Calvin and Hobbes

[A. Flea]

How many of you guys have read this wonderful cartoon by Bill Watterson?

I personally am a HUGE fan of it, and it gets better every time I read it.

[Leviathan]

Calvin and Hobbes is possibly the greatest comic strip ever written. Almost every strip is a classic.

[Glowworm]

Pure classic-amazing and hillarious. I so want to make a demented snowman like Calvin-those were awesome!:D

[AnthroCoon]

http://comics.com/frazz/

Artist of this comic says he was inspired by C&H and some think Frazz could be an
older Calvin...

[Matt the Y]

It is an eternal classic. Probably one of the greatest comic strips ever drawn. 'Nuff said.

In other words, yes. I loves it!

[Douglas E.]

I absolutely love it! It's probably my all time favorite comic strip!

-Doug

[AndrewGilmore]

I could spend many many words praising Calvin and Hobbes, but I'll sum it up by simply saying that I think Bill Watterson is a genius.

[cpdavison]

http://comics.com/frazz/

Artist of this comic says he was inspired by C&H and some think Frazz could be an
older Calvin...

Yeah, I saw that FRAZZ thing in an out of town paper and could not believe my eyes. Have the decals of this FRAZZ guy urinating on a Ford logo come to market yet?

Oh, yeah. C & H was pretty good and kudos to Mr. Watterson for hanging it up rather than just grinding out uninspired, market-driven pap. (cough Jim Davis cough)

Craig D.

[frizfrelengfan]

I love it, and I miss it.

[Larry T]

Started reading it from day 1 it appeared in the paper. Bought all the books and was sad the day it ended.

Bill Watterson is an absolute genius. His characters were well-defined and the interactions between them were priceless (remember when Calvin actually teamed up with Susie)... at times we see tete-a-tetes between Calvin's parents and it almost makes sense out of Calvin's personality (Dad is a little off-kilter and idealistic, mother is sarcastic and warped). A great strip that succeeded on so many levels.

Plus you have to hand it to Watterson for those amazing realistic-style strips and the mind-bending perspective drawings... you don't get to see those in "Momma" or "Family Circus"....

C & H was pretty good and kudos to Mr. Watterson for hanging it up rather than just grinding out uninspired, market-driven pap. (cough Jim Davis cough)

Oooohh.....*SNAP*. :) But I agree.

[Jeffitarian]

I'll just repeat what I said on a previous thread.

I miss Calvin & Hobbes.

[cartoonfan4ever]

I've always enjoyed Calvin & Hobbes. Great comic strip.

[tristar]

C&H is one of the all time best strips, including Krazy Kat, Peanuts, Pogo, and The Far Side.
And yeah, I'm glad that Bill Waterson ended his strip before it could have jumped the shark.

[zavkram]

I used to read it in the comics section of my local paper everyday. I even had the very first compilation book to come out back in the late 1980's

I had thought about purchasing the complete anthology that came out awhile back, but couldn't afford it at the time.

I really wish they would re-release all of the original paperback compilations.

[Jack G.]

I really wish they would re-release all of the original paperback compilations.I didn't think any of 'em were out of print.

I got the box-set for Christmas this year (through Amazon).

Even though I was around for it, I never read Calvin & Hobbes in the paper.
Later, I looked at the collections in the bookstore and was impressed.

The fact that these books continue to sell is a testament to Watterson's work.

C & H is probably going to be the last great newspaper comic strip.

[wiley207]

I've always loved the strip ever since I first read it. Bill Watterson was a true genius, which can often rarely be said for newspaper cartoonists. I always loved how characters usually had "Barney Rubble" eyes but would get big in anime-fashion when they get surprised or shocked. And I also loved how ultra-realistic the scenery and props looked compared to the semi-cartoony characters.

