The first Peanuts comic strip by Charles Schulz ran on October 2, 1950. Its punchline was surprisingly cruel: as Charlie Brown walks by, a character named Shermy says, “Here comes ol’ Charlie Brown. Good ol’ Charlie Brown… How I hate him!” The strip also introduced Shermy and Patty, who later faded from the comic.
Schulz quickly softened the strip’s meanness, but its first two years remained odd and subversive. Peanuts went on to become a global favourite, full of music, morals and gentle wisdom. After decades of family-friendly specials, it is easy to forget how sharp and mean the very first strips could be.
It is a reminder that one of the world’s most beloved comics started with an unexpectedly mean joke.

The first Peanuts comic strip by Charles Schulz ran on October 2, 1950. Its punchline was surprisingly cruel: as Charlie Brown walks by, a character named Shermy says, “Here comes ol’ Charlie Brown. Good ol’ Charlie Brown… How I hate him!” The strip also introduced Shermy and Patty, who later faded from the comic.

Schulz quickly softened the strip’s meanness, but its first two years remained odd and subversive. Peanuts went on to become a global favourite, full of music, morals and gentle wisdom. After decades of family-friendly specials, it is easy to forget how sharp and mean the very first strips could be.

It is a reminder that one of the world’s most beloved comics started with an unexpectedly mean joke.

📰 Source: News Source
polygon.com ↗
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