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This is my Shrine to
Well, if you found this page, you must be one of the
many people who recognize the magnificence of Calvin and Hobbes.
Calvin and Hobbes is the only comic strip versatile enough to be
hilarious, silly, disgusting, touching, intelligent and
philosophical. The comic often tries to get its readers to think
and understand the world around them. On this page, you'll be
able to get a look into my head and find out my thoughts on Bill
Watterson, my views on his decision not to create Calvin and
Hobbes merchandise, my theory that Calvin's father is based on
Bill Watterson himself, and my opinion about the nature of Hobbes.
You can also check out...
My thoughts on Bill Watterson
Quite simply, Bill Watterson is a genius. He is
able to create a character that has such a strong personality and
has qualities which are so true to life, that it is hard to view
Calvin as just a product of Bill's imagination. We view Calvin as
a person. With other comic strips, you try to see a person from
the character drawn. With Calvin and Hobbes, it's as if you have
to tell yourself that these are just characters. You have to try
to see the character in the person drawn. Some might find it hard
to believe that a comic strip about a 6 year old who thinks about
philosophical issues, politics, society and has a larger
vocabulary than some linguists could be true to life. These
people don't know the spirit of the strip. No matter what Calvin
says or talks about, it always comes from a 6-year-old's
perspective.
No Calvin and Hobbes Merchandise?!
Many people (myself included) have been
disappointed by Mr. Watterson's decision not to produce Calvin
and Hobbes merchandise. I don't know about you, but if I could, I'd
own a Calvin and Hobbes poster, T-shirt, stuffed Hobbes, etc, etc.
Who wouldn't?! As much as I'd love these things however, I
respect and understand Mr. Watterson's decision. To produce
Calvin and Hobbes merchandise would diminish the strip. How many
times would you have to play the Space Man Spiff video game
before you got sick of Calvin and Hobbes? How many episodes of
the Calvin and Hobbes television show would you have to watch?
Like all merchandising, there are 5 bad products for every good
one. To see the greatness of Calvin and Hobbes reduced because
some people want to make a few extra bucks would be an insult to
the strip. I applaud Mr. Watterson for his choice and for not
compromising his pride and his creation for some money.
Is Calvin's Dad Based on Bill Himself?
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Are they the same person? You be the judge!
I'm inclined to think that Calvin's dad is based on Bill
Watterson's dad. After all, according to Watterson himself, many
of the strips which center around Calvin's interactions with his
father are taken from experiences he's had with his own father. I
find it strange however, that Calvin's dad bears a striking
resemblance to Bill himself. Now, maybe Bill just happens to look
a lot like his own father. That's certainly not unusual. A small
part of me still wonders however, if Bill considers himself
to be Calvin's father. After all, Calvin is his creation. Calvin
is a life which he created and which he can mold. Bill also has
no children, so perhaps he considers Calvin to be his child.
What is Hobbes?
Is Hobbes a stuffed animal that comes to life
when no one is looking? Is he a product of Calvin's imagination?
Is he both? Is he neither? These are questions which have plagued
all Calvin and Hobbes readers. Personally, I've always viewed
Hobbes is a kind of manifestation of Calvin's conscience. Now,
admittedly, Hobbes isn't always the nicest tiger around, but I
think that in general, Hobbes tries to get Calvin to do the right
thing. In many cases, Hobbes acts as Calvin's voice of reason. It
is never Hobbes' idea to do anything ill-spirited (except towards
Calvin). He usually needs to be persuaded into following Calvin's
less, shall we say moral, plans. I think this might represent
Calvin's attempt to convince himself of his own actions.
As it turns out, I'm wrong.
Bill Watterson finally addressed the Hobbes issue by saying
in The Calvin and Hobbes Tenth Anniversary Book that: "I don't
think of Hobbes as a doll that miraculously comes to life when
Calvin's around. Neither do I think of Hobbes as the product of
Calvin's imagination. The nature of Hobbes's reality doesn't
interest me, and each story goes out of its way to avoid
resolving the issue. Calvin sees Hobbes one way, and everyone
else sees Hobbes another way. I show two versions of reality, and
each makes complete sense to the participant who sees it. I think
that's how life works. None of us sees the world in exactly the
same way, and I just draw that literally in the strip. Hobbes is
more about the subjective nature of reality than about dolls
coming to life."
While I don't think this was the answer that any one was
really expecting, it's probably the most appropriate and fitting
answer that can ever be given.
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