76 Years Ago, ‘Peanuts’ Shockingly with a Delightfully Cruel First Comic
Charles Schulz’s iconic comic strip Peanuts debuted on October 2, 1950, with a surprisingly mean-spirited first comic that set an unexpected tone. The strip’s initial protagonists were Shermy and Patty, unnamed secondary characters who shared the spotlight with Charlie Brown. In the inaugural comic, as Charlie Brown walks by, Shermy delivers a cutting remark: “Here comes ol’ Charlie Brown. Good ol’ Charlie Brown… How I hate him!”
As Peanuts evolved, Schulz refined his artistic style and expanded his character roster. The introduction of now-iconic characters like Lucy and Linus Van Pelt gradually overshadowed the original cast. Despite being co-stars of the strip’s debut, Shermy and Patty were slowly pushed to the background. By the 1970s, both characters had completely disappeared from publication, becoming historical footnotes in their own creation.
The trajectory of these early characters mirrors The Beatles’ Stuart Sutcliffe—talented originals eventually eclipsed by later additions. However, Shermy and Patty’s appearance in the first Peanuts strip ensures their permanent place in comic history. Their legacy, preserved in that inaugural cruel punchline, serves as a reminder of how beloved characters and franchises evolve over time, leaving their founding members behind.