The beautiful cover to this issue shows Snoopy painting a Chinese Dragon. It’s eye catching, brilliant, and funny. Snoopy smiles at his accomplishment while positioned at the bottom corner of the panel. Here’s the blend of the Schulz cartoon strip with traditional art styling, and that’s also a brilliant metaphor of the entire book. Peanuts continues Schulz’s legacy with touching and funny comic episodes that don’t deviate one bit from the poignant, philosophical, and entertaining formula started by the strip’s creator. The opening story sees Woodstock dealing with his loneliness by building some snowmen friends. Marcy gets the best line to conclude this great winter tale. Classic comic strips also pop up as a sorbet for the longer tales. In one, Woodstock and Snoopy show their appreciation for football. Then, Linus and Lucy take a moment to discuss life. In “Press Here”, Charlie Brown visits Lucy’s Psychology stand to get some ideas on how to be a great journalist. Snoopy then reappears on his Sopwith Camel to lock horns with the Red Baron before taking on a car racing adventure in “Joe Stockcar.” After some more classic comic strips, Snoopy must deal with Lucy’s overbearing nature.
These tales are innocent and fun. I found myself smiling with a wide grin reading each one of these tales—old and new—in this monthly book. Kaboom! has done an amazing job of keeping the tradition of Charlie Brown as close to Schulz original vision. This is an outstanding all-ages book.
Score: 4/5
Writers: Various Artists: Various Publisher: KaBoom/Boom Studios Price: $3.99 Release Date: 1/22/14