Peanuts, Friends Forever 2016 Special, flawless storytelling and art

Peanuts is one of the go-to franchises for generations of people. Since the late 60’s Peanuts have been around and on the forefront of publishing or television. With Peanuts, Friends Forever 2016 Special from Kaboom the characters are ending their monthly comic book run. I suspect that we’ll still see Peanuts and their characters in graphic novels, but this is it (for now)

Because of that the technical numbering of Peanuts Friends Forever 2016 Special #1 is something of a misnomer. There won’t be a second issue. Someone queue the melancholy atmosphere because in addition to that this issue features Snoopy seeking shelter under Charlie Brown’s head during a rain storm….and The Daisy Hill Puppy Farm is closing.

The Daisy Hill Puppy Farm is where Snoopy was adopted from. In today’s terms the phrase ‘puppy farm’ seems antiquated and strange.  However, that’s a testament to how enduring and timeless these characters that Charles Schulz created are. Put another way, the closing of Daisy Hill Puppy Farm (to some Peanuts fans) is akin to Garfield not being fat or Calvin suddenly realizing that Hobbes is simply a stuffed tiger.

It starts out with Snoopy and Woodstock talking about travel and migration. Woodstock, being the concise debater that he is, convinces Snoopy to migrate with him. Out on their walk Snoopy realizes that he’s near the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm, sees that it’s shuttered and will be torn down soon to make way for the Daisy Hill Shopping Mall and Convention Center.

The two head back home where Snoopy starts a petition, protests, seeks advice from Lucy and finally writes his brothers to come back so that they can see the place one last time.

That story wraps up by being a metaphor about the end of the comic and life itself. Everyone, regardless of their age has had something that they care about go away, but there is always another day. This comic book tell the story in a way that is funny, poignant and reminds you why this is one of the comic strips (or books) that you’ll enjoy no matter what your age.

There are two other stories in the book that were written by Charles Schulz, but have new adaptations. Also as a bonus there are four classic comic strips that were originally printed in the Sunday newspapers. But the cover to this issue is the clincher. Peanuts Friends Forever 2016 Special is one that fans of the series will want to pick up and will serve as a great entry point on the off chance that your young reader doesn’t know them.