THE COMPLETE PEANUTS
BY CHARLES M. SCHULZ
vol. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 &10 now in stock!
(and don't forget the BOX SETS!)
The Complete Peanuts:
Volume One - 1950 to 1952
by Charles M. Schulz
Introduction by Garrison KeillorHardcover, 320 pages, 8 1/2" x 7"
retail price - $28.95@
Volume# 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
copacetic price - $25.00@ordering info
Peanuts, the most popular newspaper comic strip of all time, is now being collected, in its entirety, in chronological order, by independent comics publisher, Fantagraphics. This first volume is of extra special note as many of the strips it contains have never before been reprinted. Starting at the beginning -- Monday, October 2, 1950 -- with the first ever Peanuts strip -- the strip was daily-only (Monday through Saturday) until 1952, when a Sunday page was added on January 6 -- this volume continues all the way through to December 31, 1952, and contains the introductions of practically all the characters that were to populate the strip for the next 50 years. There are many surprises along the way, such as seeing Lucy as well as Schroeder starting out as babies! For readers unfamiliar with the early years of Peanuts, most surprising will be the edge of anger that lies just below the surface of many of these early strips (it may be for this reason that Schulz resisted their being reprinted in his lifetime). It is Schulz's working through this anger to the peace of acceptance that is a key component of the lasting appeal and value of Peanuts. And there's more: This volume contains, in addition, a 13 page biographical essay on Schulz by David Michaelis, a 34 page interview with Charles Schulz, conducted in 1987 by Rick Marschall, and, amazingly, an index of characters, themes, cultural references -- such as, for example, comic books, golf, and dads -- historical figures mentioned in strips, and such priceless bits as "Charlie Brown: football pulled away by Lucy for the first time" (page 268) AND "Charlie Brown: football pulled away for the first time, by Violet (page 117)," that is a true treasure trove for Peanuts fans and cultural historians alike. All of this is nicely put together in a package designed by Seth that is a subtle yet evocative homage to midwest milieu that inspired Schulz. We should all be thankful that Fantagraphics was put in charge of this project and that they have lavished it with the devotion that it deserves. This marks the beginning of what is, surely, the highest profile classic comic strip publishing project of all time.
retail price - $28.95@ copacetic price - $25.00@
ordering info
also in stock
The Complete Peanuts: Volume Two - 1953 to 1954
by Charles M. Schulz
Introduction by Walter CronkiteThe second volume is packed with intriguing developments, as Schulz continues to create his tender and comic universe. It begins with Peanuts’ third full year and a cast of eight: Charlie Brown, Shermy, Patty, Violet, Schroeder, Lucy, the recently-born Linus, and Snoopy. By the end of 1954, Pigpen and his dust cloud join the crowd. Linus, who still doesn’t speak, begins to emerge as one of the most complex and endearing characters in the strip: garrulous and inquisitive yet gentle and tolerant. And, in this volume, he acquires his security blanket! Charlie Brown is becoming his best-known self, the lovable, perpetually-humiliated round-headed loser, but he hasn’t yet abandoned his brasher, prankish behavior from Volume One. And, Lucy, this book’s cover girl, has grown up and forcefully elbowed her way to the center of the action, proudly wearing her banner as a troublemaker, or, in Schulz’s memorable phrase, a “fussbudget”. For readers unfamiliar with the early years of the strip, Snoopy’s appearances here may come as the biggest surprise: he behaves, for the most part, like a dog! But, although he doesn’t yet walk upright, sleep on top of his doghouse, or possess a fantasy life, Snoopy has started thinking for himself and his evolution continues its fascinating course within these pages. If you watch carefully, you’ll catch his very first shark impression. The vast majority of the daily and Sunday strips collected here are not currently available in any in-print Peanuts collection. Dozens of them have not been reprinted since their initial appearance in newspapers over 50 years ago.
retail price - $28.95 copacetic price - $25.00
The Complete Peanuts: Volume Three - 1955 to 1956
by Charles M. Schulz
introduction by Matt Groening
Here it is: The third volume of the most sought after comic strip collection of all time is now on the Copacetic shelves. Two complete years -- every daily, every Sunday; 731 strips in all, every one a gem -- in one deluxe hardcover volume.
