When I was a kid, I was so impatient for the next Calvin and Hobbes book to come out that every week day, and on Sunday, I would cut out the C&H comics from our morning paper and add them to a photo album I kept, thus making my own "book" of the year's comics so I could re-read them. When the next book came out, containing the ones in my album, I emptied out the album and started again. I did this for
years.
It was formative as a child, informative as a young adult, and eye-opening as a parent. The social commentary and satire never misses the mark - somehow even more relevant today - and there's a deep empathy for Calvin's parents running through the writing, as we see them doing their best with a rather challenging kid.
There are too many greats to name, but some of the stories that I still think about often: Calvin backing the car out of the driveway and into a ditch, and how his parents are entirely focused on whether their kid is okay. It's a funny story, and one that emphasizes how mom and dad have their priorities straight. I've tried to follow their example with my kids.
Coming home from a wedding and seeing their house broken into, Hobbes' location unknown. It's a story that gives equal time to Calvin and his parents respective fears and anxieties, and hits particularly hard for that reason. I often think about his dad's late-night observation, "A man's home is his castle, but it shouldn't have to be a fortress."
Ordering the propeller beanie, and the importance of keeping expectations in check.
The ongoing battles with Roslyn, the babysitter.
The epic and incredibly creative snowmen Calvin conjures up.
Calvin's evolving relationship with Susie, and how delicately they form a friendship in spite of Calvin's best efforts.
Spaceman Spiff, and the incredible, gonzo art and layouts.
The racoon story. Oh god, the racoon story still just guts me.
But perhaps most of all, how Bill Watterson ended Calvin and Hobbes when it was at its peak, after a neat 10-year run. And doing so in utterly perfect form, with a panel that captures everything the comic was about. I love Calvin and Hobbes more than I can possibly express.
