Calvin

Calvin and Hobbes fans are exuberant. Calvin’s brilliant creator, Bill Watterson, has come out of retirement to draw three strips for the cartoon, Pearls before Swine. His new art will be sold as a benefit for charity.

The emergence of Mr. Watterson has ignited a spate of Calvin postings on the internet. Unfortunately, some of the quotes displayed are knock offs in the style of Calvin and Hobbes. I can imagine the expression on Calvin’s face at this outrage.

Fans of the original comic need not worry; the Calvin and Hobbes archive is immense and glorious. Bill Watterson penned his boy and tiger for 3,160 strips from 1985 to 1995.

Born in Washington, D.C., Bill Watterson moved to Chagrin Falls, Ohio, when he was six and still lives in the area. His love of cartooning came early and was inspired by Charles Schultz (Peanuts) and Walt Kelly (Pogo).

Upon graduating from college, Mr. Watterson was hired as the editorial cartoonist for the Cincinnati Post. Fired after less than a year, he returned to his first love, the comic strip. Five years of rejection followed, but Calvin and Hobbes was finally bought and syndicated. Calvin is the imaginative, hyperactive six year old while Hobbes, his toy tiger, is wry and philosophical.

Because of the immense popularity of the strip, Universal Press Syndicate wanted to churn out lucrative Calvin and Hobbes Merchandise. Watterson refused saying, “My strip is about private realities, the magic of imagination and the specialness of certain friendships. Who would believe in the innocence of a little kid and his tiger if they cashed in on their popularity to sell overpriced knickknacks that nobody needs?”

Today, fourteen years after that last memorable toboggan slide was published, Calvin and Hobbes remains fresh and relevant…..”like Shakespeare” my husband says.

To wit:

Calvin: “Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists somewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us.”

Calvin: “In my opinion, we don’t devote nearly enough scientific research to finding a cure for jerks.”

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2 thoughts on “Calvin”

  1. Max was delighted years ago to have his dad share his passion for Calvin and Hobbes. Chris often has similar thoughts as Hobbes while Tiara has lived most of her life as a Calvin. When Max returned from 3 weeks in Wisconsin, he was reinvested in keeping the great books at the top of his book tower next to his bed.

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    • I think that sums it up! T is Calvin and Keaton is right up there with her. I think I should have added to the blog….DON’T MARRY ANYONE WHO DOESN’T LIKE CALVIN AND HOBBES.

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