Summary
First published in 1985,Calvin and Hobbesbecame a worldwide obsession, one that still thrives today – as much a result of Hobbes' hilarity as Calvin’s humor. In the comics' first strip, creator Bill Watterson introduced readers to the six-year-old Calvin and his pet tiger, Hobbes, and instantly captured their hearts. Over the next ten years, he produced one of the most memorable comic strips in the medium’s history.
Calvin and Hobbesamassed fans across its decade of syndication, as Bill Watterson further developed the characters’ personalities and comedic sensibilities. While the six-year-old Calvin commanded most of the narrative focus,Hobbes proved to be Watterson’s vehicle for some of his best jokes and recurring gags.
Whether acting as a liaison for man-eating tigers, obsessing over seafood, or just poking fun at Calvin, Hobbes never failed to bring a lighthearted appeal to the series. Although his existence might be up for debate, Hobbes' humor was always very real, and oftentimes, stole the show.
“That’s the Assumption Adults Make”: Calvin and Hobbes' Creator Denies Hobbes Is Imaginary
Calvin and Hobbes’ creator Bill Watterson discusses the tiger in an interview and reveals why he feels that Hobbes is more lifelike than people think.
10“Tiger Food”
An Empirical Answer To An Existential Question
Like many strong friendships, Calvin and Hobbes have contrasting personality traits that create an endlessly fun dynamic. In these differences, Watterson molds their relationship into something tangible, reflecting how true friends interact and communicate over time. This bedtime strip is a perfect example of the characters’ entertaining dynamic, specifically in the way Hobbes loses tolerance for Calvin’s overactive brain.
Longtime fans ofCalvin and Hobbesknow just how muchthe six-year-old rants about life, typically at the expense of the tiger’s listening ears. Hobbes can be patient and receptive to this, but he also has his limits and knows how to set them. This is a particularly great Hobbes moment where he does just that, highlighting his knowledge of Calvin and how he occasionally uses it to shut him up. Instead of taking Calvin’s bait and launching a philosophical tirade,Hobbes leaves him to silently ponder the horror of being a late-night snack.
9“Are You Cheating?!”
Hobbes Loses To Calvin In Cards
Calvin and Hobbesis famous for capturing the “little things”in life, especially the activities people tend to neglect as they transition into adulthood. Watterson could present this through a nice fall day, or as seen here, a simple game of cards. Watterson incorporated games throughoutCalvin and Hobbes, typically highlighting Calvin’s unfair attempts to beat his tiger companion.
This moment is particularly funny because the boy finally seems to be playing fair, yet Hobbes still provides a picturesque cheating opportunity.Unfortunately for Hobbes, this is a result of his own physiology,which makes a game like cards pointless for him. While most people can win with a good poker face, poor Hobbes is forever cursed by his tail, but at least he has the intuition to call Calvin out for cheating.
Hobbes Checks Calvin’s Ego
The six-year-old Calvinexhibits a variety of moods; one moment he is introspective and somber, and in the next, immature and flagrant. The tragedy of Hobbes’ character is being by his side for all of it, no matter how miserable Calvin gets. While Hobbes does a good job keeping calm through it all, he does manage to get a jab every now and then, and it’s always hilarious.
In this strip, Hobbes refuses to allow Calvin to get away with a shameless brag, blindsiding the boy with a direct attack on his infamous book-smarts. The moment is both funny and gratifying, subverting Hobbes’ usual position of giving advice, or being a passive listening ear. There’s also a lot of humor in the brevity of this joke,reflecting how easilyCalvin and Hobbescan execute jokes simply, through the personality and charm of its characters.
7“We’re Kind Of Stupid That Way”
Hobbes Makes His Hilarious Debut
From the very firstCalvin and Hobbescomic, it’s clear Bill Watterson understood what he wantedfrom the character of Hobbes. While the tiger’s comedic voice evolved over time, it always returned to the same lighthearted energy that Watterson establishes inthe comics’ first strip. This initial meeting between Calvin and Hobbes is just as iconic,as it is foundational to the comedic direction of the series.
On one level, it introduces readers to the everlasting question of Hobbes' state of existence, which is hilariously ripped open by the end of this strip. Calvin’s confidence in his tuna-fish trap is also ridiculous, but is only made funnier by the visual of Hobbes’ and his self-deprecating words of affirmation. Here, Watterson establishes yet another classicCalvin and Hobbestrope - Hobbes’ character-defining weakness for tuna fish.
Throughout the run ofCalvin and Hobbies, Bill Watterson purposely did not make it clear if Hobbes' is imaginary or not, preferring to give readers the space to decide for themselves.
6"More Tuna And Less Mayonnaise”
Hobbes Scares Calvin Before Bed
In his depiction of Hobbes, creator Bill Watterson fuses the imaginary with the naturalistic, resulting in a lot of jokes that acknowledge the tiger’s unclear state of being. ThisCalvin and Hobbesstripshows the tiger using his ferocious reputation to his advantage, with an amusing amount of success.
