Annotations of The Complete Peanuts/1973 to 1974

Annotations to The Complete Peanuts: 1973 to 1974 by Charles M. Schulz (Fantagraphics Books, 2009. ISBN 1606992864

p. 17 (February 8, 1973). One of the rare occasions, if not the only one, where "Peppermint" Patty does not call Charlie Brown "Chuck."

p. 35 (March 24, 1973). "I'm in the alpha state." The early 1970s saw a great amount of media attention and popular interest in the field of electroencephalography. Biofeedback techniques were believed to have a great future helping people alleviate their anxiety or achieve better mental performances.

p. 68 (June 7, 1973). The book Jonathan Livingston Seagull achieved its peak popularity in 1972. At the time, it had a considerable impact on popular culture.

p. 80 (July 5, 1973). Mad magazine, whose mascot is of course Alfred E. Neuman, was at its peak circulation in 1973 and 1974, just when this strip appeared. Mad had itself featured Peanuts in a Star Trek parody ("Star Blecch") it published in December 1967 (issue #115). In one frame, Snoopy appears as the WWI flying ace floating in space on his doghouse; in another frame, Charlie Brown, also floating in space, is hanging to his kite's thread.

p. 93 (August 5, 1973). "Happy birthday, Amy!" Amy is the name of one of Schulz's daughters.

p. 95 (August 10, 1973). In 1973, Hank Aaron received received death threats because of his becoming close to tie and subsequently breaking Babe Ruth's record.

p. 130 (October 30, 1973). "Peppermint" Patty forgets her past acquaintance with the Great Pumpkin story. On October 24, 1966, she even declared herself a believer.

p. 157 (January 1, 1974). The Grand Marshal Lucy doesn't suppose Linus knows was none other than Charles M. Schulz.

p. 269 (September 20, 1974). Acupuncture was nearly unknown to the general public before 1970. From then it grew quickly in popularity until, in the mid-1970s, it became common knowledge.