retail price - $28.95 copacetic price - $25.00
The Complete Peanuts: Volume Four - 1957 to 1958
by Charles M. Schulz
introduction by Jonathan Franzen
The latest volume in this amazing series is now in stock! What can we say? This is the Golden Age of Peanuts where every strip is a mini-masterpiece; it simply doesn't get any better than this. You'll want to take your time and savor every single strip in this volume. As Jonathan Franzen astutely points out in his excellent introduction -- the best in the series so far -- this volume covers the period where Snoopy really starts to come into his own. (If you haven't already, we urge you to read Franzen's excellent piece on Peanuts that appeared in The New Yorker.) As with all previous volumes in this series, the reproduction quality of each individual strip is excellent as is the overall production of the book itself. A treasure!
Buy it. Read it. Enjoy it. And receive the security of knowing that the soothing balm of Charles Schulz's Peanuts will always be there resting on your bookshelf whenever you need it.
retail price - $28.95 copacetic price - $25.00
The Complete Peanuts Volume Five: 1959 - 1960
by Charles M. Schulz
introduction by Whoopi Goldberg
And, finally: It's here: the stunning crescendo to the first decade of Peanuts finds Schulz at the top of his game. Lucy sets up her booth and offers her first five-cent psychiatric counsel. (Her advice to a forlorn Charlie Brown: “Get over it.”) For the very first time, Linus spends all night in the pumpkin patch on his lonely vigil for the Great Pumpkin (although he laments that he was a victim of “false doctrine,” he’s back 12 months later). Linus also gets into repeated, and visually explosive, scuffles with a blanket-stealing Snoopy, suffers the first depredations of his blanket-hating grandmother, and falls in love with his new teacher Miss Othmar. Even more importantly, several years after the last addition to the cast (“Pig-Pen”), Charlie Brown’s sister Sally makes her appearance – first as an (off-panel) brand new baby for Charlie to gush over, then as a toddler and eventually a real, talking, thinking cast member. (By the end of this volume, she’ll already start developing her crush on Linus.). All this, and one of the most famous Peanuts strips ever: “Happiness is a warm puppy.”Page after page of perfection.
retail price - $28.95 copacetic price - $25.00
The Complete Peanuts, Volume 6: 1961 - 1962
by Charles M. Schulz
introduction by Diana Krall
Really, what can we possibly say to further burnish the legend of Charles Schlulz's Peanuts? This volume continues the luxurious stroll through the golden years of wonder and greatness where every strip -- many of which have never before been collected -- is a masterpiece.
retail price - $28.95 copacetic price - $25.00
The Complete Peanuts, Volume 7: 1963 - 1964
by Charles M. Schulz
introduction by Bill Melendez
Starting off with a heartfelt reminiscence by Melendez, whose 40-year collaboration with Schulz brought Charlie Brown & Co. to life in the classic (and, we all have to admit, not-so-classic) TV and film adaptations of Peanuts -- fifty in all, according to Melendez -- this volume heads right into two more years of non-stop classics. The little red-haired girl, the Great Pumpkin, baseball, school, hope, despair and everything else -- it's all here. A special highlight is the appearance of several never-before-collected longer stories including Linus's ill-fated run for school president and Snoopy's traumatic stay at the hospital. Enjoy!
retail price - $28.95 copacetic price - $25.00
The Complete Peanuts, Volume 8: 1965-1966
by Charles M. Schulz
introduction by Hal Hartley (!)
Yes, the glory days of Peanuts roll on, one perfect strip after another. The highlights this time around include the first Snoopy "dogfights" with The Red Baron as well as his first forays into writing (you remember: "It was a dark and stormy night...") as well as the first appearance of Peppermint Patty. This volume's introduction, by one of our favorite contemporary film makers, Hal Hartley (Henry Fool, Fay Grim, etc.), provides further proof of just how pervasive the influence of Peanuts truly was, and is. (P.S. -- the background cover color on the actual book is green, not blue as in the image above)
retail price - $28.95 copacetic price - $25.00
The Complete Peanuts, Volume 9: 1967-68
by Charles M. Schulz
introduction by John Waters(!)
