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A review by szeglin
Looking for Calvin and Hobbes: The Unconventional Story of Bill Watterson and His Revolutionary Comic Strip by Nevin Martell
3.0
Although this book is a little bogged down with clunky and already-dated pop culture references (Season 2 of Flavor of Love, I'm looking at you), it's as close as we get to a biography of Watterson and a history of his beloved strip (and his struggles with fame and the commercialization of comics, of course). I'm sad that there are no illustrations at all--it's all text. It's easy for me to picture the strips, as I've read all of them obsessively so many times, but it's still a letdown.
Martell chose to tackle an extremely difficult subject, given how Watterson shuns any sort of attention. He did give one interview a couple of months back, but it was very short. Martell did well considering the constraints of his subject. I certainly learned things both about the strip and Watterson himself that I didn't know. This book was very much like candy--easy to finish, but ultimately not entirely satisfying and leaves you hungry for more. Perhaps it's time for me to reread Watterson's oeuvre for the umpteenth time.
Martell chose to tackle an extremely difficult subject, given how Watterson shuns any sort of attention. He did give one interview a couple of months back, but it was very short. Martell did well considering the constraints of his subject. I certainly learned things both about the strip and Watterson himself that I didn't know. This book was very much like candy--easy to finish, but ultimately not entirely satisfying and leaves you hungry for more. Perhaps it's time for me to reread Watterson's oeuvre for the umpteenth time.