Editorial Review

Millions of office workers identify with Dilbert, the phenomenally popular comic strip created by Scott Adams. Whether it's Dilbert doing battle with his Pointy-Haired Boss over redundant and ridiculous assignments, Wally mastering the art of appearing busy, or Alice "dealing with" annoying vendors, Dilbert speaks to everyone from cubicle dwellers to corner office inhabitants, who see--if not themselves--their coworkers in every too-true panel. See for yourself in the Dilbert 2011 Day-to-Day Calendar with a Dilbert strip on every page.

Copyright (c) 2010 Scott Adams, Inc. Licensed by United Feature Syndicate, Inc. ... Read more

Reviews

A must for Dilbert fans, November 16, 2006
I buy this calendar each year. If you are a Dilbert fan, there is nothing better than starting off the day by reading the day's cartoon. The calendar does feature previously published material, but it is still funny and very fitting for anyone working in the corporate environment. The most difficult thing for me is to keep from looking ahead.

Brilliant for anyone who's ever worked in an office!, July 19, 2008
If you're new to Dilbert, he's a small guy who works in a highly bureaucratic white collar office. The comics satirize office politics beautifully. The humor is similar to the TV series The Office, but Dilbert was the original.

I give the Dilbert day-to-day calendar to my father every year for Christmas. He works in senior management and very much enjoys having a new Dilbert strip to read everyday and to share with his staff. When he goes away, he actually takes the pages that he is going to miss with him so that he doesn't miss reading any. He often saves hilarious and appropriate cartoons to give to my husband (who works in IT) or to me (I work in Marketing). If you work in an office environment - or have escaped from one! - this is a wonderful calendar.

While the day-to-day calendar has been around for a few years now, I was pleasantly surprised to see one change in this year's format: all the cartoon strips are now in color! Otherwise the layout and format is as per previous years. The inside pages are shrinkwrapped so they are well protected in transit to you.

The other thing I appreciate about the Dilbert calendars is that there is enough material to keep them fresh. Before Dilbert, I used to give my father a Farside day-to-day calendar, but after 3-4 years he noticed that some cartoons were repeating from previous years. So far this has not occurred with the Dilbert calendar. (The cartoons are also different from the ones that appear on the daily Dilbert on Dilbert.com) I highly recommend it.

The perfect cube for your cube, September 11, 2009
If you're new to Dilbert, he's a small guy who works in a highly bureaucratic engineering firm. The comics satirize office politics beautifully.

The 2010 Day to Day calendar is a small block of 365 dated comic strips, designed to be torn off on a daily basis. Each page is printed in color - the overall color scheme is green and purple. This year a new addition to the Day to Day calendar is the "daily extra" printed on the back of each page. Sometimes it's a small brain teaser (eg a sudoku puzzle, a word search or a maze). Or it might be a riddle, a joke, a piece of trivia or an inspiring quote. There are also occasional household hints. On the weekend pages there might be a template to write notes for the babysitter or just a blank space to jot notes.

Unlike previous years, the 2010 calendar is not internally shrinkwrapped, but it still arrived without damage.

I give the Dilbert day-to-day calendar to my father every year for Christmas. He very much enjoys having a new Dilbert strip to read everyday and often saves cartoons to pass onto others. If you work in an office environment - or have escaped from one! - this is a wonderful calendar.

I feel cheated, October 29, 2010
Why are there only 6 comics per week? They didn't put in the Sunday 8-panel strips.

I fully understand that most people have these at their work desk, so they see these 5 days a week (one hopes), or maybe 6 if you're unlucky. But to not have 7 comics a week is rather lame, or dare I say weasel-ish.

The quality of the paper and stand are just fine.

I do think the Dilbert logo in the lower right corner is a bit loud. the 2010 was nice, not overly showy or distracting.

Brilliant for anyone who works in an office, January 2, 2008
I give this calendar to my father every year for Christmas. He works in senior management and very much enjoys having a new Dilbert strip to read everyday and to share with his staff. When he goes away, he actually takes the pages that he is going to miss with him so that he doesn't miss reading any. He often saves hilarious and appropriate cartoons to give to my husband (who works in IT) or to me (I work in Marketing). If you work in an office environment - or have escaped from one! - this is a wonderful calendar.

The other thing I appreciate about the Dilbert calendars is that there is enough material to keep them fresh. Before Dilbert, I used to give my father a Farside calendar, but after 3-4 years he noticed that some cartoons were repeating from previous years. So far this has not occurred with the Dilbert calendar. (The cartoons are also different from the ones that appear on the daily Dilbert on Dilbert.com.) I highly recommend it.

Poorly made, December 13, 2010
The front of the 2011 calendar has a cartoon on it where Dilbert says, "I want my unwarranted optimism back." I can't think of a better way of describing my reaction to this product.

I took it out of the box, lifted the cover and the pages of the calendar fell out. At least they fell out as one unit and not as individual pages, but that doesn't make it a whole lot better. The pages of the calendar are in no way connected to the backing. To display the calendar, I just have the "block" of pages sitting on the ledge of the plastic stand. I think this is going to work, but it's just shoddy workmanship.

This review refers to the 2011 Dilbert Calendar published by Andrews McMeel Publishing.

I'm sure the actual cartoons will be as funny as ever. Scott Adams rocks.

a great way to get a daily dose of Dilbert, February 14, 2010
I just realized I've been using Dilbert Day-to-Day Calendars for at least 5 years.
The only calendar I might give it up for is one that doesn't exist: 'The Calvin and Hobbes Day-to-Day Calendar'.
But this one usually gets at least a chuckle out of me when I sit down to breakfast, and that's not a bad way to start the day.
My only complaint is that the back of the pages now have some puzzle or quiz or something; I don't know who thought of doing that, but it's totally unnecessary - Dilbert can stand on his own and doesn't need any little extras.
Besides, I often used to use the back of old pages to make notes to myself for the day, but now it's a drag because of that stuff being in the way, so I've had to switch to using the back of pages from the 'Zen Page-a-Day Calendar'.
It's a little late for this year, but check it out for next year - it's still a great way to get a daily dose of Dilbert!

5 stars for Dilbert, 4 for the calendar, December 1, 2010
I've used the Dilbert Day-to-Day calendars for several years, now. Scott Adams is as funny and cutting as ever, and brings back some memories of my own cubicle days! My only problem is with the decision beginning in 2010 to take up the back of the sheets with word search games, quotes, trivia, sudoku and other stuff. None of the material on the backs of the pages has been worth even a glance! When the backs were blank in past years, I used to save the pages and use them for scratch paper; now they just get tossed into the recycling bin. Knock off a star for that, but I'll still buy the calendar!

The only thing that gets me through the day..., February 24, 2010
Seriously. When you sit in a 8x8 cube of doom that was designed with "soul crusher" gray walls for 8-10 hours a day you could use a good laugh every now and then. Dilbert just has me figured out! Granted I work in IT - I also work for a fortune 500 company so a lot of the corporate jokes that Dilbert makes are DEAD ON. Examples of this include goal setting, project management, office weight loss, redundant meetings, etc, etc.

Every morning I hurry to my cube with a little bit of excitement knowing that I get to tear off a new comic! My only complaint? occasionaly the paper tops hang a little bit when you tear them off and it looks kind of sloppy, but the manufacturer made little perforated sections that can tear off at 1/8 increments through the comic to remove all of the excess paper left behind.

If you know someone who works in an office - preferable with cubicles - they will truly appreciate this little gift. It makes my day!

poor quality, December 26, 2010
When i opened the box the calendar fell out of the box. It was not attached to the back/stand as it supposed to be. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Created by the team that brought you The Complete Far Side and The Complete Calvin and Hobbes, this massive-yet-elegant celebratory anthology marks Doonesbury's 40th anniversary by examining in depth the characters that have given the strip such vitality.

On October 26, 1970, college jock B.D. met his inept and geeky roommate, Mike. Fourteen thousand strips later, the world of Doonesbury has grown uniquely vast, sustained by an intricately woven web of relationships--over 40 major characters spanning three generations. This book opens with an in-depth essay in which G. B. Trudeau surveys his sprawling creation as only he could. The volume's 1,800 beautifully displayed strips chronicle the key adventures and path crossings of the ever-evolving cast, from ur-characters such as Zonker, Joanie, Duke, and Honey, to relative newcomers such as Zipper, Alex, and Toggle. Dropped in throughout are 18 detailed essays in which Trudeau contemplates individual characters and groups of characters.

The book's literal centerpiece is a four-page foldout that maps in annotated detail the mind-boggling matrix of relationships. A feast of storytelling and a clarifying overview, 40: A Doonesbury Retrospective offers a unique way to experience one of the greatest comic strips ever. ... Read more

Reviews

A Great Retrospective - But Now I Want More, October 14, 2010
First, I have to admit that I'm a lifelong Doonesbury fan, so I'm a bit biased, but this book is a huge and beautifully produced volume. From the same folks who produced the Complete Far Side and the Complete Calvin and Hobbes, with the same attention to detail and quality. The selection of strips is excellent, and there were quite a few, particularly Sunday strips from the early years, that I don't think have ever been reprinted before (and I have all the early paperbacks and every big anthology). The reproduction is excellent - and either they were all reproduced from the original art or the book was designed to make it appear as if they had. Either way, the art looks great. And Trudeau gives some new and unique perspective to each character and his 40 years with the strip.

On the downside, I found it odd that they printed some strips out of order and some publication dates that they gave were obviously incorrect. And I do wish they'd included more early Sunday strips, since as I said, many of these have never been reprinted. Since this was supposed to be a Doonesbury retrospective, I also would have liked to have seen some coverage of Doonesbury in other media (the animated TV special, the Life and Rolling Stone magazine features, the Broadway show that was actually in-continuity and moved the characters in the strip forward) as well as some of the few merchandising products that GBT sanctioned through the years.

Now - to explain the title of this review... Seeing this book, which Trudeau says represents about 13% of all the published Doonesbury strips, has made me really hungry for a complete reprinting, like IDW Books is doing with the fun, but less deserving Bloom County. I know that unlike other strips getting the "complete" treatment (Peanuts, Dick Tracy, Bloom County, etc.) Doonesbury is still an ongoing production, but if they started now, it would take 10-15 years to get the entire body of work in print. I hope that GBT is still well and producing work at that point to worry about that issue. But this is a body of work that cries out for a high quality complete archive. For now, I guess we'll have to be content with this beautiful, giant sampler.

vicarious living, November 19, 2010
This Doonesbury retrospective is a joy to have especially if one is the least bit nostalgic. Also a great volume for all us old hippies and hippie "want-a-bees." I have followed this "cartoon" almost since its beginning and after so many years a person feels that they know the characters as real people. The author has chosen the best of the best to illustrate the progression through the years and a big plus is the occasional musings on the main characters as he shares his thoughts on his characters minds. Interestingly, some of his insight has come after the character was developed.....and so you can see how they tend to take on a personality and evolve hardly without Garry's help.

Another plus for me is being able to sit and study the art work. It has always been fascinating to realize how one tiny ink mark can denote so much expression on the faces. Garry is a true master and this book reminds us of his skill at drawing, often audacious satire, and story telling as he took us through the good and bad of so many years.

