Dear Mr. Watterson

[Excalibur]

http://www.dearmrwatterson.com/

There's a documentary in the making about Bill Watterson and his comic strip Calvin and Hobbes. The link explains more.
If you're a passionate lover of the Calvin and Hobbes series like I am then please check this out and support in whatever way possible. There's a link to their facebook profile on their main site, so if you have facebook and love Calvin and Hobbes...well, there it is.

Dear Mr. Watterson is a film that will look to the readers and fans of Calvin & Hobbes to tell the story of the strip and it’s creator. As we follow the life and career of Bill Watterson through this unique perspective, the undying appreciation and love of Calvin & Hobbes and the man behind it will be evident in the anecdotes, stories, and memories shared by readers of the strip and friends and colleagues of Mr. Watterson.

I've always loved Calvin and Hobbes for so many reasons - Watterson's creative style, the way he doesn't just tell jokes, he tells stories - the way in which he structured his strips, he broke free of the redundant constraining panel format that so many Sunday artists conform to - the inspiration the strip gave me as a little kid to go and make the most of life, to search for adventure and excitement when there was none, to exercise my imagination like I never had before. That comic was a big part of my life as a child even though I didn't get into it until soon after he stopped writing them. My dad(also a big fan) had a few books that I picked up around age 7 or 8, and my obsession was born. I now of course have all his books that I diligently re-read at least once every 2 years or so. Every time I read them they're just as hilarious as the last, timeless classics that never get old.

 

[Lanien]

Such a great writer and comic. I have read all the Calvin and Hobbes comic strips that were put into those books a bunch of years back, and still to this day take one out every so often and just read it straight through.

 

[Nevlc]

The sheer amount of imagination in Calvin & Hobbes has had a major impact on my life. As I grew up, facets of the comic made more sense and/or took on a different light, which furthered my appreciation of the comic and Watterson's genius. I haven't gotten to read all of his books, but I plan on getting them all eventually.

 

[Mr.Wonko]

I learned to read from Calvin & Hobbes. I'd have either the paper or one of my dad's anthologies, and demand of anyone walking by to tell me what was going on in the panels. From there I could slowly figure out what the words meant.
I remember being drawn to the depictions of Calvin's alter egos, and of course Hobbes. This strip is my favorite of all time:

 

[Tristam Green]

The final C&H comic was the first newspaper I purposefully bought for a collection.

 

[Lanien]

The final C&H comic was the first newspaper I purposefully bought for a collection.

Same. I actually got that comic framed up in my room. Calvin reminds me so much of me when I was growing up. I didn't have a Tiger for a friend, but just his curiosity and mischievous behavior.

 

[Tristam Green]

I was going to do that, but I only had enough money for one newspaper (I was 13), and as I put the scissors to the paper, my mom asked "why don't you save the whole newspaper?"

I wanted her to make a "stuffed Hobbes" for me when I was little.

 

[Excalibur]

The final C&H comic was the first newspaper I purposefully bought for a collection.

Yup, I still have that last strip from my local newspaper in protective plastic in a filing cabinet. I didn't save the whole paper, just the page is was on.

 

[Mr.Wonko]

This thread has officially become the "make me wax sentimental about my childhood" thread.

 

[Morwen]

Calvin & Hobbes was something that my sister and I shared for quite some time. I loved that strip so much and we both have every single book. I identified with Calvin a lot in the way of his powerful imagination and love of dinosaurs One of my favorite days would be just staring at the paleontological landscapes of Watterson's imagination in the lavish (and first ever to be done) giant front page funnies section he had (sometimes over half the page!). My absolute favorite Calvin & Hobbes continued series he did, however, was the Baby Raccoon.

 

[Mr.Wonko]

My absolute favorite Calvin & Hobbes continued series he did, however, was the Baby Raccoon.

This made me tear up just remembering...

 

[Morwen]

This made me tear up just remembering...

I know! It was so hard for me to read and yet it was so compelling. His parents trying to explain that to him... reminded me of a few things from life and actually helped me understand them a little better, to be quite honest.

I'd definitely put that in my Top 10 Calvin & Hobbes strips.

 

[Lanien]

 

[Morwen]

Lanien ; ;

Of course she can! You don't get to be mom if you can't fix everything just right!

lol, I totally thought this

*sniff* ...I know. I'm crying because out there he's gone, but he's not gone inside me.

Originally, this is exactly what killed me most.

-_- Why is it always night when we talk about these things?

Seriously... lmao

 

[Mr.Wonko]

I really wish I could find all my old anthologies now...
I would spring for the complete edition, but I can't spend $150 right now.
I remember my favorites being Yukon Ho! and Revenge of the Baby-Sat, and also the Tenth Anniversary one because of all the back story Watterson included.

 

[Excalibur]

I really wish I could find all my old anthologies now...
I would spring for the complete edition, but I can't spend $150 right now.
I remember my favorites being Yukon Ho! and Revenge of the Baby-Sat, and also the Tenth Anniversary one because of all the back story Watterson included.

Those are definately three of my favorites too. Some of my favorite books are Scientific Progress Goes "Boink", Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons, and There's Treasure Everywhere, but picking just one story as my favorite is probably really hard. Although I like stories about the box. Be it a transmogrifier or a time machine or a duplicator, those are definately some of my favorite.

It's definately not the racoon story though.

 

[Mr.Wonko]

There was once a website that had the entire series in chronological order. I went through it one day and read nearly every single one. I should have saved them all, because a few days later the website had to shut down due to legal pressure. Pity. Not that I condone such activities...