Today,I have a very special guest post,a review of KaBoom Comics' new line of Peanuts comic books,based upon the classic strip by Charles Schulz.
My sister Stephanie O'Donnell,a graphic artist whose work can be seen in Greg Carter's Perfect Agent action adventure series(as well as the cover art for my first ebook,The Hench Woman's Handbook),considers Peanuts to be one of her major influences and her take on this latest adaptation is aimed at fans and newcomers alike:
"Peanuts" is back in comic book form once again, thanks to Boom! Studios' subsidiary for kiddie titles, KaBoom!. It stays true to the earlier days' humor in a longer format. Lucy is just as much of a fussbudget as she was 50+ years ago. Charlie Brown is still a lovable loser, and Linus holds on literally and figuratively to his blanket fixation.
The best part of it for me was to kind of relive my childhood through this recent incarnation. I'm an avid collector of Peanuts memorabilia, especially the old trade paperbacks. This makes for a nice addition to my collection. The artwork is crisp and faithful to the originals. There's even a "How To Draw" section with Lucy instructing the reader on how to recreate Charlie Brown, all the while mocking him in her usual fashion:
The formatting is not all that different from the maximum four panel fare, just presented in a larger funnybook style. They're almost like short stories; very short stories, often times channeling the old Sundays.
Readers will be delighted to see a lot of old favorites returning. Charlie Brown's pining for the little red haired girl, Snoopy's vast imaginary world and relationship with Woodstock, and of course, the football shtick are back in full effect.
It just wouldn't be Peanuts without those realiable tropes. Linus' blanket is also often a focal point, as there are plans for a comic version of "Happiness Is A Warm Blanket". The sneak previews are promising:
There's still a few fairly new concepts (at least to me) that work just as well alongside the standards; A storyline in which Lucy can't seem to avoid a very popular song from being stuck in her head is quite refreshing, if not highly amusing and relatable. It's got a fresh vibe overall while keeping the tropes that made it so notorious. It's not at all dated.
I'm definitely looking forward to more from this series. It's good for beginners and/or avid fans and collectors such as myself. The Peanuts comic series is a sweet nostalgic treat.- Stephanie O'Donnell
Thank you,Stephanie,for sharing your thoughts and insights on this fresh incarnation of Charlie Brown and friends. If this had been a book report for school,I think Miss Othmar would have given you an A plus:
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