Funny Things: A Comic Strip Biography of Charles M. Schulz

by Luca Debus, Francesco Matteuzzi

Discover the man behind Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the Peanuts gang in this imaginative and tender-hearted tribute told in comic-strip format!

Charles M. Schulz was arguably the most influential and popular cartoonist of the 20th century, and he poured many of his own emotions and experiences into the world of Peanuts over its iconic 50-year run. Now, Luca Debus and Francesco Matteuzzi pay tribute to the master by telling the story of Schulz’s life in the medium that made him the comic strip. Every strip provides a laugh as well as a piece of insight into his remarkable life story. Starting with the last days of his monumental career, Funny Things jumps back and forth in time to narrate both Schulz’s artistic achievements and the personal episodes that formed him as an author and human being, ultimately shaping him into the most beloved cartoonist on the planet. Filled with affection, charm, and poignant insight, Funny Things imagines Schulz through the lens of the very world he created, inviting us all to meet the man behind the blanket.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Graphic Novels, Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Adult, History

440 pages, Hardcover

First published August 29, 2023

About the author

Luca Debus is a lover of comic strips and fervent Charles M. Schulz enthusiast. He lives on the edge between the world of comics and the world of literature. In fact, he graduated at the International School of Comics in Padua and obtained his BA in languages and literature at Ca’ Foscari in Venice. He is currently pursuing his MA in comparative literature at the University of Heidelberg in Germany, where he continues to shed a light on comics in the literary circles.

In addition to authoring books, Luca illustrates the web series FUN!tasy - a fantastical series of action, adventure, geriatric wizards, seductive rogues, and most importantly, FUN! New episodes every Wednesday can be found here.

For Italian-speaking readers or Italian learners searching for fun ways to practice and improve their language proficiency, Luca also writes and illustrates the comic strip Kindergarten - a series highlighting the playground trials and tribulations of kids at heart, be they young or old. New strips every Thursday can be found here.

For more exciting updates of new comic publications on Luca's horizon - such as another comic strip adaptation of Oscar Wilde's genius, an lgbtq+ children's book, and a future book with a collection of personal comic strip series - stay tuned on GoodReads and follow Luca on Instagram @debusluca!

Reviews

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Funny Things: A Comic Strip Biography of Charles Schulz by Luca Debus and Francesco Matteuzzi, is 445 pages of comics strips honoring the comic strip art and life of Charles Schulz. I like the impulse to honor him through the very medium he used. He would have liked that move. But neither their storytelling nor art style truly honors the spirit of his work, in my opinion. His art style and storytelling are both much simpler--very minimalist and wry--compared to the biographer’s work.

And Schulz is funny, whereas this biography rarely is. I have read whole collections of Peanuts, and I have read biographies (or maybe one?) of Schulz and did not find them a chore to plow through. Which I often found with this biography, unfortunately. Again, I appreciate the impulse to a comics biography and to fans of Peanuts, to know his life might be of interest.

I might trim it down considerably, like cut a quarter of it, or few people will read it, I’m afraid. Also, there’s a lot of filler in it.
Thank you to IDW Publishing, Top Shelf Productions, NetGalley, and the authors for providing an early copy of this graphic biography for review

[Rod Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fittingly, this dramatized biography of the creator of Peanuts is told in comic strip form -- six dailies and a Sunday page, over and over -- and filled with melancholy humor and relentless self-examination. It's also conveniently sized to fit next to Fantagraphics' "Complete Peanuts" collection on your bookshelf.

Sure, the facts and timeline get a little fuzzy, but a fascinating portrait of Charles M. Schulz emerges, a talented man of immense arrogance and raging self-doubt. It hits the highlights of his career and personal life, but leaves you hungry to learn more.

It pairs well with Bill Griffith's recent Three Rocks: The Story of Ernie Bushmiller: The Man Who Created Nancy.

[Martin Maenza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny Things: A Comic Strip Biography of Charles M. Schultz will be published on August 29, 2023. Top Shelf Productions, an imprint of IDW Publishing, provided an early galley for review.

I own all twenty-six volumes of The Complete Peanuts. To say I am a fan is an understatement. The work of Charles Schultz has always been a part of my life from as long as I can remember. So, this upcoming book instantly drew me in.

