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Confused about a comic strip

Lactobuzzillus

Skipped Elf Practice
I am reading through a Peanuts anthology and most of the comics are pretty funny. This one just confused me, though.

6938A2FB-7B02-4E47-AEE7-39D0DA397E9B.jpeg


I think maybe the joke is that they’re confused because the snowman is pointing in different directions? I’m not certain, though, and it’s making me feel kind of dumb.
 
Just a guess, but I think the birds are searching for the kid so he hides inside the snowman. I don't read Peanuts though. Are the birds following this kid around a running gag?
 
Is it because the birds are facing the same direction as the snowman arms ?If so I am not sure what is funny about it .
 
I agree the birds are looking to see what the snowman is pointing at. I didn't get that until I read your idea though. I real life they say only dogs understand human pointing, but these are anthropomorphic birds.
 
Ummm, I don't get it. I think it makes sense that they are looking in the direction of the snowmans arms. But I don't see why it's funny? There's some nice symmetry I guess in the last panel.

I think the explanation makes sense, but I'm still looking at it and trying to understand it. Like if I keep looking at it I will have an epiphany!

Edit: I'm only somewhat familiar with the Peanuts comics. It's mostly that I watched the "Snoopy Show" when I was a kid. I'm just wondering if the joke has something to do with the fact that the birds didn't perch on the arms like you'd expect? Is there some sort of running joke like that?
 
Seems like none of us get it... I definitely don't either.

It looks like something is missing. What happens between the birds flying around, and the snowman being finished? I don't get it or get why it's funny at all.
 
I think I may, possibly, but not very confidently, have figured it out.

I think the birds are waiting to be patted on the head.

I could be wrong, but I found this... Patting birds

and I think possibly this could be it?! Thoughts? :)
 
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Ummm, I don't get it. I think it makes sense that they are looking in the direction of the snowmans arms. But I don't see why it's funny? There's some nice symmetry I guess in the last panel.

Maybe it's just me, but Peanuts was always kinda like that to me.

Like, I'd read some of the comics, but very rarely would it get an actual laugh out of me. It was moreso just... wholesome, I guess? That always seemed like its selling point. I think. But there were also bits that often seemed like they werent really very well thought out, like that one.

Garfield, on the other hand, pretty much shaped my whole personality after reading it so much, so my thoughts on that one are pretty obvious.
 
"Peanuts" ran for a very long time - 50 years, nearly 18 000 strips..
Some themes and jokes continue across many strips.

One of the birds ("Woodstock") was a long-running character, profiled as being good-hearted.
IIRC the birds were always rather friendly and helpful.

At a guess:
* It's a multi-strip humorous situation
* Across multiple strips, Charlie Brown is making snowmen, and something is affecting the snowmen (maybe other kids destroying them)
* The birds are guarding the snowman as an unrequested service/favor to Snoopy and/or Charlie Brown
* PaArt of the humor is that they won't actually be able to do anything of some other effect or character tries to destroy the snowman

Note: even the snowman is a "standard 'Peanuts' snowman" (I think I remember a nose too, but I haven't read a "Peanuts" strip for a very long time).
The black eyes and buttons are traditionally small pieces of coal (probably not now, but Peanuts started in 1950).

Old, long-running comics often assume readers understand the underlying "framing".
If you want to fully understand and enjoy "Peanuts" you'll need to read a lot of them in the correct sequence.
Or read something - there must be a lot of material about "Peanuts".


@Slime_Punk
Purely by coincidence, I saw a reference to a site called "Garfield without Garfield" some time in the last day or two.
Your example probably originated there.
 
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Maybe it's just me, but Peanuts was always kinda like that to me.

Like, I'd read some of the comics, but very rarely would it get an actual laugh out of me. It was moreso just... wholesome, I guess? That always seemed like its selling point. I think. But there were also bits that often seemed like they werent really very well thought out, like that one.

Garfield, on the other hand, pretty much shaped my whole personality after reading it so much, so my thoughts on that one are pretty obvious.
I always preferred Garfield. I liked his laid back, wise cracking personality and his slightly hedonistic tendancy.

It's actually quite funny that you said he shaped your personality. I also feel I adopted some of his traits when I was younger. I used to borrow some of his jokes but try to put my own spin on them. Like one time when watching the Garfield cartoon show he said "Hey you there at the back with the gum, I hope you brought enough for everybody!". I sometimes still use a variation of this when for example when someone brings food into a room, I will ask them "I hope you brought enough for everybody".

Of course I'm sure the fact he is a cat is a factor. I'm a cat too, I'm pretty sure I am. It would certainly explain a lot :smilecat:
 
"Peanuts" ran for a very long time - 50 years, nearly 18 000 strips..
Some themes and jokes continue across many strips.

One of the birds ("Woodstock") was a long-running character, profiled as being good-hearted.
IIRC the birds were always rather friendly and helpful.

At a guess:
* It's a multi-strip humorous situation
* Across multiple strips, Charlie Brown is making snowmen, and something is affecting the snowmen (maybe other kids destroying them)
* The birds are guarding the snowman as an unrequested service/favour to Snoopy and/or Charlie Brown

Note: even the snowman is a "standard 'Peanuts' snowman",
The black eyes and buttons are traditionally small pieces of coal (probably not now, but Peanuts started in 1950).

Old, long-running comics often assume readers understand the underlying "framing".
If you want to fully understand and enjoy "Peanuts" you'll need to read a lot of them in the correct sequence.
Or read something - there must be a lot of material about "Peanuts".


@Slime_Punk
Purely by coincidence, I saw a reference to a site called "Garfield without Garfield" some time in the last day or two.
Your example probably originated there.
I don't think it's Charlie Brown in the comic strip, the character has more hair than Charlie Brown. That's why I thought maybe it was this Linus guy and the joke is the birds fly down as he usually pats them on the head but they mistake the snowman for him and are waiting expectantly for the lifeless arms of the snowman to pet them instead?
 

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