It's been 15 years since the beloved characters Calvin and Hobbes left the comic pages. Creator Bill Watterson hasn't given an interview to anyone since 1989, but he recently answered some questions for Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter John Campanelli. Here he explains what he would tell grieving fans.
It's always better to leave the party early. If I had rolled along with the strip's popularity and repeated myself for another five, 10 or 20 years, the people now "grieving" for "Calvin and Hobbes" would be wishing me dead and cursing newspapers for running tedious, ancient strips like mine instead of acquiring fresher, livelier talent. And I'd be agreeing with them.
I think some of the reason "Calvin and Hobbes" still finds an audience today is because I chose not to run the wheels off it.
From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by rosekat.
He stopped caring after Season 9, so why would he listen now?
The man is a genius, and spiritually admirable to boot. Could've made zillions licensing C&H to all manners of plastic trash from China, but instead chose dignity.
One point of contention: the stuff they print in its place may be fresher and livelier, but I see no mentionable /talent/. C&H's slot was mostly filled by BOONDOCKS. You know it's the last days of Rome when the heart-touching, wholesome and affectionate humor of a young boy and his imaginary friend is supplanted IN THE FUNNY PAGES by delusional, hateful, self-centered, black racial nationalist bitterness and victim identity. Just what I want to read to my five year old on a Sunday morning.
My hat's off to you, Mr. Watterson.
Many TV shows, books, movie series, video game series (along with comics and cartoons) could have been so much the more cherished if they had quit when the going was great