Peanuts is one of the longest running comic strips of all time. The characters are recognized worldwide and are virtually unchanged from their original designs. That's why I was surprised to see a "girl Snoopy" show up in a random ebay search of mine a few months ago. I had never heard of such a character - despite some heavy exposure to the property throughout my life. I called my brother who is a bona fide Peanuts fanatic (and the reason behind the "heavy exposure" mentioned above) and he informed me that this was Belle, Snoopy's sister (i was half hoping it was Snoopy in drag a'la Bugs Bunny). Then last week I was in TRU and saw a new Peanuts display from Schleich. While some characters were glaringly absent (Peppermint Patty), there was indeed a Belle. It was kismet and she left the store with me without a second thought. Belle was introduced in 1976 among a litter a long-lost siblings of Snoopy. She was raised a block away from Charlie Brown's house but they never knew.
