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A cartoonist is never completely in charge of a character. The drawing hand may waver and wobble and swerve rather than turn — regularity remains an aspiration, not a guarantee. And a truly lively figure will in time guide the artist, not the other way around. It was perpetually the way the Peanuts artist Schulz described the reason Snoopy, his lively creation, evolved from his debut in the mid-20th century through his concluding comic-strip appearances by the year 2000.

“As my drawing style became freer, Snoopy could to do more things,” the artist stated back in 1975. “And once I ultimately created the formula of using his imagination to imagine himself as various valiant characters, the series adopted a completely new dimension."

Mapping the evolution of the beagle's appearance and character traits might seem tedious through various Peanuts compilations, however, fortunately for comic fiends, it’s about to get slightly more manageable. Arranged around the 75-year milestone of Schulz’s strip, The Definitive Peanuts is a deluxe hardcover collector's edition crafted by celebrated scribe Mark Evanier that curates the most recognizable Schulz's panels and showcases them with fresh historical and societal background. Designed by artist Chip Kidd, the volume includes a foreword by Jean, an introduction by Mutts comic artist Patrick McDonnell, plus writings by 16 notable commentators (featuring a Snoopy-loving astronaut). Included in the set are a number of memorabilia items, such as postcards, prints, a fabric badge, labels, plus a replica classic Peanuts comic book.

Building on their praised Peanuts series, Evanier’s tribute delves into the creator's innovative vision and the series' enduring influence across art, books, and everyday life. The final product highlights how the strip has crossed age groups, and became a greater phenomenon than Schulz himself might ever assign to his original vision.

Below, there appear unique spreads from the new volume, particularly examining how Snoopy changed in the beginning stages.

Within his notes, present in the volume, the author points out the way each of Schulz’s characters finally developed by ongoing iteration and discovery, using Snoopy as the standout case. By the decade's close, the beagle had grown more elongated and more creative, changing into everything from creatures to alternate identities like Joe Cool. It’s a gorgeous representation of an art which has faded as the press sector declines, but clearly deserves a spot in the records of artistic heritage.

The Definitive Volume, costing $75, arrives in bookstores this October.