Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts: Crabgrass

It must have been my mother who purchased the delightful Peanuts cartoon from Hallmark. The card had a cardboard backing, as I remember, so it could be made to stand freely. We kept it on display in our house for years when I was growing up and much later. I always enjoyed it. Our copy of this gem must be long gone, but the suburban sentiment is still an amusing one.

Snoopy:  Work is the crab grass in the lawn of life!

http://collectpeanuts.com/wp/office-supplies/greeting-cards/postcards/

Note:  See more of my Peanuts posts here.

As America's government becomes more dysfunctional, a rough drawing by Mischa Richter from my personal collection becomes more relevant. See it again here.

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Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts: Pirates and Parrots

"I've always wondered why pirates carried parrots on their shoulders." Thus Linus gets things started in this original comic strip artwork by Charles M. Schulz for Peanuts dating from 1996. The artwork is dedicated to one Chris Paolini--but apparently not Chris Paolini the author, who was too young to be trading in Eisenhower autographs at the time.

Charles M. Schulz, Original Artwork for Peanuts, March 4, 1996,
Inscribed, "For Chris [Paolini] with friendship and appreciation--Charles M. Schulz"

Letter of Provenance 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Peanuts-Comic-Strip-Original-Art-Signed-by-Charles-M-Schulz-Snoopy-Linus-/141072376905?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20d891a449

Note:  I just might have a few more posts about Charles M. Schulz and Peanuts waiting for you here.

Meanwhile, more original comic strip art may be seen here.

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Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts: Charlie Brown's Little Sister

Original Sunday artwork for Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts comic strip dating from 1959 is currently offered on eBay for a healthy $55,000. Charlie Brown's little sister Sally made her first appearance in the strip just one week prior to this. Now Snoopy has met Sally and he realizes they have something in common.

Charles M. Schulz, Original Artwork for Peanuts, August 30, 1959

Charles M. Schulz, Framed Original Artwork for Peanuts, August 30, 1959

Charles M. Schulz, Original Artwork for Peanuts, August 30, 1959

The Back of the Artwork

Charles M. Schulz Signature

Peanuts, August 30, 1959, Verso

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CHARLES-M-SCHULZ-Signed-1959-Original-Sunday-Comic-Art-/390618110640?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5af2a75ab0

[End of eBay Listing]

Charles M. Schulz, Peanuts, August 23-August 26, 1959
Sally Brown's First Appearances

http://peanuts.wikia.com/wiki/August_1959_comic_strips

Charles M. Schulz, Peanuts, August 27-August 31, 1959

More of Sally Brown's Early Appearances

http://peanuts.wikia.com/wiki/August_1959_comic_strips

Note:  More posts about Charles M. Schulz and Peanuts may be found on this blog here.

This is your lucky day! More original comic strip art may be seen here.

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Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts: "For Dr. J with Friendship and Admiration"

Basketball is the sports theme of this fine 1984 example of original Peanuts comic strip artwork by Charles M. Schulz that comes from the collection of Julius "Dr. J" Erving. Snoopy and Woodstock wish to play, but the astute beagle notes a problem of mismatched proportions.

This very comic strip previously was offered for sale on June 20, 2012. The blog of Paul Fraser Collectibles reports that it sold for $20,123.

The recent eBay listing has been "ended by the seller because the item is no longer available." Nevertheless, the sale documents an impressive exchange of memorabilia between the artist and basketball star Julius Erving that seems to have included a signed basketball and original comic strip art. Now who got the better deal?

Charles M. Schulz, Original Artwork for Peanuts, October 4, 1984,
Inscribed, "For Dr. J with friendship + admiration--Charles M. Schulz (Sparky)"

Charles M. Schulz, Framed Original Artwork for Peanuts, October 4, 1984, Inscribed, "For Dr. J with friendship + admiration--Charles M. Schulz (Sparky)"

Charles M. Schulz, Matted Original Artwork for Peanuts, October 4, 1984, Inscribed, "For Dr. J with friendship + admiration--Charles M. Schulz (Sparky)"

Charles M. Schulz, Matted Original Artwork for Peanuts, October 4, 1984, Inscribed, "For Dr. J with friendship + admiration--Charles M. Schulz (Sparky)"

Photograph of Charles M. Schulz with a basketball inscribed "From a 'Peanuts' fan/Julius 'Dr. J' Erving/#6." The no. 6 jersey is now retired by the Philadelphia 76ers.

Letter of Provenance from Julius Erving

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Amazing-Charles-Schulz-Peanuts-Basketball-Snoopy-Original-Daily-Comic-Strip-Art-/151054498299?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D27%26meid%3D1548856531168779525%26pid%3D100040%26prg%3D1011%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D3%26sd%3D151054498299%26&nma=true&si=UB68sj2DvLx%252F9kdb54zXrlCgzYs%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

[End of eBay Listing]

Note:  Additional posts regarding Charles M. Schulz and his Peanuts strip may be found on this blog here.

Further stunning examples of original comic strip art may be seen here.

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Johnny Hart's B.C.: Message in a Bottle

I don't collect original comic strip art, except virtually. Here's an original B.C. Comic strip by Johnny Hart, who seems to have had an unending supply of gags such as these.

