Calvin and Hobbes

Ini adalah komik strip yang unik sekali, Percaya atau tidak, humor yang disampaikan dalam komik strip ini membuat kita menyadari bahwa setiap hari adalah istimewa. Bagi saya ketika memahami imajinasi Calvin sebagai anak kecil seperti kalau menonton film kartun Spongebob squarepant. Yaitu “Using your imagination.” tetapi memahami celetukan dia yang berhubungan dengan issue tertentu sesungguhnya itulah yang kekuatan komik strip ini. Kemampuan sang pengarang mengungkapkan pendapat yang kebanyakan mengendap didalam hati saja menjadi suatu objek renungan sungguh-sungguh patut diacungi jempol, selera humor dalam penyampaiannya membuat kita tertawa, entah menertawakan diri sendiri atau kondisi yang terjadi.

Tokoh dalam komik srip ini adalah Calvin seorang anak laki-laki berusia 6 tahun dengan tingkahlakunya yang tidak lazim lantaran dunia khayalan dia sangat mendominasi dirinya sehingga Susie anak tetangga sekaligus teman sekolah dan satu-satunya anak sebaya di lingkungan tempat tinggalnya selalu menyebutnya “Weirdo”. Bu guru sekaligus wali-kelasnya Ms. Wormwood sering dibuat kuwalahan lantaran Calvin sering melantur tenggelam di dalam khayalannya ketika pelajaran berlangsung. Bahasa yang digunakan Calvinpun sangatlah cerdas dan dia mengikuti issue yang diserapnya melalui televisi, radio surat kabar maupun percakapan orang dewasa.

Teman imajinasi Calvin adalah Hobbes. Hobbes adalah boneka macan yang selalu dibawa kemana saja dia pergi. Calvin tidak punya teman bermain dirumah, hanya sesekali saja ia berinteraksi dengan anak tetangga yaitu Susie kadang-kadang dengan Rosalyn, seorang remaja yang menjadi baby sitter Calvin ketika orangtuanya ada acara keluar rumah. Jadi bisa dikatakan dia lebih sering bermain sendirian dengan imajinasinya dimana hobbes menjadi seekor macan sungguhan yang bisa diajak diskusi dan bermain. Percakapan cerdas antara Calvin dengan Hobbes inilah yang menjadi kekuatan komik ini.

Kalau dipikir-pikir Calvin ini kesepian walaupun ada Moe, Susie, Rosalyn dan bu guru Miss Wormwood nampaknya ia lebih sering tenggelam dalam khayalannya. Orangtua, guru, pengasuh dan teman-teman Calvin sering kuwalahan atas imajinasinya yang keterlaluan sehingga mempengaruhi kehidupan nyata. Tetapi seperti yang saya sampaikan sebelumnya bahwa imajinasi Calvin adalah imajinasi semua orang yang dituangkan oleh Bill kedalam komik strip. Tidak heran kisah Calvin and Hobbes ini bisa di nikmati oleh semua usia.

Sayangnya Sang pengarang “Bill Watterson” adalah seorang seniman yang menurut saya konservatif, beliau tidak mau tokoh Calvin and Hobbes dibuat dalam bentuk merchandiser dan film seperti halnya Garfield. Maka sebagai penggemar, koleksinya hanya terbatas mengumpulkan buku kumpulan komik stripnya saja alias terpaksa harus cukup puas membaca ulang komiknya saja, tidak seperti halnya penggemar Snoopy, Garfield yang imagenya bisa ditemui di dalam bentuk barang apa saja. Calvin and Hobbes mulai di publikasikan November 18, 1985. strip terakhir di publikasikan December 31, 1995 . Saya adalah salah satu penggemar komik strip ini. Jadi file tentang Bill Watterson dengan komik Calvin and hobbes merupakan salah satu simpanan berharga yang sewaktu-waktu bisa saya buka dimana saja dan kapan saja. Sedangkan komik stripnya langganan ke www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/ yang tiap hari dikirim ke email.

Ketika beliau memutuskan untuk menghentikan karyanya, beliau menulis surat untuk para penggemarnya http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Glade/3868/creator.html
photo Bill Watterson

Dear Reader:I will be stopping Calvin and Hobbes at the end of the year. This was not a recent or an easy decision, and I leave with some sadness. My interests have shifted however, and I believe I've done what I can do within the constraints of daily deadlines and small panels. I am eager to work at a more thoughtful pace, with fewer artistic compromises. I have not yet decided on future projects, but my relationship with Universal Press Syndicate will continue.That so many newspapers would carry Calvin and Hobbes is an honor I'll long be proud of, and I've greatly appreciated your support and indulgence over the last decade. Drawing this comic strip has been a privilege and a pleasure, and I thank you for giving me the opportunity.

Sincerely,

Bill Watterson
– Watterson's letter to newspaper editors announcing his retirement, November 9, 1995

Buku komik kumpulan strip Calvin and hobbes ini benar-benar layak di koleksi sebab issue yang diusungnya bisa diterima sepanjang masa.
http://ignatz.brinkster.net/cbillart.html

Calvin: "I go to school, but I never learn what I want to know". The Authoritative Calvin and Hobbes, p235-2The Calvin and Hobbes Tenth Anniversary Book, p102-2
www.calvin-and-hobbes.org/

Sungguh salah satu celetukan Calvin ini pernah ada di pikiran ketika saya merenungi pekerjaan kantoran yang saya tekuni ternyata sangat berbeda dengan disiplin ilmu yang saya raih dan mungkin juga kata-kata ini pernah ada di pikiran banyak orang.