First off, I absolutely adore the format that Debus and Matteuzzi chose. Doing six black-and-white strips followed by one larger series in full color perfectly mirrors the daily and Sunday formats of the classic Peanuts series. Also, in their own way, they succeed at bringing about the mood and humor of Schultz's work as they tell a version of his life story. For me, this all hits the right nostalgia mark.

A good biography should always enlighten as well as entertain. Though I knew a lot about Schultz's life, I learned quite a few new facts from this one as well. That made it time well spent. I am certain others who pick this up will also come away with the same feeling.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, first off I want to say my hat is off to the writer and illustrator. They NAILED the feel of the Peanuts cartoon strip format. You can tell that this was a work of love for them and not work. They really honored Schulz in how they told the story of his life.

That being said, the subject matter was VERY sad at times. It was a life, so it has the usual sad things. Love unrequited, rejection, divorce, death of loved ones, war, physical illness, inability to do what one loves due to said illness and then the inevitable death. There were the positives too, marriage, children, love, but the negative isn't sugar-coated.

Also, since we are none of us angels, Schulz comes off as kind of a jerk at times. Not my place to judge, but there were a few times when I was like, "really?" So warning, if he is your idol, he has feet of clay, just like all of us.

There was one section where I didn't quite get the connection between while he was married, falling in love with his friend and then the divorce. If infidelity was the reason for the divorce or it happened due to lack of love between him and his then-wife, it wasn't made clear.

That being said, while I DID appreciate the book's format, I didn't enjoy the subject matter as much as I thought I would, but I am NOT an artist, so probably didn't get out of this what more artistic people might.

3, not for me but I think others would enjoy this, stars.

My thanks to IDW Publishing/Top Shelf Productions for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

[Marisa Maloney · Rating 4 out of 5]

After my youngest got hooked on Snoopy the last few months we checked out a few books about Charles Schulz to learn about his life. This cartoon Biography was fantastic! Learned so much about this Minnesota native. The best way to read about a cartoonist is definitely in cartoon form.

[Jenny · Rating 1 out of 5]

Funny Things is a not particularly funny graphic novel depiction of the life of Charles M Schultz. For some unknown reason, the author feels the need to add in a bunch of panels that read like 50s gag reel bits in early television or Readers Digest jokes. This takes up a lot of space where the story could simply be told. I have read several graphic novel biographies and memoirs and none was as glutted with filler as this one was. The artwork is not particularly attractive. It is somewhat imitative of Schultz’s style, but not as appealing and much busier. Those interested in a biography of Schultz might do better with a traditional print version.

[Victor The Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Debus and Matteuzzi’s comic bio about the life of Peanuts Comic creator Charles M. Schulz is a very unique and heartfelt telling about his life from childhood, his time in the army to him creating “Peanuts”, his own family his final years. Humorous, humble, and heartwarming to the end. You’re a good man, Charles Schulz. A (100%/Outstanding)

[Dustyloup · Rating 3 out of 5]

l liked it but I didn't love it.
I see the appeal: the "funny papers" style presentation, allowing people to get to know good ol sparky (aka Schulz) via the medium he loved best. but let's face it, biographies can be long and sometimes filled with bits of fluff, and this weighty tome is no exception.
this book was recommended to me by someone who doesn't care graphic novels, but loved it.

Personally I preferred Matteuzzi's biography of Anna Politovskaia, but if you loved the Peanuts or Calvin and Hobbes or other comic strips, it's definitely worth a shot.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this illustrated look at Charles M. Schulz, (1922-2000). I hesitate to call it a bio because much of the dialogue is imagined but it seems to have stuck very close to Schulz's life, which I knew very little of, despite growing up with "Peanuts". He was the most influential and popular cartoonist of the past century. This book may get a bit long in the tooth at times but it is definitely worth checking out.

[Andrew Sorrentino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Biographies aren’t my favorite, but a graphic novel biography is palatable.

[Steve Peifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a surprise; I guess I expected the novelty of this to wear thin early in the read. Instead, it complimented the narrative and enabled a nuanced view of Schultz. If you are a fan of Peanuts, you will enjoy this book.

[Translator Monkey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a brilliant idea, to take the story of Charles M. Schulz's life and boil it down into an interconnected series of 'comic strips' - six single-panel black and whites (two per page) and a subsequent full-page color section, obviously to mimic the look and feel of the 25-volume set of Peanuts strips published after Schulz's passing. Five stars for that undertaking and for the sheer vision of it all. 440 pages makes for a lot of gags; the planning that went into this effort is clearly evident, and must have been at times overwhelming. Finding the pacing and selecting the waypoints from Sparky's youth and continuing throughout his life was key, and the authors pulled it off with aplomb.