Great book but something is missing, November 18, 2010
This is an excellent book for Doonesbury fans or for anyone who would like to see the genesis all the way up to the present. The only thing I did not like was that it leaves out all the cartoons relating to Watergate, Reagan, Monica, New Orleans, Dubya and other politically charged times as I was looking forward to that biting humor. Oh well. Even without that stuff it is great to see the evolution of the myriad of Doonesbury characters. If you are or know a Doonesbury fan, this book is well worth the $67 Amazon charges (versus $100 at bookstores).

Great book!, November 17, 2010
Like the previous reviewers have stated, this IS a heavy book. But for 40 years of memories and history, what do you expect?

I really liked watching the characters I know and care about, evolve.

My only complaint: I wish there were more political strips in the book. I understand the author's point about not wanting dated/potentially unfunny material in the text, but I wanted more history. I was too young to remember most of the politics of the 70s and 80s, and I would have liked the Doonesbury strips as reference.

Some books were meant to stay on paper, November 18, 2010
The book is an extremely well done and complete compendium of the life and times of Doonesbury's world. It is hard to believe that the crew is 40 years old and still entertaining and educating us with such amazing insight and passion.
It does not, however, translate well on Kindle. The strips are almost impossible to read without a magnifying glass and there is no way to enlarge them to improve the situation. Changing font size or zooming does not affect the comics. Using PC or Mac Kindle with a very large monitor will no doubt make things better, but that defeats the reason you downloaded it to your e-reader in the first place.

What a long strange and wonderful ride it's been, November 12, 2010
First it is obvious, this is a humongous Doonesbury; it is a challenge to hold and read; but if you are a fan meet it - feet on hassock, knees propped up and turn the heavy stock pages. There are 5 easy to read black and white strips per page, and the colour Sunday strips take up one page.
Garry Trudeau gives a four page introduction and then for each section, a two page description of the character, the inspiration and background of them. If you are a fan; Trudeau's words on the creation of these characters are alone, almost worth the price of the book.
Some of my favorite strips are not included, but as Trudeau explains in his introduction - this is only 13% of the over 14,000 published strips.

It starts with the basic strips done in college mainly centering around B.D. and then Mike. There are sections focusing on: Michael Doonesbury, B.D., Mark Slackmeyer, Zonker, Boopsie, Phred, President King, Rev. Slone, Joanie Caucus, Roland, Duke, Jimmy Thudpucker, Lacey Davenport, Alice Schwartzman, J.J. Caucus, Alex Doonesbury, Zipper and Jeff, and Elias. There is also a two page pullout with character connections and a legend showing relationships.

This would make such a great gift for Doonesbury fans, even educators could use the strips for political science and social science examples of the last 40 years. It can show those who were not there... and take those of us that were... back to events and movements and years gone by, but most of all, to the wonderful Doonesbury gang.

It's too heavy, October 20, 2010
Obviously, anyone buying this book will be a Doonesbury fan, so I'll skip describing my subjective Doonesbury enjoyment and get right to one inescapable fact: this book is too heavy.

It must be nearly two inches thick, comes in a sturdy cardboard binder, and is printed on good stock, with good colors. It is so heavy that you will not be able to read it in bed, on the sofa, or on the toilet. You will only be able to read it at a table. Yes, it's a coffee table book, but most coffee table books are more about imagery than text, so flipping pages and viewing the images at knee level is no trouble. With Doonesbury, though, the text is the whole point. In order to read comfortably, you'll need to get the book off the coffee table (wear a back brace) or down from the shelf (steel-toed boots recommended, just in case) and lug it over to the dining table.

It's too early for me to comment definitively on the binding, but I'm not sure it's going to hold up.

I'm sure the content will be great, but I give it only 3 stars because it should have been split into usable volumes, rather than bound as one.

... Read more

Editorial Review

Scott Pilgrim's life is so awesome. He's 23 years old, in a rock band, "between jobs," and dating a cute high school girl. Everything's fantastic until a seriously mind-blowing, dangerously fashionable, rollerblading delivery girl named Ramona Flowers starts cruising through his dreams and sailing by him at parties. But the path to Ms Flowers isn't covered in rose petals. Ramona's seven evil ex-boyfriends stand in the way between Scott and true happiness. Can Scott beat the bad guys and get the girl without turning his precious little life upside-down? ... Read more

Reviews

Awesome!, January 18, 2006
Fun and irreverant, Bryan Lee O'Malley's Canadian slacker is one of the most appealing fictional characters I've come across, with or without pictures, and by the end of this first volume, I had a ridiculous grin on my face as I anticipated jumping right into Volume 2. I laughed out loud several times throughout the story, but more importantly, I felt connected to each of the primary characters, interested to see what happens to them next, not because of the [insane] plot they were involved in, but because I cared about what fate had in store for them. Which is weird, because I usually hate slacker stories. Scott Pilgrim, though, is awesome!

Why are you reading reviews? You should be reading this book!, January 22, 2006
Hype kills everything for me. When people started going on and on about how awesome this book was, I did my best to distance myself from it. But eventually I caved and bought it. And I'm glad I did.

Bryan Lee O'Malley is a genius. His art is so amazing, and his writing is brilliant. Scott Pilgrim is one of the coolest books to come out in a long time. This is the kind of book you read and say, "DAMMNIT! Why didn't I do this first?!"

Have you ever been in love? Have you ever been in a band? Have you ever stayed up all night playing Super Mario Bros. 3? Then this book is for you.

Oh my god, dude!, September 24, 2004
Scott Pilgrim is the best comic I have read in years! That's really saying something. Being a comic creator myself, I read a lot of comics. No, seriously, *a lot* of comics.
Bryan O'Malley is able to blend innocence and humor and just over-the-top craziness with an art style that is deceptively simplistic and so achingly honest and perfectly expressive that, being an artist myself, it makes me want to choke him. He can do with just three lines what I -- what would take me -- what, honestly, I just can't do.
I was trying to think of a "if you like such-and-such you'll love Scott Pilgrim" comparison, but you know what, I can't imagine anyone not liking this book. It's fun. It's heart warming. It's hilarious. It's infinitely quotable. It has great characters and a great story ...
Hey, just buy it already. I swear you will not be disappointed.

fun, adorable, and endearing, September 22, 2004
this is one of my favorite graphic novels--o'malley takes a 20-something jobless musician and makes you fall in love with him and his adorable and amazing life. the characters are all totally sweet--especially scott pilgrim's high school girlfriend, who is too embarrassed to kiss him--and their adventures are all about romance, rock 'n' roll and rhyming fight scenes. plus, the art is great!! really, i cannot accurately describe what a touching, sweet, and fun story this is. all i can say is--i can't wait for volume two!

Fantastic art and disappointing writing, July 15, 2008
I have found that most of the reviews of this book thus far have been the product of either stuttering enthusiasm or unwarranted spite, an unpleasant situation owing to the fact that Scott Pilgrim is a polarizing book, a book that caters to a very specific type of person.

I am not, as it turns out, that type of person.

But, I'm not the sort of person who likes to waste time gushing mindless praise or spewing mindless vitriol either--LET'S GET EVENHANDED!

For those of you sitting on the fence about whether to read this: I was a fence-sitter too. There were aspects of this book that attracted me: the dynamic, manga-inflected art, the melding of the whimsical with the mundane, the goofy humor. But there were things I'd heard about and noticed from the previews that I found equally off-putting, namely the plethora of references to videogames and indie-rock culture.

Now, I have NO problem with either videogames or indie-rock, both things I've grown up with and enjoyed. What I DO have a problem with is this 21st century habit of fetishizing our influences and making compulsive name-drops, this way we've confused Being Cool with Mentioning Things That Are Cool. This isn't to say I'm 100% against this sort of thing, but there's a specific time and place to use it in storytelling, and there is such a thing as overkill. Like words, references are good when you're using them to say something, and bad when you're using them to show off.

This reference-heavy mentality informs Scott Pilgrim to a hefty degree, and I feel it does so against creator/artist/writer Brian O'Malley's better artistic instincts. The visual nuance (as has been stated elsewhere, his facial expressions are superb; he gets an incredible degree of emotional mileage out of very simple shapes) found in the book seemed to indicate to me somebody far cleverer than his writing and characterizations let on.

I'll state this forthrightly: the characters in this book are weak, the protagonist glaringly so. I understand that it's the first in a six-book series and so there's further character development to be had, but if a reader such as myself can't find the characters compelling enough by the end of the first book, then we aren't going to keep reading. The hero comes off as an unlikeable, emotionally immature doofus, which would be fine if he was given positive traits as well, but he isn't. Most of the other characters, with the exception of Wallace Wells, Scott's gay roommate and Knives Chau, Scott's 17-year-old "girlfriend," seem to be little more than hip-looking extras, and that extends even to the girl Scott pines after and who is the catalyst for basically the entire plot (Scott must defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends, etc).

A lot of people have written that they were hooked by the slice-of-life tone of most of this book and then taken aback by the incredibly silly ending, but I felt just the opposite--the book works best at its silliest and most cartoony, lampooning the conventions of manga and videogames (a justified use of referencing, for once). There's a very good punch-line at the end of the "boss fight." It was the only thing in the book that made me laugh out loud, and it felt more real and more genuine to me than all the drama that had unfolded beforehand.

Rating: Totally Sweet, August 17, 2006
I really wish that I had read Scott Pilgrim sooner. I first heard about the book back in March or April, though I thought that Pilgrim was the author. When I learned what Scott Pilgrim really was, I couldn't believe how much I didn't want to read it. For those of you who don't know yet, Scott Pilgrim is a faux-manga series about a 23-year-old Canadian slacker who must defeat a girl's seven evil ex-boyfriends before he can date her. I came up with nearly every excuse I could think of to avoid reading this book. The plot sounded dumb, the visuals were influenced by manga, it was black and white. However, I couldn't help but notice how much praise it got from both comic reviewers and mainstream publications. Not only that, but two of my friends like it, and one of them doesn't read any other comics. Eventually, I decided that I should just give it a try, and I was barely 5 pages into Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life before I realized that all of the hype was completely true.
Scott Pilgrim is 23 years old and has no direction in life. He is "between jobs", is in a crappy band (with an awesome name), and as the series starts, he has just started dating a 17-year-old high school girl named Knives Chau. He lives with his gay roommate Wallace, whom he always introduces as being totally awesome and gay. Most of the things in the apartment belong to Wallace, and the two share a bed, but that is because they are too poor to afford a second. Based on how you look at life, Scott is either completely awesome or a total loser.
His time with Knives is just ok; the only things she can ever talk about is the high school drama she is immersed in and how her mother wants her to find a nice Chinese boy. All they ever do is get pizza or listen to Scott's band, Sex Bob-omb, practice.
However, when Scott meets Ramona Flowers, an American girl now working for Amazon.ca, his whole life is thrown into a tailspin. Suddenly, he can't get her out of his mind, and when he accidentally creeps her out at a party, he orders some CDs from Amazon (using Wallace's credit card) just so she can deliver them to him. Eventually, he gets her to go out with him, and he invites her to a Sex Bob-omb concert. Now, all this time, things have been fairly normal. Nothing too out-of-the-ordinary has occurred. But when Ramona's ex-boyfriend from high school shows up, things get bizarre, and yet the characters don't seem to notice at all. Matthew Patel, who dated Ramona for a week and a half, challenges Scott to a fight during the concert, and without missing a beat, Scott and his friends enter a melee.
Scott Pilgrim is hilarious. Before things even get weird, the dialogue and bizarre, though somewhat believable, situations keep the reader in stitches. But when outlandish events occur, the humor is ratcheted up a notch. It is helped by the fact that Scott and his friends act as if a manga-style brawl with Ramona's "evil" ex-boyfriend is as normal as going to work (though for Scott, I guess it is more normal than work). Other sources of humor include ratings when new characters are introduced, such as Scott's rating of awesome, his sister Stacey's rating of T for Teen (a video game reference), and Wallace's rating of 7.5/10. There is also the room break-down, giving us a detailed look at what belongs to Scott and what belongs to Wallace, Scott's terrible physical description of Ramona's hair, and the fact that sometimes the characters seem to be addressing the reader (Scott says that an anecdote is better for another volume). The book also introduced the term "attack hug" into my lexicon. There are also great references to comic books and video games. Scott wears an X patch on his jacket reminiscent of the X-Men, all the bands are video game references, and a discussion of dreams leads Scott to think about Super Mario Bros. 2.
I can't stress enough how great this book is. If you have any reservations, especially the ones that I mentioned above, ignore them at all costs. Scott Pilgrim is like nothing you've read before, and will definitely keep you entertained.

