By Schulz
Publisher: Canongate
ISBN: 978-1-847-67075-5
The third volume, covering the years 1955 and 1956, features the endearing Pig-Pen on the cover, with some lovely gags centred around his complete inability to keep clean. We do indeed get to see him clean a couple of times, revealing a very different character beneath the muck. The forward on this volume is by Matt Groening, with a few words about the wonders and perils of licensing based around his own experience with The Simpsons. But the show is stolen by the strips themselves, which have the lovely balance of childhood fears mixed with adult angst, and plenty of giggles too. Snoopy begins to show his more surreal side too, and Charlie Brown is definitely now his owner, in contrast to what we see in the first collection. What's most remarkable is how these strips have stood the test of time. There is very little in them to hint that they are over 50 years old, retaining a freshness and vibrancy that makes them a joy to read.
And if you like that: 1957-1958 is available.
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