriately wrote the foreward, it's only fair that Snoopy tries his hand with tennis (to be honest, I'm not sure whether or not the cartoon where Snoopy double-faults and throws a MacEnroe temper is in this volume or not). Another story featuring the blockhead features Charlie Brown's fascination with baseballs (to quote the band Yes, "lose one onto the heart of the sunrise," you'll figure it out) and goes to camp, this time to become a hero and earns the nickname "Sack." Peppermint Patty tries her hand at football, 1st with Chuck, 2nd with the kid with the big nose. Snoopy tries beating Hank Aaron's baseball record (I remember this cartoon as a kid, wondering what the heck all those tally marks were doing on his doghouse). Linus teaches Snoopy a well-deserved lesson on the evils of blanket-napping! Not much mention of the little red-haired girl but a girl named Lorretta shows up (1st she ignores him at a party then tries to get his attention, but not for reasons he expects). Peppermint Patty prepares herself for a skating competition and Marcie tries making her a costume (which looks like a cross between a straight jacket and a ghost suit!). Then Charlie Brown's dad gives her a haircut ("You didn't tell him I'm a GIRL, Chuck!"). This one features cartoons from You're The Guest Of Honor, Charlie Brown, Win A Few Lose A Few Charlie Brown (the last of the pocket-sized paperbacks from Holt) and Speak Softly And Carry A Beagle (the 1st of the Peanuts Parade books). Enjoy with a bowl of bonehead soup or a jelly-bread sandwich.
Rating: -
Two of the all-time great Peanuts years were 1973-74. Many classics are there that we paperback Peanuts hoarders now can see in their original context.
WARNING: Do NOT read page 147 if you have not seen Orson Welles's film "Citizen Kane." It spoils the ending--actually as a joke involving Lucy spoiling it for Linus, but still, I'm a little surprised at Schulz for it.
Watch "Citizen Kane," then read page 147, then laugh your head off.
Rating: -
Two more great years of Peanuts. We get to see Rerun but he is only in 25 comics. Lots and lots of Peppermint Patty and Marcie is in pretty half as much as Peppermint Patty but Marcie does join the cast. Peppermint Patty finds out that Snoopy is a beagle and she gets her first D-.
Snoopy becomes a beagle scout. Lucy throws Schroeder's piano down the sewer. Lucy and Peppermint Patty go to get there ears pieced. We see very, very, very little of Violet, Patty, Freida, Roy, and 5. There are at least 10 comics that were never before reprinted including the one with Peppermint Patty and Marcie and PP saying that her father is making her go on bonehead lunch. Great book, bring on the next one.
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