Here is the Peanuts equivalent of an ultra-rare planetary alignment or comet sighting: an appearance by the most elusive character ever to have been created for a comic strip – the mythical, phenomenally neglected Pig-Pen!! His last appearance prior to today’s 1976 one was in 1967, so that’s nine years of Peanuts strips without any sight or mention of Pig-Pen, despite him technically existing as a member of the cast! Though he was a part of the Peanuts universe for 45 years – from 1954 to 1999 – Pig-Pen only made a total of approximately 140 appearances in all that time (by comparison, Snoopy typically makes around 170 appearances in a single year). Pig-Pen’s next appearance after this will be in a February 1978 Sunday strip, and there subsequently won’t be any more of him until 1980, when he and Peppermint Patty celebrate Valentine’s Day together at a disco dance. So, today’s strip truly is a remarkably super-special one! And we get prominent speaking appearances by Patty and Violet, to boot (both of whom share a panel with Marcie).
Here is the Peanuts equivalent of an ultra-rare planetary alignment or comet sighting: an appearance by the most elusive character ever to have been created for a comic strip – the mythical, phenomenally neglected Pig-Pen!! His last appearance prior to today’s 1976 one was in 1967, so that’s nine years of Peanuts strips without any sight or mention of Pig-Pen, despite him technically existing as a member of the cast! Though he was a part of the Peanuts universe for 45 years – from 1954 to 1999 – Pig-Pen only made a total of approximately 140 appearances in all that time (by comparison, Snoopy typically makes around 170 appearances in a single year). Pig-Pen’s next appearance after this will be in a February 1978 Sunday strip, and there subsequently won’t be any more of him until 1980, when he and Peppermint Patty celebrate Valentine’s Day together at a disco dance. So, today’s strip truly is a remarkably super-special one! And we get prominent speaking appearances by Patty and Violet, to boot (both of whom share a panel with Marcie).