Schroeder was always my favorite — there was something so great about him playing those works of art on a toy piano.

I’ve always liked Pig Pen – he was a nice kid, certainly not snotty like Ms. Van Pelt and more secure than good ole Charlie Brown.

He made his debut in the Peanuts comic strip on July 13, 1954. He didn’t appear to often. “Pigpen is kind of a nuisance.” said Charles Schultz in an interview. “Everybody kind of likes Pigpen. I don’t like to draw him. He’s only useful if you have him involved in dust and being dirty. I don’t have many ideas on that. I ran out of these.”

Well, I would tried to branch the sloppy guy out… maybe dating Marcia!

- Ray

PigPen. In part because I sort of was the kid in the neighborhood who kinda had a dust storm around me all the time.

My favorite Charlie Brown character is the Little Redheaded Girl. (Not Heather, who is OK in her own way, but the Little Redheaded Girl.) It was her existance that taught me life was not just about failing to kick the football, but that there could be happier unfulfilled dreams as well.

My favorite Peanuts character is Snoopy! I love Beagles and you can tell Schultz was looking at what his Beagle was doing for inspiration. My dogs love to lay on the couch with their heads hanging down off the edge, like Snoopy does on top of his doghouse.

Tossup between Snoopy, whose unfettered imagination leads him to triumph over adversity and banality, and Rerun, who I always think of in terms of the strip’s little-noticed late-period renaissance. That little kid always made me chuckle.

As much as I appreciate the creativity and joy expressed by Snoopy, Charlie Brown is the center of the strip for good reason. Which one of us can’t identify with the ominous feeling that you’re doomed to end up the goat and not the hero; that the Little Red-Haired Girl that you are drawn to doesn’t know you are alive; that your artistic efforts will leave you as a ghost with a hundred eyes?

And yet, for me, Charlie Brown is the ultimate optimist. Despite all evidence to the contrary, he honestly believes he will someday kick the football; that the kite-eating tree will give him a pass this time; that his softball team might actually win a game.

Add to that the fact that all of the kids in the neighborhood are still willing to spend time with Charlie Brown, despite the poor choices and lack of ability he displays on a regular basis — that’s my life in a nutshell!

Definitely Linus. The ultimate philosopher king/renaissance man!! He was the Sam to Charlie Brown’s Frodo. He was the wise sage, the fearless blanket wielding protector, the unwavering supporter, and even the comic foil, to remind Charlie Brown that all humans are plagued by irrational acts of faith (e.g. Great Pumpkin). Of all the characters, Linus was the most superhuman in his concern and love of others. Despite being the victim of Lucy’s abuse, he was the perfect mentor to his own little brother Rerun. He understood Snoopy better that Charlie Brown ever did. Before I wanted to be Batman, I wanted to be Linus. Maybe, just maybe, I was lead astray by the cape and cool tools, as Linus holds his own character-wise against anyone in comics. Please, for the love of Peanuts, make Sally stop calling him her Sweet Baboo!

Charlie Brown the ultimate optimist??? He never waited all night in a pumpkin patch for the Great Pumpkin to rise up from the patch and give toys to all of the loyal little boys and girls!! He never thought that a blanket could solve all of his problems. He gave up on Snoopy coming back when he ran away to be with his first owner Lila. He lost faith in his tree when the kids teased him about it until Linus showed him the way. No, whenever Charlie Brown’s back is to the wall, it is Linus that gives him the strength to carry on. Optimists do not have ‘Sigh!’ and ‘Good Grief’ as their signature catch phrases!!

I’ll go with Lucy. She was a little selfish at times, but she knew what she wanted and above all was honest even brutally so at times. Which at times was exactly what the other characters needed.

Mine would also have to be Linus. The imagination to come up with The Great Pumpkin, the wisdom to spout philosophy, the insecurity to need a blanket with him, and having to put up with being Lucy’s younger brother? What’s not to like?

Snoopy.

I was fascinated by all things having to do with flight as a child, so the instant I saw Snoopy sitting atop his dog house in his WWI Flying Ace persona, I was hooked for life.

