The Peanuts kids have become some of the most recognizable and beloved characters throughout comic history. Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Snoopy and many others have given some of the funniest moments in the medium. They've also provided some insightful dialogue that gained the series a reputation for being incredibly in touch with philosophical meaning. Of course, none of this really happened overnight.
The Peanuts gang didn't all debut in the comic within the first year. Characters would come and go as series creator Charles Schulz adapted his comic to accommodate for the changing times. These developing years also allowed for him to perfect his characters, giving them time to grow and become the icons they're known as today. Here is every major character in the Peanuts crew's first appearance, along with if they still hold up as funny today.
11 Charlie Brown - October 2, 1950
It should come as no surprise that Charlie Brown was introduced to Peanuts almost immediately. He has become well-known as the strip's protagonist, with him being fairly central to the overall world Schulz created. However, even though he would make his first appearance in Peanuts' debut comic, he actually never says a word. Instead, he walks down the street, as Shermy gives the first line of dialogue, pointing out Charlie Brown is passing by, before secretly telling Patty that he hates him. It's an amusing first comic, which not only gives Charlie Brown the spotlight from the very beginning, but also sets up how most of the kids feel about him going forward.
10 Snoopy - October 4, 1950
Not too long after Charlie Brown's introduction, his best friend Snoopy would quickly be added to the roster in Peanuts' third strip. The lovable beagle has become perhaps the most iconic part of the comic's long run and continues to live on as a stand-out character as well as one of Peanuts' absolute funniest creations. However, when Snoopy first premiered, he was simply a silent dog that walked on all fours. His first appearance pales in comparison to his later appearances, as it lacks the imagination that made his character so fun, with this simple sight gag lacking the canine's iconic personality, which would go on to make him so legendary.
9 Schroeder - May 30, 1951
The Peanuts resident Beethoven-loving piano whiz, Schroeder, had a surprising debut in the comic strip, coming just over six months after the series' debut. When Patty comes over and tells Charlie Brown to meet the new kid, they find that he's just a baby. What's even more shocking is that there's no sign of the character he would become anywhere in this initial appearance. Instead, he just sits there with a big smile on his face, as Charlie Brown mentions he's uncomfortable near other kids. This comic's punchline doesn't necessarily hold up, but it's funny in retrospect, knowing who Schroeder would eventually become.
8 Lucy - March 3, 1952
Charlie Brown's biggest rival, Lucy, made her first appearance in the strip's second year. However, Charlie Brown and Lucy were fairly close in their early years, as she was originally depicted much younger, and more naive. In her first strip, she's shown jumping rope, but constantly counting the number one over and over. When Charlie Brown tries to help her by saying "Two, Lucy! Two," she begins just repeating the number two ad nauseum instead. It's a funny first strip for the character, yet also disheartening knowing that she would tease the person trying to help her years later, tormeting him with many inventive methods, including her psychiatry booth, and the iconic football gag.
7 Linus - September 19, 1952
Coming not too long after his big sister's debut, Charlie Brown's best friend Linus made his first appearance. After being hinted at by Lucy, he would appear for the first time on September 19, 1952. Lucy is eager to show Charlie Brown that her brother can sit up all by himself, but with a little extra help. To Charlie Brown's surprise, Linus has actually been held in place with some boards nailed to the ground. It's an incredibly funny first strip, one that perfectly showcases the brother-sister dynamic between Linus and Lucy, while also giving fans their first glimpse at a character who would become close to Charlie Brown himself.
6 Sally - August 23, 1959
Similar to Linus, Sally would be known to Peanuts fans for quite a few months before her actual debut, since it was announced that Charlie Brown's mother had given birth to a baby sister in May 1959. However, Lucy wouldn't make her first appearance until August 1959. This strip sees the kids encouraging Charlie Brown to play baseball with them, but he simply replies that he can't. The reason turns out to be that he needs to walk Sally in her stroller. It may not be a particularly funny strip, but it's a very sweet moment, especially when Lucy says she empathizes with him, since she has a younger brother herself.
5 Peppermint Patty - August 22, 1966
It's hard to imagine Peanuts without Peppermint Patty, the tomboy with a dynamite sense of humor, which made her stand out over the years. What's surprising is that Charles Schulz had her swinging out the gate. Her first appearance on August 22, 1966 has her talking to a boy named Roy, asking him to "put in a good word" for her in his letter to Linus. Her love for rough sports, and her hopeless romantic traits are on full display here, both things that would become important elements to her character. Peppermint Patty hasn't changed a day since her first appearance, and it's because she was absolutely hilarious since her first strip.
4 Woodstock - April 4, 1967
While he would remain unnamed until the 70s, Woodstock was introduced to Peanuts as Snoopy's best friend in 1967. His first appearance features him flying toward the beloved beagle, absolutely exhausted, and landing on his nose, where he promptly begins to take a nap. Noticing how tired his friend is, Snoopy points out that it "must have been a rough flight." It's a fairly simple little gag, but then again ,Woodstock is a fairly simple, and fairly little, character. Still, this was a nice way to introduce him to the canon, especially considering how he would become more prevalent as the years went on.
3 Franklin - July 31, 1968
Franklin's debut in Peanuts is probably the most interesting out of the entire cast. His introduction was made in the heat of the Civil Rights Movement to end segregation, so Schulz added him to the cast in an effort to fix a glaring mistake in the series, the absence of any black characters. However, his first appearance wasn't met with any fanfare. He and Charlie Brown met each other at the beach and held a casual conversation with one another. It's an important moment in comic history, one that made a good case for ending segregation, as it saw one of comics' greatest icons meeting a person of color and treating each equally, not holding one above the other.
2 Marcie - July 20, 1971
Nearly five years after Peppermint Patty was added to the Peanuts canon, another crucial part of her character would soon follow. Marcie was introduced as a kid at her summer camp, who began hanging around Patty, addressing her constantly as "Sir." Since then, the two became a practically inseparable duo. What's fascinating about Marcie's first appearance is she, like Peppermint Patty, remained relatively unchanged throughout the rest of Peanuts run. She was still the same anxious kid, hanging around Peppermint Patty. It's pretty funny to see her future friend address her as "dorky," but knowing where their friendship goes, it's sweet to see how far the two went throughout the rest of the series.
1 Rerun - March 26, 1973
Rerun would end up being the final major new addition to the Peanuts cast in its original run. He was actually hinted almost a year before his first appearance in 1973, when Lucy was shocked to learn she's getting another brother after kicking Linus out of the house. When Rerun does arrive for the first time, Lucy offers to show him to get "a look at the outside world." Rerun's disappointment with what he sees makes this a solid joke that still holds up today. While he wouldn't be nearly as prevalent as his brother, he would eventually get his own set of storylines, making him a standout and funny member of the Peanuts gang.