BOOM! Studios is working with Peanuts Worldwide and Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates to produce a new monthly Peanuts comic book to be released in January. A special edition #0 will be released in November. The November sneak peak comic will cost a buck and claims to include “a new original story and supplementary material.”
From the press release:
“We were honored to publish the first PEANUTS graphic novel HAPPINESS IS A WARM BLANKET, CHARLIE BROWN this past spring and now we are doubly honored to publish a new PEANUTS monthly comic series,” BOOM! Studios Founder and Chief Executive Officer Ross Richie said. “The team at PEANUTS have entrusted us with these characters and we aim to do everything we can to honor the memory and the characters of Charles Schulz.”
“It’s a daunting task to follow in the footsteps of a master,” BOOM! Studios Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon said. “But with the team we have assembled and the guidance of the folks at Peanuts Worldwide and Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates, we’re confident that we’ll be delivering to fans the best PEANUTS monthly comic book series anyone could imagine.”
I was impressed with the BOOM! Peanuts comics. They’re faithful and true to the source. And I hate the derivative crap that spews forth from companies ruthlessly mining my cherished childhood memories in the name of a quick buck… but this stuff is pretty good.
Hmmm. I’m iffy on this.
Schulz drew around 18,000 of some of the best comic strips ever committed to paper. Wasn’t that enough?
I’d agree with Tony. There is no other joy like reading classic peanuts comics, and I don’t want someone else’s vision no matter how well guided and what the intentions may be. Let us be happy with what we have.
I thought the Peanuts team did a wonderful job with the recent “Happiness is a Warm Blanket” animation and book. My 3yo daughter loved the cartoon too and has since asked to watch it again, and again.
So long as they continue to stay true to the emotions and themes of Sparky’s work, this is a great way to introduce new generations to the ol’ friends.
To answer Tony’s question whether 18,000-plus Schulz comic strips aren’t enough: Yes! But I also agree with Mike’s comment, especially his last graph.
Will it be drawn in the classic Shulz style, or in the later, “shaky” format?
For folks who like the classic, Schulz-written & -drawn brand, there are 18,000 strips to read and reread. For folks who want something new, especially younger readers, the BOOM books will be fine, I’m sure. The innumerable iterations of Popeye after Segar’s death did nothing to diminish the pure magic of Thimble Theatre.
That said, I think it’s interesting that this is happening. Didn’t Schulz arrange it so no one could carry on the strip? I guess it didn’t apply to comic books, maybe?
I’m not surprised this has come to be and all I can do is hope for the best.
I literally learned to read with my father’s old Peanuts trades. The language is surprisingly complex at times and forced me to go in places Dick and Jane wouldn’t.
I’m going to check them out!
I only watch the “vintage” Charlie Brown specials on tv, don’t even like the newer ones once ABC took them from CBS.
Terry,
Might be worth a mention that Schulz’s “shaky” lines probably resulted from the Parkinson’s Disease he suffered late in life.
Blasphemy of the highest order. What happened to peanuts would end with sparky.
New Peanuts comics don’t diminish the original strips. I have complete faith that Jeannie and her team are keeping a close eye on this to insure that it maintain the proper flavor and tone of Peanuts.