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liinukka's review against another edition
4.0
Like the author, I too, grew up reading Calvin and Hobbes on the funny pages, so this book brought back some great memories. Calvin was part of what jump-started my bleary eyed mornings, back when I had to be up at the crack of dawn to catch my 6:30 school bus.
I enjoyed reading about Bill Watterson's early influences, and the evolution of the comic strip that eventually made it onto the pages of hundreds of newspapers around the world. His work had such an amazing appeal to so many people. It had a lot of imagination and heart, and did it all with innocence and humor. I think Martell really channels that energy throughout the book, giving us an intriguing and inspiring look into the mysterious life of the reclusive author.
I rather wish that there could have been a more critical look at Calvin (such as the interesting discussion that's touched upon briefly on Susie Derkins' character and whether she perpetuated a female stereotype), but it seems as though most of the cartooning colleagues who commented for the book had nothing but praise for Watterson's work. Perhaps that is just a testament to the strip's universal appeal. It was able to retain its purity and integrity throughout its run (and beyond), and one can only admire and appreciate the author's own great efforts to keep it that way.
I enjoyed reading about Bill Watterson's early influences, and the evolution of the comic strip that eventually made it onto the pages of hundreds of newspapers around the world. His work had such an amazing appeal to so many people. It had a lot of imagination and heart, and did it all with innocence and humor. I think Martell really channels that energy throughout the book, giving us an intriguing and inspiring look into the mysterious life of the reclusive author.
I rather wish that there could have been a more critical look at Calvin (such as the interesting discussion that's touched upon briefly on Susie Derkins' character and whether she perpetuated a female stereotype), but it seems as though most of the cartooning colleagues who commented for the book had nothing but praise for Watterson's work. Perhaps that is just a testament to the strip's universal appeal. It was able to retain its purity and integrity throughout its run (and beyond), and one can only admire and appreciate the author's own great efforts to keep it that way.
trin's review against another edition
3.0
A good way to illuminate the problems with this biography of [a:Bill Watterson|13778|Bill Watterson|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1208461390p2/13778.jpg] and the (wonderful! glorious!) Calvin and Hobbes comics is to compare it to another literary biography I read this year, [a:Laura Miller|183852|Laura Miller|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1252031376p2/183852.jpg]'s [b:The Magician's Book|11127|The Chronicles of Narnia (Books 1-7)|C.S. Lewis|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166457868s/11127.jpg|781271]. Miller makes it clear up front that her book is going to be partly a story of [a:C.S. Lewis|1069006|C.S. Lewis|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1211981595p2/1069006.jpg]' life and partly the story of her evolving relationship with the Narnia books. The two elements are balanced seamlessly, and both are illuminating. Martell, on the other hand, doesn’t really commit to making his book partially about his own experiences with Watterson’s work, so when he does reference his own feelings, they seem out of place. Worse, he sets up this whole fake drama about how he might just get to conduct an actual interview with Bill Watterson!!!!...which is of course B.S., because he won’t, and the reader knows he won’t: Bill Watterson doesn’t give interviews. In many ways Miller had more access to C.S. Lewis in the writing of her book, and Lewis is dead.
Which is not to say that a book about Watterson shouldn’t be written: though limited, the information Martell was able to dig up about him is interesting, and the enigma that he presents is potentially fascinating. So I really wish Martell could have come up with a different approach to this material. One that involved accepting that no interview would be forthcoming, and so instead chose to approach Watterson from another angle. Some real literary analysis, maybe? All of the best discussion of the actual Calvin and Hobbes strips (which are totally worthy of an in-depth academic look) comes from Watterson himself, with Martell simply quoting from the artist’s mini essays in [b:The Calvin and Hobbes 10th Anniversary Book|24813|The Calvin and Hobbes Tenth Anniversary Book|Bill Watterson|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167544241s/24813.jpg|692719]; I felt like I was experiencing severe déjà vu while reading certain sections. If only Martell could have presented what little background information about Watterson is known, and then used that as a jumping off point for the story of his own relationship with the comics and some real analysis about what the strip means—to him, and in a larger sense. That is a potentially fascinating book.