Well, this time around the wonderful world of Peanuts we have 1967 & 1968, two of the most pivotal years in American history, the apogee of "the sixties." The events of these years continue to resonate strongly today, bringing to the fore much of the culture clash that defines our own era. Now's your chance to (re)experience Charlie Brown & Co.'s take on it all. John Waters turns in a surprisingly heartfelt introduction wherein he reveals Lucy as his personal patron Peanut, providing yet another perspective from which to view his films. Firsts on hand in this volume include the introduction of the strip's first African-American, Franklin, along with the less well remembered José Rodriguez. There's plenty more we could say, but really, there's no need: it's Peanuts, it's all good.
retail price - $28.95 copacetic price - $25.00
The Complete Peanuts, Volume 10: 1969-1970
by Charles M. Schulz
Yep, the ongoing Fantagraphics project to collect the entire fifty-year run of the one and only Peanuts has now reached the twenty-year mark. When this series first got underway it seemed a daunting task to collect a fifty year run, but here we are already with twenty years under our belts. This time around, Snoopy takes center stage; these are the years that cemented his star status, during which his popularity at times eclipsed even that of Charlie Brown himself. This volume also marks the full fledged introduction of Woodstock as a Peanuts regular. While he made a few brief appearances in 1967 as "a bird hippie," he became a regular in 1969, and was finally dubbed "Woodstock" on June 22, 1970 (a fact easily determined by consulting the thorough index that appends each and every volume in this series -- a unique feature that we continue to applaud Fantagraphics for instituting).
retail price - $28.95 copacetic price - $25.00
Volume # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
ordering info
and, don't forget the box sets:
The Complete Peanuts Gift Box: 1950 - 1954
What this is, exactly, is an illustrated and quite sturdy slip-cover containing both volume one and volume two of the Fantagraphics edition of The Complete Peanuts. Make no mistake: these are the exact same books that you would purchase indivudually and that are priced at $28.95 each. Now you can get the first two volumes and a snazzy slipcase and save on the bargain, to boot. This item is pretty much a guaranteed success story as a holiday gift -- as it is obviously intended to be. If, however, you already purchased the first volume, and are now experiencing angst-ridden envy at the thought of missing out on this cool slipcase -- don't! You can still buy this, place your original copy of the first volume in the slipcase, and then give the first volume as a gift; thereby creating a win-win situation.
retail price - $49.95 copacetic price - $44.44
ordering info
The Complete Peanuts Box Set 2: 1955 - 1958
If you don't already have the third volume and/or you're looking for an ideal gift for the Peanuts fan, this deluxe slip-covered box set is a terrific value. It contains a copy of both Volume Three and Volume Four (these are the exact same editions as of those copies sold indivdually) of The Fantagraphics Books edition of the Complete Collected Peanuts, collecting every daily and Sunday strip from the years 1955 through 1958 -- 1,461 strips in all. The spiffy -- and heavy duty -- slipcase is a perfect fit and is designed for years of use by series designer, Seth. All this for significantly less than just the two volumes by themselves. A great value, and now in stock!
retail price - $49.95
and now:
copacetic price - $44.44
The Complete Peanuts, Box Set 3: 1959 - 1962
by Charles M. Schulz
This box set contains Volume 5 and Volume 6 of the Complete Peanuts, both encased in a heavy-duty illustrated slipcase by series designer, Seth. All for one amazing low price. The perfect gift? Yes.
retail price - $49.95 copacetic price - $44.44
The Complete Peanuts Gift Box Set: 1963 - 1966
This box set contains Volume 7 and Volume 8 of the Complete Peanuts, both encased in a heavy-duty illustrated slipcase by series designer, Seth, for a price that can't be beat. (As much as we hate to be the one to break it to you, we have to tell you that the annual release of the Complete Peanuts Gift Box Set signals the beginning of the Christmas Parade. It's almost a month earlier than last year [which was, in turn, almost a month earlier than the year before that -- we shudder at what this might portend]. In a Farmer's Almanac sort of way, it may mean an especially bountiful Christmas comics cavalcade may be in the making. Only time will tell, of course...)