Amazingly Funny, August 8, 2010
I purchased these graphic novels because of the movie commercials. There, I said it. I was influenced by the blatant commercialization! Let me redeem myself, though. I wanted to read the source material that lead to the movie previews that intrigued me (it is not often, of late, that I actually see a preview and say "I want to see that movie"). A few minutes later on Amazon and my graphic novels were on their way... sans Ramona Flowers as my delivery person.

Artwork

As indicated in the product name, this graphic novel is drawn by Canadian artist Bryan Lee O'Malley. His art style is heavily influenced by Japanese Manga; to this end the body shapes and styles, as well as the action sequences, harken back to Japanese staples, a la Dragonball or Rune Soldier. For those of you unfamiliar with these references, this means that the body proportions are mostly accurate. O'Malley's art style is characterized by exaggerated eyes (taking up most of the face for most characters; narrowed eyes are rare), squared-off fingers and squarish-shaped heads. Clothing is varied for the characters in the story, and to O'Malley's credit, each character is distinctive, even limited by the black-and-white artwork.

In short, the artwork is well done, with bows to both Japanese Manga and American comics for their influences. Since I imagine that most people would pick up this book and be willing to suspend disbelief for any anatomical anomalies.

Plot/Story

Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life tells the tale of Scott Pilgrim, a loafer 23-year old who is in a band, between jobs, and recently became acquainted with Ramona Flowers, the female antagonist of the series. As the story unfolds, you will follow the trials and tribulations of Scott, Ramona, his friends from his band Sex Bob-Omb, and the first of Ramona's Seven Evil Ex-Boyfriends.

The plot is simple: in order to win the right to date Ramona, Scott must defeat each of her seven evil ex-boyfriends. Seems easy, right? Unfortunately for Scott, it is not quite that simple. The graphic novel pays homage to many pop culture influences from the past twenty years, most notably video games. Whenever Scott defeats someone, they turn into a pile of coins. The series also breaks the rules of physics routinely, most notably by giving Ramona the ability to travel through "subspace".

What about the writing? I will sum it up with one word: funny. The tale that is woven for Scott Pilgrim is tongue-in-cheek, witty, and sometimes downright hysterical. Oh yea, and very, very random. The only complaint that I have about the story involves continuity: O'Malley sometimes has flashbacks for the characters without always clarifying that this is occurring within the text. While the artwork usually has clues to indicate which timeframe the characters are in, it is sometimes frustrating and confusing to mentally "switch" as you are reading along.

When reading this tale, it does help considerably to have familiarity with the pop culture references. As an example, one of the characters is named Young Neil. This is a play on Neil Young (of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young fame). Other references range from college names to video game quips.

Overall

If you want a fun romp through pop culture with a crazy storyline to boot, I highly recommend this volume. It is a very well-done graphic novel with an entertaining plot and great artwork. I especially recommend these if you plan to see the movie spinoff (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World). Some of the humor may pass over younger readers (younger meaning older than 13 but younger than 20), but even with a missed joke, there is still plenty of content to keep anyone entertained. Be willing to suspend reality for a bit while you read this one, and I guarantee that you will want to read more.

Are you a Scottaholic?, July 4, 2005
When you first have Scott Pilgrim Vol 1 in your hands take a breath before you open the book, as the ride you're about to take will leave you gasping for air at the end. Bryan Lee O'Malley doesn't hold back in this comedic and emotional assault. What seems so quaint from the cover and editorial blurb quickly evolves into something far deeper.

The world of Scott Pilgrim seems simple enough, he's in a band, has a high school girlfriend, and is the best fighter in the area. Coolness oozes out of every page, even when the simple everyday events are all that occur. O'Malley's art and storytelling have a subtle way of captivating the reader and keeping them deeply immersed in the world he has created.

There is no simple way to sum up the adventure that is Scott Pilgrim Vol 1. It will leave you wanting more, and if you didn't catch it earlier, grab it now. The journey that Scott and his friends begin here will stay with you and your friends for days to come.

Fun book leaves you wanting more, September 22, 2004
This is an awesome book. It's fun and intelligent, and the art really conveys the emotions well. The characters are easy to relate to, and it helps them feel more human. There are all kinds of neat little things in the story you wouldn't expect to find in a comic, too (like the ratings that appear with the characters, or the interactive playalong with Sex Bob-Omb, complete with chords and lyrics). This book also had me laughing harder than any comic I've ever read. And it leaves you wanting more, and only having to wait until early 2005 to get it!

I'm not scraping the tip of the iceberg, though. Buy this book and you won't regret it for a second.

I'm 40 year old man and I love Scott Pilgrim!, May 13, 2009
I avoided this book for a long time, no matter how great the reviews, because I thought the art looked childish.

Boy was I wrong. Bryan Lee O'Malley's art style is actually far deeper then I gave him credit for. After multiple readings I have come to the conclusion that this guy really, really knows how to do a comic book. His art is dynamic and melds effortlessly with the story. If you are put off this book by the art...don't be. Just give it a chance.

I've read the first two books three or four times (they're a quick read...Bryan is great at pacing) and I am anxiously awaiting #3, 4 and 5 from Amazon. Hurry up and get here already!!!

Don't wait...become a Scottaholic today!
... Read more

Editorial Review

Ramona's third evil ex-boyfriend, Todd Ingram, is currently dating the former love of Scott Pilgrim's life! Envy Adams broke Scott's heart a year and a half ago. Now she and her evil art-rock band are back, and they're getting Scott's band to open a show two days from now! That's just enough time for Scott to fight Todd, keep Ramona happy, fend off demented ex-girlfriends, and practice that new setlist. Right?? Don't miss the latest chapter in the graphic novel saga The Globe and Mail calls "Canada's answer to Tank Girl!" ... Read more

Reviews

Scott Continues To Entertain!, September 17, 2006
I can still barely believe that the Scott Pilgrim series is as good as it is. Author Bryan Lee O'Malley has taken a relationship drama and infused it with numerous references to video games, indie music, manga, and other niche areas of popular culture to create a world where characters are completely fine with breaking out into a massive, over-the-top fight that involves the battleground imploding at the end.
Scott Pilgrim, for those of you who aren't caught up, is a 23-year-old slacker who lives in a small Canadian town around Toronto. He is in a bad band named Sex Bob-Omb along with the completely cool (so cool he has no emotions) Stephen Stills and the angry Kim Pine (whom he dated in high school). After breaking up with a 17-year-old high school girl named Knives Chau, Scott began dating Ramona Flowers, an American now living in Canada and working as an Amazon.ca delivery girl. However, before Scott can officially date Ramona, he must defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends. He has already taken out 2, but the next on the list, Todd Ingram, may prove to be more than Scott can handle.
Picking up pretty much exactly where the second volume, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, left off, Scott and Ramona have just learned that Todd is dating Natalie V. "Envy" Adams, Scott's girlfriend before Knives who ripped his heart out. Through flashbacks, we learn how Envy met Scott as a shy anime fan and eventually turned into a rock goddess. If that weren't bad enough, Todd is a vegan, and in Scott's world, vegans attain vast psychic powers that make him a much more formidable opponent than Matthew Patel and Lucas Lee.
As usual, the battles don't take up the whole book; most of the pages are devoted to hilarious character studies. Scott's roommate, Wallace Wells, is just as funny as ever, with his snide comments about Envy and his platonic love of Ramona. Knives is great due to the sheer sadness of her situation (I kind of feel bad for her, but she is responsible for some very funny and heartfelt situations). New characters like Envy and Lynette, Envy's drummer who has a biomechanical arm, are fun as well. But the book is also full of great moments that don't deal with characters. The existence of a save point in the world was one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time. And of course, the fights just keep getting better. Ramona shows that she can hold her own and that her little handbag is just full of surprises.
The only thing I have to say that is negative is that I just can't get a good feel for the art. It is (as far as I know) intentionally cheap, but there are times when I can't tell who certain characters are or when the flashbacks end. Still, it isn't too much of a problem.
I don't care what excuses you may have for not reading Scott Pilgrim, get on it now! The story is great and the humor is fantastic.

Clever, Inventive Fun, November 24, 2009
How to describe Scott Pilgrim and his strange little world? It's funny, to be sure. It's seemingly normal, to a degree. When we meet new characters, we often get their level rating (Scott is, of course, "awesome"). Everything about the series is so Generation Now--Scott is straight but he has a gay roommate; they share a small studio apartment and sleep in the same bed, platonically; Scott plays in a band with a female drummer, which is cool, although the band doesn't quite rock at first (but they have heart). None of it is overdone, though. In fact, there's so much genuine sweetness to it (in a good way; not in some treacly, sentimental manner) that you can't help but wish you were part of the group--part of this world, even, because it's a pretty different world.

That is to say, it's Toronto, but some magical, videogame-like qualities exist. These characters exist mostly in the real world but at the same time, it has some decidedly offbeat properties. Scott is an innocent, a supercool, eminently likable cipher who happens to be almost irresistibly endearing.

As the series begins, 23-year-old Scott has just started dating Knives Chau, a 17-year-old high school student. It's all very innocent; they haven't even kissed, just hugged. Scott is recovering from a devastating breakup a year ago and views Knives as a way to move on without getting his heart too involved. His friends and sister waste no time ripping into Scott for this robbing-the-cradle transgression, but Scott sticks with it, even after meeting Ramona Flowers. Ramona is the girl of Scott's dreams, literally. He keeps seeing her in visions, so when he sees her at a party, come to life in strange garb, he makes his move.