Debus's artwork is his own, but given the subject matter, it reaches into familiar territory and plays gently with our memory of each 'generation' the original Peanuts strips. At times I found myself wishing he had used slightly stronger strokes to further mimic the work of the book's subject (the faces can sometimes be indistinct, removing emotional cues from our sight), but I believe this is an intentional device, allowing ambiguity where it is necessary.

If nothing else, the book make me hungry for the full story behind the individual panels, particularly regarding Schulz's family and first wife. There are moments later in his life that it appears he is having a heartfelt conversation with his ex, but by the final image, we see him alone and there is an intimation that he was talking to himself. Were these reflections of moments of regret? The nice addition of a full page of source material at the end of the book is extremely helpful, but I'm not sure I would manage reading through all of it.

We're given some interesting peeks behind the curtain of a few turning points of the Peanuts story - two of the best examples of these are how 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' came to be, and the anxiety it caused CBS executives because of how non-traditional it was for 1965 (i.e., characters voiced by children actors, the inclusion of jazz, etc.) and how the introduction of the black character Franklin came about, and the public's reaction, but also as well as Schulz's own misgivings about being a white man with no connection to Franklin's world, putting Franklin's words and actions on paper from his own white POV. These episodes are peppered in here and there and kept me reading this entire book in the span of a few hours.

We're given a lot of different views of Schulz, all of which appear to come from within. He's anxious, lonely, self-deprecating, angry, cocky, dependent, independent, solemn, staid, and a braggart, all in the span of a handful of pages. I'm guessing there was far more to Schulz than met the eye.

The authors pay a good deal of attention to Schulz's spiritual life and his connection with the church, ultimately reflecting his belief later in life that a relationship with God doesn't come through the brick and mortar house of worship, but from within. His first wife appeared to be conflicted when it came to the church, and this would have been interesting to explore a bit deeper.

The final weeks of Schulz's life - in the book, at least - are full of soul-searching and doubt. Forced into retirement because of a debilitating stroke, Schulz recognized that he was no longer able to produce Peanuts, and accepted the inevitability of frail health and old age catching up to us all. The final 'chapter' of the book shows friends and loved ones from his past coming back to pay tribute to Sparky and what he'd been able to accomplish through his small contribution to the funny papers, but perhaps most satisfying was after Schulz officially announced his impending retirement, with a flood of well wishes and thanks from the legion of fans for his nearly 50 years of giving of himself and providing the warmth that came off of the page.

This was an absolute page-turner, given the format and the subject. I've been a Peanuts fan since 1965, and every now and then will turn to one of those 25 volumes just to relive my youth, so I opened the cover of this book with that strange mix of trepidation and high expectations. I enjoyed it very much, and am happy to offer my four stars to the mix.

[Radwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

- the parallels between sparky and his characters in the peanuts comics are a lot
- we witness his determination to become a cartoonists from a young age, rejections and early comics attempts, his dark sense of humor and self deprication, war and death and enlistement and they changed him, childhood and the wide array of jobs he took on, his love for sports and his big family and the way religion was a constant powerful part of his life

it's defintely not the ultimate biography of schulz, but it's a great companion to reading the complete collection of his peanuts comics, since it's also done entirely in comics strips very similar to his own peanuts strips.

[Dan Cassino · Rating 3 out of 5]

A biography of Charles Schulz done as a series of three panel gag strips, with a color Sunday strip every 7th. That’s a high degree of difficulty, and they carry it off well. The problem? Schulz is kind of a drip. Not especially likable, not terribly interesting, and the bits that would be interesting (an extramarital affair) are left out. On top of that, the cameos from other famous comic strip creators at the end come from nowhere.
Formally great, content meh.

[Angelica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me cry
5/5

[Naomi's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good look at man behind the world of Charlie Brown. I enjoyed the comic strip style instead of a graphic novel and the choose of colour in certain sections and none in others. I learned a lot about Schultz’s life and how he became a cartoonist. It was an easy read and I was very happy with the storytelling.

