Charlie Brown Knew How To Sell Himself In Vintage ‘Peanuts’ Ads

In today's day and age, it may be hard to fathom an era when comic strips were promoted in advertisements worded like movie promotions, but long before "Scott Pilgrim" trailers and "Marmaduke" trailers graced YouTube, "Peanuts" had such ads. If you were around for early "Peanuts" installments or you've seen Fantagraphics' more recent collections, you'll recognize a younger, less evolved Charlie Brown.

Each example introduces part of the original "Peanuts" cast, though Woodstock isn't a part of the picture yet, and Snoopy hasn't learned to fly in scans posted by Rosebud Archives. Charlie Brown, however, gives a compelling sell in his new-kid speech from a tall box that would have been a perfect modern sidebar ad.You'll find him, Patty, Shermy, Violet, Shroeder and Snoopy in the crease-crossed clips, though don't bother looking for Marcie, Franklin or Pig-Pen, because Charles Schulz hadn't integrated them into his world at that point. Figure out who you do recognize, though, and decide if you would have been sold on "Peanuts" based on the scenes in the gallery below.