The series has the feel of a gentle romantic comedy at times, and the banter back and forth between Scott and Ramona (and even Scott and Knives) has the kind of meet-cute quality of cinema. It's also hilariously hip, metatextual, and self-referential (again, it's a Generation Now thing). When Ramona explains that she's been in Scott's dreams because there's a really convenient subspace highway that happens to run through his head, Scott doesn't really question it. Later, they get to know each other and decide that some of their stories will be revealed in different volumes, before sleeping together (again, platonically, because they've been holed up inside together because of a freak blizzard--although it's clear both characters will want to do more than just sleep together eventually).

And here we come to the real meat of the story. As Scott begins to see Ramona, he first receives an email, then a letter, from a man who wants to schedule time to fight Scott. Scott ignores them, but this is a crazy guy who won't be ignored. It turns out Ramona has seven evil ex-boyfriends, all of whom Scott will have to fight and defeat if he wants to continue seeing the delightful Ramona. (And if you're wondering what ever happened to Knives Chau, well, there's more to that as well.)

The content is never too adult (but trust me, adults will--and do--enjoy it quite a bit), but it's more appropriate for teens and older (the publisher gives it a 13+ rating). The story and art are definitely manga-influenced, but it isn't straight manga. It's a hybrid. A very good hybrid, it turns out. Scott Pilgrim is one of those series that catches fire and, when you check in to see what all the buzz is about, you realize why immediately. This much clever, inventive fun deserves to be a smash.

-- John Hogan

I'm halfway through reading all the books in this series., July 15, 2010
This is the third book in the Scott Pilgrim series of comic books. This time, Scott has to battle the third of Ramona's evil ex-boyfriends, who happens to be the current boyfriend of Scott's evil ex-girlfriend. Another fun book, especially if you are a fan of indie rock and video games. ... Read more

Editorial Review

New York Times best-seller!

Watterson's imaginative approach to his material and his inventive graphics have made Calvin and Hobbes one of the few universally admired by other cartoonists." --Charles Solomon, Los Angeles Times Book Review

Calvin and Hobbes is unquestionably one of the most popular comic strips of all time. The imaginative world of a boy and his real-only-to-him tiger was first syndicated in 1985 and appeared in more than 2,400 newspapers when Bill Watterson retired on January 1, 1996. The entire body of Calvin and Hobbes cartoons published in a truly noteworthy tribute to this singular cartoon in The Complete Calvin and Hobbes. Composed of three hardcover, four-color volumes in a sturdy slipcase, this edition includes all Calvin and Hobbes cartoons that ever appeared in syndication. This is the treasure that all Calvin and Hobbes fans seek. ... Read more

Reviews

Minor flaws don't take away from this--the ultimate collection., October 4, 2005
(I just received this today--The Complete Calvin and Hobbes! 10/4/05)

4.9 Stars

The collection consists of 3 books within one slipcase. Each page notes the date(s) of original publication of the strip(s) on that page. The strips have an appearance of being imposed on the page separately in respect to their original publication dates. This differs from other Calvin and Hobbes collections/treasuries; within those pages you find the strips laid out as a combined whole without distinction between each strip. There are also, of course, the wonderful watercolors by Watterson which appear occasionally, on pages respective of content and chronological order.

Book One starts with a 14-page introduction/forward written autobiographically by Watterson on his view of comics and his relationship with Calvin and Hobbes. Includes photo of Sprite and a few other comics/early works by Watterson, as well as an early version of Calvin and Hobbes. Book One includes all the comics of 1985-1988; Book Two 1988-1992; Book Three 1992-1995.

This is definitely an archival collection and not ideal for constant casual perusing, though the attractiveness makes it hard to resist. The printing, layout, paper, binding are beautiful but any wear and tear would be heart-breaking. This leads me to describe one drawback: these books aren't really hardbound books. They look so, because of their hard covers, but actually they are what's called "cardboard articles", meaning the pages are not stitched to the spine, and instead glued. Albiet, this is common book binding practice, but I'm sure most of us wouldn't have minded paying some more for real hardbound articles for the sake of longevity in preservation. So although this collection is best left for archival purposes, it's unfortunate they are not exactly archival quality.

Despite the books being cardboard articles, the pages are easy to open up without damaging the fabric covered spine due to the generous space and horizontal orientation. However the images of Calvin and Hobbes on the front and back faces of the slipcase are printed on separate squares of paper glued to the surface, rather than integrated, or printed directly on. This is something I realized as I slid the collection onto my bookshelf and found I had to be careful or the sides of those squares might catch and lift a bit.

The total collection weighs about 22.5 lbs, which makes it a bit awkward to handle. This wouldn't be such an issue except the books are snugly fit within the slipcase, meaning they're a bit difficult to extract without having to tilt the case forward a bit. It would be ideal if the slipcase had round cuts on the top and bottom corresponding to each book so one's fingertips could pry out the books with ease.

The bottom line is that for Calvin and Hobbes fans who want to own a nice comprehensive collection, imperfections are there, but not enough to deter. The beauty of the pages and the excitement of owning this make those issues mere minor annoyances. It is also the ideal purchase for those who are new to Calvin and Hobbes. At one concise and reasonable price you get the Complete Calvin and Hobbes. This collection is sure to please. Yes, I admit, I am a bit prejudiced by my absolute adoration for this boy and his tiger.

The Pages are Falling Out, January 20, 2006
I love this strip and I was very excited to see it collected completely in a lovely boxed set. I have only one fault with the item but it is a big one. For a set of this nature and for this price, you would think the publishers could have spent a few extra bucks and given the thing a proper binding! I've read through the collection only twice and the spine is already cracked on volume one and a page has actually come out! How much could a real stitched binding have added to the price? I plan to send my books off to Southern Binding and have them sewn. It will cost me about $30 but I believe it will be well worth it in the long run. Still, I'd rather have paid a few more buck up front.

STUPENDOUS!!! But MAN, its heavy..., October 18, 2005
Don't think I could add a whole lot more to what's already been said about the collection.
However, one point thats been slightly understated is the weight. The package is big, heavy and unweildy. With each book weighing just over 7 lbs., God Forbid if you drop one of 'em on your foot.
Also, if you're buying the collection to READ the stories, it would make more sense to buy the individual books (as many fans, including myself already have the other books and bought this as a collectors item - this is something you want preserved, not dog-eared in a year). There is a website out there that specifically lists which of the C&H books you would need to have in order to own every single strip without duplicates.

But having said all that, and aside from any doting fanglorious discourse, what I really liked about the collection was that:
1) Since it has the strip in chronological order, its the first opportunity to watch how Bill Watterson's artwork and style evolved over the years. It also gives you the chance to see when new characters and alter-egos of Calvin were introduced into the strip- I was a kid when C&H ran in my newspaper so I dont remember whether Rosalyn came in right from the beginning or at the end of the series, etc.
2) The lengthy preface by the reclusive Watterson is itself worth the cost of the book. Hearing his take on how the strip came about, his philosophy on things and his piece on why he was against merchandising the characters, are all priceless bits of information. Happy Reading!
An intersting bit of C&H trivia - Hampster Huey & the Gooey Kablooie really is a book (and you can buy it on Amazon too!).

Great books...but NOT complete., December 30, 2005
Let me first say that Calvin and Hobbes is by far my favorite cartoon strip of all time. Even better than Far Side. When I first heard that this complete set was coming out I was thrilled! Finally all of Bill Watterson's work would be available in one deluxe book set! This is why I was kind of upset after really going through the set to find out that it's really not complete. It's very close...but definitely not complete.

Sure this set contains all the comics that ran in the newspapers, plus the cover art for the books, and various other special pictures/poems Bill drew for the series... but if you check out some of the older Calvin & Hobbes collections that were released, you'll find a whole bunch of really funny one-picture strips mixed in with the comic strips that are not included in this set. These were never put in the newspapers, they were probably made specifically for the older collections just to fill up space. For example, one of these one-picture strips featured in the very first Calvin and Hobbes collection shows a terrified Calvin in the back of car his Mom is driving holding up a big sign to the other drivers that says he's been kidnapped. Hilarious stuff...which makes me wonder why it wasn't included in this "COMPLETE" Calvin and Hobbes set.

Then there's also a bunch of pictures at the beginning and end of certain Calving and Hobbes colections that didn't make it to these sets. For instance, at the very end of the collection "Scientific Progess Goes Boink", there is a large picture showing Susie looking down on the sidewalk shocked to see a crude drawing of herself, while Calvin and Hobbes are laughing behind a tree. Why wasn't this included?!

All in all, I do realize that I'm nitpicking with these left out pictures and one-picture strips. I just wish everything from all the previous collections was included, then I'd consider it truly complete. I really don't think it would have killed them to put in another dozen or so pages into this set so that everything from the older books was included. However, with that exception this collection is a must-have to any Calving and Hobbes fan. It's well-made, looks terrific, and is worth every penny. I'd like to give it five stars, but I simply have to take off one star for the missing artwork.

Recommended collection, November 12, 2005
The collection is collected in three sturdy, handsome books. The binding is durable, the pages are thick and strong. Though the books are heavy together with the slipcase, each individual book is of a manageable heft.

Compared to collecting the individual paperback trades, I think this collection is superior. The strips are all the larger size that Watterson wanted it to be presented for the reader, and the Sunday strips are all in full color. The rectangular shape of the later paperback trades felt flimsy and unwieldy, but with the sturdy hardcover of the collection, it feels just right. All of the extras of the treasury editions are included except for the behind-the-scenes commentary in the 10th anniversary edition. Finally, it's all less expensive than purchasing the lighter individual trades, and a more compact and safe way to store the complete collection for generations to come.

The only reason I think to get the paperback editions is if portability is a high priority and you wanted to read the strips while on a train or outside somewhere. The collection is definitely made for indoor viewing and you would want to keep the pages smudge, dirt, and food-free (though the thick glossy stock seems easily cleanable).

If you treasure the strip, want to save it for your own children to come, and don't intend to do a lot of portable or outdoor reading, then this collection is right for you.

An excellently bound collection..., October 26, 2005
This is just to correct the review below which states that the pages are glued to the spine instead of sewn. This is not true. The pages are indeed bound in signatures, 6-page signatures to be precise (I believe this is not an usual number, but the paper is thick; they are signatures all the same), 8 stitches per signature. Which to my eyes is a very good binding, as good as any hardback and better than most.

On the other hand, I would have liked a complete cloth cover, instead of half paper-half cloth. I see the paper corners wearing out, etc. But on the glued-sewn business, there are no complaints.

The contents themselves are well described elsewhere on this page and they are simply fantastic.

