Development
Calvin and Hobbes was conceived when Bill Watterson, while working in an advertising job he detested, began devoting his spare … See more

Syndicated comics were typically published six times a week in black and white, with a Sunday supplement version in a larger, full color format. This larger format version of the strip was constrained by mandatory layout requirements that made it possible for … See more

Despite the popularity of Calvin and Hobbes, the strip had almost no official product merchandising. Watterson held that comic strips should stand on their own as an art form and … See more

Watterson's technique started with minimalist pencil sketches drawn with a light pencil (though the larger Sunday strips often required … See more

Bill Watterson took two sabbaticals from the daily requirements of producing the strip. The first took place from May 5, 1991, to February 1, 1992, and the second from April 3 through December 31, 1994. These sabbaticals were included in the new contract … See more

The strip borrows several elements and themes from three major influences: Walt Kelly's Pogo, George Herriman's Krazy Kat and Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts. Schulz and Kelly particularly influenced Watterson's outlook on comics during his formative years. See more

Calvin
Calvin, named after the 16th-century theologian John Calvin, is a six-year-old boy with spiky See more