It’s just not this book, alas.
Which is not to say that a book about Watterson shouldn’t be written: though limited, the information Martell was able to dig up about him is interesting, and the enigma that he presents is potentially fascinating. So I really wish Martell could have come up with a different approach to this material. One that involved accepting that no interview would be forthcoming, and so instead chose to approach Watterson from another angle. Some real literary analysis, maybe? All of the best discussion of the actual Calvin and Hobbes strips (which are totally worthy of an in-depth academic look) comes from Watterson himself, with Martell simply quoting from the artist’s mini essays in [b:The Calvin and Hobbes 10th Anniversary Book|24813|The Calvin and Hobbes Tenth Anniversary Book|Bill Watterson|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167544241s/24813.jpg|692719]; I felt like I was experiencing severe déjà vu while reading certain sections. If only Martell could have presented what little background information about Watterson is known, and then used that as a jumping off point for the story of his own relationship with the comics and some real analysis about what the strip means—to him, and in a larger sense. That is a potentially fascinating book.
It’s just not this book, alas.
sparksofember's review against another edition
4.0
fascinating book. sad he was never able to interview Watterson.
obiike's review against another edition
1.0
This reads like a college journalism essay that never should have been submitted. Resentful that I felt obligated to finish it.
johnreinhartpoet's review against another edition
5.0
excellent insight overall into Calvin & Hobbes history and influence - easy read that was, of course, somewhat anti-climactic: no Bill Watterson interview. Good adventure/tribute/history romp.
alexrobinsonsupergenius's review against another edition
2.0
The book really suffers from the fact that Watterson didn't cooperate, forcing the author to rely on either second-hand info (interviewing people who knew Watterson in college, etc) or other sources (old interviews for comics magaazines, etc). Some good information but generally a disappointment.
fishgirl182's review against another edition
2.0
I was disappointed in this book. It doesn't give any real insight into Bill Watterson and instead reads more like a biography, interspersed with interviews and descriptions of Calvin & Hobbes strips to demonstrate certain points. The book is noticeably lacking in any reproductions of Watterson's work. Given his stance on licensing, one can assume that rights to reproduce the strips for the book was not given. Though the author tried valiantly to get an interview with Watterson, he was unable to do so. Not a big surprise given Watterson's well known reclusive nature. Unfortunately, though it seems like his heart is in the right place, Martell is unable to provide any new information or insight on Watterson. Watterson will probably forever remain a mystery, which is probably just how he wants it. Maybe I'll go read some Calvin & Hobbes...
jsisco's review against another edition
1.0
This is one of the great disappointments I've read in recent years, as Martell focuses almost exclusively on his own personal feelings about the comic and republishes countless quotations and excerpts from other books. His research comes across as superficial and lazy in some places, and irrelevant and uninteresting in others. I don't doubt that he worked very hard on this book, but hard work doesn't necessarily result in a captivating, entertaining, and thought-provoking text.
I think that Martell figured his "sense of humor" would save him in the weaker areas of the book, but it didn't. This is basically one of those books that I dreaded coming back to, and I ended up reading huge chunks at a time just so I could finish it and move on with my life.
One last nit-picky comment? His editors were lazy, he incorrectly identified source materials, and I found a handful of typos in the text. This behavior is inexcusable in a book that was mediocre to begin with.
I think that Martell figured his "sense of humor" would save him in the weaker areas of the book, but it didn't. This is basically one of those books that I dreaded coming back to, and I ended up reading huge chunks at a time just so I could finish it and move on with my life.
One last nit-picky comment? His editors were lazy, he incorrectly identified source materials, and I found a handful of typos in the text. This behavior is inexcusable in a book that was mediocre to begin with.
rocketiza's review against another edition
5.0
Name someone who isn't a huge Calvin and Hobbes fan. The perspective of Bill Watterson itself was incredibly interesting, but what elevated this book was how it provided context into the syndication of comic strips themselves.