Calvin’s occasional fear of Hobbes’ “vicious “desires is a hilarious staple in the comic, mainly because it juxtaposes such aheartwarming history of friendship. Watterson further executes this joke by having Hobbes reverting to his true desires - which comes in the form of a request for “more tuna and less mayonnaise.” It’s these darker flares of humor that makes the humor inCalvin and Hobbeseven more memorable, and its characters more loveable.
5“And Good Times Are Always Over So Fast.”
Hobbes Loves To Ambush Calvin
AsCalvin and Hobbesamassed popularity,Bill Watterson established recurring tropes that became synonymous with certain characters. This is part of what makesCalvin and Hobbesso special - each character has consistent quirks and personality traits. Calvin is perhaps most famous forhis recurring gags, whether it’s his superhero alter ego, cardboard box inventions, or simplyhis hatred of schoolwork.
Hobbes the tiger also has his fair share of landmark quirks, as seen in this classic “pounce and tackle” comic format. These Hobbes-attacks are hilarious because they’re so sporadic, and as seen here, overly-exaggerated in length and action. Through this Hobbes-attack trope, fans ofCalvin and Hobbesknow exactly what to expect when Calvin calls out “I’m ho-ome” to an empty house, and it’s always entertaining.
Calvin And Hobbes: 10 Facts You Never Knew About Bill Watterson’s Comic Strip
Calvin and Hobbes is a true American classic of childhood wonder and deadpan humor, and with that history comes a lot of fun trivia.
4“Do You Like Her??”
Hobbes Interrogates Calvin About His Crush
One of the funniest elements of Calvin’s friendship with Hobbes is their opposite stances on girls.This reoccurring disagreement is primarily channeled through Susie Derkins, Calvin’s neighbor and secret crush. The character’s presence, andany mention of girls for that matter, always creates a hilarious rift between the two characters; Calvin in constant denial, and Hobbes openly smitten.
Calvin even goes as far as to create “G.R.O.S.S”, a club with the primary purpose of excluding girls. The divisive nature of the topic is a unique situation intheCalvin and Hobbesuniverse,allowing for Hobbes to assume a humorous “big-brother” type role towards the immature Calvin. This particular strip features the tiger poking his buddy’s girl-related vulnerability, and it’s hilarious to see how much of a kick it gives him.
3"Instinct. Tigers Are Born With It.”
Hobbes Proves He Is A Mathematical Genius
Hobbes is notorious fordishing Calvin life advice,providing wisdom that the boy often needs in his life. Hobbes does seem to offer solid perspectives on morals and nature,but when it comes to mathematics, he’s equally in the dark as his six-year-old friend.The greatest part of this – Calvin continuously turns to Hobbes for homework help, and Hobbes continuously agrees to give it to him.
Maybe it’s Calvin’s reward of tuna fish, but Hobbes claims to understand math front to back, always providing ridiculous explanations with the utmost confidence. This strip is a shining example of Hobbes’ mathematical genius, involving the use of calculus to create numbers like “eleventeen” and “thirty-twelve”. By the end, Calvin is astounded by his brilliance, to which Hobbes even more hilariously doubles down. As he explains here, math is obviously just a part of his tiger-instinct.
2"Babes”
Hobbes Gives Calvin A Shopping Tip
This hilarious comic fromCalvin and Hobbesreflects the timelessness of Bill Watterson’s comedy and massive creative talent. On the outside, this seems like a basic interaction between Calvin and his mother as they shop for clothes. Calvin first insists on a new pair of pants (something that reads a bit out-of-character) andhis mother freaks outover their designer price. It’s not until the last panel that Watterson reveals this is all Hobbes’ puppeteering, and for one hilarious reason - “babes”.
This joke is particularly slick due to Hobbes remaining “non-sentient” in every panel until the final moment.Watterson’s genius is how he makes readers double-take the strip, emphasizing that Hobbes, not Calvin, would probably be the one to care about pants for the ladies. It’s not only one of the best Hobbes moments, but arguably one of his best one-liners.
1"You Were In My Way. Now You’re Not."
Hobbes Teaches Calvin A Lesson In Ethics
Calvin has a lot to say about life, and never hesitates to relay his critiques to his pet tiger. When he’s not adventuring or tormenting his babysitter, the boy is typically spewing philosophies, with a tendency to get a bit “out there”. Luckily for Calvin,Hobbes is a great best friend and is always ready to listen or provide a much-needed perspective.But perhaps most importantly, Hobbes is there to remind Calvin when he’s wrong, especially when he says things like, “I don’t believe in ethics anymore.”
Calvin has oftentimes acted like a brat, but not without facing the consequences for his actions. Typically, it’s at the hands of Hobbes, as seen here in his delivery of a hilariously quick reality check. The joke is made even funnier by Hobbes’ of patience, providing yet another beautiful lesson of friendship in the world ofCalvin and Hobbes.If a person starts to sound a bit too egotistical, at least hear them out before pushing them into the mud.
Calvin and Hobbes
Calvin and Hobbes was a satirical comic strip series that ran from 1985-1995, written, drawn, and colored by Bill Watterson. The series follows six-year-old Hobbes and his stuffed Tiger, Calvin, that examines their lives through a whimsical lens that tackles everyday comedic issues and real-world issues that people deal with.