retail price - $49.95 copacetic price - $44.44
The Complete Peanuts Box Set 5: 1967-70
by Charles M. Schulz
And, for those of you who wait for the annual box set, your wait is over, for it, too, has arrived. As always, it contains the two volumes released individually during the year -- these are the exact same volumes, identical in every way -- enclosed in a sturdy and attractive slipcase, yet priced substantially less. Another true value!
retail price - $49.99 copacetic price - $44.44
Box Set# 1 (1950 - 1954) 2 (1955 - 1958) 3 (1959 - 1962) 4 (1963 - 1966) 5 (1967 - 1970)
Fantagraphics also sez:Seattle, WA, 10/13/03 — 50 years of art. 25 books. Two books per year for 12 1/2 years. Fantagraphics Books is proud to announce the most eagerly-awaited and ambitious publishing project in the history of the American comic strip: the complete reprinting of CHARLES M. SCHULZ’s classic, PEANUTS. Considered to be one of the most popular comic strips in the history of the world, PEANUTS will be, for the first time, collected in its entirety and published, beginning in May, 2004 Fantagraphics will launch THE COMPLETE PEANUTS in a series designed by the cartoonist SETH (Palookaville, It’s A Good Life If You Don’t Weaken) and produced in full cooperation with United Media, Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates, and Mr. Schulz’s widow, Jean Schulz.
Fantagraphics Books co-publisher Gary Groth said that publishing THE COMPLETE PEANUTS represented the apex of the company’s 27-year commitment to publishing the best cartooning in the world. “PEANUTS is a towering achievement in the history of comics,” said Groth. “I can’t think of a better way to honor Schulz’s artistic legacy than to make his oeuvre available to the public in a beautifully designed format that reflects the integrity of the work itself.”
The genesis of the project began in 1997 when Fantagraphics publisher Gary Groth approached Charles Schulz with the proposition of publishing PEANUTS in its entirety. After Schulz’s death in January, 2000, Groth continued discussing the project with Schulz’s widow, Jean Schulz. “It’s safe to say that this project wouldn’t have happened if Jean Schulz weren’t as enthusiastic and supportive as she’s been,” said Groth. Added Jean Schulz: “This seemed like an impossible project, considering all the ‘lost’ strips, but Gary’s determination never flagged, and we are so happy with the aesthetic sensibility of the Fantagraphics team.”
“It’s a genuine honor to be designing these Schulz collections,” said Seth, who went on to describe the premise underlying his design for the series: “I want to emphasize the sophistication of Schulz’s work by creating a package that is both austere and direct. I would like to try to reflect the quiet and melancholy of the strip in a package that hopefully, shows the proper amount of respect for Mr. Schulz. Undoubtedly, PEANUTS is a great newspaper strip and I am humbled and gratified to help steward this complete strip compilation into the world.”
Each volume in the series will run approximately 320 pages in a 8 1/2” x 7” hardcover format, presenting two years of strips along with supplementary material. The series will present the entire run in chronological order, dailies and Sundays. Since the strip began in late 1950, the first volume will include all the strips from 1950, 1951, and 1952, but subsequent volumes will each comprise exactly two years. Dailies will run three to a page, while Sunday strips will each take up a full page and be printed in black-and-white.
This first volume, covering the first two and a quarter years of the strip, will be of particular fascination to PEANUTS aficionados worldwide: Although there have been literally hundreds of PEANUTS books published, many of the strips from the series’ first two or three years have never been collected before — in large part because they showed a young Schulz working out the kinks in his new strip and include some characterizations and designs that are quite different from the cast we’re all familiar with. (Among other things, three major cast members — Schroeder, Lucy, and Linus — initially show up as infants and only “grow” into their final “mature” selves as the months go by. Even Snoopy debuts as a puppy!) Thus THE COMPLETE PEANUTS offers a unique chance to see a master of the artform refine his skills and solidify his universe, day by day, week by week, month by month.
