Saturday, February 5, 2011

Calvin and Hobbs

I haven't always loved Calvin and Hobbes. To be quite frank, they confused me when I was little. I thought that for a cartoon, there was too much dialogue I didn't understand. So I went back to my Nancy Drew. Actually, for the most part, I hated comics. They were too short, didn't have enough of an exciting plot, or I just didn't understand them. It took a while to grow into them, and in fact, I can say I've never appreciated them more than now.

My dad brought me four Calvin and Hobbes books on his way down to Rochester this last week, and I've had time to devour one and a half of them. I almost died laughing when I realized, here are comments on topics I am covering (or have recently covered) in Mass Media in Society, American Lit, or other college classes. There is one I just read where Hobbes is looking at a book about how technology takes over humanity-- Calvin agrees this is terrible, but interrupts himself with, "Ohmygosh, is that the time? I'm missing my TV show!" This couldn't have been more on mark with what I'm reading in a book by Neil Postman for my Mass Media class right now.

And then, there is just the pure fun of Calvin's life. I keep thinking of how amusing it would have been to be Ms. Wormwood. What would I do if I saw Calvin pretending to be Spaceman Spiff, flying his ship? Arms outstretched, the look of being windblown? I've been roaring with laughter for the past few nights, that's for sure. I have to say, my favorite strip is when he combs his hair and puts his dad's glasses on and tells his father to go do something he hates because it will build character. I couldn't stop laughing for about five minutes. I'm glad I don't have a roommate. I'm reading my absolute favorite collection now, "Something Under the Bed is Drooling."

Anyway, I could go on forever about Calvin and Hobbes. In fact, tonight I met one of my friend's BFF from back home; she has a tattoo of Calvin and Hobbes hugging on her foot. We bonded over favorite strips and how terrible it is when we meet people who DON'T know who they are. My point to this post is something I came across when looking at Calvin and Hobbes tattoos, to see what people have done with them. Some went as far as getting entire strips on their arms, legs, or backs.


 This one of Spaceman Spiff is my favorite.


 Though, if I got one myself, it would be of them in their wagon. Or sitting next to the fire.
 This one is the one my friend has, but she's got it on her inner foot.
Another of my favorite strips



But then, I saw this:

I can't begin to describe the pit of sadness that weighed me down after looking at this. It was a result of this article. It talks how it won't be mandatory for students participating in athletics to take drug tests before starting the season. It merges onto the topic of students taking Ritalin or Adderal to do better in school. It wasn't even the article that upset me. It was the bottom two panels of the above comic. It's almost like they killed Hobbes. The idea of Calvin growing up, Hobbes forgotten, is down right depressing. This is the most imaginative kid EVER. Ughhhh. My point, I suppose, is that this was depressing. And I thought I would share it with the world. Take it for what you will-- it's late, and I'm going to read me some hilarious Calvin-Hobbesian antics before bed.

Here are a few pictures I found that made me feel better: 

 This is with Suzie, who my friend said she could just see being Calvin's future girlfriend.



12 comments:

  1. wow a blog that is both amusing and depressing at the same time. but its good that your reading such a masterpiece !!!

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  2. Haha, I'll try to keep the depressing bits to a minimum. Thanks for commenting!

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  3. hahaha, it was the cartoon clip of calvin doing home work that was depressing, not your writing. i had an oh my god im getting old moment.

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  4. I typed Hobbes tattoo on google image and found this. I'd say it's the best discovery I've made on internet for months. Really like this article as Calvin & Hobbes (and Garfield aswell) was one of the most "teaching" comics I've read in my childhood (still reading'em now). I felt terrible when I discovered that Bill Watson stopped writing/drawing them.
    Anyway, I'm looking forward to see such nice articles on your blog.
    Greetz from France

    Marc

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    1. Thank you for reading an for the compliment,Marc. It was a sad day when the Calvin and Hobbes comics stopped coming. I miss them and hope I can invest in the full series before too long.

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  5. Hello! Which strip is the Polaroid of hobbes from? I can't seem to find it! I want to use the strip as reference for my first tattoo! Thanks, Aaron

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    1. I would try to find it if I still had the comics! I am not sure which book that one is in. I'd recommend just finding a good picture of it online to print off.

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    2. My first thought too! But there aren't any good pictures, the only two I could find were the one in your post and this really pixelated one. It's fine though, thanks anyway!

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  7. Cool to see my Calvin & Hobbes leg sleeve show up on the interwebs even after all this time.

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  8. That polaroid of Hobbes is really cute. I own almost all of the books and have never seen that. It really is in one of the comics? Hmmmm my search continues.. Do you know the original source of the picture?

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  9. It is super cute. It is in one of the books. Because I no longer own them, I cannot tell you the exact book it is in, only that I do recall seeing it before this internet post.

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