On this day 58 years ago...

Good grief, the first Peanuts comic strip was published on this day in 1950. Created by Charles M. Schulz, the strip featured a cast of children, one beagle and one small bird. It ran for 50 years and appeared in 2,600 newspapers in 21 languages in 75 countries — dispensing humor, wisdom and the occasional World War I fighting ace. Schulz, who died in 2000, never shied away from religious or difficult topics. In Schulz's obituary, The New York Times quoted this exchange between his characters, "After you've died, do you get to come back?" Linus asks Charlie Brown. The latter replies, "If they stamp your hand."