PEANUTS is one of the most successful comic strips in the history of the medium as well as one of the most acclaimed strips ever published. (In 1999, a jury of comics scholars and critics voted it the 2nd greatest comic strip of the 20th century — second only to George Herriman’s Krazy Kat, a verdict Schulz himself cheerfully endorsed.) Charles Schulz’s characters — Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus, Schroeder, and so many more — have become American icons. A poll in 2002 found Peanuts to be one of the most recognizable cartoon properties in the world, recognized by 94 percent of the total U.S. consumer market and a close second only to Mickey Mouse (96 percent), and higher than other familiar cartoon properties like Spider-Man (75 percent) or the Simpsons (87 percent). In T.V. Guide’s “Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All-Time” list, Charlie Brown and Snoopy ranked #8.
THE COMPLETE PEANUTS will be supported with an ambitious advertising and promotional campaign, including public appearances by Jean Schulz to support the series.
Here's the first ever Peanuts strip:
ABOUT THE PUBLISHER
FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS has been the leading proponent of comics and cartooning as legitimate forms of art and literature since it began publishing the critical trade magazine The Comics Journal in 1976. Since then, the company has been at the forefront of the burgeoning movement to establish comics as a medium as eloquent and expressive as the more established popular arts of film, literature, poetry, et al. As we begin the 21st Century, comics are finally cemented as a legitimate form of expression, even though this was largely unheard of when Fantagraphics began publishing the works of Daniel Clowes, Joe Sacco, Chris Ware, R. Crumb, Gilbert Hernandez, Jaime Hernandez, Jim Woodring, Jules Feiffer, and so many others; perhaps that’s one reason Fantagraphics was named one of the top five most influential publishers in the history of comics in a recent poll by an industry trade newspaper. The company was the only independent publisher on the list, and the only contemporary publisher named alongside corporate behemoths Marvel and DC.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Seth has been regarded as one of North America’s finest cartoonists for over 10 years. His comic book series Palookaville and graphic novel It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken are regarded as modern classics of the form. Born Gregory Gallant on September 16th, 1962 in Clinton, a small town in south Ontario, Seth is an emotional observer, deeply moved by the forgotten details of everyday life. A fan of PEANUTS since childhood, Seth attended the Ontario College of Art in Toronto in the early 1980s. While at school he discovered the provocative work of the underground comix generation and the cool, wry wit of the great mid-century New Yorker cartoonists. Drawing deeply from this disparate group of inspirations Seth has distilled one of the most distinctive and recognizable illustrating styles of the past decade and his sophisticated style has been sought by The Washington Post, Details, National Post, Spin, The New York Times, Saturday Night, and the New Yorker. His books have been translated and published in German, Dutch, French, Spanish and Italian. Seth lives in Guelph, Ontario with five cats, a huge collection of vintage records, comic books, 20th Century Canadiana, and a very patient wife indeed.
ABOUT UNITED MEDIA
PEANUTS is licensed and syndicated by United Media. United Media (UM) is a worldwide licensing and syndication company that focuses on building brand equity around a wide range of creative content. The company recently partnered with Marc Brown Studios to represent the award winning PBS series Arthur. It also collaborated with fellow E.W., Scripps Company, the Food Network, to build an all-new licensing programming featuring the popular cable channel. UM Licenses and/or syndicates other properties, including Precious Moments, Dilbert, the Copyrights at United Media portfolio (The World of Beatrix Potter, Paddington Bear, etc.) Raggedy Ann & Andy, Dilbert, 2GRRRLS, Nancy and Sluggo, MIFFY, and Rainbow Fish. United Media is an E.W. Scripps Company.
ABOUT CHARLES M. SCHULZ CREATIVE ASSOCIATES
Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates was established by Charles M. Schulz to oversee the creative and business management of Peanuts worldwide licensing programs, in conjunction with United Feature Syndicate. Creative Associates provides creative art direction to over 900 Peanuts worldwide licensees and processes over 24,000 product approvals each year. Creative Associates is located in Santa Rosa, where Charles M. Schulz maintained his studio, the Redwood Empire Ice Arena (“Snoopy’s Home Ice”), and Snoopy’s Gallery and Gift Shop. In August, the new Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center celebrated its one-year anniversary.