A must-have for many reasons and an insight into the creator of the strip, October 9, 2005
Many people here are probably familiar with Calvin and Hobbes, with the often manic Calvin and his comrade in adventure/escapades, Hobbes. Many have probably already bought various compilations of the comic strips and looked through them again and again. So why buy THIS collection?
Mainly because it goes WAY beyond anything else that is already out there - and not just because it contains EVERY single one of the comic strips in one collection, nicely slipcased. Buy it because it comes closest to reflecting what Bill Watterson, creator of these comics, wanted, exceptional color quality, pretty much up to his very perfectionistic standards. Buy it because for the first time you'll see the comic in as close to perfect form as you'll find...and yes, buy it because you'll finally have all of the strips in one set.
How much of a perfectionist was Watterson when it came to having control over his beloved characters? Well, imagine turning down a call from Steven Spielberg because you just aren't interested in collaborating with anyone, genius or not, on a work based on your comic strip. Imagine giving up lucrative contracts for lunch boxes, animated films, stuffed Calvin and Hobbes figures.
Whether you think that turning down all those potentially lucrative opportunities was admirable or crazy, there is no denying that he poured his heart, soul and psyche into his work, not distracted by meetings about the design of a lunch box or the decal that woould appear on clothing.
Nope, he just did his work, day in and day out, until he decided, at an early age (around 37) that he'd done enough and simply....stopped. That was a sad day for me,as I'd grown to love Calvin and Hobbes and their unique world, one in which you never really knew the names of Calvin's parents (anyone know?), one in which his teacher could morph into a monster, one that exemplified the psyche of one little boy so well and which hasn't been equaled since.

Watterson deserves the Nobel Prize for literature, October 4, 2005
Bill Watterson's "Calvin and Hobbes" was and is a singular achievement in art, blending the distinctive fantastic integrity of George Herriman's "Krazy Kat," and Berke Breathed's "Bloom County," the simple exploration of humanity of George Schulz's enduring "Peanuts," and raising and perfecting the lesser talents of Hank Ketcham's circumscribed worldview of "Dennis the Menace," and Gary Larson's skewed humor in "Far Side." From this constellation of comparisons, Watterson's "Calvin and Hobbes" is by far the brightest star, a supernova against white dwarfs, for it also adds and reveals an interior narrative that is simultaneously whimsical, and profound and moving like the deepest texts of ancient culture. To say that Watterson has created a visual poetic achievement on the scale of The Odyssey or The Holy Bible is not overstated, for as the appearance of this volume attests, something very significant has been achieved here. And yet, like blowing the seeds of a dandelion, it also is fun.

It has been previously noted, but frankly too little has been said, of Watterson's refusal to license the Calvin and Hobbes characters for mass market merchandising. Such costly integrity is unknown in this day and age, and therefore a text such as this merits more critical attention, for Watterson has therefore said more loudly than he ever otherwise could have that he is saying something with his art that is beyond price. He could not sell it in that way, and as he allows in his few writings outside of the comic strip itself, Calvin and Hobbes is a deeply personal creation. Perhaps most of us will never be able to create something ourselves so deeply personal, and so we must pause and attention must be paid to the artist who has, particularly the artist who has at great cost.

Fandom has explored the philosophical dimensions of "Calvin" versus "Hobbes" in the strip, and this again points to the inexhaustible nature of this classic text, for new dimensions are emerging in online discussions even now. Apart from the artistic integrity of the illustrations, Watterson's narrative is proving to be enduring beyond generations, combining the summit of achievement in two fields. Watterson is, therefore, an American artist simultaneously equal to both Mark Twain and John James Audubon, and from his merits deserves the Nobel Prize for literature. Would that the committee had the vision, this volume would certainly be among the finest ever to be recognized.

As I live in France, I currently am among the few in the world to enjoy "Calvin and Hobbes" daily re-runs in "The International Herald Tribune." This is always a delight, yet Watterson would weep at the compressed space in which his creation appears. This volume, therefore, corrects what many of us suffered under during "Calvin and Hobbes" print run and displays the strips in their proper originally intended size, with the Sunday features fully colored and breathtaking. For that alone this volume deserves five stars, and the additional collected material on Watterson's battle with comic space editors is always a welcome re-read.

Watterson's deceptively simple use of line has influenced a new generation of artists, among notable ones are Aaron McGruder and his current strip "Boondocks" and children's illustrator Jeff (Jef) Kaminsky in his "Poppy and Ella" and other works. For this legacy, Watterson is to be thanked. But for this complete collection and the excellent material assembled here as a permanent library worthy edition, Watterson deserves the highest distinctions both this nation and the world can offer. Let us hope that with the appearance of "The Complete Calvin and Hobbes" this recognition is hastened.

ALL the C&H you'll ever need (well, plus the 10th Anniversary book maybe), January 27, 2006
So happy to have this come out. Each strip is still as hilarious as the first time I read them decades ago!

As pointed out by someone previously it does omit some of the cute little sketches that were included (possibly as filler?) in some of the books and that's a bit of a shame, but really everything else is in here and is so well done and in such high quality it's hard to complain. As others have stated, 2 of the comics which used to refer to adoption have been changed. (If you read his 10th anniversary collection he kind of talks about how some people were offended by his lumping adoption and cannibalism.) I will be keeping the 10th anniversary edition because it has introductions by him explaining his philosophy/motivations but otherwise I think this collection almost perfectly replaces having to have 14 separate books.
I love how each page is dated so you can read it chronologically!

The only minor flaw is what seems like 2 coloring errors. On Sunday, May 10th (I think '86 or '87) the second panel (where he says "Dead Worms") shows Calvin's shirt as white (all the other panels are in red as usual) -was this a misprint? Then on Nov. 19, 1989 in the first panel Calvin's seen dressing in the usual striped red tshirt w/ a turquoise coat. In the 3rd panel he's suddenly in a pink shirt. Then in subsequent panels he's back to the red striped shirt & blue jacket. With all the care they obviously put into this it seems a bit strange.

Words I never thought I hear: "The Complete Calvin and Hobbes.", October 6, 2005
These are words I have longed to hear: "The Complete Calvin and Hobbes."

Yes, I have all the previous collections, in their various iterations, but when that big hardcover "Complete Far Side" came out a few years ago, THIS was the one strip I had hoped somebody would compile. And here it is.

I can't imagine anyone reading this far in this review who would have no exposure to this tyke and his tiger, but if you are in this small, lamentable cohort, you are among the luckiest people on Earth. You get to discover all this, all at once, much to your delight.

The only real precursor to C&H is "Peanuts" (also being lovingly collected in beautiful hardcovers), with the deceptively simple lines and boundless imagination. However, in direct contradistinction to that strip, Calvin has never been fully merchandised. Everything that is "Calvin & Hobbes" is right here. It's a world that had a beginning and an end. It is self-contained.

And...it's funnier.

What you get here is three large, exquisitely detailed tomes filled with the most hilarious, hysterical, touching and surprising stories you'll ever read.

Prose, poetry, film, comic books...just like those media, these are also complete stories. Some are told in three panels, some across weeks. Some are told magically in a single wordless panel. Wit, pathos, drama, suspense...even science fiction...all here, and all woven effortlessly and seamlessly together by Bill Watterson.

The construction of the book itself is something to behold. The binding is hefty, the paper thick and lustrous. The color reproductions are gorgeous. All contained in an illustrated slipcase.

I can't say enough about the strip itself. I don't think I've ever laughed harder at anything in my life. I've seen funny movies, heard comedians give killer lines during stand-up...but the convulsive, explosive laughter that this little guy generates is, I believe, unique.

This is something a lot of people will treasure for the rest of their lives. You will want your kids to read this. And their kids.

Now they'll be able to! ... Read more

Editorial Review

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 tricky waters of youth in the latest collection by comic strip genius Bill Watterson. Original. ... Read more

Reviews

Adventures with "the incurable weirdness poster child", December 22, 2001
"Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons," by Bill Watterson, is a collection of comic strip adventures of Calvin, the feisty schoolboy, and his companion Hobbes, a stuffed tiger. The strips generally form short stories within the book. The book's title refers to one of these storylines, in which Calvin creates a mutant snow man which in turn creates an army of similar creatures. Other storylines involve Calvin getting chicken pox; his creation of his own TV show; and his club known as GROSS (a warped acronym for "Get Rid Of Slimy girlS").

The C&H stories are great because they are funny celebrations of the power of a child's imagination. Calvin assumes such alternate identities as sci-fi hero Spaceman Spiff, caped superhero Stupendous Man, and private eye Tracer Bullet. Often the humor comes from the clash of Calvin's fantasies with the reality around him. The stuffed Hobbes, through the power of Calvin's imagination, becomes both a comrade and a great foil for the boy; their wacky relationship is one of the most memorable in the comic strip genre.

Calvin is an academic underachiever, rebel, performance artist, disgruntled philosopher, and all-around bringer of chaos -- although his playmate/rival Susie refers to him as "the incurable weirdness poster child." Whether discovering a new dinosaur species (the "Calvinosaurus") or evading the dreaded monster under the bed, Calvin is hilarious. And you've got to love a comic that cites the U.S. Bill of Rights. "Attack" is a great book both for C&H fans and for newcomers to this excellent comic strip.

A great read!, November 13, 2000
Bill Waterson is argudably one of the best comic writers out there. Even through his retirement, he has made great books of past comics featuring his Calvin and Hobbes characters. I laugh and laugh at these comics he creates and I sometimes wonder how he comes up with such brilliant ideas sometimes with the storylines of some of the strips.

Calvin, one of his best known characters, is the trouble-making kid in the school. He is funny and imaginative and likes to make funa and games with his "real" pet friend Hobbes. Through the comics, you can see the relationship between a stuffed animal and a human.

In this comic though, Hobbes "comes to life" in Calvins eyes. The things that Calvin can sometimes get involved in is so hilarious and sometimes out of this world.

I guarantee that anyone that loves comics will fall in love with this one and should definitely buy this book to start their collection of classic comics.

All of Bill Waterson's comic books are very well done and very professional. His work is his life and it shows the time and consideration it took to make these characters come to life. Thank you Mr. Waterson for creating such a great comic and thatnk you people for reading my review!

Wow!, March 27, 1999
I have read almost all of the books in Calvin & Hobbes collection. By far, this one is BETTER THAN THE BEST! I have always been a great Calvin & Hobbes fan, but this has crazy plots and more...like in the Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons (the comis strip not the book) Calvin makes a snowman come to life and it makes more weird snowmen. They attack Calvin & Hobbes. Then Calvin's parents come outside and say it's time to go to bed. Will Calvin & Hobbes be able to save the world from the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons?

"I'd like to shake the hand of the genius who invented these.", June 9, 2006
Calvin and Hobbes... you gotta love them!

"I'd like to shake the hand of the genius who invented these." - Calvin as he lovingly displays a perfect water balloon.

"Our class voted Calvin the 'Most likely to be seen on the news some day'." - Susie Derkins, the real expert on Calvin, after Calvin confesses to her that he is hiding from his homicidal bicycle.

"I dunno, it seems like once people grow up, they have no idea what's cool." - Calvin after his mom refused his request to get contact lenses... one blood red, and the other "Yellow striped, like a bug."

Oh... and why DO adults forget what is cool?

This may be the best "Calvin", July 26, 2000
All Calvin and Hobbes books are great. But this one, in which Calvin imagines that he has brought a demonic snowman to life, may be the best of the bunch. The sequence of strips in which Calvin is sure that the snowman and his friends are out to kill him may be the most brilliant of Bill Watterson's career. He is an absolute comic genius whose presence in the funny pages has been sorely missed since his retirement. "Snow Goons" is Watterson at his finest.

