Al Plastino Nearly Replaced Charles M. Schulz on Peanuts

In 1950, a monumental journey began with the launch of Peanuts, an extraordinary project that would span 50 years and become the most popular comic strip in the world. Created by Charles M. Schulz, Peanuts achieved the remarkable feat of being the most uninterrupted newspaper comic strip in history. However, this continuous run was nearly interrupted twice, once in 1977 and again in 1983, when artist Al Plastino was brought in as a potential replacement for Schulz. These instances arose during periods of uncertainty, but despite the preparations made for Plastino to take over, Schulz’s legacy of uninterrupted work ultimately remained unbroken.

In 1977, the Peanuts universe faced a significant crisis due to tense contract negotiations between its creator, Charles Schulz, and his distributor, United Features Syndicate (UFS). Schulz sought a larger share of ownership of the Peanuts franchise, causing UFS to fear that he might abandon the comic strip altogether. There was big money involved in the strip at the time. As a precaution, UFS commissioned Al Plastino to take over the production of Peanuts if Schulz decided to leave. They built up a reserve of strips created by Plastino.

When a satisfactory agreement was finally reached with Charles Schulz, Al Plastino’s comic strips were shelved. Plastino later revealed that United Feature Syndicate (UFS) had commissioned these strips again in 1983 as a precautionary measure during a time when Schulz was undergoing heart surgery. The intention was to have these strips ready in case Schulz was unable to continue his work. Despite these preparations, Plastino’s replacement strips were never published. Plastino also asserted that he had ghostwritten for Schulz during this period while Schulz was recovering from his heart surgery in 1983

Al Plastino brought substantial experience in creating newspaper strips and adeptly mimicking the styles of other cartoonists. This expertise was most evident during his 19-year tenure on “Ferd’nand,” created by Henning Dahl Mikkelsen where he successfully maintained the strip’s established aesthetic and humor. Plastino’s Ferd’nand strips were signed “Al + Mik.” His ability to seamlessly blend into different artistic styles made him a versatile and valuable contributor to the world of comic art.

Al Plastino, renowned for his work on “Superman,” is celebrated as the co-creator of Supergirl alongside writer Otto Binder. Plastino’s artistic contributions significantly shaped the Superman universe, and his collaboration with Binder led to the introduction of Supergirl, a beloved character who expanded the Superman mythos. Supergirl first appeared in Action Comics #252 in 1959, and her creation added a new dimension to the stories of Kryptonian heritage and heroism, enriching the legacy of Superman.

Regardless of the exact timeline, it is agreed that Schulz was kept in the dark about Plastino’s involvement. When Schulz eventually learned about the commissioned strips years later, he was displeased. As a result, the Plastino strips were destroyed, ensuring that Schulz’s vision for Peanuts remained intact.