Peanuts Comic Strip

Peanuts is a classic comic strip that was created by an average, everyday man, debuting in 1950. Charles Schulz created the strip based on his own emotions and personality. The comic strip slowly became more popular by the year and over sixty years later, it is the one of the most famous and influential comic strips ever created. Originally, Peanuts was a gag strip, or a single-paneled strip with a caption beneath the drawing, with typical characters and childish situations. (Walker, 407). But, Schulz slowly developed the personalities for his characters. Adults are rarely depicted in the strip and, when they are, you cannot see their entire body or understand what they are saying. Since adults are rarely introduced, the children of the strip experience regular childhood situations, but approach them with the mindset of an adult. (Walker, 438). In the beginnings of the comic, Peanuts was only a “space-saving feature.” On October 2, 1950, the comic debuted in seven different newspapers. The comic has four square and equally sized panels, which newspapers can reconfigure into a vertical or horizontal format in order for it to fit on the page. Schulz’s artwork for the strip is simple with graphics that can stand out on a page, so, even when the sizes of the strips were …show more content…
“‘I introduced the slight incident,’ Schulz proudly explained. The dilemma of the day could be as insignificant as taking out the dog dish or kicking a football. It was how Schulz’s kids responded to these minor events that produced the laughs.” (Walker, 438). The comic is explained as “an intimately autobiographical creation.” Schulz would agree, “If you read the strip for just a few months, you will know me because everything that I am goes into the strip. That is me.” (Walker, 438). He used his own emotions to create his comic and through that, he paved the way for comic strip creators