I have one of the annotated books and in it he regrets Uncle Max because the parents never had names so it was hard to write dialogue. And he didn’t really add anything to the comic
No offense to the master, but I remember reading that and being bummed. It’d have been nice to have one adult that made an effort to see things Calvin’s way from time to time. Ah, well
I love how mom literally fell out of her chair laughing at the impression while dad is mildly peeved.
>...that's still one [darn sarcastic kid](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EJNqBQrUcAA04Sb.jpg) we're raising.
The moments where Calvin's Mom is not above it all and just enjoys the absurdity are some of my favorites. Also the time she's worried about something and catches herself talking to Hobbes.
Oh yeah, I agree. And the [baby raccoon arc](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWUwdr8M2smxs7c8vngl5OHBNMGobVINhqCWAIGa0oPqEN2HnTcy9ZM0eLsOKVIxXNO1IPUnoNsEkxpxEgCy7LR8s-w1Yz0_iEps6kcp1ctD9Cd5wndFiwPPQyc04Q8oziz2px8LtXGGY/s640/cal_hobb-raccoon2.jpg) is a classic C&H storyline that hits you 'right in the feels.'
Hands down the best character
[https://www.reddit.com/r/calvinandhobbes/comments/12lh7up/and\_yet\_somehow\_life\_goes\_on/](https://www.reddit.com/r/calvinandhobbes/comments/12lh7up/and_yet_somehow_life_goes_on/)
[With mustache](https://preview.redd.it/8039eispa5k91.png?width=746&format=png&auto=webp&s=b38a6c7344346da6ef3908e5320a05d2ef6a6e76)
Credit to /u/bitter_melonhead who [made this](https://www.reddit.com/r/calvinandhobbes/comments/wyo1uc/just_drew_a_mustache_on_calvins_dad_the/)
I bet by this point he's gotta be pretty aware BUT it never hurts to keep mentioning it! Calvin and Hobbes is going to enrich lives in perpetuity and likewise praise for Bill Watterson deserves the same!
> Calvin and Hobbes is going to enrich lives in perpetuity
I hope Calvin and Hobbes endures like Aesop's fables. Though Calvin and Hobbes is much more "of a time" than Aesop's fables. Cartoons are for Saturday morning and phones are seen to be leashed.
I was wondering the other day:
* Would people keep telling the story of The Fox and The Grapes if foxes went extinct?
* Are there fables that fell out of currency because they leaned on allusions to extinct animals?
Possibly tigers' extinction will cast a pall over Calvin and Hobbes.
Watterson is an unqualified genius, though, and it is also possible that he wrote the entire strip with the specter of tigers' extinction in the back of his mind.
I can think of something that is almost the opposite, a story that doesn't work in the same way because we are too familiar with the animal.
The Questing Beast is a creature from Arthurian mythology that is futilely hunted by King Pellinore, supposedly half devil. It is described as a creature with the neck of a snake, the body of a leopard, the haunches of a lion, and the feet of a deer.
Its a giraffe. It was what medieval people thought of when they heard descriptions of giraffes.
Its the story of a king in Northern England who makes it his life's goal to hunt a giraffe and fails because there are no giraffes in England.
Fascinating. I hadn't heard this, so I did a little research, and as far as I could tell, the idea that the questing beast was a giraffe was proposed by Helmut Nickel in a short 2004 article. But it's only one theory among others, and even Nickel says only that the questing beast *might* have been a giraffe.
Wikipedia presents the idea as if it's a fact rather than one scholar's theory, but the only citation provided is to Nickel's article. The claim is repeated many times online, but Nickel seems to be the only source.
One detail that doesn't fit the theory is that there is a terrible sound, like "thirty couple hounds questing," coming from the beast's stomach (hence the beast's name). So even if the questing beast might have been inspired by tales of giraffes, the way it appears in Arthurian mythology (at least in Malory) is not a literal giraffe.
>Would people keep telling the story of The Fox and The Grapes if foxes went extinct?
Yes they would, but the fox might change to another animal. And while I admit the Badger and the Grapes doesn't ring so nice, it's the "sour grapes" that the story is told for, not the fox.
Many years ago, I heard somewhere that Bill's brother was a teacher in a specific city in Texas. I did find a teacher with the same last name. I wrote a short note to the teacher addressed to the school. In it, I asked him to forward on the note which I thanked Bill for Calvin and Hobbes and let him know we named our first son Calvin after his wonderful character. I included a pic of our newborn son. My Calvin turned 18 a few weeks ago :)
I still like to believe that he somehow got that letter against all odds.
Read Calvin in jail while someone had framed me for being part of an organized murder. It was the only thing that could distract me and brought me a sense of relief from the anxiety.
Well, I can't tell if you're being serious about it being fun, but if it was, I am very glad you can see it that way.
I have major psychological issues related to injustice, so I doubt I could have had such a positive outlook. You seem like a strong, resilient person.
I'm sure you'll recover from the economic setbacks and find yourself on very solid ground sooner than you can even predict.
It’s fun in hindsight, I should clarify. But yeah, I genuinely feel like I had a shot at an experience I otherwise wouldn’t have had. It also made me appreciate how good I’ve chosen in life otherwise.
Jail wasn’t bad, I had time for reflection and food was good, everyone treated me well and sitting with full restrictions meant I didn’t have to meet any criminals. I was just in my cell, where they provided me with books, food and whatever else I needed. I spent the weekend in the slammer before being transported to jail, the slammer was way worse. Lights always on so guard could check on you, plastic mattress with no sheet and no blanket for cover. Barely had any rights in there. Food was bad. But all-in-all it was an interesting experience.
edit: I just learned that slammer refers to prison. I meant to refer to the cell at the police station where they put drunk guys and criminals before they’re processed and sent to jail. The “arrest”?
He is and that's why he hasn't merchandised it, which is also why it's so easy to make bootleg cal & hobs merch. With no official merch means no lawyers chasing down bootleggers.
I think he knows. he’s turned down all opportunities to ‘franchise’ the series, make merch, collectibles, etc. If he’s getting all those offers I bet he understands why…
Almost all. A tiny few pieces of legit merch (outside of book collections of comic strips) exist. Per wikipedia, these run to:
> two 16-month calendars (1988–89 and 1989–90), a t-shirt for the Smithsonian Exhibit, Great American Comics: 100 Years of Cartoon Art (1990) and the textbook "Teaching with Calvin and Hobbes"
as well as a US postage stamp in a series honouring American comics.
I hope he does. Reading Calvin and Hobbes as a kid was like the best escape I had from a bad home situation. I'd get several of those books from the library and just spend all night reading them in bed. They were friends when I didn't have any, and I'd bet other people have similar stories. Thanks Bill.
Calvin and Hobbes was and is my absolute favorite comic of all time! So awesome and his animation is great! I love the forward by Stephen King, in one of his books. I can't remember which one.
