Charlie Brown’s inability to kick a football has become one ofPeanuts' greatest jokes, but an surprising ally once helped him achieve the impossible. This ally was none other than Marvel’sSpider-Man, swinging into thePeanutsuniverse to lend a hand. Now, Charlie Brown and Spider-Man have reunited in art that proves their friendship is seriously underrated and deserves recognition.
Heartwarming fan art from artist @haru_ch1brings these icons together again to commemorate their classic team-up. InCharles Schulz’Peanuts, Charlie Brown gets put through the wringer. His peers constantly rib and ridicule him, and the most popular example of this is the running gag where Lucy yanks a football from Charlie Brown as he’s about to kick it, sending him flying.
One of the few times the Peanuts protagonist has successfully kicked the football took place in hiscrossover with Spider-Man.
Spider-Man Helps Charlie Brown Overcome Peanuts' Iconic Football
Fan Art By @haru_ch1
With Spider-Man’s help, Charlie Brown achieves the goal that’s eluded him for years. In this hilarious crossover strip byAmazing Spider-Manartist John Romita Sr., right when Lucy attempts to swipe the ball from Charlie, she suddenly gets caught up inSpider-Man’s webbing. With Lucy restrained,Charlie Brown finally succeeds at kicking the football, while Spider-Man celebrates alongside him. It’s a heartwarming turn of events that flips the two’s reputations on their heads. Charlie Brown gets his long-awaited moment of glory thanks to Spider-Man’s web-shooting reflexes.
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This crossover, commissioned by fan Mike Burkey, unites two of comics' underdogs in the best possible way. After decades of humiliation, Charlie Brown savors the sweet taste of victory alongside Spider-Man. Peter Parker understands the feeling of being knocked down by life, so he’s more than happy to lend a hand to Charlie Brown. HaruCh1’sPeanutsfan-art reunites the unlikely duo and rightfully calls them the greatest of all time, serving as a reminder that both Charlie Brown and Spider-Man will always get back up when the world tries to pull the football out from under them.
How An Innocent Mistake Turned Into Peanuts' Most Iconic Joke
The Football Gag’s Evolution
Peanuts' classic football gag first appeared on July 30, 2025, but it wasn’t originally as mean-spirited as it is today. In its debut,Violet holds the football instead of Lucy, and she doesn’t intend to prank Charlie Brown at all! She only moves the ball out of fear that he’ll kick her. Then, in a strip published on November 16th, 1952, the first football joke featuring Lucy depicts her taking Charlie Brown’s instructions a bit too literally as she holds the ball in place so it won’t budge. In both instances,Charlie fails to kick the football due to a misunderstanding.
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However, as readers know,Peanuts' football gagdoesn’t remain innocent for long.What begins as a comedy of errors soon devolves into a prank at Charlie Brown’s eternal expense, as Lucy intentionally swipes the football away from Charlie Brownat the last second, which leads to fall after fall for the poor kid. His misery is as unavoidable as the football staying in place, with his role as the butt of the joke going back tothe very firstPeanutscomic. As distressing as this may be, it does give Charlie Brown a similarity to Marvel’s resident underdog.
Charlie Brown’s Team-Up With Spider-Man Gives Him A Long-Awaited Victory
Thanks to Spider-Man, Charlie Brown Finally Kicks The Football
Spider-Man and Charlie Brown share a lot in common, despite how different they appear on a surface level. Like Charlie Brown, Peter Parker is an underdog in the Marvel Universe. In fact, he’s developed a catchy name for his misfortune: “Parker luck.” His most notable tragedy is the death of his Uncle Ben, though that’s only the beginning ofSpider-Man’s bad luck. Peter is bullied by Flash Thompson, loathed by the likes ofJ. Jonah Jameson, and to top it all off, his love life is a disaster. Marvel Comics can’tseem to give Spider-Man a break, and the same goes forPeanuts' treatment of Charlie Brown.
Spider-Man’s powers allow him to conquer obstacles that come his way, and he’s even used them to help Charlie Brown do the same.
What sets Spider-Man apart from Charlie Brown are his powers, which give him an edge over the challenges he faces.Spider-Man’s super-strength, web-slinging, and other abilities keep him on top despite the universe beating him down. He’s used them to stand up to Flash and save the lives of people he cares about. Thoughtragedy still awaits Spider-Manat every turn, he isn’t completely helpless against what the universe throws at him.Spider-Man’spowers allow him to conquer obstacles that come his way, and he’s even used them to helpCharlie Browndothe same.
Source:HaruCh1
Peanuts
Created by Charles M. Schulz, Peanuts is a multimedia franchise that began as a comic strip in the 1950s and eventually expanded to include films and a television series. Peanuts follows the daily adventures of the Peanuts gang, with Charlie Brown and his dog Snoopy at the center of them. Aside from the film released in 2015, the franchise also has several Holiday specials that air regularly on U.S. Television during their appropriate seasons.
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is the name given to several individuals who have employed a spider-moniker throughout Marvel Comics. Typically gaining their powers through a bite from a radioactive spider, the different Spider-Man heroes employ super-strength, agility, and intellect while utilizing webbing to swing and tangle up their foes. The most notable of these Spider-Men is Peter Parker, who remains one of the most popular superheroes throughout the world.