I received an arc via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

[Arnold Trebuchet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful way to read about Charles Schulz’s life. Funny Things renewed my love for the comic strip format. These gag strips reminded me of my early years when I was first introduced to comics. The book is incredibly lovable and entertaining. My favorite moments are when an older Charles Schulz recounts moments from his past. These strips really helped bring the biographical nature of Funny Things to life for me. Using comic strips to tell Charles Schulz’s story feels like a rightful celebration of one of the world’s greatest cartoonists.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a remarkable achievement.

[Kris Reguera · Rating 5 out of 5]

What better way to learn a bit more about the life of Charles Schultz than through comic strips! They reminded me of his works, too. I appreciated seeing both the childhood parts and the older days parts intertwined.

[Garry Walton · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first thought: Only someone young and naive and filled with admiration for Peanuts would dare attempt a volume like this: to create a biography of the world's most revered cartoonist in graphic novel form. And then to up the ante by changing the format to a 400-page series of 4-panel cartoons! With a full-color contribution every fourth page, to emulate the comic artist's weekly output of six daily strips plus one on Sunday? And not even to be native English speakers, but Italian? No way.

But somehow artist-writer Luca Debus and co-writer Francesco Matteuzzi have dared greatly, and pulled it off. Their research, and their affection for their subject, is evident on every page. Slowly they unpack the major events of Schulz's professional and private life. Along the way they introduce us to the origins of so many familiar motifs and characters in the Peanuts world: the fascination with trying to kick a football or pitch a perfect baseball game or score at hockey or fly a kite, or win the attention of a red-haired girl. We meet the original Charlie Brown and Snoopy (Snooky) and Needles and see the birth of Peppermint Patty and Woodstock and Franklin. Most importantly, the authors take us close and personal with Schulz's efforts to gain success and recognition, and his lifelong struggles with insecurity and anxiety. They help us understand Schulz's confession that “If you read the strip, you would know me. Everything I am goes into the strip—all of my fears, my anxieties, and my joys” (436).

Throughout his life Schulz was known as Sparky - named by an uncle within days of his birth for the horse Spark Plug in the comic strip Barney Google. By that time my father, born in 1915, had also been branded for life thanks to a character in the funnies, Jiggs, from the strip Bringing Up Father, or Maggie and Jiggs. Like young Charles and his father, my dad and I spent Sundays pouring over the comics. At first Steve Canyon and Gasoline Alley were his favorites, but by the time I could read them with him, Peanuts had become important to us both. I think he recognized a kindred spirit in the cartoonist - not the focus on worry, but the love of animals, the determination to persevere, and the deep faith.

Like my dad and Schulz himself, the format of the strips is traditional. Only in a few pages at the very end of the book does the artist transcend the rigid panel boxes. It's what happens inside, not outside, that matters. And that could be the mantra, and the legacy, of Schulz's work. The artist explains that his work, like himself, is introverted, based on memories and yearnings from the past: "my creativity arises more from remembering than from observing" (316). At the end of the book, and of the cartoonist's life, a procession of family, friends and admirers make the pilgrimage to his side - including Cathy Guisewite and Lynn Johnston -- who praise him for showing the world "it was okay to talk about insecurities or awkwardness" (397).

Sometimes the elder Schulz appears in a panel alongside his younger self, as if looking over his own shoulder like Scrooge on a journey with the Ghost of Christmas Past. Some of his musings are filled with a kind of celebratory wonder, as he relives the unexpected success of book-length anthologies of his cartoons or his almost-cancelled Christmas special (recreated here in couplets). His deep faith (and decades-long involvement in the church) surface here (as in the book The Gospel According to Peanuts) while flowing deeply but more subtly in his work. On occasions his voice takes on a grumpy or self-justifying tone, as when he explains his avoidance of quick jokes or topical humor: "My comics go beyond mere political commentary. In the long run, the things that I talk about are more important! Presidents come and go . . . anxiety is here to stay!" (308).

Anxiety clearly stayed with Schulz throughout his life, even in the midst of great professional success. On the occasion of his second marriage, he declares to the reader, "I see life as a long quest for love" (350). He sought it with Donna the original red-haired girl; and his wife Joyce, the mother of his five children; and Tracey; and second wife Jeannie. He seems to have found it for a time with each of them, as well as from millions of readers (like my dad) - and two very talented cartoonist-biographers.

