Frazz is probably my favorite current strip, and Calvin and Hobbes was my favorite strip in its day. And there are some similarities, but more differences. For instance, they both explore intellectual and philosphical ideas, but C&H did it via the ignorance of Calvin, whereas Frazz does it via the learnedness of Caulfield. And the kids in both have active imaginations, but we never see “inside” the fantasies in Frazz.
And to anyone who seriously thinks this is Watterson under a pseudonym, I’m sure it’s not. I haven’t yet figured out exactly where Frazz takes place (Michigan?), but it’s certainly not Cleveland. Seeing as Watterson is a Cleveland native and set Calvin in Cleveland, it’s probably safe to say that he would do the same for another strip he drew (write what you know, after all).
I just wanted to repeat my former opinion - you can clearly see at first glance that Frazz isn’t drawn by Watterson. Look at the line quality generally, and the perspective in panels one and four of the strip Achernar linked to.
Sure, some of the poses and facial expressions in Frazz are clearly inspired by C&H, but not nearly as well done (and frankly, that can be said about many comics today).
Technically, Chronos, Waterson’s a product of the Cleveland suburbs, and it appears that, while Calvin’s father commutes to Cleveland for his work as a patent attorney, they live out in the suburbs, and, apparently, at almost exactly the point when the Cleveland suburbs end.
Having looked at a few sample strips, the artwork is nothing like Waterson’s in several eays (coloring, for instance), and the reference made to Waterson wouldn’t be so obscure in the comic world, where he (and his battles with the syndicate) are legendary.
Actually, Borgman appears to have influenced Watterson from early on, which could be the reason for the similarity. Cite. But I’m sure the inspiration has gone in the other direction as well – how could anyone work in comics and not be influenced by Watterson?
I honestly never thought it was Bill Watterson, but rather someone who was heavily influenced by him. However, the fact that there are differences between this strip and Calvin and Hobbes is not a good reason. Who said it would have to be identical? Just because the main characters have different personalities doesn’t mean the strips aren’t very similar.
The styles are as close as any two comics (except maybe Wizard of Id / B.C.), at least to me. Frazz looks like Calvin and carries himself like Hobbes.
Of course, but I didn’t mean it that way. I meant teacher as the kind that give out homework and such. I also didn’t mean janitor as a bad thing, just as something I couldn’t imagine Calvin growing up to be.
When and where was it revealed that they live in the Cleveland area? I don’t remember it coming up, so I always guessed it was sort of a “Where is Springfield?” type question.
According to this, the back cover of The Essential Calvin and Hobbes shows a giant Calvin stomping through Watterson’s hometown of Chagrin Falls, Ohio. The strip where Calvin finds a buckeye and decides to dent Susie’s skull with it is also an Ohio reference, as it’s the Buckeye State. Barring that evidence, we do know that Calvin lives somewhere near the giant E in the word “States.”
Already in Use gave a couple of examples, but here’s another item:
In one strip, they live in the Eastern Time Zone, of which Ohio is a part.
In addition, seeing as how Calvin’s dad has the same job Waterson’s father did, and considering that Calvin’s dad resembles Waterson, there’s the added assumption that Waterson would set this close to home.
