Bill Watterson deserves tremendous credit for walking away at the top of his game, before his creation got marginalized and bastardized. So few people are able to walk away from the limelight when they are in it, or near it. This guy did. He never sought it, avoided it, and has stayed away from it. He’s the J.D. Salinger of the comic pages.
I hope he publishes some more things in the future, even completely unrelated to Calvin and Hobbes. He has immense talent and it would be great to see more of it, but regardless of what he does in the future it should be noted that he was very respectful of the work he created; never letting self-promotion get in the way of his art.
Agree with the Salinger comparison on the surface, but vehemently disagree below that. Where Salinger (or at least his characters) was cynical, pesimistic and tiresome, Watterson (and his characters) was upbeat and positive, recognizing and embracing the endless small beauties that are all around us, everyday, even if it’s just sitting by the fire on a cold winter afternoon with a good buddy, drinking hot chocolate and reading comic books.
I think Watterson shaped my life in childhood more than any other writer, with the possible exception of C.S. Lewis.
This was my Dad’s favorite cartoon. The Christmas ones were so beautiful they still bring tears to my eyes. I need to get the entire set of these. It will be like walking back in time. My Dad sitting at the kitchen table looking at his comic books of Calvin and Hobbes and laughing. I miss those days.
Calvin and Hobbes was brilliant. I think it was the last really great comic strip, because Watterson was consciously trying to emulate the comic artists of old, who cared not only about being funny, but about drawing well–getting amazing effects out of pen and ink in a (relatively) small space. Nobody bothers about that since Watterson, and (in their defense) the size allocated to their work doesn’t really give it much scope. But if you study the Old Masters, like Winsor McCay http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winsor_McCay and Walt Kelly http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Kelly, the artistry is amazing.
Kelly was an amazing artist. Fortunately for him, Pogo was printed larger than strips now, so he could afford the detail. He was also a talented animator for Disney: He animated the crows in Dumbo.
I think Charles Schulz actually bears some blame (but not much) for the shrinking strip sizes. He purposely formatted his strips lower, and made his characters shorter, so they could take up less space on a page, giving him an advantage with publishers in the early syndication years.
“Calvin, go do something you hate. Being miserable builds character.” Calvin, impersonating his father.
Watterson was genius…as was Gary Larson and the Far Side. I miss both of them.
Bloom County, Far Side and Calvin & Hobbes: proof the 80s rocked for more than the tunes. Get Fuzzy was easily achieving that level of brilliant irreverence till Darby Conley drank the Demo-Kool Aid in bulk and took Rob, Satchel and Bucky off the rails last year. Haven’t read one or even had an interest since. Sad how those open-minded folks seem to have that kind of effect.
I loved the Far Side to. That was brilliant as well. My fav. was Santa standing in front of his Rein Deer and saying I have one thing to say about all these complaints I have been hearing: VENISON! And another later of Santa writing down his recipes for Venison. Or the doctors doing an operation on someone and a vital organ comes flying out and the lead surgeon yells quick grab that, we may need it later. Freaking awesome stuff.
“Bad news dad. Your polls are way down. You rate especially low among tigers and six-year-old white males. If you want to stay Dad I’d suggest you adopt some key planks to your platform. Some special interest groups are in for a surprise. Of those polled virtually all flavor increased allowances and the commencement of driving lessons.”
Fritz works on campaigns? I might need to pick his brain.
Worth mentioning I’m always looking for volunteers to assist with the campaign if anyone is interested in such things. Ah yes, shameless self promotion.
In India, General Sir Charles Napier came across a suttee being practiced and asked what it was. The suttee, he was told, is a practice where a widow is burned alive at the funeral pyre of her deceased husband.
He responded thus: “In England we hang men who do that. So go ahead, build your funeral pyres, and we will build our gallows.”
Fun trivia about the oldest zoon boys, they only learned to read because of Calvin and Hobbes. Fabulous vocabulary, fun stories, and excellent art, it just drew them in.
We own the entire collection of C and H, Far Side, and a lot of Bloom County, and quote them regularly. Great stuff.
My favorite Calvin & Hobbes line: “Careful! We don’t want to learn anything from this.”
Floyd,are we going to have to break out the milk cartons?Kriskey and Fritz have vanished again!
…and they always seem to vanish together…
I am not gay…I am not gay…I can’t however, speak for -Mike!
Been really busy of late, and had a hard time getting Threedonia way. My Apologies.
BTW, Rufus, “inuendo” is not just a word describing alleged happenings!
Bill Watterson deserves tremendous credit for walking away at the top of his game, before his creation got marginalized and bastardized. So few people are able to walk away from the limelight when they are in it, or near it. This guy did. He never sought it, avoided it, and has stayed away from it. He’s the J.D. Salinger of the comic pages.
I hope he publishes some more things in the future, even completely unrelated to Calvin and Hobbes. He has immense talent and it would be great to see more of it, but regardless of what he does in the future it should be noted that he was very respectful of the work he created; never letting self-promotion get in the way of his art.
