The Complete Peanuts 1955-1956: Vol. 3 Hardcover Edition

When I read the comics page in the newspaper, I find some good strips and some bad ones. Often the most annoying are what I call "institutional" strips: they haven't been funny in years or even decades, but they've become institutions and no one is willing to get rid of them. Peanuts, however, was always something of an exception: it was an institution, but it remained decent, even if in later years it was not quite the same caliber as it once was. There's a reason that modern comic artists (for example, Matt Groening in this volume) write glowingly about Peanuts; it was good. I doubt there is similar appreciation for Marmaduke, Heathcliff or Momma.The comic strips in this volume are fifty years old, yet with limited exceptions (such as references to Davy Crockett hats), they fit just as well today. Some of the characters have disappeared over the years: what every happened to Patty, Violet or Shermy (or the loud-talking Charlotte Braun)? Other characters have yet to appear, significantly Peppermint Patty, Woodstock and Sally. But the core characters are here in this book, with their identities still evolving.Snoopy is beginning to develop his alternate identities, practicing with being various animals (pythons, alligators, etc.) which will (in future volumes) develop into full-blown alternate personalities such as Joe Cool and the World War I Flying Ace ("Curse you, Red Baron!"). Lucy is a world-class fussbudget filled with incorrect information that she loves to impart to others. Linus still has his bursts of childishness, but is showing the signs of his budding genius, able to erect massive snow forts and blow up square balloons.In the end, however, it is Charlie Brown who is the centerpiece of this comic, the ultimate hard luck character who the world seems to conspire against; the other kids often treat him poorly and even things like kite-flying go awry when he does it. It is the Lucy-Charlie Brown relationship that causes the most aggravation for our hero; a typical series of strips will have Lucy debating an issue with him and instantly changing the subject as soon as she is proven wrong.Deceptively simple in their presentation, the Peanuts strips actually is filled with dark humor and angst. Yes, the only characters are kids (and a dog), but Schulz never relies on cuteness. Both fun and funny, this is a worthwhile read for both children and adults.

This book constitutes the third in a proposed 25 volume series setting out the entire history of the Peanuts comic strip (this book covers the years 1955 and 1956). I have reviewed the first two books of the series and had nothing but great things to say about these books. The presentation of this new volume is great as always (with a surprise of Pig Pen making the cover). If you have read Peanuts strip books over the years, a lot more of these strips are going to be familiar to you than the previous two books as many of these strips have been published many times over the years. But there are still plenty of strips that you probably haven't seen in this book that should bring a smile to your face.You'll see in this book Linus mature from a toddler to the well-spoken and intelligent character he was for the strips 40+ remaining years. Snoopy truly becomes "Snoopy" with his thought balloons and imagination taking over (the imitations of Violet, Lucy, a moose and Mickey Mouse are dead on). Schroeder assumes the straight man role from Shermy, whose role is significantly reduced in these two years. Lucy becomes the world champion fussbudget (with an impressive library of books on fussing for research). Charlie Brown becomes Charlie Brownier as his losing ways magnify during this time (with the highlight being Lucy's first pulling of the football strip).As with the previous volumes, there are some strips presented of lower quality due to the fact the publishers haven't been able to find good qulity strips for reproduction. I can live with this so long as they have something.My only complaint about the series is that two volumes a year just isn't fast enough! That will mean the last volume will be published in the spring of 2016!On a final note, to the first reviewer, I did read somewhere that there is a good chance there will be a box set that will contain this volume plus the fourth volume to be published in the fall, so keep checking Amazon (it isn't listed now).

I'm going through all complete Peanuts volumes and this is the volume where Peanuts gets really good. Love it!

Another great collection. It is nice to know that no matter how crazy the world gets Charlie Brown and the Peanuts will always be there to brighten my day.Lucy is still the world's greatest fussbudget and Linus clings to his blanket, and Schroeder plays his piano. Charlie Brown still wishes for a friend and Snoopy the greatest dog ever gets better and better.I can't wait to continue my journey through this timeless comic strip.

