{"id":15370,"date":"2016-10-23T08:00:11","date_gmt":"2016-10-23T08:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/?p=15370"},"modified":"2016-10-22T13:45:20","modified_gmt":"2016-10-22T13:45:20","slug":"the-complete-peanuts-volume-1-1950-1952","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2016\/10\/23\/the-complete-peanuts-volume-1-1950-1952\/","title":{"rendered":"The Complete Peanuts volume 1: 1950-1952"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nBy Charles Schulz<\/strong> (Canongate Books\/Fantagraphics Books)
\nISBN: 978-1-84767-031-1 (Canongate):        978-1-56097-589-2 (Fantagraphics)<\/p>\n

Win’s Christmas Gift Recommendation: All that’s great about cartoon strips\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 10\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n

Peanuts<\/strong> is unequivocally the most important comics strip in the history of graphic narrative. It is also the most deeply personal.<\/p>\n

Cartoonist Charles M Schulz crafted his moodily hilarious, hysterically introspective, shockingly philosophical epic for half a century. He published 17,897 strips from October 2nd<\/sup> 1950 to February 13th<\/sup> 2000 and died from the complications of cancer the day before his last strip was published\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

At its height the strip ran in 2,600 newspapers in 75 countries, translated into 21 languages. Many of those venues are still running perpetual reprints, as they have ever since his departure. Attendant book collections, a merchandising bonanza and television spin-offs made the publicity-shy artist a billionaire.<\/p>\n

None of that is really the point. Peanuts<\/strong> – a title Schulz despised, but one which the syndicate forced upon him – changed the way comics strips were received and perceived, and showed that cartoon comedy could have edges and nuance as well as pratfalls and punch lines.<\/p>\n

Following a typically garrulous, charming and informative Introduction<\/em> from fellow Minnesotan – and possibly kindred spirit – Garrison Keillor, this mammoth (218 x 33x 172 mm) landscape hardback compendium offers the first two and a bit years. Here a prototypical, rather outgoing and jolly Charlie Brown<\/em> and high-maintenance mutt Snoopy<\/em> joined with bombastic Shermy<\/em> and mercurial Patty<\/em> in hanging out doing kid things.<\/p>\n

These include playing, playing pranks, playing sports such as tennis, golf and baseball, playing musical instruments, teasing each other, making baffled observations and occasionally acting a bit too much like grown ups. Fans of Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes<\/strong> will feel eerie familiarity with much of the hijinks and larks of these episodes.<\/p>\n

As new characters Violet<\/em>, infant prodigy Schroeder<\/em>, and Lucy<\/em> and her strange baby brother Linus<\/em> were added to the mix, the boisterous rush of the series began to imperceptibly settle into a more contemplative pace. Charlie Brown began to adopt his eternal loser, singled-out-by-fate persona and the sheer diabolical wilfulness of Lucy began to sharpen itself on everyone around her\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

The first Sunday page debuted on January 6th<\/sup> 1952; a standard half-page slot offering more measured fare than the daily. Both thwarted ambition and explosive frustration became part of the strip’s signature denouements\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

By the end of 1952 the rapid-fire gags had evolved from raucous slapstick to surreal, edgy, psychologically barbed introspection, crushing judgements and deep rumination in a world where kids – and certain animals – were the only actors. The relationships however, were increasingly deep, complex and absorbing even though \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Sparky\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Schulz never deviated from his core message: entertain\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

David Michaelis then celebrates and deconstructs ‘The Life and Times of Charles M. Schulz’<\/em> after which Gary Groth and Rick Marschall conduct ‘An Interview with Charles M. Schulz’<\/em> rounding out our glimpse of the dolorous graphic genius with intimate revelations and reminiscences whilst a copious ‘Index’<\/em> offers instant access to favourite scenes you’d like to see again\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.<\/p>\n

Readily available in hardcover, paperback and digital editions this initial volume offers a rare example of a masterpiece in motion: comedy gold and social glue gradually metamorphosing in an epic of spellbinding graphic mastery which became part of the fabric of billions of lives, and which continues to do so long after its maker’s passing.
\nThe Complete Peanuts: 1950-1952 (volume 1) \u00c2\u00a9 2004 Peanuts Worldwide, LLC. Introduction \u00c2\u00a9 2004 Garrison Keillor. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The Life and Times of Charles M. Schulz\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00c2\u00a9 2000 David Michaelis. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153An Interview with Charles M. Schulz\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00c2\u00a9 2004 Gary Groth and Richard Marschall. All other material copyright its respective owners. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Charles Schulz (Canongate Books\/Fantagraphics Books) ISBN: 978-1-84767-031-1 (Canongate):        978-1-56097-589-2 (Fantagraphics) Win’s Christmas Gift Recommendation: All that’s great about cartoon strips\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 10\/10 Peanuts is unequivocally the most important comics strip in the history of graphic narrative. It is also the most deeply personal. Cartoonist Charles M Schulz crafted his moodily hilarious, hysterically introspective, shockingly philosophical … <\/p>\n

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