Cartoonists across the nation are celebrating the 100th birthday of 鈥淧eanuts鈥� creator Charles M. Schulz as only they can 鈥� with cartoons.
More than 75 syndicated cartoonists have tucked tributes, Easter eggs and references to 鈥淧eanuts鈥� in Saturday鈥檚 funny papers to honor the creator of Charlie Brown, Snoopy and company.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a tribute to probably the world鈥檚 greatest cartoonist,鈥� said cartoonist Patrick McDonnell, who creates the daily strip for 700 newspapers. 鈥淎fter 鈥楶eanuts,鈥� the cartoon world changed. I think most working cartoonists today would say he was the inspiration for them to become cartoonists.鈥�
The list of participating strips ranges from 鈥淏.C,鈥� 鈥淒ennis the Menace鈥� and 鈥淩hymes With Orange鈥� to 鈥淶ippy the Pinhead鈥� and 鈥淶its.鈥� Each artist was encouraged to come up with their own way to honor Schulz, who was known as 鈥淪parky.鈥�
John Kovaleski, who draws has drawn the strip鈥檚 father, Paul, and infant, Angus, discussing 鈥淧eanuts鈥� on an opened newspaper. 鈥淏a ba?鈥� asks the baby. To which dad replies: 鈥淭hat鈥檚 鈥楶eanuts鈥� by Charles M. Schulz. He revolutionized the comics page by adding depth and character and emotion.鈥�
John Hambrock, creator of 鈥淭he Brilliant Mind of Edison Lee,鈥� drew a visit from World War I pilot Snoopy in his strip and Edison asking his dad for 鈥渆xtra aviation fuel.鈥� The cartoonist has also decorated the family home with framed images of Charlie Brown and Lucy.
鈥淲e left it all up to them. Cartoonists are creative people. When you have a daily deadline, you need to have ideas come to you,鈥� said McDonnell. 鈥淚 think people enjoyed the challenge of coming up with something to express their love and admiration for that guy.鈥�
McDonnell, who is a member of the board of directors of the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center, dreamed up the tribute and he and 鈥淛umpStart鈥� cartoonist Robb Armstrong contacted the various cartoon syndicates with their plan.
鈥淚鈥檓 pretty confident that when you open the newspaper that morning, the whole comic page is going to be a tribute to Sparky,鈥� said McDonnell. 鈥淚鈥檓 personally looking forward to the surprise that Saturday to see what people did.鈥�
For his tribute, McDonnell repaid a kindness Schulz gave him. In a 鈥淧eanuts鈥� strip from 1999, Schulz drew his cartoon boys and girls visiting a museum and Rerun off on the side looking up with respect at a painting of the dog Earl from 鈥淢utts.鈥�
A framed copy of that strip hangs proudly over McDonnell鈥檚 drawing table: 鈥淚 look at it every day and think of what a wonderful gesture that was and what a wonderful man and what a wonderful comic strip.鈥�
So, in return, this Saturday, readers of 鈥淢耻迟迟蝉鈥� will see Earl at a museum looking up fondly 鈥� his little tail wagging 鈥� at a framed image of Snoopy. 鈥淢ines pretty personal,鈥� McDonnell said.
鈥淧eanuts鈥� made its debut Oct. 2, 1950. The travails of the 鈥渓ittle round-headed kid鈥� Charlie Brown and his pals eventually ran in more than 2,600 newspapers, reaching millions of readers in 75 countries.
The strip offered enduring images of kites in trees, Charlie Brown trying to kick a football, tart-tongued Lucy handing out advice for a nickel at what looked like a lemonade stand and Snoopy taking the occasional flight of fancy to the skies. Phrases such as 鈥渟ecurity blanket鈥� and 鈥済ood grief鈥� are a part of the global vernacular. Schulz died in 2000.
鈥溾�橮eanuts鈥� was everything. I read 鈥楶eanuts鈥� books every night, and I wanted to be a cartoonist because of that since I was 4. To actually have my own little cartoon character in 鈥楶eanuts鈥� 鈥� it still boggles,鈥� said McDonnell. 鈥淓very morning I look at it and I still can鈥檛 believe it happened.鈥�
鈥擬ark Kennedy, The Associated Press
