Mark Stokes has posted another gem – this time a copy of a Peanuts panel by Charles Schulz that reveals his original pencil work. You can see how often he rearranged Charlie Brown and Luci to get the composition where he wanted them.
Going through the process of developing a panel for a strip can be hard work. We make changes, scratch what we start and try again. Here?s a close-up of a Charles Schulz Peanuts daily from September 28, 1951, within its first year. Notice how Schulz redraws both Charlie Brown and Patty in different poses until he found just what he was looking for. Click on image below for a larger version.
You’ve written that Luci was the character in the strip for the 1st paragraph. (It was Patty) Also, Lucy is spelled with with a “Y” not an “I”.
You’ve got it right in the rest of the blurb, though.
That enlargement of the single panel is just simply beautiful to look at.
Breathtakingly beautiful.
This early Schulz work is fun to look at. Also, the dialogue here is interesting, unexpectedly clever for a child. You almost have to stop and think about it to realize that what Patty has said is nonsensical but works perfectly on gullible C.B. before he has that delayed reaction. I’ll bet lots of readers had that reaction the same time he did.