Hundreds of comic strips have been & keep getting published in newspapers everyday...and not all of them have survived the test of time like Calvin and Hobbes. If I have to pick the best comic I have read so far, it is CnH undoubtedly!! To me, saying that CnH is the 'best strip ever' would be an understatement. It's much beyond that - it's just different! Everytime I read it (and re-read it) I feel so fresh and good..
Most of the daily comics you read will probably just induce those moments of gags and then you forget it...but am sure you'll agree (if u are an avid reader of CnH) that when Watterson created the character of 'Calvin' he had something more in mind, than just fun. Through free-spirited, deeply-imaginative Calvin's character and his endlessly-friendly-and-eternally-bonded stuffed tiger Hobbes, you get such deep intellectual insights about life and friendships, in addition to it being so warm and heartfelt. The theories about life seem so complex yet when Calvin describes them, they seem so simple. There have been situations in life where I have actually remembered some of the CnH strips and it has made a lot of sense and made me feel better too :) Flip open a page and you will find things like...
Calvin wondering "What is worthwile in life if death is inevitable.."
He asks Hobbes in another - "What is the true meaning of happiness?" Is it money, cars and women? or is it just money and cars?" :)
and more!
and more!
Calvin & Hobbes, written by Bill Watterson ran from Nov'1985 -Dec' 1995. When Watterson wrote his final strip, he sent a letter to all the editors of newspapers who featured his strip, which said -
“I will be stopping Calvin and Hobbes at the end of the year. This was not a recent or an easy decision, and I leave with some sadness. My interests have shifted however, and I believe I've done what I can do within the constraints of daily deadlines and small panels. I am eager to work at a more thoughtful pace, with fewer artistic compromises. I have not yet decided on future projects, but my relationship with Universal Press Syndicate will continue. That so many newspapers would carry Calvin and Hobbes is an honor I'll long be proud of, and I've greatly appreciated your support and indulgence over the last decade. Drawing this comic strip has been a privilege and a pleasure, and I thank you for giving me the opportunity.”
This one is truly a masterpiece and Bill Waterson ...a genius!
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Few of my favorites- (the list is long and it's hard to choose...)
The entire Racoon series (9 strips) ... its so touching! The first strip is below...
and the last strip of the series...
Few other ones ....
2 comments:
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