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8 Greatest ‘Calvin and Hobbes’ Comic Strips of the 1990s, Ranked
Bill Watterson‘s Calvin and Hobbes began its syndicated run in the fall of 1985, ending 10 years later on December 31, 1995, with thousands of strips seen in thousands of newspapers nationwide. Calvin and Hobbes took time to evolve, not only with the number of people who read it, but also with an evolution in Watterson’s style.
By the time the ’90s rolled around, the comic was just as popular as the likes of Peanuts, Garfield, and The Far Side. Calvin and Hobbes only ended because Watterson was ready to walk away before his creation lost its spark. The quality never diminished. As this list will show, Calvin and Hobbes got better every year, including at the very end.
8
The Torment of Existence Weighed Against the Horror of Nonbeing (December 5, 1993)
Some of Calvin and Hobbes‘ best comic strips were published in the winter, with Calvin outside in the snow building snowmen. His resulting art is an outlet for his imagination, which is often very dark. So many comics involve him making poor snowmen who suffer greatly, whether he has them being hit by a car or gutted with a cannonball. In this one, Calvin isn’t happy with a traditional, boring snowman that someone else built. He’s a nihilist who wants to comment on how dull modern art is while also portraying how snowmen suffer as they melt. Hobbes admires that Calvin puts art above commercialism, but upon realizing that he’d rather be popular and make money, Calvin decides to make a regular snowman instead.
7
Human Hunting Deer (February 26, 1995)
In today’s society, with so many horrific mass shootings in America, this comic wouldn’t be published. To see it now is to give the reader a jolt. However, if you can put this aside and see Watterson’s vision as it was intended during its time, what you get is one of his most clever entries. Several panels don’t include Calvin or Hobbes at all, instead settling on a story in a dull office interrupted by gunfire. Then comes the first twist: the deer are the shooters, who treat people just like we treat them. The second twist shows that the story is all from the twisted mind of Calvin, who is enthusiastically reading his story in front of his class, resulting in his parents being called to school again.
6
Calvin’s Mom Brings Hobbes in Out of the Rain (October 3, 1993)
Hobbes is not a real tiger who walks and talks — he’s a stuffed animal turned real in the imagination of Calvin’s mind. Every now and then, outside of Calvin’s thoughts, we see Hobbes as the toy he really is. In this one, Calvin and Hobbes, forever best friends, begin their morning together before school. Calvin takes Hobbes as far as he can go, saying goodbye to him from the bus as Hobbes sits in the rain. His mother sees all, and as soon as the bus pulls away, she brings Hobbes in from the rain because she knows how much he means to her son. It’s a sweet strip that goes for the heartstrings even harder in the last two panels, as both boy and tiger think only about seeing each other again.
5
Calvin Plays With His Dad (January 14, 1990)
Calvin has a complicated relationship with his parents. He’s often an annoyance to them, and even though they love their son, it’s easy to get frustrated with his antics. Calvin’s father is particularly insensitive to his son many times. He seems to be a good man, but he works too much and ignores his child. When he is there, it’s as a disciplinarian who wants to build character. Here, Calvin comes in from the snow wanting only to play with his dad. His father has his own work responsibilities and can’t. However, as he watches his boy play outside, what’s really important comes to him, and together they build a snowman before going back in to Mom. Calvin and Hobbes was often dark, but this one is all about the family this lonely boy is lucky to have.
4
Calvin and Susie Play Doctor (November 18, 1990)
He’ll never admit it, but Calvin is totally smitten with his next-door neighbor, Susie Derkins. She’s a normal girl who only wants to be friends with Calvin. Calvin wants this too, but because this friend is a girl, he resists his romantic feelings, which are often mocked by Hobbes. In this strip, Calvin and Susie play doctor. The majority of the strip, with its amazing animation, is like a soap opera, with Calvin portrayed as an older doctor and Susie his patient. Upset that her pretend injury is nothing more than a hurt foot, Calvin insists on giving her a lobotomy, resulting in an argument. Now all alone with Hobbes, Calvin is upset about how she acted. What he’s really upset with, though, is that Susie is gone, as shown by Hobbes, who smiles as he dreams of playing doctor with his crush.
3
Farmer Brown’s Demise (April 11, 1993)
This strip is a brilliant piece of art, with so much going on in just a few frames. It begins with a commercial plane on fire plummeting to Earth. At the same time, a freight train is shown jumping the tracks as an earthquake begins below. A far-away shot shows these three acts of destruction all heading to the country home of Farmer Brown, just as he’s about to light a match in front of a gas leak. The last panel shows that this is all from the imagination of Calvin, who is holding toys in his hands. Hobbes is there too, but this is too much. Before the impending explosion, Hobbes shares that he’d like to play something else. The comic portrays how demented Calvin’s boyish imagination can be. It’s also a showcase for Watterson’s skills as an amazing artist.
2
The Dead Bird (September 19, 1993)
Calvin and Hobbes is funny, dark, weird, and sometimes sweetly wholesome. Bill Watterson also takes a look at very serious subjects, such as death, and how it’s seen through the eyes of a learning child. The initial image reels you in with a highly detailed black-and-white illustration of a dead bird. The following panels show Calvin and Hobbes finding the dead bird and having a conversation about it. Calvin is trying to comprehend the fragility of life and how people take everything for granted despite our limited time on Earth. He lets go of it by supposing it’ll all make sense when he grows up. Sitting under a tree silently, Calvin and Hobbes ponder it all. They’re not taking each other for granted.
1
The Final Strip (December 31, 1995)
On New Year’s Eve 1995, Calvin and Hobbes came to an end. Just how do you sum up such an influential strip with one comic? It’s like trying to come up with the perfect series finale for a TV show. Bill Watterson didn’t go for some shocker, with Hobbes coming to life. Instead, he summed up everything the comic was with Calvin and Hobbes going sledding in the woods. They are excited about the new snow and all the possibilities it holds. Calvin calls it a magical world and says, “Let’s go exploring.” Calvin and Hobbes has always been about two friends, even if one is imaginary, exploring life together and having fun. As we say goodbye, we know they’ll continue on okay without us.
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