The World War I flying ace again fails to bring down the Red Baron.

A cartoon story of Snoopy, Peanuts' dog, who sees himself as a famous World War I flying ace.

Snoopy is one small dog with one huge imagination! From day to day, he can be found stalking the other Peanuts characters as a fierce ready-to-prey vulture, leopard, mountain lion, piranha, or creature from the sea. But his grandest flights of fancy are when he’s airborne as the Flying Ace on his Sopwith Camel seeking out the evil Red Baron. His forays take him through the World War I French countryside in repeated attempts to achieve his quest. In Snoopy: Contact!, enjoy his adventures along with his other unusual encounters: catching bird burglars stealing his Van Gogh, challenging Lucy to an arm-wrestling contest, and becoming the Cheshire beagle.

This first volume, covering the first two and a quarter years of the strip, will be of particular fascination toPeanuts aficionados worldwide: Although there have been literally hundreds of Peanuts books published, many of the strips from the series' first two or three years have never been collected before―in large part because they showed a young Schulz working out the kinks in his new strip and include some characterizations and designs that are quite different from the cast we're all familiar with. (Among other things, three major cast members―Schroeder, Lucy, and Linus―initially show up as infants and only "grow" into their final "mature" selves as the months go by. Even Snoopy debuts as a puppy!) Thus The Complete Peanuts offers a unique chance to see a master of the art form refine his skills and solidify his universe, day by day, week by week, month by month.

As one of the world's best-loved comic strip characters, Snoopy has been our constant companion for more than 45 years. Inspired by Charles M. Schulz's boyhood pet dog, Snoopy has evolved from Charlie Brown's silent, four-legged companion into a multifaceted, philosophical and wonderfully imaginative native character. This unprecedented keepsake treasury showcases the lovable beagle's many colorful personalities -- from Joe Cool to the World War I Flying Ace, Golf Pro, Literary Ace and so many more. Whether he's piloting his Sopwith Camel, leading the Beagle Scouts on retreat or simply waiting for a filled supper dish, you can always count on Snoopy to be entertaining. In the foreword, Schulz describes his inspiration for Snoopy and the evolution of this popular beagle into the character that the world knows today. The introduction features the art and words of Tom Everhart, a close friend of Schulz and one of the few artist authorized to draw and paint the "Peanuts" characters. Complete with glassed-for-viewing 3-D images, a timeline gatefold showing the development of Snoopy over the past five decades and quotes from celebrities revealing their thoughts about everyone's favorite beagle, this book is a delightful treat for any Snoopy fan. Snoopy: Not Your Average Dog celebrates the art and humor of Charles M. Schulz. Through his creation of Snoopy, Schulz shows the world again and again that all it takes is a good heart, a little imagination and a few good friends to truly enjoy life.