In older Peanuts strips, I notice that Snoopy’s ears were solid black. Over the years, their rendering changed to that of a white border with a black filled in portion.
When was the first strip to show Snoopy’s ears in this way?
I think it was right around the time that they killed Shermy off.
During 1962 and 1963, Snoopy goes back and forth from having a solid black ear to having a bit of white around his ear- this appears to be the result of inconsistent inking on Schulz’s part. By 1966 or so, Snoopy is consistently being drawn with a white “ring” around his ear (except when his ears are over his head or hanging over the side of his doghouse, in which case they are solid black, and would remain so in such poses until the end of the strip).
“Inconsistent inking?” Nonsense. As everyone should know, Snoopy’s ears are complex and dynamic muscular appendages, capable of supporting his body weight at rest atop his doghouse or even lifting him into the air via rotary motion in a manner unique among vertebrates.
The explanation for the “white border” effect is very simple. Under certain conditions, the dark guard hairs along the outer edge of the pinna are held erect, revealing the white underfur beneath. However, at other times, the dark hairs lie flat, giving the appearance of a solid black ear.
I trust this adequately explains the matter.