Bill Watterson’s great comic strip Calvin and Hobbes ended in 1995 (wow, that long ago?), but it’s still the subject of comment and satire. For instance, I recently received this (uncredited) strip in my mailbox:
I remember back when the strip was ending, there was a lot of conjecture that the last strip would somehow “cut the cord” of Calvin’s childhood by having him realize that Hobbes wasn’t a real tiger. (My own conjecture involved Calvin coming home from college and finding Hobbes in the back of his closet.) Of course, the real final strip was upbeat and optimistic, which was much more appropriate for the strip.
Apparently people still wonder whether Watterson had planned some other end for the strip, but such conjectures appear to be unfounded:
It was conceived in an article in the Washington Post on November 19, 1995 written by Frank Ahrens called “So Long, Kid: An Obituary For a Boy, His Tiger and Our Innocenceâ€, after Bill Watterson had announced that the final Calvin and Hobbes cartoon would be printed on December 31st. In it, he speculated about the final strip.
I’ve always admired Watterson’s integrity with respect to his strip. Really, the only thing I regret is that he hasn’t come back to give us more of his wonderful work since. On the other hand, considering what a disaster Berke Breathed’s strips have been since Bloom County ended, maybe I should be glad he’s kept to himself.
(Note: Some of the comments to this post seem to think I’m presenting the strip above as a real Watterson C&H strip. That wasn’t my intention; I know the strip above was created by someone else, almost certainly as satire, and is not a real Calvin & Hobbes Strip. I think it’s amusing anyway.)
(Update March 2011: If you’re looking for something more in the spirit of the real Calvin & Hobbes, take a look at this later entry.)
i think it’s too bad he ended it. i really liked that comic. but,alas, everything comes to an end some time. AAMOF, i kinda felt sad seeing his last strip end like that. it’s like that was the end to calvin’s joy in life…
This isn’t the real final comic; this is a spoof, Bill Waterson used hand written font, this is obviously a computer font.
Yeah, the strip above is an example of the “comment and satire” the strip continues to be the subject of. The last strip was very different (it was a Sunday strip, for one thing).
This is how it should end, kinda sad.
yeah…this is kinda sad. My friend has it on her iphone and she showed it to us all today, saying that she and her mom cried when they saw it. I, personally, think this was either a botched idea or a fake. #1. Everything Waterson did with this strip was based on a happy ending, and the real final strip was indeed a happy ending. Waterson either thought this was a far too sad or melancholy ending. Also, the artwork is slightly off, and, as jake up there said, the writing was wrong. Even if this was a sample sketch that waterson wrote up once, it doesn’t make a lot of sense for the dialogue to be typed. Either way, this isn’t really how the strip ended, so there’s no point in feeling sad about it.
This is a fake for sure. Look at the details – mostly Hobbes/Chair. That strip is just about copies and pastes several times. Well, It’s a really sad fake… but don’t take it “too seriously”… Greetings !!
ROFL, so obviously a fake, its not even funny, Watterson said himself that the whole point of Hobbes existence is left ambiguous on purpose, so that the reader can interpret it for themselves, and ending like that would have killed the point of the series.
this is NOT th last strip! (duh)
p.s. I’m not just sayn’ that because it was not drawn by Watterson.
p.s.s. I own the last strip.
This is a lie! Obviously. Different style of drawing, computer font, and I have never, in my entire life, seen those spaces between text during one single Calvin and Hobbes strip, and I’ve read every single book. I can’t believe that you’d think anyone would be dumb enough to think this mediocre piece of sh*t could EVER pass of as Calvin and Hobbes. Where’s Watterson’s signature? Hmm? He ALWAYS sticks it in there somewhere. The REAL last strip was ended, “It’s a magical world, Hobbes ol’ buddy, let’s go exploring!” This is the, most horrible, awful, disgusting, wretched thing I have EVER seen ANYONE do.
You guys are dumb. The author of this web site STATES THAT THIS IS NOT THE ACTUAL FINAL STRIP. LISTEN PLEASE. AND DO NOT GO ON THE INTERNET LOOKING FOR TROUBLE. (Even if that’s what Calvin would’ve done).
THIS IS THE WORST STRIP EVER!!! IT IS SOOOOO NOT REAL!!! CALVIN WOULD PROBABLY STICK WITH HOBBES ‘TILL HE’S 92!!!
I get it, I just don’t like it. The way it ended was much better and did not make me ‘sad’ like that strip did. I’m 42 and getting emotional about a comic strip!
I don’t think calvin will ever do that again
these is not the last comic strip. i swear. 🙂
I am so glad he didn’t end the strip this way; this is one of the saddest things I have ever seen.
It may not be “real” but it is utterly brilliant. And if it *was* the real ending of the strip, Watterson would be not only a genius but a genius with balls of steel.
I feel like crying every time I read this man. Like, seriously. I really hope this comic never ends. It’s too awesome.