How could anyone hate Charlie Brown? The kid obviously had cancer, right? I mean how else do you explain the bald head and pessimistic views on life? Good Grief!
To be fair, I kinda see it. I don't like Peanuts the comic much either. Charlie Brown (to me) was unsympathetic and whiny. Linus was way more awesome, but even then the comic seemed mildly amusing at best.
That being said, if he had tried to claim that Peanuts was not a hallmark in history and that it did not pave the way for generations of comics to come, then I'd call him crazy. Like it or hate it, it's a legend of its kind.
I didn't like Charlie Brown much until a couple of years back when it was pointed out to me how deeply, insistently, unfailingly optimistic he is. That whole thing with Lucy pulling the football away and Charlie falling for it every time, time after time, without exception, until the very end of the strip? That is, in my opinion, what makes him a great man. He never gives up, never backs away, never pulls his kicks, never stops trusting Lucy, never for a moment doubts that this time he'll make it.
He falls and gets up again, forever.
No matter what his faults may be in other respects, I find it impossible not to like, nay, love him for that courage.
Well of course he's harmless. Nobody's afraid of him. If that's all it takes for you to like a guy I suspect there's more than a generational gap at play here.
The thing is, Charlie Brown actually CARES about his friends. Most of the other kids couldn't care less what happens to each other, especially poor Charlie Brown. He cares about them even when they are being jerks, or worse. He tries to see the good in people and look at the bright side of things, even when they seem hopeless. A lot of the humor of the strip comes about because we can easily identify with Charlie Brown and understand how cruel other people can be. Charlie Brown wants so much to fit in but he will never fit in because he isn't a self-centered jerk.
Anon 07:31 AM has it right--the guy pictured is quoting the attacks of other characters directed towards Charlie Brown. That's why the protagonist of this comic is angry, because he sympathizes with Charlie Brown. Good comic!
What the "OVC" customer was really saying about Charlie Brown, at the comic shop...
It's your own fault! You're just too wishy-washy! People who talk too much deserve to be insulted! They deserve to have other people walk away from them! Talking too much is an unforgivable social sin - absolutely unforgivable! The only way to deal with people who talk too much is to let them know just how boring they really are. You can't waste your time with them, no, sir! Why should you sit and waste your valuable time while some bore talks on and on about nothing? Life is too short to waste it listening to some person who doesn't know when to shut up! Time is too valuable! Time is...GO RED SOX! (Charlie Brown sighs) http://www.gocomics.com/peanuts/1968/01/21/
Okay- let's start the whole "Those old ___ comics make me SO angry. It's like- Hey! SHUT UP ___!!!" string of comments...
ReplyDeleteSometimes those old OVC commenters make me so angry. It's like... Hey! Shut up King of Thessaly! Man, I hate that guy.
DeleteHow could anyone hate Charlie Brown? The kid obviously had cancer, right? I mean how else do you explain the bald head and pessimistic views on life? Good Grief!
ReplyDelete"Well! Here comes ol' Charlie Brown. Good ol' Charlie Brown … yes, sir! Good ol' Charlie Brown… How I hate him!" - Shulz
ReplyDeleteThat's my favorite line from Peanuts.
DeleteFor those who don't know, it's from the very first Peanuts comic strip.
Those old baseball teams make me SO angry. It's like - Hey! SHUT UP RED SOX! Man, I HATE that team.
ReplyDeleteMan... as if the poor kid didn't get enough grief from all of his "friends" in the comic itself.
ReplyDeleteObviously a Lucy fan.
ReplyDeleteSometimes To Kill a Mockingbird makes me so angry. It's like... HEY! SHUT UP ATTICUS FINCH! Man, I HATE that guy.
ReplyDeleteThis kid needs a smack upside the head.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, I kinda see it. I don't like Peanuts the comic much either. Charlie Brown (to me) was unsympathetic and whiny. Linus was way more awesome, but even then the comic seemed mildly amusing at best.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, if he had tried to claim that Peanuts was not a hallmark in history and that it did not pave the way for generations of comics to come, then I'd call him crazy. Like it or hate it, it's a legend of its kind.
Representative of an era to be sure, but Charlie really isn't the most likable fellow.
DeleteI agree. Brown is prone to wallow in self-pity.
DeleteEither ask the red-headed girl out or shut the fuck up about it!
I didn't like Charlie Brown much until a couple of years back when it was pointed out to me how deeply, insistently, unfailingly optimistic he is. That whole thing with Lucy pulling the football away and Charlie falling for it every time, time after time, without exception, until the very end of the strip? That is, in my opinion, what makes him a great man. He never gives up, never backs away, never pulls his kicks, never stops trusting Lucy, never for a moment doubts that this time he'll make it.
DeleteHe falls and gets up again, forever.
No matter what his faults may be in other respects, I find it impossible not to like, nay, love him for that courage.
Charlie Brown is harmless. How someone can not like him, let alone hate him goes to show what's wrong with kids these days.
ReplyDeleteWell of course he's harmless. Nobody's afraid of him. If that's all it takes for you to like a guy I suspect there's more than a generational gap at play here.
DeleteThe thing is, Charlie Brown actually CARES about his friends. Most of the other kids couldn't care less what happens to each other, especially poor Charlie Brown. He cares about them even when they are being jerks, or worse. He tries to see the good in people and look at the bright side of things, even when they seem hopeless. A lot of the humor of the strip comes about because we can easily identify with Charlie Brown and understand how cruel other people can be. Charlie Brown wants so much to fit in but he will never fit in because he isn't a self-centered jerk.
ReplyDeleteAnon 07:31 AM has it right--the guy pictured is quoting the attacks of other characters directed towards Charlie Brown. That's why the protagonist of this comic is angry, because he sympathizes with Charlie Brown. Good comic!
ReplyDeleteThe correct response to Charlie Brown is "Shut up and leave me alone."
ReplyDeleteWhat the "OVC" customer was really saying about Charlie Brown, at the comic shop...
ReplyDeleteIt's your own fault! You're just too wishy-washy! People who talk too much deserve to be insulted! They deserve to have other people walk away from them! Talking too much is an unforgivable social sin - absolutely unforgivable! The only way to deal with people who talk too much is to let them know just how boring they really are. You can't waste your time with them, no, sir! Why should you sit and waste your valuable time while some bore talks on and on about nothing? Life is too short to waste it listening to some person who doesn't know when to shut up! Time is too valuable! Time is...GO RED SOX! (Charlie Brown sighs) http://www.gocomics.com/peanuts/1968/01/21/
;) HA!
its true
ReplyDelete