Calvin and Hobbes is Entertainment at its Best, September 17, 2006
Calvin and his stuffed tiger Hobbes wreck havoc as usual in this awesome collection of Watterson's timeless comic. Whether Calvin's wild imagination is dreaming of prehistoric dinosaurs or planning a mischevious attack on his arch-rival (fellow classmate Suzie Derkins), you're sure to enjoy the unexplainable antics of this troublesome six year old boy.

This particular collection starts with a series of cartoons depicting Calvin with chicken pox. Wouldn't you know it, as soon as he finds out he's contagious, he invites Suzie over to play. That crazy kid.

Individual comics follow, but then another series emerges - one where Calvin's bike attacks him upon every attempt at riding it, and his parents remain clueless about how his face could EVER get caught in the bike's chain.

In another series, we see Calvin's "Get Rid Of Slimy girlS" club planning a failed water balloon assault on Suzie, resulting in the disappearance of Hobbes. Hobbes does some smooching with the enemy and is labeled as a traitor.

We also see Calvin struggling in math, losing a 25 cent bet to Suzie after failing a quiz. He spends all his test time daydreaming he's interplanetary hero Spaceman Spiff, and is only able to do one lousy problem.

When the Christmas season approaches, poor Calvin has to avoid throwing snowballs at Suzie so he won't lose any of his Christmas loot.

The amusing title series of this collection is definitely one of my favorites. Calvin builds monster snowmen that (in his mind anyway) come to life and threaten his existence, so he freezes the whole front yard with the garden hose to protect himself, much to the dismay of his father.

Last but not least, Calvin builds a human duplicating machine out of a cardboard box, and he makes a special copy of himself that represents everything good in him. His plan is to make his flawless duplicate do all of his homework and chores, while he himself gets all the credit. Everything goes fine for a while, until his duplicate develops a crush on Suzie, making him look bad. Hilarity ensues.

Inbetween each of the series are individual comic strips with recurring themes. Open-minded Calvin bugs his parents with questions like, "Why do I have to play outside?" "Why can't we watch TV during dinner?" "If we were cannibals, what parts of people would we eat?" Calvin also grosses out Suzie at every opportunity whenever it's time for lunch at school.

We see Calvin engaging in some of his less frequent behaviors as well, such as digging for dinosaur bones in the front yard and demanding his parents and teachers address him as "Calvin the Bold."

Great, great collection. I loved it years ago and still love it today. Best comic ever in my opinion.

They're ALL brilliant!, January 1, 2000
I've got almost every Calvin and Hobbes collection, but as this was the first one I ever bought I'm going to review it. What can I say? What can anyone say? Bill Watterson has broken the mould of comic strips--this is the wittiest, silliest, sickest, and most heart-warming fiction I've ever come across, in ANY medium. I love his characters, and I love his insane plotlines--yet there's always a golden nugget of truth at the heart of each. Along with Gary Larson, Bill Watterson has breathed new life into the comic strip genre (and I'm no big fan of comics). Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant stuff.

Great bedtime stories, March 11, 2003
I've been teaching my son to read English through Calvin and Hobbes books. I've been surprised how much of it is written with an adult in mind. We have drawn much amusement from these books. The Snow Goons isn't quite as rewarding as other C&H collections, but is enjoyable nonetheless. This is more a weekly format with black and white strip cartoons. None of the Sunday spreads are contained within this collection, where one really saw Watterson show off his stunning imagination. However, it is very much worth adding to the archives, especially for bedtime stories.

Some of Watterson's Funniest Calvin & Hobbes, July 3, 2003
I first began reading Calvin and Hobbes in the newspaper around the time he introduced the Killer Snow Goons story, where Calvin builds yet another mutant, deranged snowman--but unlike previous strips, Calvin attempts to bring the snow goon to life a la Frankenstein, leading to the monster creating an army of similarly deranged snow goons.

Watterson's artwork as usual is imaginative and humorous, and Calvin and Hobbes' interaction in this book are particularly hilarious. If you've never read C&H before, consider this book a great place to start; long-read fans will also enjoy it as one of the best selections in the Calvin & Hobbes library.

Deserves more than a 5!, June 26, 2002
I loved Calvin and Hobbes when i was a little kid and I still do now! They're hillarious and Calvin reminds me so much of myself at
his age (not in every aspect). Especially our family camp trips. calvin and his mom remind me so much of myself and my mom when
our dad took us camping and it turned out to be a disaster, lol. These cartoons make me want to be a kid again. Almost everyone has
said this but I'll say it again. You'll start out planning to read a few pages but you won't stop there. you can't. it's so additive. some of
the younger kids might not understand some of the big words but older kids will. But I think that grownups will enjoy them the most.
Get them
all! ... Read more

Editorial Review

They're back: Calvin, the six-year-old dirty tricksmeister and master of indignation and his warm, cuddly philosopher sidekick, Hobbes, a tiger whose idea of adventure is to lie on his back by the fire and have his stomach rubbed.In six short years this unlikely due has captured the hearts, the minds, and, most of all, the funny bones of America.They are the msot phenomenal success story in syndication - and publishing - history.In only six years, they appear in more than 2,100 newspapers worldwide, and Calvin and Hobbes wins as many readership polls as Calvin has excesses.All seven of Bill Watterson's collections have sold a million copies within a year of publication.This treasury collection contains a never-before-published full-color section, as well as the cartoons appearing in The Revenge of the Baby-Sat and Scientific Progress Goes "Boink." All Sunday cartoons are presented full-page and full-color. ... Read more

Reviews

Calvin and Hobbes Ranking System---#1, May 26, 2004
This treasury is far and away the best of the entire Calvin and Hobbes Collection. I own every book, and have recently reread them all, and without a doubt this is the very best. For one thing, it was written right in the middle of Watterson's C&H career, which means that the writing and ideas are still fresh, while super-improved drawings and Sunday strips have just begun. Second of all, Watterson must have been on a powerful creative streak, because there is an amazing number of stories within the "Indispensible" collection. There are three Rosalyn babysitter tales, the bug collection story, the bat project, two camping trips, G.R.O.S.S. adventures, the burglar break in, the car down the hill, multiple Stupendous Mans, multiple Spaceman Spiff getaways, the duplicator going "boink" and creating more Calvin's, a rare, great Tracer Bullet story, Calvin defying gravity and size, Calvin on the baseball team, and a time machine adventure to the dinosaur age. The sheer amount of stories here is unheard of for a C&H collection, and the best part is that almost every one is fantastic. Thirdly, the Sunday strips are in color, which is a huge plus. Fourthly, Calvin's parents have finally been rendered as three dimensional and sympathetic individuals, a characteristic that had been lacking in the earlier books. Last of all, as always, these comics are frequently hilarious, sometimes touching, and always entertaining. This collection personifies those characteristics to the nth degree, and is without a doubt the best Calvin and Hobbes for anyone to buy. If you're looking for other good C&H books, I would also recommend the Essential Collection (first two books, funny yet lacking in drawing), Snow Goons, Psycho Jungle Cat, Treasure Everwhere, and the 10th Anniversary. I hope this was helpful both for prospective buyers, and old fans looking back.

Indispensable! What else can I say?, October 30, 2003
Fans of Calvin & Hobbes who used to read the newspaper strip in the 80s and 90s will find great pleasure in reading this treasury of C&H comics. These witty comics about the 6-year old Calvin and his stuffed tiger Hobbes, named after the famous philosophers, will amuse people of all ages. The perceptiveness and humor of Watterson deserve the highest of cartoon awards, while his artistic creations exude hilarity. This cartoon is perhaps one of the most piercing yet funny critiques of modern society.

This book starts out with Calvin praying for snow so he can engage in one of his favorite hobbies: sledding, and then his other favorite hobby, throwing snowballs at Susie. Aside from the snowman exhibition, this book is a must-have since it covers the founding of C&H's GROSS (the Get Rid of Slimy girlS club). This also has the hilarious series about the time Calvin's personal gravity polarity reversed, and the episode when the Transmogrifier becomes the Duplicator.

Note that there are two series of C&H collections: individual wide-format albums, each covering an entire year of strips (will call it "regular"), and the vertical aspect ratio "treasury series" which covers selected comics from two regular C&H books. Note that C&H ran for a year in newspapers, so there's 10 regular books and 5 treasury books. Though the cartoons are slightly smaller in the treasury collection, each treasury book is far thicker and contains more strips than a regular book, and is furthermore less expensive, so treasury books are a real bargain. "The Indispensable Calvin & Hobbes" belongs to the Treasury collection, and was first released in 1992.

Watterson at his best!, December 30, 1998
Once again the hero of Sunday comics makes yet another book filled with laughter in every page. I've read every ''Calvin and Hobbes" except for "Yukon Ho!" and "Attack of the Snow Goons" and I think this is the funniest one. The laughter will not stop. And in the begining of the book, Watterson puts together Calvin and Hobbes Poetry with subjects that appear in Calvin's comic strip life. It has strips with all of everyone's favorite characters such Susie Derkins, Moe, and Rosalyn. If you want a book with non-stop laughter and one that you can read over and over, this is truly the one.

Will the most precocious child please step foward?, April 2, 1998
"Indespensable" is rendered rhetorical when it comes to Calvin and Hobbes, but a collection such as this should be required reading for, well, everyone. Calvin is the child we all were and continues to be the child we wish could still be. Of course any child who regularly uses words like "malpractice insurance" and "besmirching" asks you to suspend disbelief, but these phrases come from the same young boy possessing an unbelievably hyperactive imagination and a penchant for walking around the house in his birthday suit. And Hobbes, Calvin's best friend (who just happens to be a stuffed tiger - or is he alive?) represents everything we so crave and desire. Someone who will listen to you and give you unconditional love (not to mention a furry belly to lie on). Calvin's musings on life, school, and parents are nothing short of sophisticated philosophy. Take this book with your family and read it aloud for all to hear. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll imagine you're a tyrannosaurus rex. Indispensable.

An anthology of laughter, May 29, 2004
Whether the collection is the "Indispensible" or "Essential" or "Quintessential" Calvin and Hobbes, it doesn't really matter. Watching this hyperactive, hyperimaginative child and his willing though wise accomplice, Hobbes, take on evil babysitters, Susie Derkins, the class bully and all creatures (real or imaginary), is a pleasure and laughter without stop. "The Indispensible Calvin and Hobbes" is another in a long list of the great comic work of Bill Watterson. This is an indispensible/essential/quintessential collection for all Calvin and Hobbes and humor fans!

they never seem to get this right, July 22, 2006
I love Calvin and Hobbes, but I've noticed that frequently the online reviews of the 'essential' Calvin and Hobbes volumes in particular are misleading. Each of these volumes are essentially a 'best of' and NOT a compendium, of three other Calvin and Hobbes books. While they do have lots of great strips, they skip over others. (In particular singular strips are usually left out in favor of ones telling a broader story over several days, if not weeks.) What these compilations DO have which the others don't is a cool watercolor introduction with full page illustrations.

