Calvin and Hobbes

Today I received my 4th volume of the Calvin and Hobbes Compendium. This is supposed to be a 7 part series and I am waiting for the last 3 volumes to complete this collection.

Calvin and Hobbes is very special. It was the first comic I read as an adult. Of course when I was younger I read the usual Archie, Beano, Snoopy, Mad magazine etc. I then stopped reading comics, probably from about the time I was in secondary school.

When I was working in the University, a colleague, Mary Wong, recommended Calvin and Hobbes to me. I had never heard of this book before and she urged me to read it and lent me her volume. This must have been around 1991/92.

I was so fascinated by that 1st volume and I remember asking her where I could buy it. She recommended me a comic shop (that no longer exists) somewhere near Centerpoint. Thereafter I followed up and read all the available volumes and all that came thereafter.

It tells a touching story of a 6 year old boy, Calvin, and his toy tiger, Hobbes, who is a toy to everyone except Calvin. It tells in a very funny way how both see the world and their interactions with adults and other kids.

It is difficult to put into words the effect each comic strip will have on you, and like Mary Wong did to me, I will just urge you to try it.

What was so interesting is that the author Bill Watterson was so frustrated by the commercialism in the comic book industry that he stopped writing the comic after 10 years. So this comic ran from Nov 18 1985 to Dec 31 1995. He also did not allow any merchandising of his comic strip. So unlike every other comic, you will not find prints, toys or games for Calvin and Hobbes. He also did not allow his comics to be put into any other media form and so you will not find cartoons or movie versions of this comic.

So I have pieces signed by Charles Schulz and Hanna Barbera of their comic or cartoon characters but nothing by him, except the book itself.

I can imagine the strength and the integrity involved in him giving up these opportunities to make money. One estimate puts it at about 300 to 400 million dollars that he gave up by not allowing commercialisation. He is apparently living a quiet life with his family, content with the work he created. He did not do any more comics after that.

I have collected all of his books, including a limited edition hardcover copy.

Do go and read it. A wonderful read!