Calvin is a 6-year old boy with a stuffed tiger named Hobbes who comes to life when Calvin is alone. One could not call Hobbes Calvin’s alter ego because he has a distinct personality that doesn’t just do what Calvin wants. The pair are best friends who occasionally get into fights and often get into a lot of trouble. In a creative view from above, Calvin and Hobbes up in a tree are about to throw water balloons on an unsuspecting Susie below. The pair make decapitated snowmen lying about the yard. They put themselves in danger trying to fly by careering down a hill in a wagon with an umbrella.
I admire Watterson for fighting for the right to do Calvin and Hobbes as he wanted. He drew it to satisfy himself and because it made his wife laugh. It satisfied a lot of us too, being one of the funniest cartoon strips ever. I also admired his determination not to cheapen it with a lot of merchandising. If you have a shirt or cap or figurine, it’s a stolen image. We’re content with the books of the daily and Sunday strips – we have them all. And they still make us laugh every time we look at them.
Here are covers of some of the books. Pick one up and enjoy the absurd world of Calvin and Hobbes.
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