Reviews ComicStrip / Calvin And Hobbes

Epitome of Childhood

For as long as I can remember, one of my favorite things to do was read the Calvin and Hobbes strips. Even though the jokes went over my head more times than I can remember, I was still able to laugh at its humor through the writing and the art, because I believed everything in these strips can and do happen. I believed then Bill Watterson depicted children and childhood to a "T", because I saw myself in Calvin. He and I were brilliant children, I guessed through his huge vocabulary he read a lot like I did (then I later discover he may not have read a lot outside of comic books), we both had a stuffed animal we carried around everywhere, we both had an active imagination, so on and so forth. So due to our similarities, there were moments where I could understand what Calvin was talking about—at least through a child's mindset. My love for this comic strip was so huge at the time, I created my own story arc, much to the amusement of my parents. (Mind you, I was unaware of what fan fiction was at the time.)

Years later, though I have grown up, I can look back at this comic and still laugh, giggle, and understand everything Calvin wanted to make just like I was a six-year-old again. It honestly hasn't changed a bit, but the nostalgia is still powerful, if only because I miss my days of childhood. Bill Watterson may not have ever had children of his own, but he captured childhood very well, even if it turned out to be only through rose-tinted glasses as an adult.

Though my friends have come and gone over the years, Calvin and Hobbes have always been there, even if I never acknowledge them for months on end. They're in a way my best friends, even if we can't interact. I hope to introduce my children to these wonderful friends in the future, so they can go have their own adventures in the magical world of childhood.