The Complete Calvin and Hobbes (Calvin & Hobbes) (v. 1, 2, 3)
by Bill Watterson
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Book Summary Information
Author: Bill WattersonEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Format: Box set
Published: 2005-10-04
ISBN: 0740748475
Number of pages: 1440
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Book Reviews of The Complete Calvin and Hobbes (Calvin & Hobbes) (v. 1, 2, 3)
Book Review: Incredible
Summary: 5 Stars
What can I say that hasn't already been said? Where can I start?
Well, let me begin at the beginning. Since many reading this already have their own history of encountering the blond nuisance and his striped feline fellow, I might as well give mine.
It was the late '90s, well past the end of Calvin and Hobbes. I don't really recall the reasons behind my being there, but my uncle was babysitting me at the time. Strange, as he rarely did such a thing, but there I was. He let me scour the stacks and stashes of his then basement; I remember finding an old Atari 2600, complete with games and controllers (a.k.a. joysticks). Did it ever work? Never found out.
I peered through some other boxes and found a battered copy of The Indispensable Calvin and Hobbes. The only comics I remember reading before were Peanuts, and I was actually very chary about reading new material in my ignorant youth, but seeing as I had nothing else to do, and the hilarious facial expressions of Calvin were tugging at my interest, I sat and read.
Before long my mom came to pick me up. I asked if I could borrow the copy, and my uncle ended up giving it to me. After my first time through, I suddenly remembered that I indeed encountered the pair of oddballs before: a kid in my 4th grade class showed me a strip and burst out laughing. However, not knowing the context, I didn't think it was funny. I tried reading more, but the "big words" turned me away.
Nevertheless, after my uncle let me keep that copy, days of reading it turned to years. I was so engrossed in Watterson's world, that my proceeding birthday and Christmas gifts consisted of more books. My days were just packed, and I find even that, years later, my sadistic and sarcastic senses of humor can be attributed to Mr. Bill himself.
Now, about this product. There's really nothing more I can say of it. It's been in circulation for years now, and most reviews give it its due adulation. Still, words can never express just how great Watterson's tour de force really is. It extends above and beyond the art of the comic, and yet its the actual medium of the comic that gives it this extension.
What's great about reading it is that you can jump in at any moment. The characters themselves remain the same from 1985 to 1995. Only a few strips would require you to have some background knowledge (as I needed when a youth), but overall Watterson created strong and memorable characters from the very beginning.
Because this complete collection is so expensive, I just recently finally got around to purchasing it, and I can unhesitatingly say it's worth every penny. However, because it doesn't include any in-strip commentaries and such as did previous books, it's notable to suggest buying those earlier volumes as well--if you don't already own them.
This set gives all strips, from weekdays to weekends (oh, how illustrious and groundbreaking the Sunday strips were), as well as the cover artworks of all previous sets. I have yet to find any shelf-wear, so the three volumes and slipcase are very well made (I own the second print).
The dates are also included at the bottom, so you won't lose track of syndication. Because the Sunday pages were created in advance and require a full page, they may sometimes make chronology a bit off. But that's a menial gripe.
There is no denying Watterson's genius. Though I am also a huge fan of Peanuts, as well as aware that Watterson drew heavily from Schulz's muse (I mean, really, Linus' shirt is obvious), I purport that Watterson's work is greater than Sparky's. The latter himself recognized that Bill's was one of the few recent strips that "had the potential of being great." I think it already broke that potential, and makes the standard of a fantastic strip.
If Watterson had let mass-marketing dilute his magnum opus, I'm sure it would receive much wider recognition. But it's this protection that Bill has over his work that I also admire.
I just can't ever imagine Calvin and Hobbes with actual voices!
So, there you have it. That's my review. Not much of a review since I rambled about how great this is--but you already knew that. If you're looking for details, I'm sorry I couldn't provide more. But, really, this is the complete Calvin and Hobbes, and if you want to know what great literature, supreme artwork, indispensable quips and some good ol' reading are at their peaks, then dive into the world of Bill Watterson.
See you there.
Summary of The Complete Calvin and Hobbes (Calvin & Hobbes) (v. 1, 2, 3)
New York Times best-seller!Watterson's imaginative approach to his material and his inventive graphics have made Calvin and Hobbes one of the few universally admired by other cartoonists." --Charles Solomon, Los Angeles Times Book Review
Calvin and Hobbes is unquestionably one of the most popular comic strips of all time. The imaginative world of a boy and his real-only-to-him tiger was first syndicated in 1985 and appeared in more than 2,400 newspapers when Bill Watterson retired on January 1, 1996. The entire body of Calvin and Hobbes cartoons published in a truly noteworthy tribute to this singular cartoon in The Complete Calvin and Hobbes. Composed of three hardcover, four-color volumes in a sturdy slipcase, this edition includes all Calvin and Hobbes cartoons that ever appeared in syndication. This is the treasure that all Calvin and Hobbes fans seek.
An Excerpt from Bill Watterson's Introduction:
"I?ve loved comic strips as long as I can remember. As a kid, I knew I wanted to be either a cartoonist or an astronaut. The latter was never much of a possibility, as I don?t even like riding in elevators. I kept my options open until seventh grade, but when I stopped understanding math and science, my choice was made. There is great personal satisfaction in attending to detail and quality, and I remain very proud of the standards the strip met day after day. I also liked the responsibility of knowing that, succeed or fail, it was all my own doing. This approach kept the strip very honest and personal--everything having to do with Calvin and Hobbes expressed my own ideas, my own values, my own way. I wrote every word, drew every line, and painted every color. It?s a rare gift to find such fulfilling work and I tried to show my appreciation by giving the strip everything I had to offer."
Exclusive Images from the New Collection
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 The Calvin and Hobbes Tenth Anniversary Book |  Weirdos from Another Planet! |  Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons |
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