Is it now time to let beloved Peanuts go?

Just about everyone loves Peanuts.

No, I’m not thinking about the nuts (actually legumes) that lots of people like too, but rather the comic strip and its characters that have captivated people for some six decades now.

Included among those people who love Peanuts are readers of the Yuma Sun.

But we are wondering here at the paper if maybe it is time to find another comic strip for people to love. We are hoping our readers will help us make this decision.

You see, no new Peanuts comics strips have actually been created for more than 10 years. All the strips you see here in the paper daily and on Sunday are ones from the past — reruns, if you will.

That is because Charles Schulz, the creator of the strip, specifically requested that no new ones be created after his death. The last new strip was published on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2000 — the day after the beloved cartoonist died.

Schulz’s request is unusual. A lot of comic strips continue to be created, at least for a time, by new authors and artists after the original creators pass on.

The use of reruns is also rare, but many newspapers chose to keep publishing Peanuts due to its huge popularity with readers.

The Peanuts characters are iconic elements of American society, not only in newspapers but on TV and in book and calendar publishing. There is even a museum dedicated to the cartoonist and his creation in Santa Rosa, Calif. where he lived for many years.

It is unusual that cartoon characters created shortly after the end of World War II continue to have such long-term appeal. The strip in its current form was first published on Oct. 2, 1950. Just think about all that has happened and changed in our nation since then.

The fact that reruns of the strips continue to have freshness and charm for many readers speaks to the universal nature of what is depicted in the strip, which really deals with human nature more than topical issues.

For many people living today, the strip has always been a part of their lives. It is truly an iconic part of American culture.

Still, a time comes when things need to be put in the past so we can move into the future.

Newspapers over the years have been gradually dropping Peanuts in favor of other comic strips. They believe it is time for a living cartoonist to get the opportunity to entertain and inspire. I have a feeling Schulz would probably agree. He was once a young cartoonist hoping for his opportunity.

So now we are looking at that demarcation point for the Yuma Sun.

Shall we continue to publish reruns of Peanuts daily and Sunday or move on?

We would like you to let us know how you feel about this question.

Please e-mail me with you thoughts on keeping it or letting the past go. My e-mail address is tross@yumasun.com. Or mail me a letter if you prefer. The address is P.O. Box 271, Yuma, 85366-0271.

Oh, and if you have thoughts about a replacement comic strip, include that in your e-mail too.

Terry Ross is director of the Yuma Sun’s News and Information Center.