I’m a little late to Sparky’s wake, 2016. There’s been a lot online the past couple of weeks as Charles Schulz was memorialized again on the 16th anniversary of his death. I drew this cartoon 10 years ago, at this same time of year. I don’t have a lot of Schulz stories, but I have a few. The National Cartoonist Society held its 1988 annual convention, highlighted by the Reuben Awards, in San Francisco. One evening, United Media hosted a private dinner for its talent, great and small. That included Schulz and me, respectively. Of course, he attracted a knot of youngsters such as myself, basking in his aura. He was praising one of his favorite cartoonists, James Thurber.
“Why,” he asked in a Socratic manner, “were Thurber’s cartoons good?” There were several eager guesses from others. Because they were simple. Because they were different. I thought to myself, “Because they were funny.” No sooner had the thought died than the old master explained, “Because they were funny.” Honest! I did think that! I just wish I’d said it out loud.
46 responses to “The Kite-Eating Tree”
Growing up our afternoon paper did not carry Peanuts, so while I enjoyed the cartoons on TV, I just did not quite get the hubbub. Later I started reading the daily strips and learned more about Sparky, I realized that it was a strip that young and old could enjoy.
I remember in the mid-nineties, Charlie Brown got a hit and that same day, my son drove in the winning run in Little League. That was the first time that I thought a cartoonist was “looking in my windows”.
If I remember correctly, Charley Brown stood next to the tree holding the kite string for several weeks and there was a big to-do about whether a comic strip could do such a thing without violating some sort of cartoonist’s code. Finally it was decided that if the story represnted the artist’s philosophy that it was OK.
The resolution was: it started to rain and when Charley brown was assured that the kite was getting as wet as he was he turned loose of the string.
Funny cartoons…what a concept! Now if some of the cartoonists featured on gocomics would just get on board with that…
Ironically, I’ve occasionally gotten into trouble for saying out loud some of the things I’ve thought.
Note to Jean dear: Thanks for the Chicken Yodeling video. That was moderately demented. 🙂
Here I am in Monroe, LA and I have driven through rain so heavy I thought I was demented for being on road. I am off in search of a restaurant called Cotton that features creative Southern cuisine. Pricey but it comes highly recommended
I need to take off tennis shoes and find my flats. To compliment the very expensive purse
It’s that kind of place. Even in pouring rain.
So, I have ordered pan seared oysters or something like for an appetizer and salmon with kale as a entre. I know it isn’t Louisiana style food exactly but common sense overtook me and I passed on duckworks wraps, shrimp and grits, gumbo and the grilled triple pimento and cheese sandwich.
Decor is great but food counts.
Debbe, his name is Tippy and he now outweighs Spunky. He still acts like a kitten and is always wanting the others to play with him, often to their displeasure. Tonight there is a target placed on us by mother nature. We will see what happens.
Eagles at the MDNR cam just changed places. Male, with the shaggier white hood and a band on his left foot, was on the eggs and f. was poking at nest material and such. He got off, 3 unhatched eggs, she got on and settled in, he flew off. Couldn’t detect a band on her.
http://www.webcams.dnr.state.mn.us/eagle/
Peace, emb
Also, Greg Evans used the L-word today, in front, as they say, of God and everybody. Today’s comic also homes in on a common conversation problem.
http://www.gocomics.com/luann
He does 3/4 front faces better than profiles. Peace, emb
Jackie, kale is good weight-loss food for me…I burn extra calories when I try to eat it and my gag reflex kicks in. On the other hand, the pan-seared oysters sound great. And on the other hand, I love salmon. And you probably thought I was a nothing-but-bone-in-rib-eye kind of guy.
I think you’re good traveling companion if you could wear a mask like Zorro and never reveal who you really are. But that is a problem. We might or might not get better serbice?
The restaurant was really good. Chef is locavoire and I had trouble finding restaurant, no billboards. Worth it.
Got to lawyers to sign legal documents. Fees not bad, good meal, tornadoes going south apparently and eadt, so that is y’all in danger. I hope all is well. Safety, have a plan.
Nothing yet , but I hear tiptoes and we could live in fracking Oklahoma. Dear senators, your resignations are accepted. Your lobbyist said he’ll call you back.
The heavy weather is here. Dish going in and out due to the rain. Good thing I have weather alert app on the phone and cable internet doesn’t care if it rains. Here’s praying for a safe night for all in the weather zones.
Worried about doumaican and Ghost in areas I hear have been hit today. I am still in Monroe, LA tucked away in my favorite motel on ground floor. If you hear Willie’s Duck Diner or Duck Commanders factory was hit, worry about Dickens and me.
My deputy called to check on us. It is snowing heavily in McAlester, OK just 25 miles south of the house and he says they are now saying 8 inches possible. I have been humid and often hot. Who ordered this crazy weather?
Anonymous:
Thanks for the kind words! I really appreciate it.
I hope that things go well for you in your own efforts.
What have you found to be the most effective?
(And I hope that you stay safe down there.)
“Lightning striking again and again”-Lou Christie. There’s a big red circle around my house on the radar. Does that mean something?
Doctor Forbes needs to have his crayon taken away?
Rick, do you men exercising or eating? I am ashamed to admit how little I actually exercise. I think water aerobics, water walking and doing water resistance xercises like with weights but in water is most effective. I Ned to get back doing that.
Music for tonight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C2K889u_90
And then an instrumental: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czQ2zrQ7GOQ
A rough afternoon/evening/night in parts of the Deep South, still ongoing in some. So far, I’ve only heard of one fatality related to the outbreak of severe storms. I believe that trees and some power lines were the only casualties in my immediate area.
Jackie, don’t stint on the exercise. I know you’ve had excellent results from your diet and lifestyle modifications, but that will only carry you so far. And of course the exercise will have so many beneficial effects besides the weight loss.
I just saw a bit of the caucus coverage on TV and far too many of the people in the room looked like these folks.
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kzx7g3IvYC1qzlu28o1_500.jpg
Sad.
GR6: What do the BL insignia mean? emb
Actually, it’s BnL, a fictional company in the Pixar movie “Wall-E”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi7LTr3SfK4
See also, the Axiom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOL2W9JQmo8
Mass quantities of food + Hover chairs = The endomorphs shown above