Life through a progressive 5 year old Calvin and Hobbes • Hacker News Board

Re: Life through a progressive 5 year old Calvin and Hobbes

#11

Post by digamber_kamat » Mon, Jun 08, 2009, 12:22 PM UTC

Tichy wrote: post #10

johnnybgoode wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I thought you were going to say something about how C&H made more insightful comments than jokes, but then you praised Garfield. Not to jump on the Garfield-hating bandwagon, but it isn't really in the same category.

They both have a tigered cat in them, so they seem very similar to me. The humor is also kind of the same, in that nothing really happens and the actors just stand around staring into nothing for frames on end. It is supposed to be a witty comment on the absurdity of daily life (they both also seem to convey the message that food is all that matters). After about one frame or so, it becomes boring.

There is a fundamental difference. Garfield is cat, and the comics is basically its point of view. Kind of pet perceiving a human world.Which is most often intended to be stupid and funny and readers are not supposed to relate to Garfield's point of view any ways.

in C&H its a stuffed tiger who and other aspects are imagined by Calvin a 5 year old kid. Calvin's interpretation is very smart and we can always relate to his thoughts. Often Calvins thoughts give us food for thought unlike in Garfield.

That explains why we can have a animation movie on Garfield adventures for kids, i am not sure it will be so easy with Calvin.

Re: Life through a progressive 5 year old Calvin and Hobbes

#12

Post by noonespecial » Mon, Jun 08, 2009, 12:30 PM UTC

Calvin and Hobbes ran from 1985 to 1995. Bill Watterson drew thousands of strips, and while I wish like hell that he would come back and draw more, it's probably best to reflect and be thankful for what he's done.

This is what I admired most about Bill. Sure he could present the classic slashdot conundrum of being simultaneously insightful and funny, but the admirable thing was that he decided when to quit. He said what he wanted to say, and then stopped. Without generating 4 more decades of unfunny pointless rehashes. Have you ever seen a funny "Beetle Bailey"? I think there might have been a few in 1953.

He saw the shark, stopped the boat, and took off his skis. Hats off to you wherever you are Mr. W.

Re: Life through a progressive 5 year old Calvin and Hobbes

#13

Post by Tichy » Mon, Jun 08, 2009, 12:48 PM UTC

digamber_kamat wrote: post #11

Tichy wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They both have a tigered cat in them, so they seem very similar to me. The humor is also kind of the same, in that nothing really happens and the actors just stand around staring into nothing for frames on end. It is supposed to be a witty comment on the absurdity of daily life (they both also seem to convey the message that food is all that matters). After about one frame or so, it becomes boring.

There is a fundamental difference. Garfield is cat, and the comics is basically its point of view. Kind of pet perceiving a human world.Which is most often intended to be stupid and funny and readers are not supposed to relate to Garfield's point of view any ways. in C&H its a stuffed tiger who and other aspects are imagined by Calvin a 5 year old kid. Calvin's interpretation is very smart and we can always relate to…

That merely seems to be a matter of taste. Some think Garfield is witty, others think Hobbes is witty, some think neither of the two are witty.

Honestly I can not see the big difference, sorry. I think it is acquired taste (identification with C&H, therefore interpreting it to be witty).

Re: Life through a progressive 5 year old Calvin and Hobbes

#14

Post by iamwil » Mon, Jun 08, 2009, 1:09 PM UTC

noonespecial wrote: post #12

Calvin and Hobbes ran from 1985 to 1995. Bill Watterson drew thousands of strips, and while I wish like hell that he would come back and draw more, it's probably best to reflect and be thankful for what he's done. This is what I admired most about Bill. Sure he could present the classic slashdot conundrum of being simultaneously insightful and funny, but the admirable thing was that he decided when to quit. He said w…

He's in Ohio. Mostly just painting privately, from the last newspaper interview I remember reading about him.

Re: Life through a progressive 5 year old Calvin and Hobbes

#15

Post by noonespecial » Mon, Jun 08, 2009, 1:46 PM UTC

callmeed wrote: post #2

Am I the only one who never found C&H humorous? I loved comic strips as both a child and adult. Garfield, Far Side, Bloom County. I just never thought C&H was that funny.

