"I note, with some dismay"
I splurged a year and a half ago, and picked up the collected Calvin and Hobbes, laying claim to a big chunk of my childhood imagination. I blitzed through the 3 volumes on initial receipt, and have been going through it again recently, at a more leisurely pace.
Even on the second run, the strip delights me. The watercolor work on the Sunday strips is stunningly presented, and Bill Watterson's humor is still poignant. The level of detail is really stunning, and also makes it not surprising he decided to retire after a relatively short run, and at the height of popularity. The toll his own high standards took must have been draining, and suggests he wanted to do something a little more robust than newspaper strips, as enjoyable as they are to read, the medium is not that complex.
Watterson has gone into seclusion since retirement. His introduction to the collection was a rare glimpse into his post-strip activities. He has moved on to painting in oils, working with the Southwest landscapes he used for inspiration in many of Calvin's Martian imaginings.
This strip is one of many that have made me chuckle out loud as I read, and speaks to the value of conversation, two personalities, bringing their own contrasting mindsets to the table. I love Calvin's energy shown here, and Hobbes' more removed observation point. This post's title captures to real laugh point for me. Enjoy. :)
>> Additional strips here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
