The Complete Peanuts 1975-1976 (Vol. 13) (The Complete Peanuts) [Hardcover]

Charles M. Schulz (Author), Robert Smigel (Introduction), Seth (Cover Design)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 20, 2010 | Series: The Complete Peanuts

Good grief, Charlie Brown, we’re halfway there! Two more years of classic Peanuts from the ’70s!

That’s right! With this volume, The Complete Peanuts reaches the halfway point of Charles M. Schulz’s astounding half-century run on the greatest comic strip of all time.

These years are especially fecund in terms of new canine characters, as Snoopy is joined by his wandering brother Spike (from Needles), his beloved sister Belle (from Kansas City), and... did you know he had a nephew? In other beagle news, Snoopy breaks his foot and spends six weeks in a cast, deals with his friend Woodstock’s case of the “the vapors,” and gets involved in a heated love triangle with Linus over the girl “Truffles.”

The Complete Peanuts 1975-1976 features several other long stories, including a rare “double track” sequence with two parallel narratives: Peppermint Patty and Snoopy travel to participate in the Powderpuff Derby, while Charlie Brown finally gets to meet his idol Joe Shlabotnik. And Peppermint Patty switches to a private school, but commits the mistake of allowing Snoopy to pick it for her; only after graduation does she realize something’s not quite right!

Plus: A burglary at Peppermint Patty’s house is exacerbated by waterbed problems... Marcie acquires an unwanted suitor... Charlie Brown and Peppermint Patty become desk partners... The talking school building collapses... Lots of tennis jokes... and gags starring Schroeder, Lucy, Franklin, Rerun, Sally, and that vicious cat next door. It’s another two years of Peanuts at its finest! Featuring an introduction by comedian Robert Smigel (Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, Saturday Night Live). 730 black-and-white comic strips

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The complete Peanuts project reaches the halfway point with these 1975–76 strips attesting the timelessness of Schulz’s humor, despite the occasional topical note, as when Sally brings her pet rock to show and tell, and Lucy gives Schroeder Elton John glasses for Beethoven’s birthday. Comedy writer Robert Smigel observes in the introduction that these episodes are more absurd than what Schulz produced just a few years earlier. Even at its most extreme, such as when Peppermint Patty enrolls in a dog-obedience school after being given a brochure by Snoopy, the comedy remains warmly rooted in the characters’ endearing foibles. --Gordon Flagg

Review

Reading [Schulz's] wonderful comics is enjoyable and comfortable, sort of like wearing a worn, favorite sweater. …The Complete Peanuts 1975-1976 is a humorous, welcome reprieve from a stressful, often screwed up, world. Thanks Mr. Schulz! (Glenn Perrett - Simcoe.com )

The Complete Peanuts 1975-1976 comes out in March, meaning we'll be halfway through this amazing, historical publication. I can't say enough about these collections. It's not only remarkable in its simple, truthful capturing of the human condition, but a beautiful historical document of the second half of the 20th Century. (Rob Kozlowski )

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 344 pages
• Publisher: Fantagraphics Books (April 20, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1606993453
• ISBN-13: 978-1606993453
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 8.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #450,121 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "That's the 1st time anybody's told me I have cute steps!", May 31, 2010

By 

take403 - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Complete Peanuts 1975-1976 (Vol. 13) (The Complete Peanuts) (Hardcover)

This collection is probably the most familiar as far as remembering when the cartoons came fresh from the newspaper. It starts off with Charlie Brown wishing Lucy a happy New Year. "I'm not finished with the LAST year!" she protests (Wait until you're older, Lucy! Those years are gonna go even faster!). Snoopy finds out quickly that others like Lucy and Violet don't care to skate with him (he gets his hat pulled various ways!). One of the funniest stories involved Peppermint Patty (she was always my favorite female character in Peanuts and I don't care if you hate her or not) falling asleep in class and asking Snoopy to watch the house (he does, but her house gets robbed and since Snoopy is stuck on the water bed he can't do much!). Schroeder gets a pair of Elton John glasses for Beethoven's birthday. One time, Lucy asks her would-be "boyfriend" who he thinks is better- Elton John or Beethoven (the result- first prize for the dumbest question!). We also get to meet Snoopy's brother Spike and Truffles, who Linus meets while hunting truffles (he falls in love with Miss Truffles but alas, so does Snoopy- and you can guess which one wins!). Charlie Brown and Peppermint Patty have to share a desk since there's a shortage (hence the name of the Peanuts Parade book "Don't Hassle Me With Your Sighs, Chuck comes here). Further evidence that the dim-witted female athlete has a crush on her Chuck. Linus' toast burns and he tries to share it with fussy Woodstock who doesn't appreciate burnt toast much! Charlie Brown's pitching mound is slowly sinking since others are borrowing soil from it (he finally says enough is enough and demands it back to normal!). Sally compliments her school and tells it "You have cute steps," which is the 1st time the school ever got a compliment like that! As others have noted, we're at the halfway point of Peanuts so get yours now!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What do you consider a day not wasted?, April 1, 2011

By 

Johnny Heering "trivia buff" (Bethel, CT United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Peanuts 1975-1976 (Vol. 13) (The Complete Peanuts) (Hardcover)

Here we have the 13th volume in Fantagraphics series of books reprinting the entire run of Peanuts, covering 1975 and 1976. This is one of the greatest comic strips of all time. The most notable characters introduced this time around are Snoopy's brother Spike and his sister Belle. If you are a Peanuts fan, you need this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully funny., May 7, 2010

By 

Robert Busko (North Carolina) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Complete Peanuts 1975-1976 (Vol. 13) (The Complete Peanuts) (Hardcover)

Volume 13 of The Complete Peanuts (1975-1976) continues the unmatched genius of Charles Schulz. Yes there is some silliness in this volume, and yes some of the characters are clueless and seem to lack all common sense, but this is COMIC strip, and comedy it delivers. Where else will you see a dog ice skate? A talking school building isn't beyond the realm of possibilities in that world.

One of the fascinations of this whole series is how reading the strips volume by volume can transport me back in time. Early on, Charles Schulz really didn't comment much of the American culture of the time with the exception of sports references here and there. At this point in his career, Schulz is including lots of little observations about life as we knew it at the time. For example, in Volume 13, reference is made to the "pet rock" and the "mood ring" both of which were huge cultural phenomenon at the time. Also the love affair Americans had with tennis is demonstrated throughout this volume. However, the decline in morals, which had started at this time isn't mentioned.

The characters continue their development under our watchful eyes. Charlie Brown is even more insecure than before if you can believe that.

I am constantly taken back to what I was doing when these particular panels were appearing in the daily paper. Thank you Charles Schulz for the stroll down memory lane and for creating these tidbits of sanity and silliness for us.

I highly recommend.