Ever since I was a little girl (many many years ago), I related to Charlie Brown. And the first time I watched A Charlie Brown Christmas (on its very first TV broadcast), I totally understood why he picked that scraggly, scrawny tree; in my adult life I have picked many a live Christmas tree that bore a strong resemblance to his tree. I think, in some ways I’m more like Charlie Brown than I really care to admit.

I just loved Charlie Brown.He had it rough but he always tried to keep his head up. What a guy!

I have great respect for Rerun (Linus and Lucy’s little brother). In his last few years, Sparky seemed to get bored with his original characters, and got some real creative inspiration with Rerun. He was the ultimate outsider in the Peanuts universe: too young to be accepted by the other Peanuts gang, unable to get Snoopy to play with him unless he had cookies to share, unable to get the pig tailed girl to pay attention to him unless he takes her to Paris, always drawing “underground” comics, etc. He gave a real spark to the strip after an uninspired (in my opinion) period in the 70s/80s.

Peppermint Patti – she reminded me of a few girls I used to know and liked. She was a bit rough around the edges, confident, sometimes a bit bossy, and always true to herself. But there was that underlying sense she wanted better for herself. It was heartbreaking to Patti open up her feelings to Chuck and he’d be so clueless. Missed chances; kinda of like me, in retrospect.

My favorite character in the strip (Schulz hated the title Peanuts, so I won’t refer to that name as well) is Charlie Brown because I identified with him so much in my life. One of the things I have on order through my comics provider is a t shirt that’s just like the shirt he wears.

Well, I suppose my favorite character was Schroeder. He strikes me as the only fully self-actualized character of the group. Linus still has problems with his sister, and Snoopy, while seemingly confident, does still seem to have plenty of issues as well. Schroeder is there to play the piano and occasionally act as catcher. He knows his role and enjoys/revels in it.

Though I relate the most to Charlie Brown, and had a childhood crush on Marcie, my favorite is Rerun. I always enjoyed his reflections on life from the back of Mrs. Van Pelt’s bicycle, and his pre-school hijinx (the underground cartoonist phase, wanting to run off to Paris with his classmate and getting slapped with harassment charge as a result) showed that even though Schulz’s hand was getting shaky as he got older, his mind was sharp as ever.

Charlie Brown, because I often feel like no matter how hard I try, I miss the ball and end up on my ass. Luckily my head isn’t round.

Linus, because he always seemed smart and well read.

Mine would be Linus because of imagination. I have a very active imagination myself.

I love all the Peanuts characters, but I’m going to go with Snoopy’s brother Spike. He’s so bizarre, pathetic and somehow lovable – lives in Needles California with a bunch of cacti, and always looks like he needs a hug.
Honorable mention: Jose Peterson. He didn’t appear in the strip enough to be a favorite, but he was a unique character (half Swedish, half Mexican). He was on Peppermint Patty’s baseball team.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Peanuts#Jos.C3.A9_Peterson

I would have to go with Snoopy’s brother, Spike. When he first appeared he was comically thin, and then he developed into a more independent dog. It was always fun to see him talk to his cactus friend, or deal with the problems of Christmas in the desert. I found it especially funny when he tried to decorate a tumbleweed like a Christmas tree, but it rolled away.

Charlie Brown is my favorite because he seems so down on himself sometimes and I find it hilarious.

After thinking (and overthinking…) I’m going to say Linus. Because of his blanket fixation, he’s easy to dismiss as infantile, but he’s obviously a clever, intelligent kid. So, really, he’s an eccentric, which is what the world needs more of!

Woodstock was always my favorite Peanuts character. He was the strong silent type. I loved that he was a bright company to snoopy (Loved the snoop too), never talking but a partner, side-kick that was loyal and always there.

Charlie Brown is everyone, we all can identify with him at some time or another, though of course, of all the Charlie Browns in the world, he’s the Charlie Browniest.

Peppermint Patty is my favorite character. That young lady just did what she wanted and liked who she liked and never took no for an answer