Awards
1986: Reuben Award, Cartoonist of the Year [14]
1988: Reuben Award, Cartoonist of the Year
1988: National Cartoonists Society, Newspaper Comic Strips Humor Award
1988: Sproing Award, for Tommy og Tigern (Calvin and Hobbes)
1989: Harvey Award, Special Award for Humor, for Calvin and Hobbes
1990: Harvey Award, Best Syndicated Comic Strip, for Calvin and Hobbes
1990: Max & Moritz Prize, Best Comic Strip, for Calvin and Hobbes
1991: Harvey Award, Best Syndicated Comic Strip, for Calvin and Hobbes
1991: Adamson Award, for Kalle och Hobbe (Calvin and Hobbes)
1992: Harvey Award, Best Syndicated Comic Strip, for Calvin and Hobbes
1992: Eisner Award, Best Comic Strip Collection, for The Revenge of the Baby-Sat
1992: Angoulême International Comics Festival, Prize for Best Comic Book, for En avant tête de thon!
1992: Eisner Award, Best Comic Strip Collection, for Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons
1993: Harvey Award, Best Syndicated Comic Strip, for Calvin and Hobbes
1994: Harvey Award, Best Syndicated Comic Strip, for Calvin and Hobbes
1995: Harvey Award, Best Syndicated Comic Strip, for Calvin and Hobbes
1996: Harvey Award, Best Syndicated Comic Strip, for Calvin and Hobbes

LINKS
Bill Watterson biography on Lambiek Comiclopedia
Rare Bill Watterson Art at Calvin and Hobbes: Magic On Paper
"After an Early Bedtime, Calvin and Hobbes Are Up and Running in a New Collection" - Washington Post book review including broad look at Watterson's career
Some Thoughts On The Real World By One Who Glimpsed It And Fled: Bill Watterson Commencement Speech at Kenyon College
Interview with Bill Watterson's mother (interview begins around 7:10)
Comprehensive article on Watterson's career and reclusiveness from Cleveland Scene
Fans From Around the World Interview Bill Watterson
Calvin and Hobbes website
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Watterson"
Categories: 1958 births American cartoonists Calvin and Hobbes Harvey Award winners Kenyon College alumni Living people Reuben Award winners People from Ohio Comic strip cartoonists
http://www.calvin-and-hobbes.org/
http://mysite.verizon.net/vzesvylf/bill.html
http://cabcalvinandhobbes.tripod.com/
http://ignatz.brinkster.net/cbillart.html
http://meiyilu.vox.com/library/post/calvin-hobbes---more-than-just-a-comic-strip.html
http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2007/10/wall_street_journal_somehow_fi.html

Daftar kumpulan komiknya :

Calvin and Hobbes
by Bill Watterson - Humor - 1987 - 128 pages
The first collection of the increasingly popular comic strip that features a rambunctious 6-year-old boy and his stuffed tiger who comes charmingly to life.
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Calvin and Hobbes, Sunday Pages 1985-1995
by Bill Watterson
"This catalogue accompanies the exhibition Calvin and Hobbies: Sunday pages1985-1995 at The Ohio State University Cartoon Research Library from September...
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Calvin & Hobbes Sunday Pages 1985-1995
by Bill Watterson - Comics & Graphic Novels - 2001 - 96 pages
Compiles a selection of Sunday cartoons selected and commented upon by theauthor.
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Calvin and Hobbes
by Bill Watterson - Comics & Graphic Novels - 1992 - 128 pages
The second volume in a series of four comic cartoons starring the Calvin and Hobbespair.
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Calvin and Hobbes: 10th Anniversary
by Bill Watterson - Humor - 1995
The creator of "Calvin and Hobbes" discusses the art of cartooning, explainshow he creates his popular comic strip, and presents his favorite moments...
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The Complete Calvin and Hobbes
by Bill Watterson - Humor - 2005 - 1440 pages
This is the treasure that all Calvin and Hobbes fans seek.
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Attack Of The Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons
by Bill Watterson - Comics & Graphic Novels - 1992 - 128 pages
With the help of his faithful stuffed tiger companion and his alter-egos--Spaceman Spiff, Stupendous Man, and Tracer Bullet-- Calvin continues to navigate the...
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Calvin and Hobbes
by Bill Watterson - Comics & Graphic Novels - 1992
The third volume in a series of four comic cartoons starring the Calvin and Hobbespair.
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There's Treasure Everywhere
by Bill Watterson - Comics & Graphic Novels - 1996
The popular comic-strip duo roam their many worlds in search of treasure and adventure, approaching warp speed, fighting off killer bicycles, conducting dad...
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It's a Magical World
by Bill Watterson - Humor - 1996
The final collection of comic strips from the popular syndicated series follows theadventures of Calvin and his stuffed tiger, Hobbes
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