Unpacking Peanuts

Marcie is struggling with the pressure of being perfect, but there’s a place for everyone at the Brown house. Later, listener mail sparks a discussion on the humanity in the art of Bill Mauldin, and Charlie Brown’s new love life causes him to struggle financially!  Plus: It’s Superman! Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com Listener Sarah Wilson sent us a link to the Up Front strips she foun...

Charlie Brown has a girlfriend! The arrival of Peggy Jean is turning things around for Good Ol’ Charlie Brown… but that’s no reason for him to be making obscene phone calls! Elsewhere in the strip, Sally asks the immortal question “Why would anyone want to say good night to the moon?” Plus: Anything is a map. Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley...

Charlie Brown’s family shares a tradition with Jimmy’s, but neither is gud at speling. A pencil sharpener inspires a run of the weirdest Peanuts strips of all time. Elsewhere, Sally contemplates the appropriateness of grandmas criticizing grandchildren, and at long last Snowsnakes are officially debunked. Plus: The dog is the lowest. Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com Unpacking Peanuts i...

The gang talks about all of the “new” Peanuts characters. How have they changed since they were introduced? Which ones have become icons and who has faded into inky newsprint afterthoughts? Then we take a trip to the mail box for some reader reactions and a lead on a fab pizza place. Plus: Which Peanuts character would you buy the rights to? Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com Unpacking P...

Is it a case of mistaken identity, or is Snoopy an identity thief? Also, can Snoopy talk now?! Elsewhere in the strip, it’s a year of single panel tableaus, and whistling snowmen. And of course the 80’s couldn’t end without one last trip to the mall. Plus: Approachable Hats Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, and Harold Buchholz...

Snoopy is off on an adventure with the foreign legion. Marcie is making Peppermint Patty jealous, Sally is writing more essays. And the guys can’t decide what word to emphasize in a word balloon. Plus: Well matched siblings Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, and Harold Buchholz. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Micha...

What did the future look like to cartoonists in 1989? Harold shares a fascinating look at what people were predicting for the future of syndicated cartoonists. How close did they get? We will find out! Meanwhile, Violet’s back. In pigtails no less! And poor Olaf wants to hurt himself! Plus: That’s What It’s All About! Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimm...

Cartoonist Todd Webb, creator of The Poet, is back and we are taking a close look at the biggest change in Peanuts history,… the dropping of the fourth panel! Plus: The truth about the attack of the Nancy Fans. Attack of the Nancy Fans episode from 1986 Part 1 You can read The Poet every day at https://toddbot.substack.com/   The Poet Volume One: 2020, containing the entire first year of the strip...

Well, it’s that time again… the every 500-year reunion of all the beagles in the world. Also, Marcie is on a real high, Lydia and Linus continue their weird dance, and Snoopy is armed to the teeth… no license required. All this, and an epic shift on the good ol’ anger/happiness index.  Plus: What does the dog do when it catches the car? Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com Unpacking Peanut...

Be ready! Pay attention! Concentrate! Cuz Schulz is on fire again, and things are happening! Lydia is driving Linus nuts. Spike is acting as Snoopy’s shadow. And Charlie Brown and Marcie even have a date! Also, we finally get the gang’s hot takes on carrot cake! Plus: Ginny Rules! Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, and Harold B...

The comics page is revitalized with new strips from young creators, and it seems like the competition/inspiration has revitalized Schulz as well! Also, after decades of a rigid four panel format, Sparky is shaking things up. Plus: The Legend of the Red Hand Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com Link to the trailer for Andy: A Dog's Tale: https://youtu.be/15nOdgoN-J4?si=Ax95er-vPwQNqDOC Unpa...

The working cartoonists of 1987 pick Schulz as the greatest of all time! But with all the talk of aches and pains, it’s possible time is catching up with our hero. Meanwhile in the strip, Peppermint Patty and Marcie compete for good ol’ Charlie Brown while cheating on some tests, but at least Franklin is around as a stabilizing presence. Plus: The Donzerly Light Transcript available at UnpackingPe...

After 37 years, Charles Schulz has created a world that his readers have taken into their hearts. And as Sparky looks back by reflecting on the original “stuck in a tree with your kite” sequence, he is also setting off on an epic journey into the weird with the almost forgotten third Van Pelt child. Plus: Illiterature Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimm...