Here is a voice cast I made up if there was ever an animated special or something:

NANCY CARTWRIGHT - Calvin (not using her Bart Simpson voice, but maybe the voice she used for Putt-Putt in some of the Humongous Entertainment games)
ROB PAULSEN - Hobbes
GREG BERG - Calvin's Dad
KATH SOUCIE - Calvin's Mom
B.J. WARD - Susie Derkins
MAURICE LaMARCHE - Moe (the class bully)
GREY DeLISLE - Rosalyn (not using her Vicky voice, but the voice she uses for Frankie or Daphne)
CHARLES ADLER - Miss Wormwood (for some reason I think a man voicing the teacher would probably fit with the character, IMO)
JOHN STEPHENSON - Mr. Spittle (the school principal)

Additional voices:
JEFF BENNETT, JIM CUMMINGS, TOM KENNY, TRESS MacNEILLE, CANDI MILO, RUSSI TAYLOR, CREE SUMMER, FRANK WELKER, BILLY WEST

There were a couple of strips where Calvin was watching Looney Tunes on TV; we couldn't see it on TV but we'd know by Elmer Fudd's voice coming from the TV. One example...

TV: *KABLOOIE!* "Ooooh, you twicked me for the wast time, wabbit!"
CALVIN: *laughs* Boy, I sure wish I had some dymanite!

If they can't acquire a cartoon clip with that line, Billy West could imitate Elmer's voice. As for music, I think a simple guitar could easily supply the score. And I often picture the sound effects as I read them being the classic Warner Bros. and Hanna-Barbera sound effects.

[Jack G.]

I forget where I read this, but apparently Steven Spielberg contacted Watterson's syndicate.
Spielberg wanted to talk to Watterson (about the possiblity of a movie, I think).
When the syndicate rang up Watterson about the news, he apparently wasn't interested in speaking with Steven at all!

[CueBallCat79]

ROB PAULSEN - Hobbes

That's always the voice I heard in my head too when I read the comics.

[Stanislav]

One of the greatest strips of the century, IMHO. Ranks right up there with Krazy Kat, Pogo, and Peanuts. Watterson isn't just a humorist -- he is a philosopher and social commentator of the highest quality. I reread the collected strips at least 2 or 3 times a year, and they never get stale.

I was sorry to see it end, but I have a lot of respect for Watterson and his decision to retire. Too many people get pissed off at decisions like this, as if the artist owes us his continued labor. If Watterson tired of doing the strip (and battling the syndicate and the graphic limitations of the modern day comics page), and wanted to just retire and become a reclusive painter, then that's his decision to make. I also respect that he never allowed the characters to be commercialized.

It's not often discussed, but Calvin's parents were about the most unsympathetic ever portrayed in comic art. They always seemed rather distant and self-absorbed, and clearly (though the attitude is depicted humorously) regretted having a child to some extent. Dad, especially. His annoyance and sarcasm towards Calvin; his constant attempts to stifle his natural exuberance and creativity and mold him after his own (boring, sensible) example; and his frequent almost borderline sadistic feeding of misinformation to Calvin's typical childhood queries.....let's just say he wasn't exactly a model parent. It's all funny in the context of the strip, but with an edge to it that just automatically makes you root for Calvin. Most people would feel sorry for his parents, with a kid so constantly getting into trouble, but I like to think Calvin is just the sort of child they deserved. :D

[Douglas E.]

It's not often discussed, but Calvin's parents were about the most unsympathetic ever portrayed in comic art. They always seemed rather distant and self-absorbed, and clearly (though the attitude is depicted humorously) regretted having a child to some extent. Dad, especially. His annoyance and sarcasm towards Calvin; his constant attempts to stifle his natural exuberance and creativity and mold him after his own (boring, sensible) example; and his frequent almost borderline sadistic feeding of misinformation to Calvin's typical childhood queries.....let's just say he wasn't exactly a model parent. It's all funny in the context of the strip, but with an edge to it that just automatically makes you root for Calvin. Most people would feel sorry for his parents, with a kid so constantly getting into trouble, but I like to think Calvin is just the sort of child they deserved. :D
Are you kidding? I think that Mom & Dad are MORE sympathetic! But then again, most of your criticisms are aimed at the versions of Mom & Dad in the earlier strips. In the later cartoons it's often the other way around! Calvin is actually very self absorbed, and he never learns from his mistakes! I do agree that his parents are perfect for the job, but for the OPPOSITE reasons!

-Doug

[speedy fast]

I started reading the strip around the end of the run (I didn't really read comic strips regularly until late spring 1995), but I have quite a few of the books.


