Hagen, a D.C.-area cartoonist and coordinator of production at Georgetown University’s new media center, talks about the legendary “Peanuts” comic strip, which marked its 60th anniversary Saturday. On Friday, a photograph of “Peanuts” creator Charles Schulz was presented to the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery.
Having grown up with them, what influence did comics have on you as a cartoonist?
There wasn’t a whole lot of the entertainment outlets like there area now. There was TV and radio, but the comics you could just sort of lose yourself as a kid. I actually learned how to read from reading comics. My earliest memories are sitting down with the Sunday comic page and “Peanuts” was always the first on the front page.
How is “Peanuts” different from other comics?
There is sort of a timelessness to it, and with this classic “Peanuts” that’s been going on it could probably go on forever as other generations come up and discover it. I think the themes are about the same as they are now. Everyone can relate to the different themes of some of the jokes. It doesn’t seem dated at all.
Why do you think audiences can relate?
There’s so many different characters with their own quirks. I think people can see themselves in just one or two. They’ll relate some of their own failures or quirks to the characters. I think everybody’s insincere, and everybody likes to be liked. Everybody has failures, and I think they can relate to that.
Is there a “Peanuts” scene you really enjoy?
I’ve always liked the baseball Charlie Brown pitching and his team always loosing. Those were always funny. I always liked Snoopy as Joe Cool. – Anna Waugh
