"Calvin and Hobbes" Creator Bill Watterson Looks Back With No Regrets

With fifteen years separating us from the last appearance of "Calvin and Hobbes" on the comic pages, reclusive artist Bill Watterson gave a rare interview reminiscing about his legacy. "The only part I understand is what went into the creation of the strip. What readers take away from it is up to them. Once the strip is published, readers bring their own experiences to it, and the work takes on a life of its own. Everyone responds differently to different parts. I just tried to write honestly, and I tried to make this little world fun to look at, so people would take the time to read it. That was the full extent of my concern. You mix a bunch of ingredients, and once in a great while, chemistry happens. I can't explain why the strip caught on the way it did, and I don't think I could ever duplicate it. A lot of things have to go right all at once."

Comments

Re:Sorry Bill

[elrous0]

I'll tell you what I once told my son: "My love is limited, there is only so much I can share and I don't see why I should give you any when your sister is clearly the better child."

Re:Best comics

[Obfuscant]

I too, have told my kid that the sun rises in the morning because hot things rise, and sets in the evening as it cools.

And what civil engineer hasn't told his kid that they determine weight limits for a bridge by driving continually heavier trucks across until it collapses and then rebuild it?

Or that there was color photography in the late 1800's/early 1900's, but all the stuff they took pictures of was black and white?