Twenty years ago was a very sad weekend for comics fans.
Already dismayed with the news that the Peanuts comic strip was ending, the day of February 12, 2000 became unbearable when news broke that cartoonist Charles Schulz had died. The very next day came the announced end of Peanuts, a planned end and so we got a farewell message from the creator.
The daily version had ended the month before, on a Monday, also with a thanks and goodbye
As Sparky noted, he had been at Peanuts for nearly 50 years.
Peanuts syndication began October 2, 1950 – the now very famous debut strip below.
Fifteen months later a Sunday page came along.
As all Peanuts fans know the Peanuts comic strip had its beginnings with a cartoon prototype.
Li’l Folks was a weekly panel that appeared in the St Paul Pioneer Press
from June 22, 1947 to January 22, 1950.
At the same time Li’l Folks was appearing, Schulz was getting gag cartoons into the Saturday Evening Post (1948-1950) – a good share of them featuring children.
This year marks 70 years since Peanuts first appeared. Celebratory books are forthcoming.
Peanuts is one of the few long-lasting strips that can be read in complete collected form.
The Complete Peanuts is also available on the world wide web at GoComics.