Indispensable indeed!, September 15, 2004
But how can you single this one out to be indispensable when ALL Calvin and Hobbes books are must haves/keeps forever? In this book you'll find all the usual Spaceman Spiff adventures as he flys through desert canyons on remote menacing planets, loads of Stupendous Man hijinks and endless laughs as Calvin never ceases to terrorize and menace everyone around him. But there is not enough of Hobbes. Even if Hobbes was in every panel on every page there still wouldn't be enough of him. I absolutely LOVE Hobbes. I want him. He IS the greatest.

The American Boyhood, July 21, 2008
Calvin in Hobbes in some ways reminds me of Mark Twain's writing in comic form. Calvin is a rebellious rapscallion of a little boy who lives a life filled with picaresque adventures and imaginary exploits. His imagination and personality are boundless, yet he is a total failure in school, he has no human friends, and he is bullied. Despite his poor grades, he exhibits an astounding vocabulary and often muses on the deeper aspects of life. Calvin struggles in the real world but that doesn't bother him because he knows what truly matters in life: friendship (he has a very close one with Hobbes), adventure, and imagination. And he's irresistibly charismatic despite his flaws.

The other main characters are strong supporters. Hobbes is essential to Calvin's well-being, and most of Calvin's exploits take place with Hobbes at his side. They scuffle, but they love each other. Every day when Calvin comes home from school, Hobbes is waiting to pounce on him in joyous greeting. Calvin is annoyed to be tackled every day, but deep down he cherishes it; without that daily pounce, what would Calvin's life be? Calvin's parents take background roles in the strip, since the protagonists are the boy, his stuffed tiger, and the world he lives in, but they are calming presences, always stepping in when Calvin gets in too much trouble. Sometimes they're a little strict, but they're good role models. Susie, the neighborhood girl, always tries to be friendly with him but Calvin, in an age-old young boy's strive to assert his masculinity, insists that she is gross and constantly picks on her in a light-hearted manner. Many strips, however, just involve Calvin and Hobbes, getting into trouble, discussing ideas, exploring, relaxing...

One would be a complete curmudgeon whose heart is not warmed by this touching, happy, and filled-with-life exploration of the mind and adventures of a young boy. As long as Calvin is dreaming up Spaceman Spiff adventures while stuck in a desk at school, as long as he and his tiger are taking walks in the forest or wild wagon rides down and off of cliffs while philosophizing about life, as long as Calvin is pelting Susie with snowballs on a cozy winter day, and as long as Calvin and Hobbes are running and jumping in the backyard in a rollicking game of Calvinball, there is peace in this world.

an epic, great modern day comic strip parable ........., May 3, 2007
I could relate to Calvin and Hobbes, from the moment I first started following the adventures of the devilish, eternal six year old (Calvin) and his scruffy, stuffed pal tiger (Hobbes). Though, many of the plots appear simplistic (example: Calvin makes a mess and his mother yells at him!), there is so much more to the little strips than meets the eye. For starters, Calvin and Hobbes ponders the meaning of life, the voicelessness of children in society, and self image (among other themes).

Though, this comic strip is something that definitely appeals to little children, because it presents a little boy that we all can relate to (or maybe spent time avoiding on the playground if he teased us), and his stuffed animal. Anyone who owned a stuffed animal and knows what an important bond that is for a child, knows the feeling when that toy crosses over from the identity of "inanimate object" to "lifelike being." The creature that we relate to truly embodies the qualities who want in a best friend and companion, and we aren't doing the talking for that creature, because it truly does have a mind of its own! (in the eyes of a child) Wonderful, very funny and beautifully drawn. I've had mine for almost fifteen years and I just went back to look at it today. It feels like no time has passed between now, and the time I first looked at it. Buy this today and make it a part of your collection.

Long, March 8, 2007
This Calvin and Hobbes book is the best i've read by far. Its 250 pages long and each page contains 3 strips.
The strips in this book are especially funny and i am sure you'll enjoy them.
I highly reccomend this book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

A gift set of the thirteenth and fourteenth Complete Peanuts volumes, in a handsome and durable slipcase.The Complete Peanuts 1975-1976: Good grief, Charlie Brown, we're halfway there!That’s right! With this volume, The Complete Peanuts reaches the halfwaypoint of Charles M. Schulz’s astounding half-century run on the greatestcomic strip of all time. These years are especially fecund in terms of new canine characters, as Snoopy is joined by his wandering brother Spike(from Needles), his beloved sister Belle (from Kansas City), and... did you know he had a nephew? In other beagle news,Snoopy breaks his foot and spends six weeks in a cast, deals with his friend Woodstock’s case of the “the vapors,” and getsinvolved in a heated love triangle with Linus over the girl “Truffles.” The Complete Peanuts 1975-1976 features several other long stories, including a rare “double track” sequence with twoparallel narratives: Peppermint Patty and Snoopy travel to participate in the Powderpuff Derby, while Charlie Brown finallygets to meet his idol Joe Shlabotnik. And Peppermint Patty switches to a private school, but commits the mistake of allowingSnoopy to pick it for her; only after graduation does she realize something’s not quite right! Plus: A burglary at Peppermint Patty’s house is exacerbated by waterbed problems... Marcie acquires an unwanted suitor...Charlie Brown and Peppermint Patty become desk partners... The talking school building collapses... Lots of tennis jokes...and gags starring Schroeder, Lucy, Franklin, Rerun, Sally, and that vicious cat next door. It’s another two years of Peanuts at itsfinest! Featuring an introduction by comedian Robert Smigel (Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, Saturday Night Live).

The Complete Peanuts 1977-1978:As the 1970s wind down, the last two recurring Peanuts characters havefallen into place: Snoopy’s brother Spike and the youngest Van Pelt sibling,Rerun. But that doesn’t mean Schulz’s creativity has diminished; in fact, thisvolume features an amazing profusion of hilariously distinctive new one- (ortwo-) shot characters! For instance, in an epic five-week sequence, when Charlie Brown, foundguilty by the EPA of biting the Kite-Eating tree, he goes on the lam andends up coaching the “Goose Eggs,” a group of diminutive baseball players,Austin, Ruby, Leland, and —did you know there was a second Black Peanutscharacter, aside from Franklin?—Milo.Also: a tennis-playing Snoopy ends up reluctantly teamed with the extremeType “A” athlete Molly Volley... who then reappears later in the book, nowfacing off against her nemesis, “Crybaby” Boobie. (Honest!) Add in Sally’snew camp friend Eudora, the thuggish “caddymaster” who shoots downPeppermint Patty and Marcie’s new vocation, an entire hockey team, and asurprise repeat appearance by Linus’s sweetheart “Truffles” (creating a lovetriangle with Sally), all in addition to the usual cast of beloved characters(including the talking schoolhouse and the doghouse-jigsawing cat, who getsahold of Linus’s blanket in this one), and you’ve got a veritable crowd ofcharacters. Introduction by 30 Rock's Alec Baldwin.

It’s another four years of the greatest comic strip of all time, full of laughsand surprises. 1461 black-and-white comic strips ... Read more

Reviews

STILL BETTER THAN THE REST!, September 12, 2010
If you are looking for a place to start a collection of these Fantagraphics volumes try the collections from the mid 50's through to around 72. On the other hand if you have collected the others these are still most worthwhile. The difference is that these are quieter and in a lower key and volume. Lucy has quietened down and CB is not as anguished and hysterical. If you can believe David Michaelis author of 'Schulz and Peanuts' this is because Charles M was now happy in his second marriage and his first wife had been a model for Lucy in the 50's and 60's. OK so these are a bit less strident than the strips on which he made his reputation but they are still better than 95% of other people's work. Peanuts changed constantly throughout it's history and continues to change here. I for one will be glad to stay on board.

How can one stop here?, October 2, 2010
With this set, the series goes well beyond the halfway point of its entire 50 year run. To own the first 14 volumes and then not bother with the forthcoming other 11 just seems stupid. Sort of like climbing half way up a mountain and saying, "The view doesn't get any better, let's go home."

Latest addition to colection, October 8, 2010
This is the latest addition to my wife's collection, and the transaction was excellent, great price, and superb turn around to recieve merchandise.

Still the best srtip of the 20th Century, December 3, 2010
I had made the decision last year to no longer purchase the wonderful and amazing Fantagraphics box sets of Peanuts "Featuring Good Old Charlie Brown." But... well, the sets are so amazing I went ahead and purchased this year's four year collection. As others have pointed out, Schulz was in decline over the last half of his career, but pinpointing the exact point is difficult, at least for me. I am not unhappy with my purchase, as Schulz is one of the most consistent writers, mixing humour with philosophy and religion, and usually hitting me just right. While I had decided that the box set ending with 1974 was the last of the strips I would re-collect, I cannot say that the downward slope is especially noticeable in the present set, and all that I can say is that I miss the 50's and 60's mindset. These are not bad strips at all, it is just a new philosophy of cartooning, and while it is not the path I would have chosen for the characters to go down, I would not have been able to create the characters and the series in a million years, so I will just try my best to enjoy the ride. It is enjoyable, just different than the past.

Funny, though, to think back to a musing I made in my twenties, hoping that Schulz would have the sense to go out on top, and not decline like Ernie Bushmiller and the Nancy series. I think I sensed that "Superstar" Snoopy was beginning to be the tail wagging the dog, so to speak, and unfortunately I was making that observation right about the time the un-hoped for began to happen. I agree with some of the other reviewers that Bill Watterson got the timing right with Calvin and Hobbes (but wish he had as long a prolific period as Schulz had.)

For all that, I still can recommend this set, as Schulz is still the best. We are so fortunate to have had him.

IT'S ALL DOWN THE (daisy) HILL FROM HERE ON..., September 1, 2010
Sure, PEANUTS was the greatest comic strip of all time, but that doesn't mean it didn't declined over the years. Instead of relaunching old characters that faded away in time (Paty, Violet, Frieda and her cat, Shermy, Pig Pen, the Birds who got patted in the head) Schultz invented new ones that not only were redundant, they derailed the original formula to a wreck it never recovered.

"Rerun", a Linus clone and a vehicle for baby gags once meant for Sally, was a minor hindrance, but Snoopy's brother Spike was a costly mistake. The characters that followed didn't -and couldn't- add much after that. It's not that they were bad, they merely weren't great. And PEANUTS was expected to be great.

It wasn't the end of the world, of course, it just was the beginning of the end for the strip. Other great strips have gone the same way -Dick Tracy, Lil' Abner, Ast�rix, Bringing Up Father- ...why should PEANUTS end different? Better to die along with its creator, than to remain a putrid zombie in ComixHell, drawn by a Press Syndicate slave for meagre profits.

Anyway, as a big fan of the strip, read it from the year Schroeder grew up, to when Peppermint Patty and Marcie (the last great characters) reigned supreme. After that, I wouldn't. It's like watching people you love on their way to the grave. It hurts.

Yes (regretfully) this is where I'll get off the bus. BUT..., September 2, 2010
...in the context of the work of a genius (who permanently revolutionized his field, in ways many of us are still only beginning to understand) the three-star comics of Charles Schulz are--on many days--far superior to the five-star works of lesser talents.

