Week 3- Peanuts(2 pts.)

Its no secret that Peanuts is one of the popular and iconic comic strips of all time. When I was growing up, I've been given greeting cards from it, watched its holiday specials and shorts, and I even drew Snoopy plenty of times in my elementary school years. Despite all of that, I've never actually gotten the time to read most of the original strips. Getting to read and look into the various eras of the original Peanuts strips was very much a treat, as well as getting a glimpse into it's creator as well. Looking at some of the early Strips from the 50s and 60s, I noticed that the style of the characters were a lot simpler, yet the tone, humor and qualities of the characters were still solid and sharp. I noticed that even early on, It had a snarky sense of humor, yet also had a sense of lighthearted charm to balance it out. There's a simple and laidback charm in how it displays the everyday life of the kids. 

 As for the various Eras of Peanuts, I personally preferred the earlier 50s and 60s strips just a bit more than the later ones. I feel that the humor and edge was a bit sharper, but despite that, I absolutely love the characters and their charming life scenarios they encounter. The illustrations themselves are simple and effective, always providing clarity for every scenario with its characters, settings and dialogue. It's straight and to the point.

I believe the reason Peanuts has become such a cultural phenomenon is because of how much the character of Charlie Brown and his life is deep-rooted in his creator, Charles Shultz. It almost becomes autobiographical, as there are several parallels between the creator and his creation, such as Snoopy being based on Shultz's own childhood dog, and his occasional self-doubt. I believe that Peanuts has also stood the test of time is for how relatable it can be. Despite the main characters being kids, it has something for adults as well.