[LM · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly brilliant book that hardcore Schulz fans as well as casual consumers of Peanuts will enjoy.

I was immediately interested in this book once I heard that it tells Charles Schulz's life in comic strips - the very artform for which he become so beloved the world over. Although this is an ambitious undertaking, and not without a hesitant reception among Peanuts connoisseurs, I'm happy to report that this book is delightful!

For those interested in a Schulz's biography, the book does a perfect job of recounting real life events not just factually but also by injecting heart and soul into every moment of Schulz's life. It's comprehensive in its approach to telling Schulz's story by exploring the high highs and the low lows to ultimately give a well-rounded point of view with candor. The extensive bibliography is a real testament to how well researched the book is, and so are the more obscure references and Easter eggs that even the most voracious Schulz biography reader may find surprising. Especially impressive is the way the book manages to seamlessly blend biographical information with the fun and comedy that's innate in its comic strip format. What's better than learning something new while also having a laugh?

For those interested in comic strips and graphic novels, the artwork and storytelling are beautiful and feel completely fresh. The format of having six, black and white daily strips punctuated with a seventh, colorful Sunday strip is a fun touch and gives a wonderful cadence to the book. The artwork is playful, expressive, and somehow even elegant - perfect for the comic strip medium. Most importantly, it's clear that the authors and illustrator are not trying to replicate Schulz's style, which would be borderline blasphemy. While some critics may compare the art with that of Peanuts and get disappointed at any the differences they see, I think it's vital that the authors paid tribute to Schulz while still maintaining their own style and voice, thus steering clear of any kind of imitation. Nonetheless, it's clear that they express their own love of Schulz's art with tasteful winks and nods throughout the book, like how Schulz's hair always has some form of the classic Charlie Brown curl in front. The storytelling is also triumph in that there's a clear narrative throughout the book that builds to a very touching ending, yet it's all composed of small, self-sufficient bites via comic strips.

A quick note about the 440 page length, because I noticed other reviews touching on this: Don't be fooled by any reviews with trite comments about how this is "too long" for a graphic novel. It's only a strip or two per page, so of course it's going to be longer than your average graphic novel, and that's probably the whole point. Because of this, it goes quick (also helps that the book is page turner). In any case, I'll never complain about having too many good comic strips to read.

Overall, a unique take on a Schulz biography that pays true homage to a legend. The book is well researched, innovative in its approach at recounting a biography, artistically fresh with a unique voice and beautiful storytelling, and most importantly it's FUN. It's ambitious to create a biography that's also told in comic strips AND also about a beloved legend in the field. Yet, this book does it beautifully and skillfully, checking off all the boxes (and then some) for lovers of biographies, comics, Peanuts, and Schulz.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher IDW Publishing for an advanced copy of this unique comic strip biography of one of the greatest creators to work in the medium.

I have always loved newspaper cartoon strips, something that started well before I was able to read. Growing up with New Yorkers as parents, even after moving away my parents would buy the New York Daily News, The New York Post, and probably the New York Times, but they didn't have a cartoon section so I didn't care. Page after page of cartoon strips when people still cared about the funnies. For some reason, even though it was always in the front I always read Peanuts last. It was my thing. As I got older and went tag sales, libraries and their book sales, or thrifting I would always find Peanuts or Snoopy stories and buy them, no matter if I had them in one form or another. I loved the oddness of the early strips, the character design, the later strips with the smooth look, the minimal backgrounds, the stories that went on. Charles M. Schulz was a skillful master of the comic strip medium, who understood both the industry and the audience, nudging both when needed, and opening up horizons no one ever thought of. Funny Things: A Comic Strip Biography of Charles M. Schulz by Luca Debus & Francesco Matteuzzi follows the man called Sparky by his friends from his youth, success, and to the last time he placed his pen down, for good.

The book is told in comic strip form, so six black and white strips, followed by a color section where a Sunday strip would be. Readers meet Sparky at a time when being a cartoonist was important to him, as he was a kid with a lot of issues, and had problems being around other people. The book follows his youth, his military service, meeting Schulz's first wife and the ideas he had for various strips. Peanuts is covered, the success it brought him, along with having to deal with a ghost artist and writer for his other strips, that also were doing well. Corporations came to Schulz with advertising ideas, which Schulz went for, but with a control on how his characters were presented. Books, a successful Christmas special, that still garners high rating, made on his terms with Bill Melendez raised Peanuts to an almost Disney level. And would only get higher as the decades went on.