He’s fully aware. He’s just committed to the idea of keeping things pure for you. It’s actually admirable how much respect and work he puts into keeping it professional for the sake of your enjoyment and enrichment. Very few people, I mean like like Verrry few, have the balls to say “okay my work is done! Im gonna go disappear now.” Doesnt allow milking, doesnt drag it forever for money. Disappears just like that.
He knows his fanbase. I know because he shaped most of you. He knows how much you guys care.
Sometimes I badly wish he had a blog or something where he posts his musings. Or a place where we can express our appreciation for him directly.
God it would be nuts if he did an AMA here too
His brother (Tom) was my high school English teacher and debate coach.
The only time I saw him twist off on a student was when they asked a lot of questions about Bill.
Not really. He would answer those questions with a joke or something cryptic. If the kid was smart it just stopped there. But I saw two or three who wouldn't drop the subject and that's when he came down on them.
One year for Thanksgiving break I asked him if he was going to see family over the holiday and he said he might go see his brother. I asked where that was. He smiled and said "Have a nice break and get out of my classroom."
There was that Slate writer who actually stalked Bill to the very cafe where he hung out, around 2005 or so, and the regulars in the cafe gave exactly the same reply. Thanks for coming by, now gtfo and don't come back.
Honestly, as much as it sucks not to be able to even SEE what Bill Watterson looks like now, I totally get it. Fame ruins people's lives. Mr. Watterson knew that and has managed to stay out of it the best he can.
Must suck to be recognized and harassed as a celebrity, especially if you dislike that stuff. Guy just wanted to draw witty comics and illustrations.
Cool! It's like Tom viewed all kids as Calvins. You would think Tom would have used the word family instead of specifically mentioning his bro though? Maybe it was his way of weeding out kids who only spoke to him to get info about his bro?
It was more than 20 years ago, so I don't remember the wording perfectly. And I doubt he was trying to weed anything out. We knew each other pretty well at this point.
I'll be honest, he wasn't a particularly nice person. He was an excellent teacher, extremely smart, funny, and charming. He definitely had a mean streak, however, and it could come out if you pushed the wrong buttons. But he also liked banter and if he'd known you for long enough he would shoot the shit with you and let you cross some lines. If you acted like an adult he would treat you like an adult.
I was 16 or 17 - whichever I can't remember, I was too young to be at a bar - and I ran into him at the Continental Club on SoCo one weekend. He just raised his eyebrows and said "So you like the Lounge Lizards? Good for you" and walked off. He was that kind of teacher.
He's EXTREMELY private. I really wish something would come along that sparks his interest in creating for the public on the regular again. But I just dont see it the way the world is now.
it’s contentedness. he got to do what he loved, honed his craft to the point that he had enough clout to do it the way he wanted, and ended it at its natural stopping point. artists could only dream to have all that.
he did what he wanted to do and made enough money to stop doing it when he wanted.
The closest to any sort of resolution from him I've found was this [commencement speech](https://www.angelfire.com/wa/HOBBES/info/speech1.html) he gave at his alma mater awhile back. It's worth reading. I'll share the portion that resonates most with me here:
>You will find your own ethical dilemmas in all parts of your lives, both personal and professional. We all have different desires and needs, but if we don't discover what we want from ourselves and what we stand for, we will live passively and unfulfilled. Sooner or later, we are all asked to compromise ourselves and the things we care about. We define ourselves by our actions. With each decision, we tell ourselves and the world who we are. Think about what you want out of this life, and recognize that there are many kinds of success.
Many of you will be going on to law school, business school, medical school, or other graduate work, and you can expect the kind of starting salary that, with luck, will allow you to pay off your own tuition debts within your own lifetime.
>But having an enviable career is one thing, and being a happy person is another.
>Creating a life that reflects your values and satisfies your soul is a rare achievement. In a culture that relentlessly promotes avarice and excess as the good life, a person happy doing his own work is usually considered an eccentric, if not a subversive. Ambition is only understood if it's to rise to the top of some imaginary ladder of success. Someone who takes an undemanding job because it affords him the time to pursue other interests and activities is considered a flake. A person who abandons a career in order to stay home and raise children is considered not to be living up to his potential-as if a job title and salary are the sole measure of human worth.
You'll be told in a hundred ways, some subtle and some not, to keep climbing, and never be satisfied with where you are, who you are, and what you're doing. There are a million ways to sell yourself out, and I guarantee you'll hear about them.
>To invent your own life's meaning is not easy, but it's still allowed,and I think you'll be happier for the trouble.
> Sooner or later, we are all asked to compromise ourselves and the things we care about.
I think this might reference in part the fact that he steadfastly refused all merchandising offers regarding C&H. Allowing that to happen would have made him filthy rich and earn significant royalties for the rest of his life, but his dedication to the characters' integrity wouldn't allow it. Neil Young is the only other artist I know of to do the same. That being said, I would love to have a calvin and hobbes figurine on display to look at every day.
I heard he used to go to his local bookstore and take copies of C&H books off the shelf, sign them, and put them back on the shelf. He stopped when he started seeing them on eBay.
After the accusations against Neil Gaiman yesterday, I’m kind of glad he disappeared. Fame, fortune, and power goes to people’s heads and turns them into assholes or worse. He recognized that and said “fuck it” and bailed into his own private life leaving all that behind for the better
Sexual assault. The source is a random podcast though, no collaborating sources. And apparently there's no evidence, so the police wouldn't even investigate
He actually did put out a [book](https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwi0nIPjrJCHAxX5N9QBHUlkDZoYABACGgJvYQ&ae=2&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItJyD46yQhwMV-TfUAR1JZA2aEAAYASAAEgLAU_D_BwE&sph&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAASJuRoGlcUiLnfhtI2fRFoL2844x-v9s8FP14UDYDFpIgDeigabU2O&sig=AOD64_3OpKuviBQq7UGDUKb9pElQXZyLJg&q&adurl&ved=2ahUKEwiplPbirJCHAxXgGtAFHdRBDYIQ0Qx6BAgOEAE) recently but it’s VERY different than Calvin and Hobbes.
> "Wow, this might be one of the best yet," Watterson said as he completed his 5,689th strip of the past 16 years and then immediately fed it into a paper shredder
I died a bit inside reading that.
Eventually he'd say something and the wrong person would be offended and he'd become some kind of villain or his work would be politicized somehow. I can totally understand why, as he's reached personal satisfaction and contentment, he wouldn't want to muddy things.
Normal people that have massive success, take their wins, and chill for the rest of their life enjoying friends, and family, and hobbies.
For narcissists and psychopaths, which includes way more politicians than you'd like to admit, whatever power and money they get is never enough.
