Week #3 -additional reading

Peanuts 


For additional readings of this week, I read more Peanuts by Charles Schulz. By reading the Complete Peanuts 1950-52, 1959-60, and 1997-98, I was able to see how Peanuts developed through its run.
In 1950-52, the look of the comic’s characters is very different from now. Charlie Brown does not have his iconic pattern on his T-shirt until page 36, and even the number of the character is much less than later Peanuts. However, the biggest difference might be the design of Snoopy; in the early comic strips, Snoopy looks more generic dog and has less character than now. The impression I get from the early Peanuts is “Charlie Brown and his friends”; the other characters are not very unique and do not have a solid personality.
However, by 1959, the design of Peanuts became much closer to the one in recent years. Though background still remains simple, the character design become more complicated. Each characters are easily identifiable because of their unique hair styles and clothing; but above all, they all have more distinct personality. As for Snoopy, his design became much unique compared to 1950-52 and we are sometimes able to see his intelligence. Also, Snoopy sometimes stands with his back legs from this time period.
By 1997-98, Schulz started using multiple screentone in his work. Also, the linework in the comic become more wiggly than before; I think this linework adds the charm of hand-drawing and is also iconic for Peanuts.

Although the look of Peanuts has been developed over the years, I feel that the story style has not been changed much. Somehow, I always feel Saint-Exupéry’s the Little Prince vibe from Peanuts. It is because both works contain the insight and innocence of childhood and show the value of thinking like a child. The children in Peanuts are sometimes very philosophical while they are childlike most times. I love the art of Peanuts, but moreover, its philosophical elements in the story is the greatest reason attracting me to this comic. 

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