Authoritative Calvin and Hobbes #1

Writer: Bill Watterson
 Artist: Bill Watterson
 Inker: Bill Watterson 
 Editor: Bill Watterson
 Multi-talented Genius: Geoff Joh.....ugh... Bill Watterson  
       Back in the habit again as this is something ive been meaning to do since December of 2010. I picked this up from the storage of my work place. I used to read the strips as a kid in between coloring in all the black and white pages, and tearing the book a new binding cause lets face it, everything i had up to the age of 11 barely survived. Everyone here knowing what an unbiased critic i am... SHUT UP I AM!. I would not mind getting technical but nostalgic as for most of us this is a trip back down memory lane.

The Story

    Bill Watterson does not much have a story as this is a collection of comic strips. though these comics follow the life, trials and tribulations of Calvin who is a 7-8 year old boy growing up trying to make sense of the universe, and having good old fashioned fun with his Non-make believe friend hobbes. 
 
   Bill pulls on my heart strings quite a bit in this as its his story telling in each comic strip that reminds me of being a kid but also makes us reexamine the world in which we live in. His humor is that but to keep things light hearted and not dark. for that he does a really good job of that. My biggest thing is when hobbes does something to calvin such as tie him up into a chair and no one suspects that its the toy tiger that is doing it. i mean come on an 8 year old kid is not that talented to tie himself down to a chair. 
 

   Social commentaries on life and what we do as adults in our daily lives is brought down to the simple perspective of a child. with things such as math, and even the passing of time. but its all not just social commentaries, many of the strips are just pure imagination and hi jinx made by calvin and his tiger hobbes. More can be related to parents to read this series as his parents who don't really have names outside of mom and dad, deal with a very active and difficult 8 year old. it makes us examine ourselves as parents and can say "Yep, my kid did that."  
 
   In the end the stories vary but usually have some consistency, its enough to keep me reading to the next page and whole new events in each comic strip. the characters are fun and interesting and can push the boundaries of what we know or take for granted in life. i give it a semi solid 4.5 out 5.

The Pretty Colours:

   The art is simple and why should it not be simple. Bill originally made this strip for news papers which became a hit, Calvin looks and acts like some intelligent and devious child. though the average design of Calvin and Hobbes remind me of Billy Batson and Mr.Tawny.  i find the size of his neighborhood seems to change size in each strip. one moment he is in rural street next he is in the middle of nowhere. odd.
 

   The character designs are simple. but the art really does very well in just capturing the essence of what these strips are about fun, and thought provoking. Bill seems to live with the mind of an 8 year old as he draws these comic strips, there is quite the exalted imagination that comes from the drawings of this man.  So the art follows the direction in which the comic is trying to run with. 
 
   Overall when you have the same person doing the art as well as the story, everything runs very well together. though sometimes the art may not be ross type material to be hung in the Smithsonian, though i think this series should be. Bill runs it all together very well and it really adds to the story of each comic strip he works with. the juvinile antics really make me wish i was a kid again to relive many of those moments which i did things almost the same as calvin. except i used a blow torch....long story. so i give the art a 4 out of 5. 

Overall Thoughts:

      Character development and Story: There is not much in the way of development at all. he runs like the simpsons where its the same grade and same people year after year and nothing changes except the wild acts he commits, but the stories are solid, if not funny then very warm and heart felt. this series can be so sweet, funny and wholesome it makes darker people want to kick a kitten in disgust. Its simple and it works.

      
      Character Design and Art: The art is very simple which seems like it was done by an 8 year old. in fact i think at 8 when i was reading this that i did copy many of the images for my own person wall-o-art. The character designs are still great by any standards as it really helps carry the funny stories that this strip tells. its a good job and very easy to run it together when the artist and writer are the same person.
 
    Overall: I HATE GUSHING! damn you bill watterson. it is a great series and i have to give high praise to the series that even to this day even decades after the series has run that Bills comic still ranges in top spot for most memorable characters from our childhood. with the mix of art and story done by one man, i have to give the series a 4.3 out of 5. 
 
    Is it worth picking up? Id say its definitely should be worth a read if you have never read it. for adults its great to go back down memory lane. for the younger kids who never read this series, its a simple and fun read, parents who used to read this would be worth getting to read and show to your kids. and if you were like me than it makes a great coloring book as well. im off now wanting to scrub myself down from all the gushing. Im taking off and letting everyone know support your local comic store and try something new once in a while. Good Journey!