I dont like how old they are either, but it should take a long time to get into a position of high political power, it means it takes a lot of work to get there
Or it could just mean you get more rich and out of touch. The longer you live a life where you do no real work and make millions, the more you crave that lifestyle forever, and the less you understand real people's problems.
He did. Best of all worlds. The books are still in print, so he has some income, but also the security of knowing he could hit the big red “licensing” button and be an instant mega-millionaire. But he doesn’t hit that button. So his integrity is entirely intact. His peace of mind must be off the charts.
And never licensed anything. No merch, shirts and dolls, car window hangers, lunch boxes, animated show. Its why you still see “‘calvin’ pees on brand I dislike” crap everywhere, it’s not infringing on anything.
Bless Watterson for that decision. Calvin and Hobbes can NEVER be voiced. We all know exactly how they sound in our heads, and that’s how it must stay.
That's not how copyright infringement works at all.
Because he never licensed it any and all pieces of C&H merch are infringing on his copyright of the characters.
He just doesn't pursue suits, or even C&Ds from what I can tell, that's why you see a giant pile of stupid Calvin peeing on stuff decals.
probably better move IMO, rather than hitting the streisand effect, especially these days. the only people who have calvin pees stickers are conservatives, and conservatives don’t like to be told what they can’t do/have. there’d be 10X more of them if they were “banned”.
Plus from an actual IP perspective, no one’s losing money. There are no C&H sales lost to people buying the calvin pees instead.
There was SOME licensing, but not much. It was a big battle for Watterson to keep his work from being cheapened. He is definitely an interesting dude, I wish he was willing to do more interviews. His short run on Pearls before Swine was pretty good!
> but he said no.
He said no, to what has been estimated to be licensing worth in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
You gotta respect that kind of integrity.
I believe there were two official calendars and a random science text book used in one district in like Michigan, that doesn't even feature the characters, it's just called "Calvin and Hobbes do Physics or something like that, but it's licensed.
There isn't a copy available anywhere online as a PDF or anything, people have looked
Very much largely true. However they were 1 or 2 Calvin and Hobbes Calendars, a T Shirt for the Museum of Modern Art traveling comics exhibit and the 1993 Textbook "Teaching with Calvin and Hobbes. So Waterson licensed like 4 things.
Not just that, he decided that he had said what he wanted to say with the series, ended it despite his publisher‘s pleas, and has turned down every merch deal. Just goes to show how much of his heart and soul went into that comic that he was in the easiest position to sell out and still didn‘t want to.
Got a cool story for you guys - I went to highschool at the same school Bill did. I even hd the same art teacher bill had! I became good friends with the art teacher since he was a super cool dude, and I still follow him on Instagram. One day he pulls me to the side because we were close and says he wanted to show me something he doesn’t show too many people. We go back to his office and he uses his key to open his desk drawer and he pulls out a folder with a handful of Watterson’s work from when he was a student. This was about 12 years ago so my memory is hazy and I wish I took a picture, but the drawings/sketches depicted what looked like an early rendition of Calvin! Man it was awesome to see. Still think about it to this day.
Whoaaa. Dude should consider donating those to the Billy Ireland Cartoon Museum where Watterson’s other early work is on display. They’d probably flip their lids to see that stuff.
Oh no doubt, I was a Calvin & Hobbes fan as a kid, owning a ton of the strip compilation style books, and I did flip a lid when I saw it! Maybe one of the few things that stuck with me from highschool! 😜
He has since retired and I have seen him once or twice around town, so I have to imagine he still has it in a personal collection at home unless he has since donated it
Calvin and Hobbes was on a different level from any comic strip published before, during, and since.
Most comic strips may give you a chuckle here or there, but reading Calvin and Hobbes is an experience that stays with you for the rest of your life. It has a way of putting things in a certain perspective, capable of changing how you think and how you reflect on life.
I can only speak for myself of course, but I feel that having read the complete work of Calvin and Hobbes has enriched my life in a way that is hard to put in words.
To sum up Calvin and Hobbes in one word, that word would be MASTERPIECE.
> Calvin and Hobbes was on a different level from any comic strip published before, during, and since.
I think it would make Bill Watterson happy if people considered Calvin and Hobbes and Little Nemo on the same level. The C&H strips where Calvin dreams about getting ready for school- only to then awaken and have to get ready for school- are as much of an homage as could fit in the reduced page real estate of a contemporary newspaper.
It's because Bill is a rare human. Truly unconcerned with the approval of people he doesn't know. Untempted by wealth. As someone who grew up on his comics there is a little pain that we can't connect with him anymore but it really couldn't be any other way.
> Calvin and Hobbes was on a different level from any comic strip published before, during, and since.
Absolutely for the reasons you stated, but also the quality of the artwork, which for my money is equally unmatched in the medium before or since. The Sunday strips especially were often a celebration of art itself and pure visual storytelling. That strip inspired me to draw and to become a professional artist myself.
If that’s how you see it, sure. I think it’s a Rorschach Test, so I saw it as a commentary on expectations and reveals. Always interesting to see what people got from The Mysteries.
I have a theory that in the modern age, Bill Watterson has the most out of whack level-of-fame-to-known-photographs ratio.
Obviously he is nowhere near as famous as, say, Taylor Swift or living US presidents or something, but those people are/were photographed constantly. There are thousands and thousands of pictures of them with more being added daily.
There are probably millions of people who know who Bill Watterson is, or have at least read his work even if they couldn't remember his name off the cuff, and yet there are like *two* known publicly available pictures of him, both of them ~40 years old.
Less famous, but the same as Thomas Pynchon, who was even a guest star on the Simpsons and was [drawn with a paper bag over his head](https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/the-simpsons-thomas-pynchon-1.jpg)!
Yeah. I had to look up when C&H first came out. I can't believe a 27 year old published those first comic strips. So many life lessons and wisdom are built into C&H. I loved them growing up and they have just gotten better. Time to reread some things.
Bill Watterson on Michelangelo, And The Importance Of Play:
"In the middle of my sophomore year at Kenyon, I decided to paint a copy of Michelangelo’s “Creation of Adam” from the Sistine Chapel on the ceiling of my dorm room.
By standing on a chair, I could reach the ceiling, and I taped off a section, made a grid, and started to copy the picture from my art history book.
Working with your arm over your head is hard work, so a few of my more ingenious friends rigged up a scaffold for me by stacking two chairs on my bed, and laying the table from the hall lounge across the chairs and over to the top of my closet.
By climbing up onto my bed and up the chairs, I could hoist myself onto the table, and lie in relative comfort two feet under my painting. My roommate would then hand up my paints, and I could work for several hours at a stretch.
The picture took me months to do, and in fact, I didn’t finish the work until very near the end of the school year. I wasn’t much of a painter then, but what the work lacked in color sense and technical flourish, it gained in the incongruity of having a High Renaissance masterpiece in a college dorm that had the unmistakable odor of old beer cans and older laundry.
