In that location are few comic strips (let alone media entirely) that take as much imagination, philosophic introspection, and artistic integrity as Nib Watterson's Calvin & Hobbes. Launching on Nov viii, 1985, Calvin & Hobbes would run across a meteoric rise equally one of the nation's nigh highly rated and acknowledged comics of its generation, granting its creator artistic and licensing command with his syndicator that few cartoonists may ever have.

Standing Peanut'south tradition of having children be highly eloquent and introspective, Watterson would turn the dial up to xi and have his strip straight tackle issues of philosophy, domesticity, and consumerism with a level of poignancy and criticism that would ascertain counterculture for generations to come. In award of a comic strip and so well intertwined in idea, this list will run downwardly a few of the bottom-known things about everyone'southward favorite child/stuffed toy duo since Winnie the Pooh.

9 It's Named Afterwards John Calvin And Thomas Hobbes

Starting off with a better known fact that a snobby, super fan may like to throw around, Calvin and his tiger Hobbes are named after 16th Century theologian John Calvin and 17thursday Century philosopher Thomas Hobbes, 2 schools of thought that would go into defining the voices of the titular characters and the strip as a whole.

John Calvin was the central developer of Calvinism during the Protestant Reformation whose outlook centered on innate sinfulness inside the homo condition. Thomas Hobbes focused on political philosophy, developing an influential view of homo nature centering on self-interested cooperation.

eight Miss Wormwood Is named Later A C.Southward. Lewis Character

Every bit fans of the comic may know, Miss Wormwood is the mean, old schoolteacher who acts as the foil to Calvin's otherwise more imaginative antics. What fans may non know is that by design, Miss Wormwood is literally modeled after a devil.

Beingness a well-read man, Bill Watterson was a fan of the works of C.South. Lewis. Then much so that he borrowed 1 of the characters from The Screwtape Letters and named the infamous teacher afterward them. In The Screwtape Letters, Wormwood is an apprentice demon meant to guide the main character away from conservancy and into hell, which is proverb a lot almost what Watterson may have thought most the American education system.

7 Susie Derkins Is Based On Melissa Watterson's Canis familiaris, Derkins

Susie Derkins is the female counterpart to the strip'due south duo that Calvin despises, purely based off of childish machismo. Merely wanting to play, Susie is oftentimes constitute pestering and fighting with Calvin.

What many might not know is that Susie is based on Melissa Watterson'south (Bill Watterson's wife) family unit dog, Derkins. Every bit many fans, such every bit the creator of Hobbes and Bacon, like to speculate, Calvin and Susie have a growing romantic relationship, so the idea that parts of Susie are based on Watterson'southward married woman'south life and grapheme stand to reason.

6 Hobbes Is Based On Bill Watterson'due south Cat

Continuing the tradition of basing characters off of family pets, the character and mannerisms of Hobbes are actually based off of Bill Watterson'southward cat, Sprite. Sprite is the inspiration for Hobbes' long body design and facial expressions, as well as his intelligent and friendly demeanor. His own tendency to pounce on Calvin, equally Calvin arrives from schoolhouse is directly inspired by Sprite's own energetic "Hello!"

five Neb Watterson Was A Man Of Great Success And Humility

In 1986, Bill Watterson received the National Cartoonists Society's Reuben Award, the industry'due south highest honor. Equally a testament to Watterson's own luminescence and free energy, he was likewise the youngest person e'er to receive the honor, going on to win it again in 1988 and was nominated in 1992.

He was even the second American always to receive the Angouleme Grande Prix, an international lifetime achievement award for cartoonists. Owning up to his own humility, however, Bill Watterson was also an incredibly reserved man who rarely accustomed his awards, with interviews of his being scarce and his last public forum being his showtime speech to Kenyon College in 1990.