A unique way of telling the life of a man who love telling stories in comics, and I am sure after trying to talk the persons out of doing it due to modesty Schulz would have gotten a kick out of. This is a bit of a hagiography as readers of Chip Kidd's biography will notice, but still is a interesting read. The graphic novel is long. And I understand the strip idea, but a lot of the jokes don't really hit that well, and a little bit more editing might have trimmed out some extra fat. The art though is really good, and fits well with the story. And if certain sections don't have a reader tearing up well I don't know what to tell you.

A very interesting idea, that might run long, but is still very interesting and good for readers both familiar with Schulz, and are new to Peanuts. Characters, names, ideas, are shown and explained, along with how Schulz pretty much mined his life and feelings for story ideas. A very different presentation, but one fitting for such a special creator.

[tony dillard jr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a novel concept. A graphic novel biography about cartoonist Charles Schulz done in the comic strip style of his beloved Peanuts characters. Like the adventures of Charlie Brown, the strips are funny, poignant, sad, joyful and full of self deprecating loathing. Charles Schulz was Charlie Brown - always doubting and never feeling good enough at anything.

There's a lot of interesting segments of Schulz's life and career that I was extremely interested in learning more about. His childhood inspirations for the cute little redhead girl and Snoopy. The lengthy session of rejection upon rejection from publishers and syndicates. How A Charlie Brown Christmas got off the drawing board and onto our television sets. His infidelity, resulting in a divorce from his first wife.

Let's talk about that last part. I didn't check this graphic novel out from my local library for the sordid parts of Charles Schulz's life. I honestly didn't even consider that part of his life when I was deciding whether or not to select this book. But as I started reading through Funny Things, I started wondering how creators Luca Debus and Francesco Matteuzzi how they were going to cover such a delicate topic. Harder topics such as the lingering death of Schulz's mother from cancer was dealt with in such a gentile way. There were still elements of humor as the lad known to family and friends as Sparky had to say goodbye to his mum before being shipped off in service for the American Army during the height of the second world war. So how was Schulz's affair with a woman half his age going to be portrayed in this book? The answer: discretely and an inferred blame on Ol' Sparky.

I was also interested in learning about the last days of Charles Schulz and his retirement of the Peanuts comic strip. I remember it being a big deal that Peanuts was coming to an end after 50 years. It was an eerie and poignant coincidence that the artist died the night before the last strip was to run in Sunday papers worldwide. I didn't know that he was extremely ill with cardiac issues and incurable colon cancer. While the reader doesn't have to say farewell to Charles Schulz, the book does end with a bittersweet moment of the beloved artist finally realizing how much people loved him and his gang of Peanuts!

I'm very glad for this book. After learning about Schulz's infidelity after being told for years how godly a man he was, I was put off reading Peanuts for a very long time. But this book helped me to realize that people are human and they make mistakes. Really dumb mistakes. Funny Things helped me to repent of my judgmental ways and to forgive Schulz, even though he never did any wrongs against me. How pompous was I?!

A must read for fans of Snoopy, Charlie Brown and Peanuts. Yes, there are several Schulz biographies out there. But there's never been anything like this graphic novel biography from Top Shelf Productions. Combining interviews from the creator himself with some dashes of artistic license, Funny Things should not be overlooked if you are a fan at any level of a blockhead and his beagle.

[Andrea Dearborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, IDW Publishing, and Top Shelf Productions for this amazing ARC! All opinions are my own.

Charles M. Schulz was the creator of Peanuts, the father of Charlie Brown and Snoopy and Peppermint Patty and Woodstock and Schroeder. All of these characters that make up so many childhoods and fill up so many TV screens during holidays and celebrations. He had a hard but joyous life filled with everyday anxieties, tragedies, failures, but also love, ambition, and success. I never knew how much I loved this guy! I mean, he was a part of my Christmases, my Halloweens, my everything...I even have a little Schroeder playing a piano on my bedside table!