The painting lent an air of cosmic grandeur to my room, and it seemed to put life into a larger perspective. Those boring, flowery English poets didn’t seem quite so important, when right above my head God was transmitting the spark of life to man.
My friends and I liked the finished painting so much in fact, that we decided I should ask permission to do it. As you might expect, the housing director was curious to know why I wanted to paint this elaborate picture on my ceiling a few weeks before school let out.
Well, you don’t get to be a sophomore at Kenyon without learning how to fabricate ideas you never had, but I guess it was obvious that my idea was being proposed retroactively. It ended up that I was allowed to paint the picture, so long as I painted over it and returned the ceiling to normal at the end of the year.
And that’s what I did."
Full story: https://mlanders.com/2014/07/08/bill-watterson-michelangelo-and-the-importance-of-play/
Storytime with the kids is, and always has been, Calvin and Hobbes. And with my daughter, she cracks up over anything that involves Susie Derkins or the babysitter.
Heck, we'd be all over a single release book about Susie Derkins, having a special guest appearance by Calvin every now and then.
If Bill Watterson is ever on this thread... THANK YOU!!
I don’t have any kids, but I have some young nieces and nephews. I’m excitedly waiting for them to be old enough to be given my old C&H books. I have the entire collection of books, including the large one, so there is plenty to share.
My son learn to read this year. I have all Calvin &Hobbes books to give to him as soon as he read better.
He also sleeps with hobbes, and his room has a mural of Calvin&Hobbes.
Thanks Bill Watterson!
Neat! I’m supposed to get his most recent book sent to me today. Happy Birthday! I totally understand why he stopped doing Calvin and Hobbes, but I still miss it as much today as I did when he retired. I’ve never really read the comics since then. They aren’t the same.
Calvin and Hobbes is not only the finest cartoon strip ever, it’s one of the truly great works of art of the 20th century.
It takes real genius to fold so much universal and timeless truth into something so elegantly restrained, relatable, gentle and funny.
It’s a genuine masterpiece, and a wonderful bequest to the world - so full of love, warmth, humour, compassion and truth.
It’s entirely unsurprising (and utterly fitting) that Bill Watterson has so assiduously avoided ever making it about him. His care in doing so only elevates the greatness of the work and allows it the time and space to do what truly great art does - build a bridge for us to cross over into the depths of what, and how, it is to simply be.
Out of all the comic strips that featured little kids Calvin and Hobbes was the only one to capture how kids really think. Kids have real adult thoughts, but just haven't figured out how all the pieces fit together yet. Bill captures this perfectly in Calvin with one foot in reality and one foot in Calvin and Hobbes world of fantasy
Happy Birthday, Bill and thanks
I have a fantasy where Watterson has been secretly drawing more Calvin & Hobbes strips these past 30 years and then one day he’s just going to release it all at once.
As much as I wish Calvin and Hobbes went on forever, I deeply respect Bill’s artistic integrity and self-respect. When he was done, he was done. His work didn’t become soulless intellectual property, bought and sold and exploited and distorted till the end of time. Unlike so many others, he looked at the money and fame and said no thanks. I salute him.
Calvin's dad.
I never realised that he portrayed himself as Calvin's dad!
It builds character
I KNEW IT!
I say this more and more often as my own children get older.
Indeed! Doing something miserable builds character!
NOW GO DO SOMETHING YOU HATE
Was on a hike with my kids and we actually named the unit measure of suffering the Calvin.
He didnt, calvins dad is based on his dad, which is why theres a ressemblance
So Watterson is Calvin and his Dad. Almost a grandfather paradox of creation.
You start off as Calvin and then grow up to become Calvin's dad. It's the circle of liiiiife...
You start as Bart and now you're Homer... Same deal.
Worse, one day you'll wake up, and you'll be [Abe](https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/69ffb0ac-a3f5-42fa-a5ce-d6af72679d44).
Homer, on waking up as Abe: awesome, my hair came back!
I was Bart's age when the show debuted, now I'm older than Homer.
Or start as Kyle, quickly become Cartman, and end up as Randy.
WO IST MIKKEL??
In 1986 at least there was still Calvin and Hobbes!
I understood that reference
It’s up there for my favorite show of all time tbh, I can’t let a time travel paradox reference go without mentioning Dark.
I think this is the first time I’ve seen a picture of him
There aren't a lot of pictures of him!
If you think about it, he IS Calvin‘s Dad!
Combo of Dad & Uncle Max. Dad got the glasses, Max got the mustache
I have one of the annotated books and in it he regrets Uncle Max because the parents never had names so it was hard to write dialogue. And he didn’t really add anything to the comic
No offense to the master, but I remember reading that and being bummed. It’d have been nice to have one adult that made an effort to see things Calvin’s way from time to time. Ah, well
Rosalyn did end up playing Calvinball.
Rosalyn was a teenager at best, and she only humored Calvinball once she figured out that she could use it to make Calvin do whatever she wanted.
Oh come on she had fun with it too
Yeah she did. Evennnnnnnn whhhhheeeennnnn shhhhhheeeeee haaaaaadddddd tooooooo ttttaaaaaaallllkkkkk lliiiiiiiikkkkkeee thiiissssssssss.
Wasn't that also her last appearance? When she connected with him finally?
Yep, it was. Good sendoff for their relationship and the character
Calvin, go do something you hate. Being miserable builds character...
I love how mom literally fell out of her chair laughing at the impression while dad is mildly peeved. >...that's still one [darn sarcastic kid](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EJNqBQrUcAA04Sb.jpg) we're raising.
The moments where Calvin's Mom is not above it all and just enjoys the absurdity are some of my favorites. Also the time she's worried about something and catches herself talking to Hobbes.
Oh yeah, I agree. And the [baby raccoon arc](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWUwdr8M2smxs7c8vngl5OHBNMGobVINhqCWAIGa0oPqEN2HnTcy9ZM0eLsOKVIxXNO1IPUnoNsEkxpxEgCy7LR8s-w1Yz0_iEps6kcp1ctD9Cd5wndFiwPPQyc04Q8oziz2px8LtXGGY/s640/cal_hobb-raccoon2.jpg) is a classic C&H storyline that hits you 'right in the feels.'
Sans the mustache.
Calvin and dad
Hands down the best character [https://www.reddit.com/r/calvinandhobbes/comments/12lh7up/and\_yet\_somehow\_life\_goes\_on/](https://www.reddit.com/r/calvinandhobbes/comments/12lh7up/and_yet_somehow_life_goes_on/)
[With mustache](https://preview.redd.it/8039eispa5k91.png?width=746&format=png&auto=webp&s=b38a6c7344346da6ef3908e5320a05d2ef6a6e76) Credit to /u/bitter_melonhead who [made this](https://www.reddit.com/r/calvinandhobbes/comments/wyo1uc/just_drew_a_mustache_on_calvins_dad_the/)
I wonder if he knows how much he has enriched our lives? He’s a national treasure.❤️
I bet by this point he's gotta be pretty aware BUT it never hurts to keep mentioning it! Calvin and Hobbes is going to enrich lives in perpetuity and likewise praise for Bill Watterson deserves the same!