I received it in the mail before the due date. I have 4 other volumes like this one. Everyone of them have been a joy to read. The pages are high quality,the bindings are good. I really like the 2 volume sets. They are worth the money. One day I will pass them along to my great-neice. I may one day have all 26 volumes.

With this volume of Peanuts the classic characters are on the road to full realization: Charlie Brown is now a chronic loser, Lucy has assumed her role as fuss-budget in chief, Snoopy's fantasy world is taking shape, and Linus is a philosopher in training with security blanket in tow. I'm particularly glad to see Pig Pen is so prominent as he is one of my favorite characters, sadly neglected in the last couple of decades.As always, one of the most interesting aspects of this Peanuts volume is the references to events which were current at the time the strips were first printed. You get the flavor of the mid 1950s and a sense of fads and fancies coming and going, for example, the strips when all the boys are wearing coonskin caps, and then a few weeks later, Charlie Brown asks "Whatever happened to Davy Crockett?"

Third volume in the series of hardback books which collect the classic cartoon strip Peanuts. Featuring Charlie Brown and Snoopy et al.This follows the usual format of these. In that it has two whole years worth of the cartoons in them. In this case Peanuts from 1955 and 1956. There are six daily strips in a row, then a full page sunday one.There is an introduction from a famous person - in this case Simpsons creator Matt Groening - then the strips, dated at the foot of the page by year and month. Then an overview of the work of Peanuts creator Charles Schulz in two pages. The same one of these is in every volume. Followed by an index.Over the course of the two years worth of Peanuts in here, there's an interesting evolution on show. There are no new cast members, although the recently introduced character Charlotte Braun makes a handful of appearances then is never seen again. Linus can now walk and talk. And gradually, familiar Peanuts things such as Lucy pulling the football away, and Snoopy getting up to all sorts, come in. The art evolves as well, and they stop looking quite so young as they did in earlier volumes. When you have finished this one, go back to the start and you will be startled by how much the drawing of Snoopy comes along over the course of these two years.As with volume two, Lucy and Linus tend to get more and more to do, and Shermy rather gets squeezed out. Since he doesn't really have any comic characteristics, he only pops up occasionally as a straightman to Charlie Brown.Also as with other volumes, you see the birth of Peanuts series - strips that carried a storyline along - as some jokes run for a few days.Another great volume in a series that does these strips justice. And another well worth five stars.

La migliore pubblicazione delle opere di schultz che abbia incontrato fino ad oggi: completa, in ordine cronologico, molto curata. Anche il prezzo è buono rapportato alla consistenza del volume (oltre 300 pagine). Attenzione in inglese

It's Peanuts by Schulz. Nuff said

Ich bin seit meinr Kindheit ein Fan von Peanuts! Da ich so viele Geschichte in einem Buch bekommen ist toll!

PEANUTS全集も3巻目です。連載開始から変化してきた絵柄はようやく安定してきたのがはっきりします。登場人物もほぼ固定し、内容的にはあまり変化が無いように見えますがそれでもいくつかの重大な変化も起こっています。まず、ライナスはハイハイを卒業して二足歩行を始めます。普通にしゃべるようにもなり、チャーリー・ブラウンの良い友人になりました。スヌーピーはまだ二足歩行こそしていませんが、後脚で立ってダンスをする姿を見せるようになります。また、犬小屋の上での仰向け寝もまだ登場していませんが、シュローダーのピアノの上に仰向けに寝そべるシーンがあります。一方でこの巻では鳥が1回しか登場しません。ウッドストックへの道はまだまだ遠いようです。このように変化が無いように見えても、実はゆっくりとした進化が続いているのです。これまではPEANUTSの歴史を検証するのは少々難しいことでしたが、この全集によって時系列的な研究も存分にできるようになりました。マニアなら手元に置いておきたくなる本です。がんばって全巻そろえましょう！