Johnny Hart, Original Artwork for B.C., July 3, 1980

http://www.ebay.com/itm/B-C-ORIGINAL-COMIC-STRIP-JOHNNY-HART-1980-/271270910240?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&_trkparms=aid%3D555012%26algo%3DPW.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D17373%26meid%3D1081610364719133508%26pid%3D100034%26prg%3D8089%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D8%26sd%3D190717471482%26&nma=true&si=UB68sj2DvLx%252F9kdb54zXrlCgzYs%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Note:  You can see more original comic strip art on this blog here.

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My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #396,

Here is my latest entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest for September 23, 2013. The cartoon is provided by Joseph Farris. The caption is provided by me.

"There goes my view of the obelisk!"

Here are a few other captions I also considered:

"But next week's trip to Easter Island is nonrefundable!"
"Stop staring at me!"
"But it's way too soon for the Bloomberg Monument!"

September 30, 2013 Update:  The Finalists

October 14, 2013 Update:  Winning Caption

Note:  Boom! See my previous entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest here.

Speaking of caption contests, I am at this very moment a finalist in Moment magazine's Cartoon Caption Contest. Voting closes October 10, so there's still plenty of time for you to vote for your favorite entry! Find out what really goes on in the animal research lab here.

Joseph Farris's website is here.

You can see a smattering of Joseph Farris's New Yorker work in the Cartoon Bank here.

News about Joseph Farris has been featured on Ink Spill here.

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A Hypothetical Question

Please don't go starting any rumors. I want to make it clear that the question I pose today is purely hypothetical. I'm asking it now because one day this very situation indeed could come up at short notice and I will need to know pronto how best to act. So here goes....

If ever Thomas Pynchon graciously agrees to be interviewed for this blog, how will I reliably be able to verify his identity? I mean, the very fact of this publicity-averse writer somehow consenting to be interviewed would suggest strongly that it mightn't be the genuine Pynchon at all with whom I'm dealing, but some impish impostor.

Then again, one can never be absolutely certain. There's always the remote possibility that one who refused interviews his entire career could have a change of heart and want his voice finally to be heard in, let's say, an obscure but sincere online venue. So it could be a grave error to accuse him of being an impostor unless of course he actually were one. Do you see my dilemma? This could give a conscientious blogger sleepless nights.

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Walt Kelly Poster Design for an Exhibit of American Cartoons

This original poster artwork by Walt Kelly features his signature comic strip character Pogo Possum. The medium is brushed india ink over blue pencil, the very technique he used when creating his comic strip art.

The poster publicizes a 1959 exhibit of American cartoons. It looks as if it might have been a worthwhile show. Imagine what the 1959 visitors to this show would have thought of Galerie Laqua's selling price for this today!

Walt Kelly, Original Artwork for An Exhibition of American Cartoons, April 6, 1959

http://www.galerielaqua.de/seiten_englisch/eoauskelly01.html

Note:  This post concludes my survey of Walt Kelly artwork for the time being. Earlier posts remain on view here. I'm far from done with Pogo and his creator, but I have other exciting subjects I want to move on to. I never really thought I'd spend this much time on Pogo, but I'm not sorry. I have always maintained that the subject matter of most any single post on this blog could serve as the basis for an entire blog if one kept coming back to different aspects of the subject and that's more or less what I've done here. In the case of Kelly, there's already the Whirled of Kelly blog here and Pogo in Pandemonia here. I focussed more on original artwork rather than published newspaper pages, taking advantage mostly of eBay sales featuring splendid scans of original artwork. These sales tend to vanish from eBay after a few months. What I'd really like to do some day is match up some of the original artwork I have here with the printed comic strips, particularly the color Sunday pages. If anyone has scans of the individual Sunday strips shown here, please get in touch.

By the way, Galerie Laqua in Berlin was mentioned on this blog once before in the Mail from Mr. Herriman post here.

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Walt Kelly's Pogo: Worm Wrestling

Poor Ol' Mouse suffers the indignity of being bested at wrestling by a mere worm. But, the joke seems to be, at least it's not a female worm. This original comic strip artwork by Walt Kelly was done for his Pogo comic strip of July 27, 1955.

Walt Kelly, Original comic strip artwork for Pogo, July 27, 1955

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pogo-Daily-Original-Strip-by-Walt-Kelly-Published-7-27-55-/111168454076?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19e227fdbc&nma=true&si=UB68sj2DvLx%252F9kdb54zXrlCgzYs%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Note:  By now I'm sure you've gleaned that this blog houses a small treasure trove of original Pogo comic strip art. See it all here. 

You should also take the time to sample the prodigious Whirled of Kelly blog here. Slightly more offbeat is Pogo in Pandemonia which you can find right here.

Fall arrived just yesterday. This is, for now at least, the last time I'm going to remind you that I have other autumnal posts at the ready here.

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Walt Kelly's Pogo: Marry Go Round

In this example of original artwork from Walt Kelly's daily comic strip Pogo, the possum is quite literally being pursued in marriage. And it isn't even Sadie Hawkins Day!

Walt Kelly, Original Artwork for Pogo, December 3, 1965

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-Daily-Pogo-Strip-by-Walt-Kelly-12-3-1965-Mademoiselle-Hepzibah-Pogo-/290963954694?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43becd9c06&nma=true&si=UB68sj2DvLx%252F9kdb54zXrlCgzYs%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Note:  I have more Walt Kelly posts on view here.

You might also want to try the Whirled of Kelly blog here and Pogo in Pandemonia here.

Autumn begins today. There are just a couple of fall posts in the blog. You can see them here.

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