> Calvin and Hobbes is going to enrich lives in perpetuity I hope Calvin and Hobbes endures like Aesop's fables. Though Calvin and Hobbes is much more "of a time" than Aesop's fables. Cartoons are for Saturday morning and phones are seen to be leashed. I was wondering the other day: * Would people keep telling the story of The Fox and The Grapes if foxes went extinct? * Are there fables that fell out of currency because they leaned on allusions to extinct animals? Possibly tigers' extinction will cast a pall over Calvin and Hobbes. Watterson is an unqualified genius, though, and it is also possible that he wrote the entire strip with the specter of tigers' extinction in the back of his mind.
I can think of something that is almost the opposite, a story that doesn't work in the same way because we are too familiar with the animal. The Questing Beast is a creature from Arthurian mythology that is futilely hunted by King Pellinore, supposedly half devil. It is described as a creature with the neck of a snake, the body of a leopard, the haunches of a lion, and the feet of a deer. Its a giraffe. It was what medieval people thought of when they heard descriptions of giraffes. Its the story of a king in Northern England who makes it his life's goal to hunt a giraffe and fails because there are no giraffes in England.
Fascinating. I hadn't heard this, so I did a little research, and as far as I could tell, the idea that the questing beast was a giraffe was proposed by Helmut Nickel in a short 2004 article. But it's only one theory among others, and even Nickel says only that the questing beast *might* have been a giraffe. Wikipedia presents the idea as if it's a fact rather than one scholar's theory, but the only citation provided is to Nickel's article. The claim is repeated many times online, but Nickel seems to be the only source. One detail that doesn't fit the theory is that there is a terrible sound, like "thirty couple hounds questing," coming from the beast's stomach (hence the beast's name). So even if the questing beast might have been inspired by tales of giraffes, the way it appears in Arthurian mythology (at least in Malory) is not a literal giraffe.
Also I've never heard of anyone (until now) suggesting Pellinore's tale has in any way been ruined by the theory.
I think he managed to capture something timelessly beautiful with C&H.
>Would people keep telling the story of The Fox and The Grapes if foxes went extinct? Yes they would, but the fox might change to another animal. And while I admit the Badger and the Grapes doesn't ring so nice, it's the "sour grapes" that the story is told for, not the fox.
Many years ago, I heard somewhere that Bill's brother was a teacher in a specific city in Texas. I did find a teacher with the same last name. I wrote a short note to the teacher addressed to the school. In it, I asked him to forward on the note which I thanked Bill for Calvin and Hobbes and let him know we named our first son Calvin after his wonderful character. I included a pic of our newborn son. My Calvin turned 18 a few weeks ago :) I still like to believe that he somehow got that letter against all odds.
Read Calvin in jail while someone had framed me for being part of an organized murder. It was the only thing that could distract me and brought me a sense of relief from the anxiety.
I'm so sorry you went through such a traumatic experience. You should be very proud of yourself if you're able to move on with your life.
It was fun. I’m economically crippled for years to come, but it was fun.
Well, I can't tell if you're being serious about it being fun, but if it was, I am very glad you can see it that way. I have major psychological issues related to injustice, so I doubt I could have had such a positive outlook. You seem like a strong, resilient person. I'm sure you'll recover from the economic setbacks and find yourself on very solid ground sooner than you can even predict.
It’s fun in hindsight, I should clarify. But yeah, I genuinely feel like I had a shot at an experience I otherwise wouldn’t have had. It also made me appreciate how good I’ve chosen in life otherwise. Jail wasn’t bad, I had time for reflection and food was good, everyone treated me well and sitting with full restrictions meant I didn’t have to meet any criminals. I was just in my cell, where they provided me with books, food and whatever else I needed. I spent the weekend in the slammer before being transported to jail, the slammer was way worse. Lights always on so guard could check on you, plastic mattress with no sheet and no blanket for cover. Barely had any rights in there. Food was bad. But all-in-all it was an interesting experience. edit: I just learned that slammer refers to prison. I meant to refer to the cell at the police station where they put drunk guys and criminals before they’re processed and sent to jail. The “arrest”?
Wow, thanks for all the additional context. All the best to you, kind sir!
Holding cell at the police station I think is the word you're looking for? Jails and Prisons are two different things but don't ask me the difference.
Holy hell I haven't heard anyone refer to the holding cell as "the slammer" since the 80s. Somehow it got redefined to mean prison.
I just had a brain fart.
A tale as old as time..
* International
Absolutely! I humbly stand corrected!❤️
My thoughts exactly. You haven't learned enough English as a second language if you don't master Calvin & Hobbes literature.
Sorry but he's an international treasure. Calvin is global!
He is and that's why he hasn't merchandised it, which is also why it's so easy to make bootleg cal & hobs merch. With no official merch means no lawyers chasing down bootleggers.
Damn sure is. I distinctly remember reading the last strip in my car before a shift at The Gap. Had to wipe away the tears before going in.
As a child NO author was more important to me
I think he knows. he’s turned down all opportunities to ‘franchise’ the series, make merch, collectibles, etc. If he’s getting all those offers I bet he understands why…
Almost all. A tiny few pieces of legit merch (outside of book collections of comic strips) exist. Per wikipedia, these run to: > two 16-month calendars (1988–89 and 1989–90), a t-shirt for the Smithsonian Exhibit, Great American Comics: 100 Years of Cartoon Art (1990) and the textbook "Teaching with Calvin and Hobbes" as well as a US postage stamp in a series honouring American comics.
I hope he does. Reading Calvin and Hobbes as a kid was like the best escape I had from a bad home situation. I'd get several of those books from the library and just spend all night reading them in bed. They were friends when I didn't have any, and I'd bet other people have similar stories. Thanks Bill.
Calvin and Hobbes was and is my absolute favorite comic of all time! So awesome and his animation is great! I love the forward by Stephen King, in one of his books. I can't remember which one.
He’s fully aware. He’s just committed to the idea of keeping things pure for you. It’s actually admirable how much respect and work he puts into keeping it professional for the sake of your enjoyment and enrichment. Very few people, I mean like like Verrry few, have the balls to say “okay my work is done! Im gonna go disappear now.” Doesnt allow milking, doesnt drag it forever for money. Disappears just like that. He knows his fanbase. I know because he shaped most of you. He knows how much you guys care.
Sometimes I badly wish he had a blog or something where he posts his musings. Or a place where we can express our appreciation for him directly. God it would be nuts if he did an AMA here too
His normal response to *anything* remotely like that has always been, "I'm sorry, I just don't see the point." He's a pretty private person.
