Biographical Peanuts Collections Related Works Exhibition Cartooning

The Complete Peanuts series will run 25 volumes, collecting two years chronologically at a rate of two per year for twelve years. Published by Fantagraphics Books, 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.

Good grief, Charlie Brown, we're halfway there! That’s right! With this volume, The Complete Peanuts reaches the halfway point of Charles M. Schulz’s astounding half-century run on the greatest comic strip of all time. These years are especially fecund in terms of new canine characters, as Snoopy is joined by his wandering brother Spike (from Needles), his beloved sister Belle (from Kansas City), and... did you know he had a nephew? In other beagle news, Snoopy breaks his foot and spends six weeks in a cast, deals with his friend Woodstock’s case of the “the vapors,” and gets involved in a heated love triangle with Linus over the girl “Truffles.”

The 12th volume of Peanuts features a number of tennis strips and several extended sequences involving Peppermint Patty’s friend Marcie (including a riotous, rarely seen sequence in which Marcie’s costume-making and hairstyling skills utterly spoil a skating competition for PP), so it seems only right that this volume’s introduction should be served up by Schulz’s longtime friend, tennis champion (and 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient) Billie Jean King.

Peanuts surges into the 1970s with Schulz at the peak of his powers and influence: a few jokes about Bob Dylan, Women’s Liberation, and “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex” (!) aside, these two years are as timeless as Peanuts ever was. Sally Brown—school phobia, malapropisms, unrequited love for Linus, and all—elbows her way to center stage, at least among the humans, and is thus the logical choice for cover girl. . .and in her honor, the introduction is provided by none other than Broadway, television, and film star Kristin (Wicked) Chenoweth, who first rose to Tony-winning fame with her scene-stealing performance as Sally in the 1999 Broadway revival of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.

"Woodstock" Propels Peanuts into the '70s!
He turns up first as Snoopy’s secretary, then gradually becomes a good friend who Snoopy helps to fly South. . .but it’s not until June 22, 1970, that the little bird gains a name in a perfect salute to the decade that ends with this volume: Woodstock! In other timely stories, Peppermint Patty runs afoul of her school’s dress code (those sandals!), Lucy declares herself a “New Feminist,” and Snoopy’s return to the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm on a speaking engagement climaxes in a riot and a new love found amidst the teargas (“She had the softest paws...”).

As we rush toward the end of Peanuts' second full decade, Snoopy finds himself almost completely engrossed in his persona as the World War I Flying Ace—to the point where he goes to camp with Charlie Brown and maintains his persona throughout the entire two-week period (much to Peppermint Patty's bafflement). This volume also sees Snoopy arm-wrestling Lucy as the "Masked Marvel"; impersonating a vulture and a "Cheshire Beagle"; enjoying golf and hockey; attempting a jaunt to France for an ice-skating championship; running for office on the "Paw" ticket; as well as dealing with the return of his original owner, Lila. This volume also sees the appearance of what would be Schulz's most controversial major character: Franklin.

We are now in the mid-1960s, one of Schulz's peak periods of creativity (and one third of the way through the strip's life!). Snoopy has become the strip's dominant personality, and this volume marks two milestones for the character: the first of many "dogfights" with the nefarious Red Baron, and the launch of his writing career ("It was a dark and stormy night..."). Two new characters—the first two from outside the strip's regular little neighborhood— make their bows. Roy (who befriends Charlie Brown and then Linus at summer camp) won't have a lasting impact, but upon his return from camp he regales a friend of his with tales of the strange kids he met, and she has to go check them out for herself. Her name? Peppermint Patty.

"My name is 555 95472 but everyone calls me 5 for short... I have two sisters named 3 and 4." With those words, Charles Schulz introduced one (in fact, three) of the quirkiest characters to the Peanuts universe, the numerically-monikered 95472 siblings. They didn't stay around very long but offered some choice bits of satirical nonsense while they did. As it happens, this volume is particularly rich in never-before-reprinted strips: Over 150 (more than one fifth of the book!) have never seen the light of day since their original appearance over 40 years ago. Also in this volume, Snoopy's doghouse begins its conceptual expansion, as Schulz reveals that the dog owns a Van Gogh, and that the ceiling is so huge that Linus can paint a vast (and as it turns out unappreciated) "history of civilization" mural on it.

Launching into the 1960s, Schulz adds another new cast member. Two, in fact: The obnoxious Frieda, of "naturally curly hair" fame, and her inert, seemingly boneless cat Faron. The rapidly maturing Sally, who was after all just born in the previous volume, is ready to start kindergarten and not at all happy about it. Linus' life is particularly turbulent in this volume, as he is forced to wear glasses, sees the unexpected return of his favorite teacher, Miss Othmar, and coaxes Sally into the cult of the Great Pumpkin (with regrettable results). Snoopy, meanwhile, becomes a compulsive water sprinkler head stander, unhappily befriends a snowman or two, and endures a family crisis involving a little family of birds. Plus baseball blowouts (including a rare team victory), Beethoven birthdays, and plenty of dubious psychiatric help for a nickel.

