Deep Dive into Snoopy Fan Club’s Beagle Bugle Newsletter, June 1983
The June 1983 issue of the Beagle Bugle, volume one, number two, is packed with interesting Peanuts history, especially for anyone interested in vintage Snoopy magazines and Peanuts video games. One of the biggest stories looks at the young programmers working on Peanuts video games for Atari, including Nick Turner, Richard Dobis, Chris Omarzu, and Bruce Williams. The article discusses Snoopy and the Red Baron and another game that was apparently planned under the title Charlie Brown Versus the World. The issue even talks about Easter eggs in video games, which is pretty interesting for a magazine from 1983. There is also an article about Snoopy and high fashion with Sister Belle, along with some great fashion photos. The issue features Nancy Reagan with Snoopy, a poem from Monty Schulz, son of Charles Schulz, reader photos, letters to the editor, and the usual Dr. Snoopy advice for pet owners.
One of my favorite parts of this Beagle Bugle issue is the feature about Snoopy going to the moon. It includes Colonel Stafford, the Apollo 10 logo, Charlie Brown, Snoopy astronaut material, and some great Peanuts collectibles, including the pocket dolls. The fashion story continues with a look at learning to be a tomboy, and there is an interesting casting note about Lorna Luft taking over the role of Peppermint Patty in the off-Broadway musical Snoopy. The issue also has a fun engagement announcement about Harriet from Snoopy’s Beagle Scout troop. The bridegroom is one of her fellow scouts, but the magazine leaves readers guessing between Oliver, Bill, and Conrad, with the answer promised in the Peanuts comic strip at the end of June. There are also Peanuts calendar and puzzle pages, including a note that the June calendar came from a fun fact calendar.
The June 1983 Beagle Bugle also takes readers to Japan for a look at Golden Week, which runs from the Emperor’s birthday on April 29 through Children’s Day on May 5. Another highlight is a look at Camp Snoopy, including photos of the construction, Snoopy with a bulldozer, a Camp Snoopy billboard, and a $4 ticket discount. Charles M. Schulz is pictured in a train with Snoopy, adding another interesting bit of Peanuts history to the issue. There is a lot packed into this vintage Peanuts magazine, from Snoopy and the Red Baron and early Atari video games to Snoopy’s trip to the moon, Peanuts fashion, Camp Snoopy, Japan, and the characters of the Peanuts gang. The Beagle Bugle is a fun snapshot of how Peanuts was being presented to fans in 1983, and there are plenty of little details worth stopping to look at.
