10 Funniest Peanuts Comics That Just Turned 40 (Showcasing Snoopy & Woodstock's Friendship)

It’s fair to say that Peanuts is the most iconic and widely beloved comic strip of all time, as the likes of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and Woodstock are some of the greatest characters ever created - comic characters or otherwise. In fact, that’s the reason why Peanuts is perhaps the greatest comic strip series ever created: its characters.

The comic doesn’t just give readers an endless spew of gags, it gives them a peek into the lives of these characters, letting the characters themselves deliver the jokes naturally. And two of the biggest standouts are easily Snoopy and Woodstock. Their friendship is one of the funniest bits of the entire Peanuts series, as the antics these two get up to are absolutely hilarious, making any comic featuring them together one that every Peanuts fan needs to read. And, in a crop of Peanuts comics that just turned 40, Snoopy and Woodstock’s friendship is showcased beautifully.

10 Snoopy Doesn’t Blame Woodstock for Rejecting 1 Particular Bird Custom

Peanuts - October 1, 1984

As Snoopy and Woodstock sit together on top of Snoopy's doghouse, Snoopy brings up that, this month, birds tend to fly south for the winter. He says, "all the cliff swallows head for Goya, Argentina... six thousand miles later, in March, they return to Capistrano". Woodstock responds with his signature illegible chirps that only Snoopy can understand, and while readers don't know what he said, Snoopy's response indicated that the little yellow bird got his point across.

Woodstock doesn't care what other kinds of birds do, there is no way that he's flying thousands of miles just because it's winter. That is one bird custom Woodstock does not subscribe to, and Snoopy doesn't even blame him, proving that these two aren't just hilarious, they're also great friends.

9 Snoopy Isn’t Above Taking Constructive Criticism (He Just Can’t Apply It)

Peanuts - October 3, 1984

Snoopy is typing the Great American Novel atop his doghouse, and he offers a rough draft of one of the chapters to Lucy, who doesn't hold back on her 'constructive criticism'. Lucy has a problem with Snoopy's application of romance in his story, as she notes that "he waved goodbye" isn't a very romantic farewell between two lovers. So, Snoopy takes the criticism to heart, and corrects the sentence with, "He also said, 'Have a nice day!'".

It's clear that Snoopy doesn't get romance, and he was totally incapable of applying Lucy's constructive criticism to his work. 'Waving goodbye' isn't the most romantic farewell, but neither is 'have a nice day', and the fact that Snoopy thinks it is is absolutely hilarious - even if it's the source of Lucy's momentary frustration.

8 Woodstock Doesn’t Let His Stature Stop Him from Playing Basketball with Snoopy

Peanuts - October 4, 1984

Snoopy and Woodstock hit the basketball court in this Peanuts comic strip, and Snoopy has a solid game plan for how they're going to play. First, they're going to shoot hoops, taking turns doing some practice shots. Then, they are going to split up and play some one-on-one. As Snoopy lays out that last bit, however, he takes note of Woodstock's stature and corrects himself by saying, "Or maybe one-on-one-fourth...".

It's clear to Snoopy, Woodstock, and the readers themselves that the little yellow bird is just that: little. Woodstock is way smaller than Snoopy, which is addressed directly through Snoopy's clever joke in this comic. However, his stature doesn't stop Woodstock from playing basketball with his friend. And perhaps more notably, that doesn't stop Snoopy from including him in his games, further confirming how good of friends they are.

7 Snoopy is Hilariously Unimpressed by Charlie Brown’s ‘Exciting’ Trick

Peanuts - October 5, 1984

When it's time to bring Snoopy some food, Charlie Brown decides to do it with a little extra flare. Charlie Brown walks over to Snoopy with the dog's bowl filled with food in-hand before giving it to him while doing a head-stand. Charlie Brown says that Snoopy should be excited, since he's the first dog in history fed by someone doing a head-stand. After Charlie Brown leaves, Snoopy looks down at his food and sarcastically says, "How can I eat when I'm so excited?".

Snoopy is hilariously unimpressed by Charlie Brown's 'exciting' trick, as he chooses to basically ignore Chuck's demonstration before commenting on it with a thick layer of sarcasm. While this is pretty typical of Snoopy, he should have been impressed by Charlie Brown's ability to do a one-armed head-stand while holding a bowl of food without spilling it - as should Peanuts fans.

6 Snoopy Takes it Personally When He Doesn’t Get the Last Cookie (but Not How You’d Think)

Peanuts - October 8, 1984

Snoopy knocks on the door of Charlie Brown's house, and Chuck knows exactly what his dog is after: food - specifically, a chocolate chip cookie. Unfortunately, Charlie Brown has some bad news for the cookie-craving pup. Charlie Brown tells Snoopy, "You're too late. The last chocolate chip cookie is gone". Saddened and heartbroken, Snoopy walks away from the door in disbelief, saying to himself, "I don't believe it... it never would have left without saying goodbye".

