Happy Birthday Bill Watterson

Today is Bill Watterson’s 51st birthday. I have been waiting for an excuse to gush about Calvin and Hobbes, his masterpiece, for some time, and his birthday seems like as good a reason as any.

I have always been completely enamored with Calvin and Hobbes. When I was a little kid I was drawn to the strip, and now that I am nearly 21 years old, the comic is even more dear to me. Something about Calvin’s antics, his innocence, his explosive imagination, represents the way I hope to move through the world. Really, what more could one ask for than to set off everyday in search of fun with a best friend. Watterson has a way of tackling some serious issues, like those of death, faith, and war, from a beautifully simple angle: the innocent perspective of a child. His beautifully illustrated strips have always helped keep me centered and never fail to put a smile on my face.

I shall consider myself lucky if I am able ever to create something that affects somebody the way Calvin and Hobbes has affected me. The strip is like a warm blanket, or a slice of my mother’s homemade cake.

Bill doesn’t consider himself a celebrity and refuses to sign autographs or make any kind of public appearance, something I admire him for. He probably wouldn’t even want me writing this little bit about him on my modest blog, but I wanted to spread the love about him and his work. So today, get out your books and read some Calvin and Hobbes, and if you some how are not familiar with the strip, buy yourself a book and delve into its glory; you won’t regret it.

Though it may make me seem a plebeian, there are few facets of culture I hold in the same high regard as Calvin and Hobbes. Happy Birthday Bill Watterson, and thank you for your fantastic work.