To start off, I got very emotionally invested in this book—VERY. At the start of this book, I was laughing out loud; however, in the middle and near the end, I was laughing and crying. He's lived such an impactful life and all he wanted to do was skate, draw, and be with his family! His story is very heartwarming. On another note, I had no idea that he had passed away in February 2000; I was born just a couple months later! For some reason, I just assumed he was still alive since I grew up reading the Funnies in my dad’s Sunday paper—I still am!—and watching the films at my grandma’s house, and in the book, it ends with him still alive (spoilers?). I guess he technically still is alive. Through his legacy. It’s so strong, so unbreakable. I don’t think his art—his Peanuts—will ever die. He really had no idea what his art would become.

I really like how this book was in graphic/comic format as it made it really easy to read, and you didn't get stuck on extraneous details. In this format, it's easier to show rather than tell. The writing and pacing was done very well. I am not very religious, but I liked the "strips" devoted to talking about his faith. The art style was fluid and adorable, it really worked well with the stories.

Overall, a pretty great biography. RIP Sparky, you will forever be missed!

[June Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a long time Charles Schulz fan, I found the concept behind this book intriguing. Take a look at Schultz's life and work via the comic strip style. I've read quite a few words on Schultz and expected to enjoy a few laughs.

Parts of it were rather interesting and I don't recall knowing his interest in golf, but for the most part I came away feeling rather sad. Whether Schultz really did suffer from almost crippling anxiety at times or it was just the author's choice to tie the real Charles Schultz to his perpetually inept, anxious Charlie Brown or just my own interpretation, I am on the fence. In any case, that sense of "poor Charlie Brown....er, poor Charles Schultz" never quite left me. As tributes go, I guess I was just expecting more "Yes!" for his triumphs, which were really many, without them being dampened by negative thoughts from both Schultz and those about him, let's say. That said, we're told upfront that it's a tribute, not a biography, with dialogue mostly imagined and situations simplified.

Bottom line, while I didn't love it, I didn't hate it, either. There is a lot to take in here of Schultz's life and it's a good introduction to the origin of much of the foundation of the Peanuts strip characters/events. People are complicated, creative types perhaps more-so than many, so it was an interesting if slightly downer of a learning experience. But, hey, the little red-headed girl called him. It was also cool that they utilized two other cartoonists, both now also largely retired, at one point, to sort of ponder life and retirement with Schultz.

A solid 3.5 for me, rounded to a 4 star for the obvious care and research that went into the book and the list of sources, even documentaries, provided at the end.Thanks #NetGalley and #IDWPublishing - #TopShelfProductions for this time travel back to a time when the comic strip was my sole reading choice in the newspaper. Who'd have ever thought we'd still be reading Peanuts all these years later. Happiness is definitely a warm puppy, so was glad to see the tribute to the dogs in Schultz's life.

[Hilary "Fox" · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of getting a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've been a lifelong fan of the Peanuts comics, and even acted in a few performances of You're a Good Man Charlie Brown. I grew up with Around the World in 75 Years and have yet to go through a Christmas season with the Charlie Brown special... yet I never read a biography of Charles Schulz. I was delighted when I saw that this was coming out soon, and eagerly requested a copy.

There's something beautiful about Schulz getting his life story told through the medium that he dominated for the bulk of his life. Everyone knows Charlie Brown and Snoopy, and I think most readers realized just how much of good ole Sparky was to be found in Charlie Brown. This biography really exemplifies that fact, while also highlighting the differences where they existed.

Did you know about Sparky's love of sports, and the fact he was actually quite good at them? The ice rink his wife helped him build, or his service in WW2? How about how long it took for Peanuts to actually come to be, and the struggle to get it picked up? How about how dedicated he was to his craft - to the point that he wasn't satisfied with just one strip, but at one point had three going out every week?

While there are less than savory facts about Sparky's life, this biography doesn't shy away from them. Punchlines help soften the blows for some tragedies, and overall you're left with a fair bit of Schulz's own words about his life and considerations. It made me want to learn more about his biography, and to see if my library had the complete Peanuts collection available.

I really enjoyed this book.

[Cheryl Gatling]

I was a child in the ‘70s, and those were peak Peanuts years. Everyone today recognizes Charlie Brown, and Lucy, and Linus, and Snoopy, and everyone has seen the Christmas special, but I don’t think people of today realize what a cultural phenomenon it was. My friends and family did read that comic strip in the paper every day, and we talked about it.

Looking back, it really is the product of a different age. These are free range children, who hang out at the park with no apparent supervision. That seems archaic. (Anxiety, though, hasn’t gone out of style.)