As the first decade of Peanuts closes, it seems only fitting to bid farewell to that halcyon decade with a cover starring Patty, one of the original three Peanuts characters. Major new additions to classic Peanuts lore come fast and furious here. Snoopy begins to take up residence atop his doghouse, and his repertoire of impressions increases exponentially. Lucy sets up her booth and offers her first five-cent psychiatric counsel. For the very first time, Linus spends all night in the pumpkin patch. He also gets into repeated, and visually explosive, scuffles with a blanket-stealing Snoopy, suffers the first depredations of his blanket-hating grandmother, and falls in love with his new teacher Miss Othmar. Charlie Brown’s sister, Sally, also makes her appearance — first as a brand new baby, then as a toddler, and eventually a real, talking, thinking cast member. All this, and one of the most famous Peanuts strips ever: "Happiness is a warm puppy."

As the 1950s close down, Peanuts definitively enters its golden age. Linus, who had just learned to speak in the previous volume, becomes downright eloquent and even begins to fend off Lucy's bullying. Charlie Brown cascades further down the hill to loserdom, with spectacularly lost kites and humiliating baseball losses; at least his newly acquired "pencil pal" affords him some comfort. Pig-Pen, Shermy, Violet, and Patty are also around, as is an increasingly Beethoven-fixated Schroeder. But the rising star is undoubtedly Snoopy, who is at the center of the most graphically dynamic and action-packed episodes. He tentatively tries to sleep on the crest of his doghouse roof, and his imitations continue apace, including penguins, anteaters, sea monsters, vultures and (much to her chagrin) Lucy. No wonder the beagle is the cover star not only of this volume, but of the collector's slipcase.

The third volume in this 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. 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.

This second volume begins with Peanuts’ third full year and a cast of eight: Charlie Brown, Shermy, Patty, Violet, Schroeder, Lucy, the recently-born Linus, and Snoopy. By the end of 1954, Pig-Pen and his dust cloud join the crowd. Linus, who still doesn’t speak but has acquired his security blanket, begins to emerge as one of the most complex and endearing characters in the strip: garrulous and inquisitive yet gentle and tolerant. Charlie Brown is becoming his best-known self — the lovable, perpetually-humiliated round-headed loser — but he hasn’t abandoned his brasher, prankish behavior from Volume One. And, Lucy, this book’s cover girl, has grown up and forcefully elbowed her way to the center of the action, proudly wearing her banner as a “fussbudget.” And though Snoopy still behaves for the most part like a dog, he has started thinking for himself!

This first volume, covering the first two and a quarter years of the strip, will be of particular fascination to Peanuts aficionados worldwide: Although there have been literally hundreds of Peanuts books published, many of the strips from the series’ first two or three years have never been collected before — in large part because they showed a young Schulz working out the kinks in his new strip and include some characterizations and designs that are quite different from the cast we’re all familiar with. (Among other things, three major cast members — Schroeder, Lucy, and Linus — initially show up as infants and only “grow” into their final “mature” selves as the months go by. Even Snoopy debuts as a puppy!) Thus, The Complete Peanuts offers a unique chance to see a master of the artform refine his skills and solidify his universe on a daily basis.

It Goes Without Saying
By Charles M. Schulz

QUIET ON THE STRIP! Hoping to have a lot of fun and laughs with the Peanuts gang? Say no more! In this newly compiled collection, Charlie Brown and company prove that actions speak louder than words — especially since these strips contain not a word of dialogue! The hilarious adventures of Charlie Brown fumbling and stumbling around the baseball field, Lucy bossing everyone around with a glare, and Snoopy and Woodstock up to their usual high jinks — proves that in the world of Peanuts, sometimes silence is golden!

Softcover ● 96 pages
Item 1203 ● $11.95

Woodstock: A Bird's-Eye View
By Charles M. Schulz

For a small guy, Woodstock makes a big impression. True, he gets a tad jumpy around Thanksgiving and tends to have a bit of a temper, but Woodstock can type and take shorthand, and he’s a great friend and confidant to Snoopy—even though the little bird is often the butt of the beagle’s practical jokes. Whether flying erratically around the baseball field or embarking on adventures with his best pal, Woodstock is loved by one and all. So join this famous yellow bird and the rest of the Peanuts Gang in a comic strip collection full of fun...and flight.

Hardcover ● 96 pages
Item 1204 ● $13.95

It's Par for the Course, Charlie Brown
By Charles M. Schulz

Hit the links with this laugh-out-loud collection of golf-themed strips featuring the entire Peanuts Gang. Snoopy has snagged an invite to play at the Masters, but will he bow-wow under pressure? Lucy’s mean slice may just win her the state amateur champion. Marcie and Peppermint Patty want to be caddies, but they might be better suited for the beverage cart, Sir. And don’t forget about lovable Charlie Brown, who just wants to make par for the course—on the first hole. This irresistible take on golf will sink a putt with every fan of the fairway!

Softcover ● 191 pages
Item 1052 ● $14.95

Around the World in 45 Years
By Charles M. Schulz

Join the Peanuts Gang and celebrate its 45th birthday in this treasury edition. This book has an illustrated essay from Charles Schulz, a year's worth of cartoons (Sundays in full color), and a foreword from Lynn Johnston, creator of the comic strip For Better or For Worse.

Softcover ● 160 pages
Item 1058 ● $12.95

It's a Dog's Life, Snoopy
By Charles M. Schulz

A collection of old friends! Featuring Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the whole Peanuts Gang from 1998.