Peanuts is one of the world’s most popular and influential comic strips of all time. From 1950 to 2000, creator Charles M. Schulz produced 17,897 Peanuts cartoon strips. He syndicated these to over 2,600 newspapers in 75 countries, which then translated them into 21 languages. The total readership is estimated at 355 million people.
Knowing Peanuts has international appeal, I wondered what I would find if I researched these beloved characters in other cultures.
Somerset House, London: “Good Grief, Charlie Brown” Art Exhibit
Hong Kong, China: Snoopy’s World at ShaTin New Town Plaza
You can even have a Snoopy’s World Wedding, complete with Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Lucy, and Woodstock!
Osaka, Japan: Universal Wonderland
Tokyo, Japan: Snoopy Museum
Hong Kong, China & Seoul, South Korea: Charlie Brown Café
Peanuts Global Artist Collective | Public Murals Around the World
Germany: Stamps issued in 2018
It’s so easy for us to believe we have the corner market on this beloved cartoon and its characters simply because it was an iconic strip in our newspapers for years. It’s appeal is hugely universal, however! Throughout this comic strip Schulz taught us what it is to be human: to fail, to fall down and get up again, to disagree, to question, to cherish friendships, to love. THAT message is so very universal and definitely resonates the world over. “See the horizon over there? See how big this world is? There is room for everybody!”