Schulz is at a crossroad in his career. He is now a member of a Hall of Fame filled with mostly dead people, yet he is still a working cartoonist who has no plans of quitting. How does an artist who wants to remain vital compete against his own past? Seriously… asking for a friend. Plus: Jangly Black. Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michae...

The Gang goes to Camp Remote which causes Marcie to emote. Linus also makes another strong showing with a few classic appearances, and the guys marvel at the expressive art of the mature Charles Schulz. Plus: Tapioca Pudding. Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, and Harold Buchholz. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Mic...

Schulz is having fun reintroducing Linus, and he creates a great foil for him in the enigmatic and maddening Lydia. Then, the gang gives the Unpacking Peanuts treatment to a Nancy strip. Plus: I’ll be a sellout! Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, and Harold Buchholz. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Michael Cohen. Ad...

In this wild episode, Unpacking Peanuts gets cyberbullied by a Who’s Who of Nancy Fans, including Bill (Zippy the Pinhead) Griffith, Tom (Seinfeld) Gammill, Raina (Smile) Telgemeir, John (King Cat) Porcellino, Todd (the Poet) Webb, and more! They explain why Bushmiller is the bees’ knees, and then we cover a batch of hilarious strips from 1986!  Plus: you have a ganglion cyst, Lucy Transcript avai...

It’s been a year of Sally’s anxieties, worm attacks, and hanging out at the mall. Some old favorites make some cameo appearances, Woodstock is bad at football, and the Sousaphone makes it’s long awaited debut (look it’s not easy to write these things) Plus: fuzzy uniqueness. Jimmy's upcoming comic - https://substack.com/@gvillecomics Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com Unpacking Peanuts i...

In this episode, Sally introduces us to “The Glamorous World of Punctuation,” Snoopy and Woodstock go fishing, and Schulz goes deep “Into the Weird.” Also, the guys take a hard look at Schulz’s evolving line work and talk about Old Man Snoopy. Plus: Jimmy realizes that the eighties were a long time ago. Gville Comics on Substack - https://substack.com/@gvillecomics Lovely Mother's Day story about...

We start our new format episodes by answering a listener question about art versus content… for half an hour! Then we get into the strips (27:46) where Peppermint Patty wins an essay contest, Snoopy is terrorized by an Ent, and Charlie Brown drops an easy fly ball but, like, learns a life lesson or something? Plus: Hopefully no one will notice you’re being creative. Link to Paul Hebert's blog abou...

As you know, Unpacking Peanuts began when podcasting was just in its infancy and people had yet to discover things like “microphones” and “earpieces.” But now, using only the latest in modern technology (and by that I mean the hard work of Producer Liz) we have upgraded our first two episode’s audio to a level that borders on the acceptable! Plus: We make some jokes up front. Originally released M...

Unpacking Peanuts has been blessed with a plethora (a plethora, I say!) of amazing guests. Hop into the Unpacking Peanuts Time Machine as we revisit our time with Jeannie Schulz, William Pepper, Joel Hodgson, Benjamin Clark, Alexis Fajardo, Ivan Brunetti, Will and Kevin Hines and more! Plus: Remember that one Family Ties when… Original Episodes released: Alexis Fajardo from 4/12/22 William Pepper...

Happy Mother’s Day, moms! This one's for you. The gang strolls through Mother’s Day strips from the 60s to the 80s. Spoiler alert… a lot of them are sad!  But don’t worry, Peppermint Patty pulls out a win in the bottom of the ninth. Plus: That Thing You Do Unpacking Peanuts is taking a spring break. We'll have episodes every other week, then return to our regular schedule in early June. Harold's R...

We wrap up the early 80s and then take a look at some of the strips sharing space in the paper with Peanuts this decade including Calvin and Hobbes, Cathy, Doonesbury and others. Then, it’s a deep dive into the UP mailbag, and some more hot takes on forty year old comic strips. Plus: A Who’s Who of…Who? Unpacking Peanuts is taking a spring break. We'll have episodes every other week, then return t...

Peppermint Patty flunks big time. What’s her punishment? A trip to Europe of course!  Back home, Linus and Charlie Brown fail to notice a sea monster. Also, the Unpacking Peanuts crew declare which character they each most relate to. Can the internet withstand the excitement?! Plus: Clouds of Despair Harold's Robot Monster project on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/3dfilmarchive/...