One of the most influential—and mysterious—men in the world has emerged, if only for a fleeting moment. The cartoonist Bill Waterson, author of the famous cartoon strip “Calvin and Hobbes,” has left retirement momentarily to recreate the famous humor that has so often been found throughout his acclaimed strip. His comic is about a smart little boy and his stuffed tiger as they discover secrets about not only the world around them but themselves as well. The strip’s unique humor and introspective nature are one of the many things that current cartoon artists often look up to Waterson for. One such artist just happens to be Stephan Pastis, the author of the long running strip, “Pearls Before Swine.”
According to the CNN article, “ ‘Calvin and Hobbes’ Creator Returns For a Comic Cameo”, Kisa Mlela Santiago and Emily Smith report that, “The two [Waterson and Pastis] decided that Watterson would contribute panels to three “Pearls” cartoons.” This event is surprising as Waterson is “[a] notoriously reclusive comics legend,” Santiago and Smith said. Regardless of the difficulty of contacting Waterson, fans and comic rtists alike are rejoicing at Waterson’s short return. Waterson’s comic remains one of the moist influential comics of the century because of its ability to blend serious life topics as well childhood innocence in one, seamlessly producd creation. As Calvin famously said to Hobbes,
“As you can see, I have memorized this utterly useless piece of information long enough to pass a test question. I now intend to forget it forever. You’ve taught me nothing except how to cynically manipulate the system. Congratulations,” Calvin said.
Sources:
CNN, “ ‘Calvin and Hobbes’ Creator Returns For a Comic Cameo”, by Kisa Mlela Santiago and Emily Smith.
Waterson, Bill. “Calvin and Hobbes”.