Bill Watterson talks: Calvin and Hobbes

[Onkel Neal]

One of my favorite cartoonists is Bill Waterson, of Calvin and Hobbes fame. (The other is Torplexed, of course). As you may know, Bill did C&H for 10 years then withdrew from public view. Almost no interviews since he retired. Now he has provided a really lengthy interview in a new book, Exploring Calvin & Hobbes

For years, the cartoonist didn’t make public comments. Now, in a single wide-ranging and revealing and illuminating and engrossing and self-deprecating and poignant and, of course, deeply funny interview, Watterson has proved more generous than we perhaps could have ever hoped for.

Bill Watterson has delivered a gift, a trip down memory lane that is populated densely on each side with personal and professional insights — some grippingly specific, some that ring universal, many that resonate as both.

I have not read the interview yet, but there is a snippet I found particularly interesting:

Watterson’s path to syndication, littered with rejection notes, is still a great object lesson in persistence and self-conviction (no selling-out of his vision in order to draw suggested robot characters), and in wise recognition of smart syndicate advice (the bangs over Calvin’s eyes were removed at the last minute before launch)

I wonder how an artist, say an author or musician, decides which professional advise to accept and which to reject? Gene Roddenberry was counseled by NBC many times to change Mr. Spock, which resisted, thankfully. But he also felt that any storylines should have an overall Peaceful Theme where the crew never had any conflict, which is necessary for any good story.

[Betonov]

[nikimcbee]

Wow, there's a name I haven't heard in a long time. I miss his comics, along with Bloom County.

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

I wonder how an artist, say an author or musician, decides which professional advise to accept and which to reject? Gene Roddenberry was counseled by NBC many times to change Mr. Spock, which resisted, thankfully. But he also felt that any storylines should have an overall Peaceful Theme where the crew never had any conflict, which is necessary for any good story.

See Lucas and Jar Jar.

[Jimbuna]

Calvin and Hobbes Daily

http://calvinhobbesdaily.tumblr.com/

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Calvin and Hobbes Daily

http://calvinhobbesdaily.tumblr.com/

Thanks for that, Jim.

[Gargamel]

He lives (or lived) only a few (dozen) minutes from me.

[mapuc]

WOW who would have known that..have several albums with these two..

Love these two

Markus

[Red October1984]

Calvin & Hobbes > Peanuts

That's just me...

[razark]

Originally Posted by Red October1984

That's just me...

No, it's not just you.


For Christmas a few years back, my mother gave me the three volume complete collection. I'm still impressed the Watterson managed to avoid the push to turn his comic strip into a huge merchandise franchise.

[Stealhead]

I have The Complete Calvin & Hobbes its a four volume set. Pretty nice printed on high quality paper. Its pretty short on text though it has a pretty good introduction by Watterson.

I actually like that he just explains his history(in the collection intro) and how he developed C&H and how the two represent parts of his own personality. I like that it did not break down each strip. To me the great thing about C&H is how the reader takes the individual strip.

EDIT: I always get annoyed by those stickers you see with the kid weeing on an automakers emblem. If you recall at one time the kid was an obvious rip off of Calvin(they changed him at some point to look un Calvin I wonder if he sued over the likeness or not

What I'm talking about (if you have one may your tires explode) https://triviahappy.com/articles/the...g-calvin-decal

[nikimcbee]

Originally Posted by Red October1984

Calvin & Hobbes > Family Circus
That's just me...

Fixed.

[razark]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

I have The Complete Calvin & Hobbes its a four volume set.

Mine is a three volume, in hardcover. It appears there is a four volume paperback version on Amazon, as well.

I'm with you on those stickers.

[Torplexed]

I think what I find most admirable about Bill Watterson of Calvin & Hobbs, along with Berkeley Breathed of Bloom County and Gary Larson of The Far Side is that they all had the integrity to retire their strips at or near the height of their popularity. There are too many cartoonists who just phone it in year after year, or have turned the actual work over to someone else.

Reading those tired worn-out comic strips is sort of the pen and ink equivalent of Late Night with David Letterman. It's still the same guy, but the passion and originality are long gone.

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by razark

Mine is a three volume, in hardcover. It appears there is a four volume paperback version on Amazon, as well.

I'm with you on those stickers.

Yes one in the same I guess they split it into four books for the paperback edtion makes sense a quality paperback can only be so large before the integrity of the binding is compromised. They are split into years(1st book Nov 85 to Nov 87) so I'm guessing in the hard back they divide the ten years into three sections rather than four. I really enjoy how they just went right in order like that very well done.

@torplexed in the collection introduction he says exactly what you posted. He wanted to maintain the quality so he retired the strip when he did.

[nikimcbee]

Originally Posted by Torplexed

I think what I find most admirable about Bill Watterson of Calvin & Hobbs, along with Berkeley Breathed of Bloom County and Gary Larson of The Far Side is that they all had the integrity to retire their strips at or near the height of their popularity. There are too many cartoonists who just phone it in year after year, or have turned the actual work over to someone else.

Reading those tired worn-out comic strips is sort of the pen and ink equivalent of Late Night with David Letterman. It's still the same guy, but the passion and originality are long gone.

This.