Calvin and Hobbes Tribute
November 11th, 2005 | Published in Books & Reading, Art and Design
An interesting tribute (”slideshow essay”) in Salon to the best comic, in my opinion, ever created: Calvin and Hobbes. I hold Bill Watterson in high respect–I think his battle against licensing his creation was very honorable and a way for him to fight against consumerism. He was a very sharp thinker and dealt with a number of issues that most people do not think about—or do not care about—yet in a way that was light-hearted and fun. He was a “loving resistance fighter,” as Neil Postman would say, and that is one of the highest compliments I can give.
As for the actual essay, I must take issue with this sentence: “Calvin, as befits his name, is a carefree fatalist.” If the author knew anything about John Calvin, he wouldn’t have been able to write that sentence. John Calvin was not a fatalist, and he was certainly not carefree. But other than that, it is a good tribute to an excellent comic–one that seems more excellent the more I learn.
Also, for those who don’t know, The Complete Calvin and Hobbes is now available, and it is a beautiful three volume set!