One of the local channels was running a documentary, Dear Mr. Watterson, which has numerous cartoonists in it but not the notoriously private man himself. At an hour and a half, it is rather thorough, to the point of being tedious.
I like the one where Dad is looking for his glasses, Calvin walks in wearing them (with neatly-combed hair) and says (something very like) “Misery builds character, Calvin. Go do something you hate.” Last panel has Mom falling out of her chair with laughter.
I agree that Calvin and Hobbes is one of the finest creative works that ever existed.
I have so many favorites - some touching and meaningful, and some just amusing. Here is one of the latter:
Spaceman Spiff, Tracer Bullet, Stupendous Man…babysitter Rosalyn, Moe the bully, Miss Wormwood…there’s just so much to love.
Someone put Trudeau’s comments on reddit:
Watterson is the reporter who’s gotten it right; childhood as it actually is, with its constant shifting frames of reference. Anyone who’s done time with a child knows that reality can be highly situational. The utterance which an adult knows to be a “lie” may well reflect a child’s deepest conviction, at least at the moment it pops out. Fantasy is so accessible, it is joined with such force and frequency, that resentful parents like Calvin’s assume they are being manipulated when the truth is far more frightening; they don’t even exist. The child is both king and keeper of this realm, and he can be very choosy about the company he keeps.
The thing that always strikes me is that kids read these in the Sunday funnies. For instance… “You need a lobotomy. I’ll get a saw.”
https://www.reddit.com/r/calvinandhobbes/comments/b35dd5/doctor_calvin_and_patient_susie/
By my OP heading, I meant that Calvin and Hobbes is my all-time favorite graphic novel, maybe more. The particular one shown on my post was just the last one I had looked at before sharing the link (thar she blows). This load-limit on bridges one is close to my all-time favorite.
I don’t agree with Gary Trudeau:
Calvin’s parents were great - even if there was some regret Calvin wasn’t a sweet little girl.
Surprised nobody’s really dropped in any of the multi-week arcs.
The one w/ his good duplicate is the most hilarious. The denouement 15 days later, most specifically Hobbes’ comment at the end, still blows me away to this day.
There are SO many great ones though!
I love this one on delayed gratification:
If you are trying to find a strip and remember at least some of the dialog I recommend the calvin and hobbes search engine, which links to the licensed republication on gocomics.
Hobbes and me!
I think they got frustrated with him. Trudeau’s quote suggests to me Calvin’s parents are playing chess but Calvin’s playing…well, Calvinball. He frustrates his parents but they somehow reset and start fresh the next day.
Not Watterson, but:
In a parallel universe, there are Calvin and Company by DomNX, wherein Calvin and Susie have twins named after Albert Camus and Simone de Beauvoir.
The final strip was so good. I love it.
Even though I have the entire C&H canon in my library, I tremble with gratitude for that link. It will be used.
Not just my favorite C&H strip, but one of my favorite comics of all time:
Thank you!
Calvin and Hobbes was definitely operating at a higher aesthetic level and STILL fun as hell! I hereby offer 1of my hundreds of "faves’’ as proof