Calvin and Hobbes

Jus' li'l kid stuff, chock full of only slightly forced wonder and Watterson's apposite eye. The sentimental love people have for this (and, incidentally, the Muppets) always seems sanctimonious, like they're just waiting for the chance to call you a joyless bastard if you demur. But that's not Watterson's fault, and if I can take or leave the many comics where the joke is "Calvin doesn't like vegetables" or "Calvin's teacher is an alien," sometimes too it just cuts you to the quick with pathos or delight or wry regular-people solidarity of a sort that's a mere flickering candle today compared to how it was back then, before they gutted the middle class. It's a hard act to pull off, and Watterson's charming vignettes do a really good job.

I have tons of C&H books but this one was the very first that was published, and connects me back to that magical time when it first started appearing in the paper, late 1985, when I was still in college. It was an absolute joy to read each day, because Watterson combined elements of the joy of childhood (play, fun, wonder, and imagination) with a touch of the difficulties (school, bullies, getting into trouble, and having to eat your vegetables), but always in a light, wonderful way, and sometimes with a little philosophy mixed in.

Calvin is a handful to his parents, constantly creating mischief (banging nails into the coffee table, digging speed bumps in the yard, flooding the house) and terrorizing his babysitter and teacher as well. show more His imagination is unbounded; he daydreams of being Spaceman Spiff while in school, turning into a variety of animals, being miniature sized, and having monsters under his bed.

His best friend Hobbes is his stuffed tiger, who takes on placid level-headedness by contrast. As Calvin “hates” girls and little Susie in particular, Hobbes looks forward to “smoochy kisses”. As Calvin voices his opinions loudly and with fist raised, Hobbes calmly asks a simple question as an effective counterpoint. As Calvin tries wacky hair-raising adventures or invents new games, Hobbes is always there by his side, having fun, but sometimes being the “voice of reason”.

We think of these two as separate characters - naughty, raucous Calvin, and calm, warm Hobbes - but both sides of the yin-yang pair are inside the little boy, for the same imagination that creates Spaceman Spiff is the one that animates Hobbes. Through it all Calvin’s parents put up with his antics and even when angered, maintain a sense of humor, love, and rationality. This is a celebration of childhood, imagination, and of growing up in that environment. All of these characters are good at heart, and every so often Watterson explicitly reminded us of it, such as the first Christmas when Calvin confessed sheepishly to Hobbes that he forgot to make him a card. Hobbes gives him a hug to say it’s all right, “squeezing his tears out” while wishing him a Merry Christmas.

It’s impossible to capture the spirit and beauty of this strip in quotes :-) but here are a couple:
On the afterlife:
C: “Hobbes, what do you think happens to us when we die?”
H: “I think we play saxophone for an all-girl cabaret in New Orleans.”
C: “So you believe in heaven?”
H: “Call it what you like.”

On love:
Susie: “Hey Calvin! Are we near a slaughterhouse, or did you forget your deodorant?!”
Calvin: “Drop dead, Susie! You’re so ugly, I hear your mom puts a bag over your head before she kisses you goodnight!!”
Calvin (to reader): “It’s shameless the way we flirt.”
Calvin (to Hobbes): “What’s it like to fall in love?”
Hobbes: “Well…say the object of your affection walks by…”
Calvin: “Yeah?”
Hobbes: “First, your heart falls into your stomach and splashes your innards. All the moisture makes you sweat profusely. This condensation shorts the circuits to your brain, and you get all woozy. When your brain burns out altogether, your mouth disengages and you babble like a cretin until she leaves.”
Calvin: “That’s love?!?”
Hobbes: “Medically speaking.”
Calvin: “Heck, that happened to me once, but I figured it was cooties.” show less

Still the Best !!!!!

5 Stars for our favorite characters, from Mrs. Wormwood and Susie to Mom, Dad, Calvin, and Hobbes.

Love the 3 AM telephone call, The Big Bad "Wolf" story, Calvin's first cigarette, and Dad's weird face!

Better treatment of worms and fish would be welcome.

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Title: Calvin and Hobbes Series: Calvin and Hobbes Author/Artist: Bill Watterson Rating: 5 of 5 Stars Genre: Comics Pages: 128 Format: Digital scan Synopsis: We are introduced to Calvin, a 6 year old and how he captured his best friend, Hobbes, a stuffed tiger. A weekly comic strip from the late 80's and 90's, Calvin and Hobbes is about youth, pure and simple. My Thoughts: Since show more I had no money when these started coming out, being but a stripling myself, I would request these for my birthday and once a year I would revel in the adventures of Calvin and his best friend, Hobbes. Having embarked upon a reread, I found these just as delightful, just as fun and just as wonderful as I remembered. Which goes to show that Bill Watterson was not only a good comic artist, but a genius when it comes to seeing life through the eyes of a young boy. I have to say, a mere 128 pages sure seems a lot less than it did back then though... " show less

"Calvin and Hobbes" was one of the all-time great strips, unique in concept, brilliant in art, and nearly always hilarious as all-get-out. Calvin is a misanthropic little boy, self-centered and egocentric, mischievous and obnoxious, in a world of his own, but somehow likeable nevertheless. Hobbes is his stuffed tiger, who is real only to him.

THIS IS THE CUTEST BOOK EVER.

I remember reading this book back when I was younger, and to this day, I stand by the belief that this book is utterly and undeniably ADORABLE. Not only it is cute, it's also hilarious, always managing to put a smile on my face.

I am not that into comic books, but this book exposed me to the world of comics, a genre I would not have ventured into if not for Calvin and Hobbes. I recommend this book to readers of all ages, as this book is in no way exclusive to one age group and will appeal to everyone.

Classic, classic book. I laughed so hard reading this! Watterson captures childhood perfectly.