I'm disappointed that some one answered "no" and added nothing to the discussion and got a 0, at the same time someone else answered "yes" and added nothing to the discussion and got 27 (as of now).

I agree with the yes fellow, but it still added nothing. If you didn't think it was funny, why? If you did why? Otherwise its just a poll then, isn't it?

Re: Life through a progressive 5 year old Calvin and Hobbes

#16

Post by nazgulnarsil » Mon, Jun 08, 2009, 2:26 PM UTC

callmeed wrote: post #2

Am I the only one who never found C&H humorous? I loved comic strips as both a child and adult. Garfield, Far Side, Bloom County. I just never thought C&H was that funny.

you're a monster.

Re: Life through a progressive 5 year old Calvin and Hobbes

#17

Post by stan_rogers » Mon, Jun 08, 2009, 3:48 PM UTC

callmeed wrote: post #2

Am I the only one who never found C&H humorous? I loved comic strips as both a child and adult. Garfield, Far Side, Bloom County. I just never thought C&H was that funny.

Hmmm. I don't quite understand how one could appreciate Bloom County (or its spiritual ancestor, Pogo) and not Calvin and Hobbes. Liking one is usually a strong indicator of liking the other in my experience (and while discussing comic strips has never been one of my primary passtimes, it has been the genesis of a couple of wonderful friendships over the years).

Re: Life through a progressive 5 year old Calvin and Hobbes

#18

Post by DanielBMarkham » Mon, Jun 08, 2009, 3:52 PM UTC

noonespecial wrote: post #15

callmeed wrote: post #2

Am I the only one who never found C&H humorous? I loved comic strips as both a child and adult. Garfield, Far Side, Bloom County. I just never thought C&H was that funny.

I'm disappointed that some one answered "no" and added nothing to the discussion and got a 0, at the same time someone else answered "yes" and added nothing to the discussion and got 27 (as of now). I agree with the yes fellow, but it still added nothing. If you didn't think it was funny, why? If you did why ? Otherwise its just a poll then, isn't it?

I hate single-dimension comment voting.

Re: Life through a progressive 5 year old Calvin and Hobbes

#19

Post by yhnbgty » Mon, Jun 08, 2009, 3:57 PM UTC

Tichy wrote: post #13

digamber_kamat wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is a fundamental difference. Garfield is cat, and the comics is basically its point of view. Kind of pet perceiving a human world.Which is most often intended to be stupid and funny and readers are not supposed to relate to Garfield's point of view any ways. in C&H its a stuffed tiger who and other aspects are imagined by Calvin a 5 year old kid. Calvin's interpretation is very smart and we can always relate to…

That merely seems to be a matter of taste. Some think Garfield is witty, others think Hobbes is witty, some think neither of the two are witty. Honestly I can not see the big difference, sorry. I think it is acquired taste (identification with C&H, therefore interpreting it to be witty).

>Some think Garfield is witty,

And lo, they were called morons.

>others think Hobbes is witty,

And they were the chosen people, taken into the folds of HN.

>some think neither of the two are witty.

And were cast down into endless darkness and forced to read MSDN.

Re: Life through a progressive 5 year old Calvin and Hobbes

#20

Post by callmeed » Mon, Jun 08, 2009, 4:50 PM UTC

johnnybgoode wrote: post #4

callmeed wrote: post #2

Am I the only one who never found C&H humorous? I loved comic strips as both a child and adult. Garfield, Far Side, Bloom County. I just never thought C&H was that funny.

I thought you were going to say something about how C&H made more insightful comments than jokes, but then you praised Garfield. Not to jump on the Garfield-hating bandwagon, but it isn't really in the same category.

Let me qualify that a bit ... I liked Garfield when I was very young (probably I always loved Bloom County and I still feel it was quite different than C&H.

One final note: I grew up on the beach in California–where silly people brought their big, lifted trucks over from the valley. Inevitably, the read window had a sticker of Calvin peeing on [insert some company/sports team logo]. Maybe that ruined it for me.