When it comes to iconic characters, Disney have some of the greatest ever created. Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck are known the world over... but did you know they're also friends?
Whether it be references or explicit meet-ups, Peanuts has published several unofficial crossovers with the House of Mouse - and we've collected the best of the best.
10 "I Ran Into Mickey Mouse"
Peanuts' October 13, 1996 Comic
Telling his cactus best friend about his latest travels, Snoopy's brother Spike shares about how he met one big celebrity in Hollywood: Mickey Mouse! Running into the very famous rodent, Spike details that Mickey and he enjoyed a lengthy chat, with Spike taking the opportunity to complain about desert living. Being the stand-up guy he is, Mickey solved Spike's problem the only way he could - by handing over his iconic yellow shoes (a gag that will return later in this list.)
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9 "But He Didn't Answer"
Peanuts' July 10, 1984 Comic
Contemplating how Donald Duck's age is creeping into the middle-aged category, Snoopy brings up the topic of Donald Duck with Woodstock. The little yellow bird wonders if Snoopy, ever the popular and globe-trotting beagle, has ever met the famous duck with the fiery temper. Snoopy its that he does not know him but he did see Donald Duck in person once when he was in California. Not getting the warmest reception from him, Snoopy relates how his over-familiar greeting went ignored. It sounds like in the world of Peanuts, Donald Duck has let his fame go to his head.
8 "Tarzan Beating Up Mickey Mouse"
Peanuts' September 9, 1999 Comic
Despite the class assignment of painting flowers, Rerun marches to the beat of his own drum, straying from what he was tasked to do. Instead, the youngest Van Pelt is making a drawing of Tarzan beating up Mickey Mouse before Daffy Duck beats up Tarzan, labeling it an R. Crumb-style 'basement comic.' His friend corrects him that the correct term is an underground comic, with Rerun not caring much for labels and instead wanting to focus on his multi-cartoon character brawl.
Underground comics have a long history of parodying Disney, with a predictable focus on showing the iconic children's character engaging in sex, violence and drug use. In that context, Rerun might actually have a career in underground comics, given his first instinct is to show Mickey taking a beating.
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7 "The Funny Looking Shoes"
Peanuts' September 29, 1998 Comic
Spike plans on going into town in the hope that a "Hollywood-type girl" will sweep him off his feet in a convertible and take him away. As a result, he deems that he must look sophisticated if he wants to attract attention, wearing his prized Mickey Mouse shoes. It turns out, the Mickey Mouse shoes were not the best choice. While fans know that the shoes came from Mickey Mouse himself, the people of Peanuts' understandably assume Spike is wearing some novelty Disney shoes rather than celebrity fashion.
6 "He Was Wearing Mickey Mouse Shoes"
Peanuts' October 1, 1998 Comic
When Spike stands on the corner wanting to get picked up by a Hollywood girl in a convertible, he discovers the hard way that he is standing in front of an animal hospital where he gets whisked inside before he even knows what is going on. Never one to turn down a little luxury, Spike beds down. While he snoozes, Naomi notices his particularly fancy footwear, that being his Mickey Mouse shoes. Spike was found by the right person, because Naomi is the rare person who is apparently impressed by his Mickey Mouse shoes.
This is Naomi's first appearance in Peanuts.
5 "I Just Lease It By The Month"
Peanuts' September 5, 1999 Comic
Spike has learned something from living in the desert; that being that possessions can be a burden rather than a joy. Bragging about his lack of being attached to possessions, Spike relates to his cactus buddy that he only owns two things in this world, with one being a fishing hat his dad gave to him and the other being his shoes from the one and only Mickey Mouse. The strip continues the running joke of Spike continuing to exaggerate his 'friendship' with Mickey Mouse... or so it seems.
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4 "Snow White And The Seven Beagles"
Peanuts' December 4, 1987 Comic
Trying to help Snoopy out with his latest writing project, Lucy suggests doing what all great writers have done: just take a famous fairy tale and slightly change it. He decides to take her advice and begins work on his sure-to-be a classic, Snow White and the Seven Beagles. As off-kilter of an idea as it is, one must it that seven beagles is a unique take on the Snow White fairy tale. And if Disney has proved anything, it's that there really is a huge appetite for fairy tale retellings.
3 "Grab Him!"
Peanuts' November 13, 1997 Comic
Spike writes a letter to Snoopy, as the siblings are both family and committed pen pals, explaining that he is still waiting for Andy and Olaf to meet him at his desert home. Spike will be waiting a long time because Andy and Olaf get horribly lost going anywhere. Spike continues his letter with informing his brother that his rich friend Mickey Mouse left some shoes for Andy and Olaf, seemingly confirming they really do have an ongoing friendship. Sadly, despite the kind gift, a thieving coyote stole the shoes. He ends his letter by letting Snoopy know that he must grab the coyote who has stolen the prized Mickey Mouse shoes if he sees it.
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2 "The Real Meaning"
Peanuts' April 19, 1965 Comic
Lucy has never let being wrong interfere with her confidence, and that's shown here as she relates a muddled retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. As ever, Linus is a little ahead of the rest of Peanuts' kids, realizing his sister has missed the point, but not causing a fuss by bringing it up. Instead, Linus praises his sister's 'insight' - likely gleaned from a single viewing of the Disney classic.
1 "They're Just Not You"
Peanuts' July 6, 1987 Comic
Long before Spike got his real-life Mickey Mouse shoes, Snoopy tried out the novelty version. Sadly, Charlie Brown wasn't willing to sign off on the fashion choice. Charlie Brown knows Snoopy better than anyone (maybe with the exception of Woodstock), and is willing to call his best friend out when his fashion experimentation leaves a lot to be desired.
Those were the 10 funniest comics where Peanuts crossed over with Disney - let us know your favorite in the comments below, as well as your favorite characters from both franchises.
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- Created by
- Charles M. Schulz
- First Film
- The Peanuts Movie
- Cast
- Christopher Shea, Kathy Steinberg, Bill Melendez, Sally Dryer, Peter Robbins, Noah Schnapp, Hadley Belle Miller, Mariel Sheets, Lisa DeFaria, Venus Omega Schultheis
- TV Show(s)
- The Snoopy Show, Peanuts by Schulz
- Movie(s)
- The Peanuts Movie, A Charlie Brown Christmas, A Boy Named Charlie Brown, Charlie Brown's All Stars!, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown
- Character(s)
- Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy van Pelt, Linus van Pelt, Sally Brown, Pig-Pen, Marcie (Peanuts), Peppermint Patty, Woodstock
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.
