“PEANUTS” comic strip is celebrating its 75th anniversary, so we thought it was the perfect time to chat with Benjamin Clark, curator of the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center, to explore the enduring legacy of the “PEANUTS” comic strip, its legendary cartoonist, Charles M. Schulz, and why Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the gang still resonate after so many years. Benjamin shares his insights into preserving Schulz's work while celebrating his humanity. We delve into Charles Schulz's creative process, the cultural impact of Peanuts, and how the museum engages with a new generation of fans. Benjamin offers a unique look behind the scenes, from discovering personal artifacts to understanding Schulz’s deliberate approach to both his comic strips and his business empire.

Next, Mary Valencia-Shyne, a senior artist at the Schulz Studio, discusses contemporary cartooning; how her comic art preserves and extends Charles “Sparky” Schulz's Peanuts legacy and how she’s finding time to build her own graphic art career. She explains the in’s and out’s of the Schulz Studio–its purpose to maintain artistic integrity on all PEANUTS products and how they’re creating authentic new content, including for Apple TV+ “Camp Snoopy” and “One-of-a-Kind Marcie” shows. Mary describes custom art creation, product approvals, and explains her process of channeling Schulz's style, and its influence on her graphic art. The conversation also touches on her time at the Center for Cartoon Studies, her recently published young adult graphic novel, You and Me on Repeat, and the evolving landscape of modern cartooning via platforms like Webtoons and TikTok. 

Featured Guests:

Benjamin Clark, Curator at the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center

Mary Valencia-Shyne, senior artist at the Schulz Studio

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center: The central hub for all things “Peanuts,” located in Santa Rosa, California. Visitors can explore exhibitions, view original art, and learn about Schulz's life and work.

• Peanuts Official Website: For character profiles, comic strip archives, and educational activities.

• Rob Armstrong, Cartoonist

• Broom-Hilda comic strip created by cartoonist Russell Myers

• “Happiness is a Warm Puppy” Book

• Warm Puppy Cafe, the cafe where Charles Schulz spent every morning

• Craig Schulz

• Beetle Bailey Comic Strip

• Pogo Comic Strip

• Shuntaro Tanikawa

• It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

• A Charlie Brown Christmas

• Charlie Brown's All-Stars!

• Lee Mendelson 

• Bill Melendez

• Vince Guaraldi

• Apple TV+: A streaming service featuring new Peanuts content

• You and Me on Repeat: A young adult graphic novel by Mary Valencia Shyne 

• Center for Cartoon Studies: An educational institution where Mary studied

• Webtoons: An online platform for digital comics

• TikTok: A social media platform that Mary plans to use for her book sales 

• Storygraph

• Libraries: Mentioned as a key venue for discovering new graphic novels 

• Penguin Random House: Mary's former employer in digital publishing 

• Manga