Linus Van Pelt

Linus Van Pelt is the blanket-clutching younger brother of Lucy in Charles M. Schulz's beloved Peanuts comic strip, first collected in book form by Crest Books in 1956. A surprisingly philosophical child, he is Charlie Brown's loyal best friend.

Few characters in American comics have burrowed so deeply into the cultural imagination as Linus Van Pelt, who made his debut in 1956 and has been charming readers across an extraordinary 64-year span of publication. A creation of the incomparable Charles M. Schulz, Linus is the philosophical heart of the Peanuts universe, sharing the page with beloved figures like Snoopy, Lucy Van Pelt, Schroeder, Sally Brown, and Violet Gray in stories that defined what newspaper-strip comics could mean to generations of fans. With 121 catalog appearances — including two collector-recognized key issues — and a presence stretching from Dell's early editions through The Complete Peanuts and beyond, his longevity speaks for itself. If you're building a serious Peanuts collection or simply want to rediscover why Schulz's little world felt so profound, Linus is absolutely essential reading.