This is far and wide the most edgy Peanuts strip I’ve ever saw. That eight panel is totally out of Schultz’s norm. And then, two panels later, everything comes back to earth again. I love it.
Watterson commented on how he had to reconsider all of his views about dinosaurs and how to draw them after the “new wave” of paleontology starting in the 80s, the same that inspired Chrichton’s book, dramatically changed our concept of prehistoric life. Without that book, those ideas would’ve never had that global cultural impact. And you can see it in the C&H dinosaur storylines. His dino art remains stunning to this day, even without the feathers.
Same thing for gloves, mitts and catchers’ masks in baseball.