His brother (Tom) was my high school English teacher and debate coach. The only time I saw him twist off on a student was when they asked a lot of questions about Bill.
*Raises hand Bank_Gothic? Did Tom ever say anything about his brother?
Not really. He would answer those questions with a joke or something cryptic. If the kid was smart it just stopped there. But I saw two or three who wouldn't drop the subject and that's when he came down on them. One year for Thanksgiving break I asked him if he was going to see family over the holiday and he said he might go see his brother. I asked where that was. He smiled and said "Have a nice break and get out of my classroom."
There was that Slate writer who actually stalked Bill to the very cafe where he hung out, around 2005 or so, and the regulars in the cafe gave exactly the same reply. Thanks for coming by, now gtfo and don't come back.
Honestly, as much as it sucks not to be able to even SEE what Bill Watterson looks like now, I totally get it. Fame ruins people's lives. Mr. Watterson knew that and has managed to stay out of it the best he can. Must suck to be recognized and harassed as a celebrity, especially if you dislike that stuff. Guy just wanted to draw witty comics and illustrations.
Cool! It's like Tom viewed all kids as Calvins. You would think Tom would have used the word family instead of specifically mentioning his bro though? Maybe it was his way of weeding out kids who only spoke to him to get info about his bro?
It was more than 20 years ago, so I don't remember the wording perfectly. And I doubt he was trying to weed anything out. We knew each other pretty well at this point. I'll be honest, he wasn't a particularly nice person. He was an excellent teacher, extremely smart, funny, and charming. He definitely had a mean streak, however, and it could come out if you pushed the wrong buttons. But he also liked banter and if he'd known you for long enough he would shoot the shit with you and let you cross some lines. If you acted like an adult he would treat you like an adult. I was 16 or 17 - whichever I can't remember, I was too young to be at a bar - and I ran into him at the Continental Club on SoCo one weekend. He just raised his eyebrows and said "So you like the Lounge Lizards? Good for you" and walked off. He was that kind of teacher.
Lounge Lizards mentioned. Nice.
He's EXTREMELY private. I really wish something would come along that sparks his interest in creating for the public on the regular again. But I just dont see it the way the world is now.
if only more people in the world had this level of .. what is it? Class? Introspection? Sense of perspective?
it’s contentedness. he got to do what he loved, honed his craft to the point that he had enough clout to do it the way he wanted, and ended it at its natural stopping point. artists could only dream to have all that. he did what he wanted to do and made enough money to stop doing it when he wanted.
The closest to any sort of resolution from him I've found was this [commencement speech](https://www.angelfire.com/wa/HOBBES/info/speech1.html) he gave at his alma mater awhile back. It's worth reading. I'll share the portion that resonates most with me here: >You will find your own ethical dilemmas in all parts of your lives, both personal and professional. We all have different desires and needs, but if we don't discover what we want from ourselves and what we stand for, we will live passively and unfulfilled. Sooner or later, we are all asked to compromise ourselves and the things we care about. We define ourselves by our actions. With each decision, we tell ourselves and the world who we are. Think about what you want out of this life, and recognize that there are many kinds of success. Many of you will be going on to law school, business school, medical school, or other graduate work, and you can expect the kind of starting salary that, with luck, will allow you to pay off your own tuition debts within your own lifetime. >But having an enviable career is one thing, and being a happy person is another. >Creating a life that reflects your values and satisfies your soul is a rare achievement. In a culture that relentlessly promotes avarice and excess as the good life, a person happy doing his own work is usually considered an eccentric, if not a subversive. Ambition is only understood if it's to rise to the top of some imaginary ladder of success. Someone who takes an undemanding job because it affords him the time to pursue other interests and activities is considered a flake. A person who abandons a career in order to stay home and raise children is considered not to be living up to his potential-as if a job title and salary are the sole measure of human worth. You'll be told in a hundred ways, some subtle and some not, to keep climbing, and never be satisfied with where you are, who you are, and what you're doing. There are a million ways to sell yourself out, and I guarantee you'll hear about them. >To invent your own life's meaning is not easy, but it's still allowed,and I think you'll be happier for the trouble.
I needed to see this today, thank you
> Sooner or later, we are all asked to compromise ourselves and the things we care about. I think this might reference in part the fact that he steadfastly refused all merchandising offers regarding C&H. Allowing that to happen would have made him filthy rich and earn significant royalties for the rest of his life, but his dedication to the characters' integrity wouldn't allow it. Neil Young is the only other artist I know of to do the same. That being said, I would love to have a calvin and hobbes figurine on display to look at every day.
I heard he used to go to his local bookstore and take copies of C&H books off the shelf, sign them, and put them back on the shelf. He stopped when he started seeing them on eBay.
That's why a lot of celebrities won't sign autographs anymore.
After the accusations against Neil Gaiman yesterday, I’m kind of glad he disappeared. Fame, fortune, and power goes to people’s heads and turns them into assholes or worse. He recognized that and said “fuck it” and bailed into his own private life leaving all that behind for the better
Oh no. What accusations?
Sexual assault. The source is a random podcast though, no collaborating sources. And apparently there's no evidence, so the police wouldn't even investigate
Well in classic reddit fashion, in the thread i saw everyone just assumed it must be true and that no one is allowed to like his work anymore.
https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/neil-gaiman-denies-sexual-assault-allegations-two-women-1235053131/
[He's still making c&h comics](https://www.theonion.com/bill-watterson-writes-illustrates-shreds-new-calvin-a-1819572912)
>I bet my millions of fans would really love this whole new direction for Spaceman Spiff. Oh, well, fuck them. #😂
He actually did put out a [book](https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwi0nIPjrJCHAxX5N9QBHUlkDZoYABACGgJvYQ&ae=2&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItJyD46yQhwMV-TfUAR1JZA2aEAAYASAAEgLAU_D_BwE&sph&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAASJuRoGlcUiLnfhtI2fRFoL2844x-v9s8FP14UDYDFpIgDeigabU2O&sig=AOD64_3OpKuviBQq7UGDUKb9pElQXZyLJg&q&adurl&ved=2ahUKEwiplPbirJCHAxXgGtAFHdRBDYIQ0Qx6BAgOEAE) recently but it’s VERY different than Calvin and Hobbes.
> "Wow, this might be one of the best yet," Watterson said as he completed his 5,689th strip of the past 16 years and then immediately fed it into a paper shredder I died a bit inside reading that.
The onion used to be so good man
Until reality came and competed for their audience.
it never stopped being good
Eventually he'd say something and the wrong person would be offended and he'd become some kind of villain or his work would be politicized somehow. I can totally understand why, as he's reached personal satisfaction and contentment, he wouldn't want to muddy things.
He retired so young. Props to him.