Some of my favorite strips:

Calvan asks his mom if he can have a cigarrette. She actually lets him. Calvan starts coughing from the smoke. Mom asks if he leanred anything. Calvan did: "Trusting parents can be hazardous to your health."
Calvan has a stand, selling "swift kicks in the butt" for five cents. Calvan tells Hobbes he isn't making any money, and can't understand why, as he says everybody he knows needs what he's selling (I wonder if that includes Hobbes...).
A multi-part strip in which Calvan clones the good side of himself, and has his good side do the things he doesn't like, such as go to school.
A multi-part strip in which Calvan and his parents (and Hobbes) go on a camping trip, onbly for it to rain the whole time. This is one of the few multi-part strips where the sunday strip has something to do with the story.
A sunday strip where, with the exception of the last panel, everything is in black and white (and no outlines are drawn). It ends with Calvan's dad telling Calvan that his problem is that he only sees things in black and white (this was inspired by a comment made to Bill Watterson by his syndicates when he refused to allow the characters to be merchandised). If they gave awards for individual strips then this one should have won!
Calvan (or was it Hobbes? I know there was one where Hobbes writes a bedtime story) writes a bedtime story for his dad to read, about a boy who locked his father in the closet for makking him eat what he didn't like (yes, they were drawn to look like Calvan and Dad). After the story, Calvan asks, "Do you know how a lot of stories have morals?", to which Dad angrily says "I GET IT!"
Calvan tells Dad that they brought the christmas tree home, and Dad jokingly tells Calvan (freaking Calvan out) that this year, they'll just put the tre in the garage and not decorate it ("and if you get a present..." "IF I get a present?!!").
Speaking of christmas strips, I also like one where Calvan says what he doens't like about christmas: "I hate being good".
Calvan smells what his Mom is cooking for dinner, complains about teh smell, and then declares "whatever it is, I'm not going to eat it!" Mom says it's monkey brains, and Calvan becoems intrigued... But then his Dad complains, saying "whatever it is, I'm not going to eat it!"
A sunday strip with no dialogue where Calvan goes to the bus stop and remembers that he forgot his lunch. He runs in to get it, when at the same time, Calvan's mom saw that he forgot his lunch and rushes out to bring it to him. Calvan find sout that his mom is outside and runs to get it, only to miss the bus. Mom drives Calvan to school, then she coomes home only to find Calvan's lunch on teh table.

I say shame on Watterson for not allowing offical merchandise (aside from book collections of the strips, and a handful of other merchandise). I do often hear voices from the characetrs mouths when I read them, but I don't really hear a voice for Hobbes, for somereason. I imagine that Calvan sounds like Junior from the Problem Child movies, or like Littlefoot from The Land Before Times. I imagine the mom sounding a bit like Edith McClurge, maybe a bit less nasal. I hear the dad sounding a bit smug or pompus when he's not yelling. I hear the teacher sounding like Granny from the Tweety cartoons, with a hint of Hilda from The Muppet Show.

[Matt the Y]

I say shame on Watterson for not allowing offical merchandise (aside from book collections of the strips, and a handful of other merchandise).

Why? In a world where so many media characters are crammed down our throats virtually everywhere we go and everywhere we look, I actually think it's a refreshing change of pace that we were spared this from Calvin & Hobbes. And it shows that he's a rare bird and a man of his integrity in that he chose to go with artistic merit over financial profit in sticking with going for what the strip was meant to be all along..... simply a newspaper comic strip. And, really, is anything wrong with that (and are a bunch of C&H dolls, action figures, greeting cards, etc. really all THAT more interesting or big of a deal in the long run anyway?)?

[speedy fast]

I was just thinking from the point of view of those who are bigger Calvan and Hobbes fans than I am. I am not sure if I would buy officially-licensed toys related to the show. I am a bigger fan of Peanuts and Garfield, and I don't own much merchandise (aside from books) related to those strips. But if I created my own series I would want merchandise tie-ins, and if Jim Henson never allowed for the Muppets to be merchandised I might have been upset.

But I still think there should have been some animated specials featuring the characters.