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'Calvin and Hobbes' at 40

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Re: 'Calvin and Hobbes' at 40

#91

Post by d-us-vb »

chaostheory wrote: post #51
NiloCK wrote: post #26

That is just two years after I burst onto the page. Calvin and Hobbes was a major part of my childhood - I loved it. For something casually consumed on the daily at the breakfast table, it was so earnestly, so obviously, smarter than the median cultural offering. Smarter also then the local nightly news broadcasts. Smarter also than the median educational intervention I experienced through elementary and middle schoo…

They’re not supposed to be pro-social. The characters are supposed to represent the philosophers, John Calvin (predestination) and Thomas Hobbes (man is an animal). Watterson is probably making fun of them.

Watterson explicitly stated that the names have no relation to the characters' personalities or philosophical views. As someone familiar with John Calvin's views and writings, I can say safely that Calvin is not much in any way similar in personality or spirit to anything John Calvin ever taught or expressed. At best, Watterson is projecting the typical libertine caricature of John Calvin as a cantankerous and disagreeable curmudgeon onto the character. John Calvin was in reality quite progressive for his time, and by all impressions did all that he did out of love for those around them in line with a plain reading of scripture. But to see him that way requires nuance that seems to be lost on the anti-religious.

Re: 'Calvin and Hobbes' at 40

#92

Post by autoexec »

rkomorn wrote: post #38
complianceowl wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You know, your comment reminds me of something my wife and I were talking about. We have been starting to let our child have a little more screen time and choose what he wants to watch (within the parameters we set). Some shows and movies seem harmless, initially, but then we noticed in so many kids movies (e.g., Zootopia, Sing), they're always yelling at each other, expressing anger, frustration, and hostility towar…

I don't have kids so I never thought about it from that angle, but I really dislike how yell-y so many modern animated shows are. Couldn't make it through a single episode of Rick and Morty. I'd never thought how it might impact kids, but now that you mention it, I can only dislike the trend more.

Invader Zim (2006) was a great cartoon but every character was basically screaming every line of dialogue

Re: 'Calvin and Hobbes' at 40

#93

Post by svat »

TACD wrote: post #73
WillAdams wrote: post #2

I can still remember choosing between the morning or evening paper based on which included _Calvin and Hobbes_, so it certainly worked to sell papers. The boxed collection is wonderful, and one of my favourites. For folks who want a bit more, there have been a couple of homages: "Hobbes and Bacon": https://imgur.com/gallery/all-hobbes-bacon-by-pants-are-over... --- a bit too on-the-nose for my taste, which doesn't re…

A couple of other comics with their own distinct personalities but an unmistakable C&H vibe: Cul de Sac ( https://www.gocomics.com/culdesac ) Wallace the Brave ( https://www.gocomics.com/wallace-the-brave )

The comic "Frazz" is also often compared to Calvin and Hobbes (as if Frazz the janitor is an adult Calvin), there's a long section on the Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frazz

Re: 'Calvin and Hobbes' at 40

#94

Post by zemvpferreira »

NiloCK wrote: post #26

That is just two years after I burst onto the page. Calvin and Hobbes was a major part of my childhood - I loved it. For something casually consumed on the daily at the breakfast table, it was so earnestly, so obviously, smarter than the median cultural offering. Smarter also then the local nightly news broadcasts. Smarter also than the median educational intervention I experienced through elementary and middle schoo…

I’m the same age and also read C&H voraciously. Looking back I was (to a point) blueprinted on the kid, but mostly by virtue of being a single child, smart and alienated from most of my peers at school. I wish Susie gave me the time of day. Calvin wasn’t a role model, he was an accurate portrayal. (To a point)

Re: 'Calvin and Hobbes' at 40

#95

Post by Sohcahtoa82 »

robertlagrant wrote: post #36
complianceowl wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You know, your comment reminds me of something my wife and I were talking about. We have been starting to let our child have a little more screen time and choose what he wants to watch (within the parameters we set). Some shows and movies seem harmless, initially, but then we noticed in so many kids movies (e.g., Zootopia, Sing), they're always yelling at each other, expressing anger, frustration, and hostility towar…

> Some shows and movies seem harmless, initially, but then we noticed in so many kids movies (e.g., Zootopia, Sing), they're always yelling at each other, expressing anger, frustration, and hostility towards one another. My kids are similar. Years ago I actually just unplugged the TV and put it behind some furniture for 3 months because I was so fed up. It calmed them down a lot (this was after Covid lockdowns, when…

> Bluey is the saving grace there

I somehow had never heard about Bluey until TheOdd1sOut (YouTuber who does hilarious 10-15 minute video on slice-of-life topics) did a video about it.

https://youtu.be/nEQHiJVH79o

The TL;DW is that Bluey is a kids show that not only recognizes that the parents will likely be in the room while the show is on and therefore will occasionally have lines that are meant for them, but will actually tackle tough topics that children and their families may be dealing with. For example, in one episode, Bluey's mom is despairing because Bluey isn't reaching development milestones when he should be, she's blaming herself, and another character comes to console her, and the character looks directly towards the viewer and says "You're doing great!"