Agree with the Salinger comparison on the surface, but vehemently disagree below that. Where Salinger (or at least his characters) was cynical, pesimistic and tiresome, Watterson (and his characters) was upbeat and positive, recognizing and embracing the endless small beauties that are all around us, everyday, even if it’s just sitting by the fire on a cold winter afternoon with a good buddy, drinking hot chocolate and reading comic books.
I think Watterson shaped my life in childhood more than any other writer, with the possible exception of C.S. Lewis.
Maybe if you break out the milk cartons, and have cookies too, that will lure them back.
Or large breasts. That might work too.
Shh, Lars. You know what happens when you mention boobs around here.
Jimmy, I think Lars is actually referring to -Mike! and I as being boobs!
Lars,
Ix-nay on the oobs-bay.
I didn’t mean THAT!!!! Not THAT!!!!!
(Am I allowed to say “that”?)
Suffice to say, it is one of the words the residents of Threedonia cannot hear!
“No one’s allowed to smoke / Or tell a dirty joke, / And whistling is forbidden…”
So does anyone here watch The Venture Brothers? It’s always been a dirty show, but I’ve found this season to be particularly troubling.
Neddy!!!!!!!
This was my Dad’s favorite cartoon. The Christmas ones were so beautiful they still bring tears to my eyes. I need to get the entire set of these. It will be like walking back in time. My Dad sitting at the kitchen table looking at his comic books of Calvin and Hobbes and laughing. I miss those days.
Calvin and Hobbes was brilliant. I think it was the last really great comic strip, because Watterson was consciously trying to emulate the comic artists of old, who cared not only about being funny, but about drawing well–getting amazing effects out of pen and ink in a (relatively) small space. Nobody bothers about that since Watterson, and (in their defense) the size allocated to their work doesn’t really give it much scope. But if you study the Old Masters, like Winsor McCay http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winsor_McCay and Walt Kelly http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Kelly, the artistry is amazing.
Kelly was an amazing artist. Fortunately for him, Pogo was printed larger than strips now, so he could afford the detail. He was also a talented animator for Disney: He animated the crows in Dumbo.
I think Charles Schulz actually bears some blame (but not much) for the shrinking strip sizes. He purposely formatted his strips lower, and made his characters shorter, so they could take up less space on a page, giving him an advantage with publishers in the early syndication years.
“Calvin, go do something you hate. Being miserable builds character.” Calvin, impersonating his father.
Watterson was genius…as was Gary Larson and the Far Side. I miss both of them.
Bloom County, Far Side and Calvin & Hobbes: proof the 80s rocked for more than the tunes. Get Fuzzy was easily achieving that level of brilliant irreverence till Darby Conley drank the Demo-Kool Aid in bulk and took Rob, Satchel and Bucky off the rails last year. Haven’t read one or even had an interest since. Sad how those open-minded folks seem to have that kind of effect.
I loved the Far Side to. That was brilliant as well. My fav. was Santa standing in front of his Rein Deer and saying I have one thing to say about all these complaints I have been hearing: VENISON! And another later of Santa writing down his recipes for Venison. Or the doctors doing an operation on someone and a vital organ comes flying out and the lead surgeon yells quick grab that, we may need it later. Freaking awesome stuff.
“Bad news dad. Your polls are way down. You rate especially low among tigers and six-year-old white males. If you want to stay Dad I’d suggest you adopt some key planks to your platform. Some special interest groups are in for a surprise. Of those polled virtually all flavor increased allowances and the commencement of driving lessons.”
Welcome back,Fritz….hope you’ve been working on the campaign to send Dingy Harry to the sh*tcan of history!
Fritz works on campaigns? I might need to pick his brain.
Worth mentioning I’m always looking for volunteers to assist with the campaign if anyone is interested in such things. Ah yes, shameless self promotion.
Picking my brain, V? Come on now. Do you really think I could help? This thing with Ol Dingy is a mission of love…er hate…well you know!
Scott…Dingy is in a $hitc*n of his own creation. I only serve to help grease the slide for him!
Oh, check this gem.
In Africa, Albinos are being murdered.
http://www.sphere.com/2009/11/23/deadly-skin-trade-preys-on-african-albinos/?icid=main|compaq-laptop|dl3|link2|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sphere.com%2F2009%2F11%2F23%2Fdeadly-skin-trade-preys-on-african-albinos%2F
Reminds me of a story I read in AMERICA ALONE.
In India, General Sir Charles Napier came across a suttee being practiced and asked what it was. The suttee, he was told, is a practice where a widow is burned alive at the funeral pyre of her deceased husband.
He responded thus: “In England we hang men who do that. So go ahead, build your funeral pyres, and we will build our gallows.”
“You may proceed according to your custom… and then we shall proceed according to ours.”
Fun trivia about the oldest zoon boys, they only learned to read because of Calvin and Hobbes. Fabulous vocabulary, fun stories, and excellent art, it just drew them in.
We own the entire collection of C and H, Far Side, and a lot of Bloom County, and quote them regularly. Great stuff.