If it seems like Peanuts is a relic of a bygone time, that’s partly because Charles Schultz, known as Sparky to his friends, used his own life for inspiration. And he grew up way back when. And this book tells the story of that life.

It’s told in a comic book format that is reminiscent of Schultz’s style, without being exactly like it. There are four-paneled daily strips in black and white, and longer Sunday strips in color. Sometimes we see Sparky as he grows. Sometimes an older, presumably wiser, Schultz looks back and narrates his life.

The idea is that each strip should have a punch line, and that’s a stretch. The strips are more often cute than really funny. And Sparky’s anxiety is often the source of the humor. Because of this, I tended to read the book in small doses, although a person could easily plow through it in one day.

Charles Schultz wanted to be a cartoonist from the time he was a small boy. He pursued his dream intently, even when it looked like it wasn’t happening for him. That he actually did make a living as a cartoonist, and not only that, but became one of the richest, and most famous, and most influential ever, really is an accomplishment.

[Carol Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is exactly what the title promises - a comic strip biography of Charles M. Schulz. The Peanuts comic strip came into my life during my attendance at an all-girls Catholic high school in St. Paul, Minnesota. I don't know if it was because Schulz lived in St. Paul for awhile or some other reason but the nuns were enamored of the Peanuts characters. When I was a freshman in 1959, Snoopy, Charlie Brown and Lucy were everywhere in our classrooms and our sports teams were also named after them.
This graphic book is not a typical biography. It is drawn in a form resembling the comic strip form found in our daily newspapers. The drawings (done by co-authors Luca Debus and Francesco Matteuzzi - both Italian) are not the same as what Schulz did but they are fun and remiscent of Schulz's drawings. Each "chapter" has a Sunday length cartoon followed by six daily size cartoons. Schulz readily admits that Charlie Brown is based on himself with all his anxiety and worrisome attitude. The story covers Schulz starting in childhood and ending with his retirement.
When he learns that his fan base has continued to deluge him with letters even after he stops drawing the strip, he says, "As a child, that's all I wanted. I ust wanted to be a cartoonist and draw those funny things that made life so much more beautiful. That's all I wanted. Nobody told me that this could have actual consequences in the world."
The authors did a tremendous amount of research to put the book together. Included are a bibliography, a list of books and articles and docummentaries.
It was a fun read!

[Sadie-Jane Huff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 135 of 200 ~ 2023

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I am a massive Charles Schulz and obviously, Peanuts Fan. I religiously watch the specials for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas yearly and have even roped in Jerrid since he moved.

I have read every hardcover set that I can find at the @publiclibrarysg, but I am sad that I couldn't finish them all. I have tried looking for the missing ones online to buy, but.. sadly
I haven't found them all.

This was a cleverly illustrated biography of Schulz, done in the style of Schulz's 6 days of black and white 3 columns and big Sunday in colour strip and the little mentions of sweet baboo or the kite eating tree, for example, sent me squealing.

What was a bit confusing was when they went back and forth sometimes, but you couldn't tell whether it was Schulz or the dad.. but other than that,this was a brilliant tribute, and I am so so glad I scored an ecopy.

One star just because of whom it is about :)

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, @netgalley

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[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember eagerly awaiting each new paperback of the Peanuts collections in the 60’ and 70’s. Together my brother and I had most of them, and most were read to pieces.

But it was hard for me to imagine a biography done in this manner: 440 pages of comic strips done by the biographers to illustrate [[Charles Schulz]]’s life. Each page has two sets of black and white strips with the final panel giving a most Charlie Brown-ish gentle jab or twist. After each six day black and white daily cycle, there is full color Sunday style cartoon.

It’s a wonderful biography. I learned much about how Schulz and the Peanuts script revolutionized comics with their readily identifiable day to day events instead of the clownish adventures of earlier comics. I saw how the Peanuts characters were literally drawn from Schulz’s life. I enjoyed learning about Schulz’s faith and personal life. (I know I have a copy of [The Gospel According to Peanuts] tucked away unread – now I want to explore this).

When I first read a review of this, I couldn’t imagine how it could be done. Now I can’t imagine how his biography could be done any other way. Five stars for the astonishing creativity of this book.

As the Amazon description says: “Filled with affection, charm, and poignant insight, Funny Things imagines Schulz through the lens of the very world he created, inviting us all to meet the man behind the blanket.”