I'm almost tempted to actually watch the show even though I don't have kids.

Re: 'Calvin and Hobbes' at 40

#96

Post by dan-bailey »

Thirty-two years ago, I got them tattooed onto my leg, the day after I arrived at Ft. Bragg, NC. It's faded and blurred out from the waxing and waning of muscle tone in my calf, and sunlight, and the occasional scrape from crashing the bike. But it's been part of me for so long, the only real option left is to get it lasered-down and redone.

Re: 'Calvin and Hobbes' at 40

#97

Post by Sohcahtoa82 »

mikkupikku wrote: post #87
thunderbong wrote: post #86

A bit off-topic, but it's been increasingly tough to view Calvin and Hobbes on the internet. Gocomics seems to go after everyone who posts these comic strips on a regular basis. The C&H sub-reddit stopped posting some time ago. [0] The only C&H Search out there is not allowed to show the strips and instead redirects to Gocomics. [1] Here's a blog post by S. Anand detailing some background on the takedown notice he re…

You might as well torrent/etc the books, no sense with using web middlemen who get takedowns because they don't have the rights either. Direct piracy gives you a better experience than indirect piracy. (You should also buy real copies if you still can, because they're great.)

> (You should also buy real copies if you still can, because they're great.)

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Calvin-Hobbes-Box-Set/dp/074...

I got this when it came out. It's absolutely amazing, filled with commentary from Bill Watterson.

I've read the whole set twice, but it's been at least 15 years. I should read it again.

Re: 'Calvin and Hobbes' at 40

#98

Post by bryanrasmussen »

recursive wrote: post #85
bryanrasmussen wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

from my familiarity with the writing of past generations and even past civilizations it seems reasonable to conclude that contradictions and hypocrisies are generally understood to exit. I don't think it's just down to the young people.

I'm curious about this too. No debate about whether they're generally understood, but I'm curious if anyone can name one.

well one obvious contradiction is if you want peace prepare for war, unfortunately Bart Simpson's paradox doesn't seem to be in the commonly bemoaned list and I don't remember the rest of the paradoxes in that episode.

Re: 'Calvin and Hobbes' at 40

#99

Post by throwworhtthrow »

complianceowl wrote: post #32
NiloCK wrote: post #26

That is just two years after I burst onto the page. Calvin and Hobbes was a major part of my childhood - I loved it. For something casually consumed on the daily at the breakfast table, it was so earnestly, so obviously, smarter than the median cultural offering. Smarter also then the local nightly news broadcasts. Smarter also than the median educational intervention I experienced through elementary and middle schoo…

You know, your comment reminds me of something my wife and I were talking about. We have been starting to let our child have a little more screen time and choose what he wants to watch (within the parameters we set). Some shows and movies seem harmless, initially, but then we noticed in so many kids movies (e.g., Zootopia, Sing), they're always yelling at each other, expressing anger, frustration, and hostility towar…

Try the PBS Kids app. The shows are consistently cast with good role-model children and adults, without being preachy. Many episodes show how to resolve mistakes, frustration, and conflict in beneficial ways.

In comparison, the behavior in the kids shows from other producers (Disney, Nickelodeon, etc.) sometimes presents nasty behavior and name-calling as either inevitable, or something that's "someone else's problem": the instigator, if they're punished at all, might suffer the wrath of an authority figure, or simply bad karma.

My intent when choosing shows is not to hide the existence of bad behavior from children, but to teach them how to deal with it.

(My children also read Calvin and Hobbes. And watch those less-wholesome shows. And binge-watch MrBeast when I'm not around...)

Re: 'Calvin and Hobbes' at 40

#100

Post by JuniperMesos »

mikkupikku wrote: post #88
next_xibalba wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think Calvin was of a common archetype of that era. The sarcastic, mildly anti-heroic protagonist. And I think that archetype did all of us who grew up in that era and imbibed the culture were done a disservice. I, too, have found my way to respecting and admiring the pragmatic, the persistent, and even the earnest among us over the smart alecs and the sarcastic wits.

It could have been so much worse, and did become so. Late 90s / early 00s had Cartman being a role model to kids.

Cartman was not a role model for kids, he was portrayed as a lazy, fat, and stupid asshole in an edgy comedy show not intended for children.
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