It was my birthday the other week (and no – I am not going to tell you how old I was – suffice to say I am “old enough to know better but young enough to do it again”)
I had created the usual list of stuff I would like to get, and on there was an old, old friend: The Complete Calvin and Hobbes.
This looked just stunning: EVERY single Calvin and Hobbes strip ever printed, on high quality paper, with extra goodies from Mr Bill Watterson himself.
Anyway; the day arrived and I am handed a HUGE present by the Other Half. And then (and this is the priceless part) as I start to unwrap it I refer to it to First Born Son as “loot”! – and for anyone who has never read Calvin and Hobbes (shame on you by the way!) – this is what Calvin himself in the comics also refers to presents as!
Then I get the paper off it and see what it is, and I am not ashamed to say that I was moved to tears. A huge part of it was the profound thoughtfulness of the Other Half at getting me such a great present – and the other part of it is the UTTER unmitigated bellowing-out-loud-delight of owning this thing.
Calvin and Hobbes has through the years given me more unadulterated pleasure than almost anything else. Ever. Amongst so called cartoons it is peerless; it is an eternal delight to read – there are layers upon layers of apt meaning – and it is funny as hell too. The warmth and humanity shines from the pages; the authors deep understanding of the foibles and imperfections of the human condition show through every panel….
… and all of this is acheived in a comic strip!
I cannot begin to tell you how good this comic is; I can only urge you to buy it at your earliest convenience.
And if Mr Bill Watterson ever happens to read this, all I can say is thank you for Calvin and Hobbes… were financial recompense required at an equal rate for enjoyment engendered then I would be in debt to you for the rest of my life…
… and I would not begrudge a penny.