Calvin and Hobbes is pretty much the best comic strip ever. Long story short: its about a boy and his tiger friend going on awesome adventures together.
All us old timers can probably remember reading them in the comics section of the newspapers, and waiting anxiously for the sunday comics section to see strips in glorious color. Then came hunting down the comics collections, checking them out from the library over and over again or getting them as presents and reading them till the spine was cracked and the book was falling apart. it was marvelous. Everyone should own the Calvin and Hobbes Complete Collection, which has all the strips and some thoughts by the author.
last strip:
When it ended, it was like an old friend said goodbye. And the creator, Bill Waterson has always been firmly against merchandising and whoring out his stuff, which you've gotta admire, unauthorized calvin peeing on ford/chevy/whatever decals nonwithstanding. Its been nearly impossible to find him doing any interviews and whatnot in the past decade or so.
but hey look, he did
a short interview recently regarding calvin and hobbes!
With almost 15 years of separation and reflection, what do you think it was about "Calvin and Hobbes" that went beyond just capturing readers' attention, but their hearts as well?
The only part I understand is what went into the creation of the strip. What readers take away from it is up to them. Once the strip is published, readers bring their own experiences to it, and the work takes on a life of its own. Everyone responds differently to different parts.
I just tried to write honestly, and I tried to make this little world fun to look at, so people would take the time to read it. That was the full extent of my concern. You mix a bunch of ingredients, and once in a great while, chemistry happens. I can't explain why the strip caught on the way it did, and I don't think I could ever duplicate it. A lot of things have to go right all at once.
What are your thoughts about the legacy of your strip?
Well, it's not a subject that keeps me up at night. Readers will always decide if the work is meaningful and relevant to them, and I can live with whatever conclusion they come to. Again, my part in all this largely ended as the ink dried.
Readers became friends with your characters, so understandably, they grieved -- and are still grieving -- when the strip ended. What would you like to tell them?
This isn't as hard to understand as people try to make it. By the end of 10 years, I'd said pretty much everything I had come there to say.
It's always better to leave the party early. If I had rolled along with the strip's popularity and repeated myself for another five, 10 or 20 years, the people now "grieving" for "Calvin and Hobbes" would be wishing me dead and cursing newspapers for running tedious, ancient strips like mine instead of acquiring fresher, livelier talent. And I'd be agreeing with them.
I think some of the reason "Calvin and Hobbes" still finds an audience today is because I chose not to run the wheels off it.
I've never regretted stopping when I did.
Because your work touched so many people, fans feel a connection to you, like they know you. They want more of your work, more Calvin, another strip, anything. It really is a sort of rock star/fan relationship. Because of your aversion to attention, how do you deal with that even today? And how do you deal with knowing that it's going to follow you for the rest of your days?
Ah, the life of a newspaper cartoonist -- how I miss the groupies, drugs and trashed hotel rooms!
But since my "rock star" days, the public attention has faded a lot. In Pop Culture Time, the 1990s were eons ago. There are occasional flare-ups of weirdness, but mostly I just go about my quiet life and do my best to ignore the rest. I'm proud of the strip, enormously grateful for its success, and truly flattered that people still read it, but I wrote "Calvin and Hobbes" in my 30s, and I'm many miles from there.
An artwork can stay frozen in time, but I stumble through the years like everyone else. I think the deeper fans understand that, and are willing to give me some room to go on with my life.
How soon after the U.S. Postal Service issues the Calvin stamp will you send a letter with one on the envelope?
Immediately. I'm going to get in my horse and buggy and snail-mail a check for my newspaper subscription.
How do you want people to remember that 6-year-old and his tiger?
I vote for "Calvin and Hobbes, Eighth Wonder of the World."
Its a pretty great read yeah, though way too short. i would love to see a full documentary about the dude. and if i used stamps ever, i would totally buy some of them stamps. so yeah, lets reminisce. any favorite calvin and hobbes strips?
and hey cool guy, thanks for posting that fake comic where calvin gets on some meds. douche
tumbler? steam/ps3 thingie: lostwords
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But yes I love Calvin & Hobbes
Best Thread
get this over quick
and also somebody post some good C & H wallpapers
BULLET
PSN ID : DetectiveOlivaw | TWITTER | STEAM ID | NEVER FORGET
also known as "Kalle och Hobbe" and "Tommy og Tigern" during my childhood
I've been using these for a few years now
also, some awesome c&h fanart from random artists
http://www.comicsalliance.com/2009/12/28/more-calvin-and-hobbes-covered-by-artists/
http://www.comicsalliance.com/2009/12/10/sketchbook-calvin-and-hobbes-covered-by-comic-book-artists
Gotta get the Teefs one soon, too.
Man, remember that legion of monster ones he made surrounding his house?
I love Calvin and Hobbes though. Like, immensely.
Edit: is this hscrolling anyone? should i spoiler it?
Very fond memories and Watterson stopped at exactly the right time as evidenced by the unending (and deserved) love he gets when the subject of Calvin and Hobbes comes up.
That should never be hidden behind a spoiler tag
Can you imagine if this had been the last strip?
I read that thing ragged, and I shared it with my friends and got them into it. I've bought every other collection but yeah, I really want the complete.
I think I'll ask for it for my birthday.
I always enjoyed this too. I think it was that specific joke that actually began my political awakening.
I'm somewhat ashamed I had to be shown this, but there it is
calvin and hobbes has been my favorite comic for such a long ass time, and now that i am all properly employed with money to spend i need to get the complete collection.
then i can finally replace the jury rigged collection i made when i was a kid and by replace i mean make sure it stays stowed away safely so i can pass it on to my kid someday.
urk...
chin up munky! don't let 'em see those misty eyes!
"Think of it as Evolution in Action"
DAT DARN KAHLFIN STOLE MA SPACECHIP!
it is basically perfect
Bill Watterson is a bit of a dick, but I respect the dude for sticking to his guns and not backing down for anyone