2025 marks the 75th anniversary of Charles M. Schulz’s legendary Peanuts comic strip, and Abrams ComicArts will release “The Essential Peanuts” by Mark Evanier (Glue, Kirby: King of Comics). This anthology collection includes some of the most important Peanuts strips, with commentary by Evanier, Schulz himself, and many others.
The Essential Peanuts is a gorgeous coffee table book celebrating the 75th anniversary of Schulz’s beloved Peanuts comic strip, presented in a deluxe hardcover format with a slipcase and a portfolio of bonus features from Abrams ComicArts. The collection, which retails for $75, includes a foreword by Patrick McDonnell, a foreword by Gene Schulz, and contributions from 16 notable commentators, and boasts a design by Chip Kidd, as well as a portfolio of collectible Peanuts ephemerals, including postcards, prints, embroidered patches, stickers, and reproductions of classic Peanuts comic books.
“‘The Essential Peanuts’ highlights how and why this comic transcends cultural, generational, and language barriers and remains beloved,” the official PR reads. “By exploring Charles M. Schulz’s creative ambitions, his wry commentary on the struggles and triumphs of his childhood, and his lasting influence on art, literature, and everyday life, Evanier not only celebrates an unparalleled legacy but also reveals the universal appeal at the heart of Peanuts.”
The Beat spoke to Evanier via email to talk about how he chose the important Peanuts strips, Schulz’s legacy, and what fans can look forward to when the book launches.
Olly Kaplan: How did you choose the peanut strips to include in Essential Peanuts?
Mark Evanier: At least not by choice. The selection was made by a jury of peanut experts, mostly those who lurk in and around the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa. I had the right to vote, but only one. And I used it to lobby for some strips that I felt had to be included in order to accomplish the mission of the book. But the idea was to point out the strip that marked the “first” or major turning point in that great body of work. Of course, it was much more than 75.
Kaplan: Peanuts’ 75th anniversary. Can you tell us more about Schulz’s cultural legacy (and universal appeal) and how he influenced you personally?
Evania: Personally, Peanuts has always been a part of my life. I have no memories of my childhood before I became aware of and obsessed with strips. I think that’s the essence of what makes this strip so special. There are many comics that make you laugh every day, but few become a part of your life like this one. We know these characters well…enough to get frustrated on Charlie Brown’s behalf when things don’t go the way we want, whether it’s a baseball game or a football kick.
Kaplan: Do you have any specific memories of how reading the Peanuts comics influenced your growth as a creator or as a person?
Evania: Reading certain books helps me remember where I was and who I was. In this book, he talks about the first time he saw a Peanuts paperback at a bookstore with his parents. There was a passage in the book that made me laugh out loud in the store. To the extent that it has influenced me as a creator…well, anything that makes you laugh can expand your sense of humor and sharpen your sense of fun. I also find myself quoting gags and witty remarks from time to time, just as I quote life-changing books.
Kaplan: What fresh historical and cultural context does this collection add to the existing critical work on Peanuts? Who are the 16 commentators to add to this conversation?
Evania: To get fresh critical insights, you have to go to fresh people, people who haven’t yet told us what this strip means to them. The publisher has assembled an impressive roster of talent, including Rob Armstrong (Franklin), Derrick Bang (Vince Guaraldi and A Charlie Brown Christmas), Rob Boutilier (The Snoopy Show), Paige Braddock (Schulz’s Pen Line), Alberto Brambilla (Italian Peanuts), Benjamin L. Clark (Peanuts Paperback), and Alexis E. Fajardo. (Significant Peanuts Choices), Ben Folds (Peanuts Sounds), Sarah Gillespie (Schulz Editing), Chip Kidd (Peanuts Designs), Amy Lago (Schulz Editing), Mike Massimino (Snoopy and Apollo 10), Akio Matsunaga (Japanese Peanuts), Jeff Morrow (Peanuts Scoring), Hilary B. Price (Peppermint Patty and Marcy), Shuntaro Tanikawa (Poet Laureate, Japanese translator of Peanuts).
Kaplan: What can fans look forward to when this book is released? What do you hope both longtime fans and new readers take away from this volume?
Evania: I hope they enjoy reading this book and remember why Peanuts was so important to them that they needed this book. Peanuts have different meanings to different people.
Kaplan: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Evania: All I can say is that this has been one of the happiest jobs I’ve had in my long, long career as a professional writer. When I was a kid, if you had offered to pay me if someone would read a Peanuts short story and think about it, I would have thought it was the neatest job in the world.
Check out the preview page below.
This wonderful collection is available from Abrams Comic Arts.
Something like this:
Like loading…