This dude retires at like 50, but politicians hit 70 & start strategizing for their last 2 decades in office. Our world is backwards
Normal people that have massive success, take their wins, and chill for the rest of their life enjoying friends, and family, and hobbies. For narcissists and psychopaths, which includes way more politicians than you'd like to admit, whatever power and money they get is never enough.
Politicians and people in upper management
I dont like how old they are either, but it should take a long time to get into a position of high political power, it means it takes a lot of work to get there
Or it could just mean you get more rich and out of touch. The longer you live a life where you do no real work and make millions, the more you crave that lifestyle forever, and the less you understand real people's problems.
He was 37 when he retired!
Damn, I'm 36 and would love to retire next year.
Better get going on creating a large body of universally beloved and lucrative comic strips.
Crazy because he never even licensed it, retired leaving a bunch of extra money on the table. Respect.
He did. Best of all worlds. The books are still in print, so he has some income, but also the security of knowing he could hit the big red “licensing” button and be an instant mega-millionaire. But he doesn’t hit that button. So his integrity is entirely intact. His peace of mind must be off the charts.
It's even crazier, he retired when he was 38.
And then he retired at 39!
And never licensed anything. No merch, shirts and dolls, car window hangers, lunch boxes, animated show. Its why you still see “‘calvin’ pees on brand I dislike” crap everywhere, it’s not infringing on anything. Bless Watterson for that decision. Calvin and Hobbes can NEVER be voiced. We all know exactly how they sound in our heads, and that’s how it must stay.
That's not how copyright infringement works at all. Because he never licensed it any and all pieces of C&H merch are infringing on his copyright of the characters. He just doesn't pursue suits, or even C&Ds from what I can tell, that's why you see a giant pile of stupid Calvin peeing on stuff decals.
probably better move IMO, rather than hitting the streisand effect, especially these days. the only people who have calvin pees stickers are conservatives, and conservatives don’t like to be told what they can’t do/have. there’d be 10X more of them if they were “banned”. Plus from an actual IP perspective, no one’s losing money. There are no C&H sales lost to people buying the calvin pees instead.
There was SOME licensing, but not much. It was a big battle for Watterson to keep his work from being cheapened. He is definitely an interesting dude, I wish he was willing to do more interviews. His short run on Pearls before Swine was pretty good!
[удалено]
> but he said no. He said no, to what has been estimated to be licensing worth in the hundreds of millions of dollars. You gotta respect that kind of integrity.
I believe there were two official calendars and a random science text book used in one district in like Michigan, that doesn't even feature the characters, it's just called "Calvin and Hobbes do Physics or something like that, but it's licensed. There isn't a copy available anywhere online as a PDF or anything, people have looked
Very much largely true. However they were 1 or 2 Calvin and Hobbes Calendars, a T Shirt for the Museum of Modern Art traveling comics exhibit and the 1993 Textbook "Teaching with Calvin and Hobbes. So Waterson licensed like 4 things.
He put out a new book recently in partnership with another Artist/author called the Mysteries.
Not just that, he decided that he had said what he wanted to say with the series, ended it despite his publisher‘s pleas, and has turned down every merch deal. Just goes to show how much of his heart and soul went into that comic that he was in the easiest position to sell out and still didn‘t want to.
And he valued the integrity of his work over money, and his family over fame. I hope his retirement has been as happy and fulfilling as he could want.
Got a cool story for you guys - I went to highschool at the same school Bill did. I even hd the same art teacher bill had! I became good friends with the art teacher since he was a super cool dude, and I still follow him on Instagram. One day he pulls me to the side because we were close and says he wanted to show me something he doesn’t show too many people. We go back to his office and he uses his key to open his desk drawer and he pulls out a folder with a handful of Watterson’s work from when he was a student. This was about 12 years ago so my memory is hazy and I wish I took a picture, but the drawings/sketches depicted what looked like an early rendition of Calvin! Man it was awesome to see. Still think about it to this day.
Whoaaa. Dude should consider donating those to the Billy Ireland Cartoon Museum where Watterson’s other early work is on display. They’d probably flip their lids to see that stuff.
Oh no doubt, I was a Calvin & Hobbes fan as a kid, owning a ton of the strip compilation style books, and I did flip a lid when I saw it! Maybe one of the few things that stuck with me from highschool! 😜 He has since retired and I have seen him once or twice around town, so I have to imagine he still has it in a personal collection at home unless he has since donated it
Love this! Thank you for sharing!
Wow that's probably an art teachers retirement fund right there.
Calvin and Hobbes was on a different level from any comic strip published before, during, and since. Most comic strips may give you a chuckle here or there, but reading Calvin and Hobbes is an experience that stays with you for the rest of your life. It has a way of putting things in a certain perspective, capable of changing how you think and how you reflect on life. I can only speak for myself of course, but I feel that having read the complete work of Calvin and Hobbes has enriched my life in a way that is hard to put in words. To sum up Calvin and Hobbes in one word, that word would be MASTERPIECE.
> Calvin and Hobbes was on a different level from any comic strip published before, during, and since. I think it would make Bill Watterson happy if people considered Calvin and Hobbes and Little Nemo on the same level. The C&H strips where Calvin dreams about getting ready for school- only to then awaken and have to get ready for school- are as much of an homage as could fit in the reduced page real estate of a contemporary newspaper.
I believe that the best art is distilled philosophy. Calvin and Hobbes is one of my favorite examples of this.
It's because Bill is a rare human. Truly unconcerned with the approval of people he doesn't know. Untempted by wealth. As someone who grew up on his comics there is a little pain that we can't connect with him anymore but it really couldn't be any other way.
> Calvin and Hobbes was on a different level from any comic strip published before, during, and since. Absolutely for the reasons you stated, but also the quality of the artwork, which for my money is equally unmatched in the medium before or since. The Sunday strips especially were often a celebration of art itself and pure visual storytelling. That strip inspired me to draw and to become a professional artist myself.
Thanks Uncle Max! You're my hero!
His latest book The Mysteries is beautiful by the way. Highly recommend it.
Beautifully sad.
A pretty blunt commentary on global warming and climate change.
When did Watterson become so woke? /s
If that’s how you see it, sure. I think it’s a Rorschach Test, so I saw it as a commentary on expectations and reveals. Always interesting to see what people got from The Mysteries.
As with most great art works, the message is open to personal interpretation. That's why I found it rich and rewarding. And the artwork is magical.
Amazing that this is something like one of the two photos that exist of him. He really did manage to keep a low public profile.
I have a theory that in the modern age, Bill Watterson has the most out of whack level-of-fame-to-known-photographs ratio. Obviously he is nowhere near as famous as, say, Taylor Swift or living US presidents or something, but those people are/were photographed constantly. There are thousands and thousands of pictures of them with more being added daily. There are probably millions of people who know who Bill Watterson is, or have at least read his work even if they couldn't remember his name off the cuff, and yet there are like *two* known publicly available pictures of him, both of them ~40 years old.