4 The Ad Game May Accept Disillusioned Watterson

Much like many famous cartoonists in their early days and regular cartoonists whenever, Bill Watterson struggled with unemployment; prior to making Calvin & Hobbes, he would make advertisement material in the basement of a convenience store, just spending hours during his weekends trying to get his start syndicated strip.

Possibly this contributed to his own philosophies on consumerism, every bit Watterson would go on to fight any chances of merchandising of his strip. If you lot ever wondered why at that place are no Calvin & Hobbes toys, t-shirts, or even a cartoon, that's because Beak Watterson but ever wanted the serial to exist a comic strip, where he believed all the prestige of it existed. Every bit such, he fought his syndicate and licensors for creative and merchandising control; and, to this day, the comic duo's but home has been on print.

3 Everything Started Off In The Doghouse

Right before Watterson would finally receive syndication, he went through quite a bit of rejection. One rejection, in detail, showed the early designs of Calvin and Hobbes. Originally pitched as The Doghouse, a strip that would exist described as a hard sell, "Marvin and Hobbes" were on-sided characters that the United Characteristic Syndicate caught and told Watterson were selling characters.

The United Feature Syndicate, withal, would continue to decline his adjacent draft. The Universal Press Syndicate would, fortunately, be a piddling more welcoming. Despite telling Watterson afterward his first strip to not quit his day job, Calvin & Hobbes would soon become the all-time seller that the globe knows today.

2 The Strip Ended Because Watterson Was Finished With It

If anyone was wondering why there are no more Calvin & Hobbes strips after 1995 despite only having a decade run and Bill Watterson still being live to this twenty-four hour period, it's because Watterson simply got tired of it. Simple as that. He already had ii long running sabbaticals preluding his deviation in 1995, but Watterson has gone on to say that he achieved everything that he always wanted to out of a comic strip and didn't want to spoil anything past forcing any more out.

It'south genuine and protective to the legacy that he already created, just also a little disappointing to the fans who may accept wanted more. But, considering the refuse of Garfield and fifty-fifty Peanuts, information technology'due south hard to blame someone trying to become out on top.

i Pecker Watterson Refused Movie Talks

3 years into Calvin & Hobbes' run, Stephen Spielberg contacted the Universal Press Syndicate, wanting to talk about a movie bargain. Universal Printing would excitedly bring the deal to Watterson, who would anticlimactically definitively declare his disinterest. Learning from #6 on this list, Bill Watterson wholeheartedly believed that the magic of Calvin & Hobbes solely remained in its strip format, so much so that he would even turn down toys, animated series offers, and even a multimillion dollar picture bargain with the guy who fabricated the Indiana Jones movies.

Despite having a cyberspace worth equally of this writing of $100 one thousand thousand USD, Watterson is a man of artistic integrity through and through, proving that success is not always well-nigh the money but protecting the feel for the audition, which is something that one can't exactly say for the guy who made Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

NEXT: 8 Facts Y'all Didn't Know About the Creator of Peanuts

Adjacent The 10 Worst Things The Riddler Did To Gotham

Nearly The Author

Sean Cubillas (549 Articles Published)

As a author, auteur, and innovator, I seek to aggrandize human potential through the creative medium, intellectually and emotionally challenging the mass audition. I seek to work in visual and written media, whether it be in film, video games, or publishing, using a variety of mediums to limited the full spectrum of art. Over the years, I've familiarized myself and worked with motion-picture show organizations and workshops, such as the Austin Film Society, Austin Movie Festival, and Austin Film Meet, to grow my understanding of the industry and strop my craft as a writer. My interaction and networking with the Austin film community too equally my interests and studies every bit a Writing & Rhetoric major have contributed to a primal and growing understanding of trends and changes inside the fine art and media industries. In this instance, my knowledge and research could be fundamental in creating and editing constructive fabric. Equally a whole, I'm a valuable nugget to any organisation seeking experience and knowledge of the media industry every bit well every bit whatsoever group seeking ambitious storytelling and content creation.

More From Sean Cubillas