Calvin & Hobbes' Bill Watterson Returned to Comics - In Secret!
- Thread starter MovieBob
- Start date
I only read Calvin and Hobbes because I hated Garfield and hadn't even heard of Peanuts until I was older, both of which have become my favourite comic strips.
Still, it's not suprising that he's still drawing or painting or whatever artists do nowadays. I mean, "Headlining News: Artist Makes Art" is hardly surpsising news.
It's still really awesome to see him working in comics again.
Still, it's not suprising that he's still drawing or painting or whatever artists do nowadays. I mean, "Headlining News: Artist Makes Art" is hardly surpsising news.
It's still really awesome to see him working in comics again.
This is the fastest I've ever clicked on a news article, I think. I grew up with Calvin and Hobbes, and I own just about every book collection ever published, apart from that huge 3 book collection, which is probably going to be my next purchase.
I really hope this means Watterson may actually come back to the comic world, even just for one more strip. I know it's about as likely as me waking up on Pluto tomorrow, but if he wrote even just one more Calvin and Hobbes strip, I'd be the happiest person on Earth.
I really hope this means Watterson may actually come back to the comic world, even just for one more strip. I know it's about as likely as me waking up on Pluto tomorrow, but if he wrote even just one more Calvin and Hobbes strip, I'd be the happiest person on Earth.
What a great strip for him to work on too... Pearls Before Swine is one of my favorite strips out there!
...in America. Sorry, but his exposure over in the UK at least has been lower than, say Garfield or Peanuts (for a US author) and far lower than UK based strips (such as Andy Capp and others). I get that this is an American website, but it's got a global fanbase, and comments like that reek of "World Series" syndrome.MovieBob said:
Could you explain "World Series" syndrome? I got the context, but an elaboration would interest me.Verlander said:
I like how the kid's name is Libby, then he immediately calls her "Lib."
I'm thinking the Lib -> Bill thing was intentional.
I'm thinking the Lib -> Bill thing was intentional.
Totally made it up a while back, to describe a "problem" several US businesses and media seem to have. Perhaps problem is a little strong, but here goes - the Baseball World Series is an annual competition that only takes place in North America, with American teams. In itself it's not an issue, but the idea that for many American's to not really notice kind of is an issue.FriedRicer said:
Business is conducted in English world over. With the prevalence of US entertainment, and with the burgeoning economies of English speaking countries, it compounds this idea of global superiority. In the US there's a giant level of indoctrination, some deliberate, some less so - the pledge of allegiance, and near fanatical worship of the flag, constitution and anthem are deliberate, while maps with the North and South American continent at the centre is likely to be less deliberate:
People that are exposed to this simply think that the US is literally the centre of everything. This can lead writers to read off facts and opinions that might be true in the US, but have no basis in truth overseas, such as the one here.
Now, this isn't a problem per se - this is a US based site, of course they can say what they like. However I do believe that this can be offputting to many of the potential viewers.
Much like those books J.D. Salinger has been keeping in a safe all these years and won't be released until fifty years after his death. Everyone will buy them then and be disappointed.Thunderous Cacophony said:
I'm optimistic about their quality. I never really liked Salinger's work, and it seems like Catcher in the Rye was his one big success (I don't know how popular his short stories would have been without his name on the cover). Watterson, meanwhile, managed to be consistently good for a decade of weekly strips, and if he kept writing for the past 20 years I don't think the quality would have declined rapidly. Plus, his art was always beautiful. There might be disappointment, but I bet there would be enough gems in there to warrant their placement alongside his best official publications in the post-mortem collection.the antithesis said:
The joy that wells inside my heart is so great I want to cry. That letter was beautiful, and I wish Bill Watterson could know how much his work changed my life all those years ago...CrazyGirl17 said:
I live in Canada, Verlander. While I can only speculate on the global impact, I can tell you that what you describe very severely diminishes the Canadian cultural identity.
But on-topic: Calvin and Hobbes was a significant portion of my childhood as well, and along with Bloom County, was how I learnt to read. Watterson's reclusive nature has left me a tad confused, but then Breathed has been just as (if not more) reclusive as well. It's oddly cheerful and sorrowful to think that these creative figures have been living the lives they have. But their lives ARE their lives to live, so I'm not going to bemoan their lack of celebrity exploitation.
But on-topic: Calvin and Hobbes was a significant portion of my childhood as well, and along with Bloom County, was how I learnt to read. Watterson's reclusive nature has left me a tad confused, but then Breathed has been just as (if not more) reclusive as well. It's oddly cheerful and sorrowful to think that these creative figures have been living the lives they have. But their lives ARE their lives to live, so I'm not going to bemoan their lack of celebrity exploitation.
Wow. It's almost as if Mr. Watterson never stopped drawing. It looks just as good as it did almost twenty years ago.Thunderous Cacophony said:For those looking for the images directly:
And one that I believe is just the regular PBS author, but references the event:
I'm glad to see Mr Watterson is still drawing comics. I've always wondered if, after his death, we'll find out that he has boxes of comics that he drew in the past 20 years and kept with him. THAT would be an omnibus everyone would buy.
:')
To be fair, though, MovieBob only says "considered by many", not "regarded world over". While it would have done him better to mention that he was refering to people within North America, I don't think his statement is entirely wrong, either.Verlander said:
On topic, it is nice to see Watterson back, even if it was only for 3 strips. That it was in Pearls is all the better to me, as it is about the only newspaper comic I read anymore.
I still love Calvin & Hobbes, even 20 years after Watterson retired, and it is a hoot to know he guest drew Pearls before Swine. I'd like to know who contacted who first to make this happen.