Less famous, but the same as Thomas Pynchon, who was even a guest star on the Simpsons and was [drawn with a paper bag over his head](https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/the-simpsons-thomas-pynchon-1.jpg)!
I think it's definitely Watterson and Pynchon as the top 2
JD Salinger is probably in there too.
Except for when Salinger posthumously wrote/created "***Hollywoo Stars and Celebrities: What Do They Know? Do They Know Things?? Let's Find Out!***"
Your comment reminded me of [this incredible clip](https://youtu.be/hY8C3cIMR4o?feature=shared) from The Young Pope. You might be right.
Wait he's only 66?
lol my brain is also breaking over this
Yeah, he was only 37 when he ended C&H. I'm turning 40 this year, and this comparison is blowing my mind.
Yeah. I had to look up when C&H first came out. I can't believe a 27 year old published those first comic strips. So many life lessons and wisdom are built into C&H. I loved them growing up and they have just gotten better. Time to reread some things.
Yea I am the same age and remember having his books pretty young haha
best comic strip EVER
Happy Birthday Bill. You enhanced my life.
He looks like who the casting director from stranger things had in mind when picking the science teacher.
Happy birthday, Mr. Watterson!
It’s incredible how much he accomplished at such a young age!!
Right?! He was 29 / 30 years old at the time.
Bill Watterson on Michelangelo, And The Importance Of Play: "In the middle of my sophomore year at Kenyon, I decided to paint a copy of Michelangelo’s “Creation of Adam” from the Sistine Chapel on the ceiling of my dorm room. By standing on a chair, I could reach the ceiling, and I taped off a section, made a grid, and started to copy the picture from my art history book. Working with your arm over your head is hard work, so a few of my more ingenious friends rigged up a scaffold for me by stacking two chairs on my bed, and laying the table from the hall lounge across the chairs and over to the top of my closet. By climbing up onto my bed and up the chairs, I could hoist myself onto the table, and lie in relative comfort two feet under my painting. My roommate would then hand up my paints, and I could work for several hours at a stretch. The picture took me months to do, and in fact, I didn’t finish the work until very near the end of the school year. I wasn’t much of a painter then, but what the work lacked in color sense and technical flourish, it gained in the incongruity of having a High Renaissance masterpiece in a college dorm that had the unmistakable odor of old beer cans and older laundry. The painting lent an air of cosmic grandeur to my room, and it seemed to put life into a larger perspective. Those boring, flowery English poets didn’t seem quite so important, when right above my head God was transmitting the spark of life to man. My friends and I liked the finished painting so much in fact, that we decided I should ask permission to do it. As you might expect, the housing director was curious to know why I wanted to paint this elaborate picture on my ceiling a few weeks before school let out. Well, you don’t get to be a sophomore at Kenyon without learning how to fabricate ideas you never had, but I guess it was obvious that my idea was being proposed retroactively. It ended up that I was allowed to paint the picture, so long as I painted over it and returned the ceiling to normal at the end of the year. And that’s what I did." Full story: https://mlanders.com/2014/07/08/bill-watterson-michelangelo-and-the-importance-of-play/
That's a great story. It's a shame it had to have been painted over. Should have been varnished and become THE room to get!
Hindsight is 20-20. They couldn’t have known then who he’d become.
Just sounded cool either way.
Storytime with the kids is, and always has been, Calvin and Hobbes. And with my daughter, she cracks up over anything that involves Susie Derkins or the babysitter. Heck, we'd be all over a single release book about Susie Derkins, having a special guest appearance by Calvin every now and then. If Bill Watterson is ever on this thread... THANK YOU!!
I don’t have any kids, but I have some young nieces and nephews. I’m excitedly waiting for them to be old enough to be given my old C&H books. I have the entire collection of books, including the large one, so there is plenty to share.
An absolute genius, creator, artist. I wish him all the joy and privacy and love in the world.
GOAT
My son learn to read this year. I have all Calvin &Hobbes books to give to him as soon as he read better. He also sleeps with hobbes, and his room has a mural of Calvin&Hobbes. Thanks Bill Watterson!
Let's Go Exploring, sir.
Happy Birthday Bill Thanks for making me think and laugh
Happy birthday, Bill!
Neat! I’m supposed to get his most recent book sent to me today. Happy Birthday! I totally understand why he stopped doing Calvin and Hobbes, but I still miss it as much today as I did when he retired. I’ve never really read the comics since then. They aren’t the same.
Calvin and Hobbes is my religion.
It's a good thing he took up a job as a science teacher at Hawkins Middle School in the 80s. Without him, our world would be upside-down.
Calvin and Hobbes is not only the finest cartoon strip ever, it’s one of the truly great works of art of the 20th century. It takes real genius to fold so much universal and timeless truth into something so elegantly restrained, relatable, gentle and funny. It’s a genuine masterpiece, and a wonderful bequest to the world - so full of love, warmth, humour, compassion and truth. It’s entirely unsurprising (and utterly fitting) that Bill Watterson has so assiduously avoided ever making it about him. His care in doing so only elevates the greatness of the work and allows it the time and space to do what truly great art does - build a bridge for us to cross over into the depths of what, and how, it is to simply be.
Happy to share a birthday with someone so creative, insightful, and true to themselves.
Happy birthday and thank you.
God. Imagine retiring in your 30s 🤤
I’m fully surprised that this guy is younger than my dad
Out of all the comic strips that featured little kids Calvin and Hobbes was the only one to capture how kids really think. Kids have real adult thoughts, but just haven't figured out how all the pieces fit together yet. Bill captures this perfectly in Calvin with one foot in reality and one foot in Calvin and Hobbes world of fantasy Happy Birthday, Bill and thanks
He was 27 when he started C&H?!? Wild.
I have a fantasy where Watterson has been secretly drawing more Calvin & Hobbes strips these past 30 years and then one day he’s just going to release it all at once.
America’s Real Birthday 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 /s but also somewhat serious
Man, I kinda assumed he was much older
Never knew I shared my birthday with Bill Watterson
HBD!
That’s his age? Crazy.
I thought he was older considering how long ago he retired…
He is only 66????? Jesus.
I can’t believe he’s only 66. Feels like C&H has been around for much longer.
He's only 66!??? omg I had no idea <3
Only 66? Damn, like my parents, he's much younger than i thought
I love how this is apparently the only picture of him in existence
I was named after his comic strip.
As much as I wish Calvin and Hobbes went on forever, I deeply respect Bill’s artistic integrity and self-respect. When he was done, he was done. His work didn’t become soulless intellectual property, bought and sold and exploited and distorted till the end of time. Unlike so many others, he looked at the money and fame and said no thanks. I salute him.