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mrcolan 's review for:
Exploring Calvin and Hobbes: An Exhibition Catalogue
by Robb Jenny, Bill Watterson
This is the first "new material" I've had to read from Calvin and Hobbes in years. Although I was born two years after Watterson finished his run on the famed comic strip, the collections found their way to me (curiosity of my older brother) when I was younger. The strip itself remains one of my favorite comics of all time (newspaper or not) and I don't how it can't be considered to be the greatest the strip of all time. From Watterson's artwork that only grew stronger with time to his simple and careful storytelling that was funny, heartfelt, and most of all, thoughtful. Maybe I didn't know at the time but looking at my own creative work now I can see some of the impact the stories made on me not in terms of plot but storytelling philosophy.
For Christmas my older brother once again got me this, a book I've been meaning to get since it came out. Exploring Calvin and Hobbes isn't new material or showcasing brand new strips that Watterson had been secretly slaving away at after all these years. It's as the title suggests, an exhibition. Thus it reprints and revisits many of the strip's best moments and covers some of the same ground as the Tenth Anniversary book but it does so in a beautifully designed and eye-appealing manner. The true highlights for me were the way it gives insight into the creative process for Watterson. We see his work process and it offers a snapshot way of how the strip evolved and changed. We get to see some of Watterson's influences showcased in the book (which has given me new comic strips to check out).
But just because there isn't any "new material" doesn't mean we don't get to see "new stuff". In the book are some of the earliest versions of the strip. These early versions are fun to read because it shows the early nugget of ideas that would eventually grow. The book ends (the only way it should) with the final Sunday paper "Let's Go Exploring" and seeing the early versions of the strip contrasted with that is quite something to take in.
The real highlight is the new in-depth interview that Watterson gives within the book. This is his first interview in years and hearing new words from the private creator is worth the price of the book alone. Some big Calvin and Hobbes fans might be familiar with some of the material covered in this book but seeing it done with such care and depth made me smile as I slaved over the 35-page interview.
So whatever might feel like a retread is made up for with a wealth of creative information and all presented in a beautifully designed book. Any Calvin and Hobbes fan would want to check this out.
For Christmas my older brother once again got me this, a book I've been meaning to get since it came out. Exploring Calvin and Hobbes isn't new material or showcasing brand new strips that Watterson had been secretly slaving away at after all these years. It's as the title suggests, an exhibition. Thus it reprints and revisits many of the strip's best moments and covers some of the same ground as the Tenth Anniversary book but it does so in a beautifully designed and eye-appealing manner. The true highlights for me were the way it gives insight into the creative process for Watterson. We see his work process and it offers a snapshot way of how the strip evolved and changed. We get to see some of Watterson's influences showcased in the book (which has given me new comic strips to check out).
But just because there isn't any "new material" doesn't mean we don't get to see "new stuff". In the book are some of the earliest versions of the strip. These early versions are fun to read because it shows the early nugget of ideas that would eventually grow. The book ends (the only way it should) with the final Sunday paper "Let's Go Exploring" and seeing the early versions of the strip contrasted with that is quite something to take in.
The real highlight is the new in-depth interview that Watterson gives within the book. This is his first interview in years and hearing new words from the private creator is worth the price of the book alone. Some big Calvin and Hobbes fans might be familiar with some of the material covered in this book but seeing it done with such care and depth made me smile as I slaved over the 35-page interview.
So whatever might feel like a retread is made up for with a wealth of creative information and all presented in a beautifully designed book. Any Calvin and Hobbes fan would want to check this out.