It seems Snoopy took it personally when he didn't get the last chocolate chip cookie. Not because he was mad that someone else ate it before him, Snoopy was upset that the cookie itself didn't say goodbye. That's definitely an unexpected reaction to hearing the cookie one wanted to eat was gone, making Snoopy's response to the news that much more hilarious.

Peanuts - October 13, 1984

Peppermint Patty calls Charlie Brown to complain about Marcie. In a few comic strips prior to this one, Peppermint Patty and Marcie were playing football, and it was clear that Marcie didn't have what it takes to be a football player. Patty relays this to Charlie Brown, saying, "she'll never be a football player" and that, "some people just never learn". Just then, Lucy calls out to Charlie Brown from outside his house, asking him if he wants to kick the football while she holds it. Upon hearing that, Charlie Brown answers Patty, "No, we don't".

Peppermint Patty is complaining to Charlie Brown about Marcie's 'football problem', though Chuck seemingly has more in common with Marcie than Peppermint Patty thinks, as he has a 'football problem' of his own - one Charlie Brown will never be able to 'kick'.

4 Snoopy is the Funniest Person He Knows, & He Lets Woodstock Know It

Peanuts - October 20, 1984

Snoopy and Woodstock are sitting together in the grass while Snoopy reads about what not to do if stung by a jellyfish. Snoopy reads aloud to Woodstock, "Do not rub your skin if you are stung by a jellyfish" before adding, "and do not rub your eyes if you are stung by a remark". After saying this, Snoopy bursts out laughing while Woodstock sits silently next to him, looking in confusion at the hysterical dog. Snoopy then explains that he made up that last part himself - the part that he found so funny.

Snoopy is clearly very pleased with the 'hilarious' joke that he made up while reading about jellyfish with Woodstock. In fact, it's fair to say that Snoopy thinks he's the funniest person he knows, based on this comic strip and the countless others he's appeared in over the years - and he's happy to let Woodstock know it any chance he gets.

3 Peppermint Patty 'Plays it Cool’ When She’s Caught Goofing Around in Class

Peanuts - October 22, 1984

During class one day, Peppermint Patty is goofing around with an eraser, throwing it up in the air and catching it with her teeth. Moments later, the teacher calls on Peppermint Patty, asking her if she's paying attention. Peppermint Patty says she is, and that she's not playing with her eraser, but using it to erase a mistake she made on her paper. Patty then proceeds to use her eraser while it's still in her mouth, as if she put it there deliberately to carry out that task.

Peppermint Patty famously never pays attention in class, and usually opts to sleep during any given lesson - and she usually gets away with it. And now, readers are shown the extent of Patty's ability to 'play it cool' under pressure (even if the attempt is laughable to say the least).

2 Charlie Brown is the Reason Sally Lost Faith in Heroes

Peanuts - October 31, 1984

When Sally is doing her homework, she calls out to Charlie Brown, asking her big brother if he could help her with her homework, and that he will be her hero if he helps her. However, Charlie Brown is in the middle of watching TV, so there's no way he's going to stop just to help his little sister with school work. So, Sally goes back to her homework, saying to herself, "That's the trouble these days... we don't have any heroes...".

Sally completely loses faith in all heroes just because Charlie Brown won't help her with her homework, and the absurdity of that logic is utterly hilarious. Charlie Brown choosing to watch TV over doing more school work doesn't mean the world is void of heroes. But, to Sally, that's exactly what that means, and that's hysterical.

1 Snoopy Can Always Make Time for Woodstock (Even When He’s Sleeping)

Peanuts - October 30, 1984

Snoopy is asleep on top of his doghouse when Woodstock flies over to him and lands directly on Snoopy's nose. This wakes Snoopy up immediately, but clearly not completely. Still dazed and half-asleep, Snoopy asks Woodstock, "Looking for me?" before saying, "I'm in here somewhere".

It seems Woodstock can't wait until Snoopy wakes up to hang out with him, but rather than getting angry with the little yellow bird for disturbing his sleep, Snoopy makes time for his best friend, even if he's not fully awake yet. Two people that annoy each other yet never lose that love between them is the truest sign of a friendship, and that friendship is showcased perfectly in this comic strip in particular, making it one of the 10 best Peanuts comics that just turned 40.

Peanuts

Created by Charles M. Schulz, Peanuts is a multimedia franchise that began as a comic strip in the 1950s and eventually expanded to include films and a television series. Peanuts follows the daily adventures of the Peanuts gang, with Charlie Brown and his dog Snoopy at the center of them. Aside from the film released in 2015, the franchise also has several Holiday specials that air regularly on U.S. Television during their appropriate seasons.