We all have our own opinions of which periods are essential. I'll be satisfied with my boxed sets covering the years 1959 through 1978.

Fantagraphics Books deserve mention for this gloriously sumptuous publishing venture. Finally, Schulz' oeuvre appears in a format suitably "serious" for groundbreaking art of its caliber. Not like when I was a kid and had fifty-odd paperbacks--in various states of disrepair--bursting from the confines of my bookcase and littering the floor. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Complete Far Side contains every Far Side cartoon ever syndicated- more than 4,000 comic gems, with more than 1,100 that have neverpreviously appeared in book form!Also included is a rare glimpseinto the mind of Far Side creator Gary Larson, with his quirky andthoughtful introductions to each of the 14 chapters. Still want more?Complaint letters, fan letters, and queries from puzzled readers roundout this eclectic and definitive collection of what many peopleconsider the most side-splitting cartoon of all time. Actor, author,and comedian Steve Martin writes the delightful and pithy foreword,and Larson's former editor describes what it was like to be "the guywho could explain every Far Side cartoon." It's everything you couldwant from The Far Side - and much, much more!

Revered by fans as the funniest, most original, most "What the...?" - inspiring cartoon ever, The Far Side last appeared over nineyears ago and still boasts millions of rabid devotees. During its14-year run, the cartoon was syndicated internationally in more than1,900 daily newspapers, translated into 17 different languages, andspawned 22 Far Side books. ... Read more

Reviews

A Piece of History, November 6, 2003
The first thing you notice about The Complete Far Side is its weight. This is a heavy item. (...) Even the slipcase is made of some super-industrial-strength cardboard, because a regular thickness just wouldn't be up to the task of housing the two absolutely massive bound volumes within.

You really can't imagine how big and heavy this thing is. Get a rough estimate in your mind. Now double it. Good, you're getting close. (...)P>The second thing you notice is quality. Everything from the full-color pages (even when the comics are in black-and-white) to the cloth binding with gold embossing, to the full-color plates decorating the outside of the slipcase shouts "We are the nicest-looking books you will ever own."Even if the contents were the Detroit Yellow Pages, these books would still be a pleasure just to look at and feel. Fortunately, the contents are a long way better than the Yellow Pages. And that brings us to the third thing you'll notice: the absolute, pure, unalloyed genius of Gary Larson. You get every Far Side ever published along with a heap that never have been. Lots of old comics I remembered as being in black and white, are redone in color here. Plus you get several meaty essays by Gary Larson himself, that add even more context to the Far Side phenomenon.

But the best part of The Complete Far Side may not even be Larson's work -- rather, it's the exhaustive documentation of people's reaction to it. Every time some nutjob with too much time on his hands wrote an angry letter to the newspaper complaining about a Far Side, that letter is reproduced here next to the panel in question. Often, the syndicate's response is included as well.

People who complain that they've already read, and bought, many of the comics in this compendium are missing the point. This is the book equivalent of a DVD Ultimate Edition. No, it's better than that. This is more than a bunch of comics; it's a historical record of an artist's life's work and the impact it had on the world around him. This is a work of art that you will keep in your family and hand down through the generations, unless you sell it on Ebay in a few years for five times its current price. It's the highest-quality version possible of one of the highest-quality comics ever created.

Ultimately, I can say only this: the Complete Far Side belongs in the collection of anyone who loves books. Or humor itself. Or weiner dogs. Cows. Primates. Scientists. Insects. Grannies in those pointy glasses. Dinosaurs...

Nearly the ultimate (comprehensive) collection, November 13, 2003
In terms of content, this is *nearly* the ultimate collection of Gary Larson's wonderful Far Side comics (why do all the good cartoonists like Larson and Watterson retire early, while banal ones like Jim Davis [Garfield] go on ad nauseum?).

Books are very well made, like good art history volumes, with thoughtful notes included between each section (divided by years), and the paper and ink quality is excellent.

However, while this collection features all of the Far Side comics published since inception (and a few more never before seen by the public), it leaves out Larson's hilarious Farsidian take on classic art pieces as featured in the superb "Weiner Dog Art" collection from the 90's. Also, and I suppose this would have made what are already two massive tomes even more unruly to handle, it leaves out all of "Prehistory of the Far Side" material.

So just make sure you get "Weiner Dog Art" and "Prehistory", and then with this collection you'll have the ultimate Far Side opus.

Well worth the price - The Complete Far Side!, November 16, 2003
Attention all Far Side fans! It may have been nearly nine years since Gary Larson hung up his famous pen and eraser, however you can continue to get your "fix" of the Far Side for a very long time to come with this outstanding collection.

I was impressed that the publisher of this volume has taken the time to put together a nearly comprehensive collection of every Far Side cartoon ever published (well over 4,000 in total). The cartoons are printed on very finely milled paper, the books are beautifully bound, and they are even placed inside a very nicely done slipcase. Not only will you enjoy reading these classic cartoons, they will look terrific on your bookshelf!

Just be warned, they are very heavy - each volume has to weigh 20 pounds a piece.

You cannot afford to pass this collection up - do not let the price scare you away - you will not be disappointed!

Happy reading!

Sublimely Weird, October 30, 2004
Because Gary Larson's "The Far Side" cartoons didn't appear in my newspaper, I never saw them as they came out. Instead, I'd see them tacked to office cubicle walls, or on greeting cards, or desktop calendars, or coffee mugs -- in short, all over the place. It didn't take me long to become a big Larson fan.

When I first came across "The Complete Far Side" a year ago, in a local book store, it was set up on the kind of display stand normally reserved for encyclopedias, major dictionaries, and other scholarly works of that sort. As I reverently turned the pages, laughing at just about everything I saw, my hands got really sweaty. ("Ohpleaseohpleaseohplease!") It was mighty pricey. It was HUGE. Where am I going to PUT this thing??? No, I really can't .... and I'd walk away, looking back longingly.

So I thought about it for a full year, watching sales come and go, and the books disappear for a time, only to reappear, and finally I broke down and ordered them from Amazon. The shipment box comes with a prominent "warning, heavy contents" sticker. Larson calls it an "18-pound hernia giver". Page "xxi" in Volume One shows a full-page cartoon of the books being assembled with a crane. You get the idea.

And I still had to figure out where to put them. They won't fit on any of my bookshelves. They're much too big for the coffee table. Under my bed? The monsters would eat them, and the crunching would keep me awake. Finally I hit upon the ideal solution: I slung them onto my dresser, between my "Compact Oxford Dictionary" and the filing cabinet.

Interesting note: the two-volume microprint dictionary comes in its own display case, complete with magnifying glass, and turns out to be EXACTLY the same height and depth as "The Complete Far Side". So they look really nice together.

The display case itself is very attractive, with a picture of cooks hunting flying cows on one side, and a "family portrait" of some of Larson's stock characters on the other side: the Neanderthal, the nerdy-looking boy, the mad scientist, the woman with horn-rimmed glasses, a snake, and a praying mantis, to name just a few. The cover of Volume One has a portrait looking like a parody of Queen Elizabeth I or a contemporary, in a stately dress; Volume Two has the same portrait, this time of a cow. Inside the covers of each book are sketches of "Cow Town", sort of what the seedy part of town might look like in a bovine-dominated civilization.

And then there are the cartoons themselves. They're arranged roughly in chronological order. At the start of each year is an essay written by Larson, describing various fascinating aspects of his formative years along with how he came up with some of his ideas. Right before each essay is a two-page panoramic cartoon with the year emblazoned on it. For instance, 1981 has "When Cows Ruled the Earth", one of my favorites.

Interspersed with the daily cartoons are various letters, ranging from the puzzled ("What does the Cow Tools cartoon mean???") to the admiring, to the utterly outraged ("Gary Larson is sick, sick, sick!!!") And then there was the infamous 1987 "Jane Goodall Tramp" cartoon, which, as it turns out, Dr. Goodall enjoyed a great deal. It can be a great honor to find oneself in a "Far Side" cartoon.

True, Larson's cartoons aren't for everyone. Some of them are pretty outrageous, like the one of the alligator being shooed out of the nursery ("Heaven knows how he keeps getting in here, Betty, but you better count 'em"), or the one where the doctors are testing babies for static cling. Any number of animal and human characters throughout the years meet their untimely demise in various bizarre and creepy ways, be it the man-eating mailbox, the giant Venus flytrap disguised as a swing set, or the cows waiting not-so-patiently in line at Anderson's meat-packing plant. ("Hey! You! ... No cutting in!")

As time permits, usually at bedtime, I've been leafing through the books page by page, with note paper handy, writing down the page number and date of any cartoon that strikes my fancy, from my favorite classics to ones I've seen for the very first time. A significant number of them are in color, including hundreds which Larson went back and redid, all the way back to 1980 -- the first year of publication. The color ones tend to be the best, as the details stand out better. As Larson gets more and more comfortable with drawing the cartoons, they tend to get funnier. As a result, I have three pages of notes for Volume One, and twice that many for Volume Two.

There are only two things I wish the books had. The first is, admittedly, unrealistic: an index by cartoon caption and another by topic (cows, chickens, cave men, aliens, etc.) But, they'd probably have to be micro-printed to fit in a two-volume work, so never mind.

My second wish is more doable, and in fact does come with the Oxford: pull tabs, for coaxing the volumes out of the box. As it is, the operation consists of sliding the case to the front of the dresser, tipping it forward ... ever ... so ... gingerly, and trying to catch the books before they fall onto my foot and break a toe or something.

But these are minor quibbles. If you're at all a fan of "The Far Side", and have the money and the room, you'll want these books. They're great for endless hours of entertainment.

My one warning: don't try to read these while you're recovering from abdominal surgery. It will hurt.

A worthwhile investment, October 28, 2003
This is the Holy Grail for Far Side fans; a two-volume, leatherbound, slipcase edition of every single Far Side strip ever produced, including ones that were never anthologized. It carries a hefty price tag, but this should not be an issue for a true Larson fan; the price of admission pales in comparison to the endless amount of humor and satisfaction that one will get time and time again. The Far Side never gets old, and it's like having a long-lost friend come back.
The pages are thick and glossy and extremely well-bound; it's like an encyclopedia, only with a lot more relevant information and more interesting pictures. Organized chronologically and with a two-page cartoon introducing the year, the Complete Far Side shows the progression of Larson's humor and the transformation of the public reaction to his cartoons (this is done with various letters from editors and such, though not in a way that mimics The Pre-History of the Far Side). Some of the strips are presented in color, something that will perhaps be seen as a disappointment to some, but to the majority it is nothing short of a bonus; most of these that are in color have been previously anthologized in black and white.
I personally find Steve Martin's introduction to be a brilliant homage to Gary Larson, and the comments from Larson's editor prove to be tongue-in-cheek moments where one who truly "gets" The Far Side can laugh at the ignorant masses.
This is the centerpiece of my library now, and while it is somewhat bulky, when it's in your lap or on the table, the ten pounds per book seems irrelevant when you realize the sheer scope of what you have in your hands.
And if you ever visit the Midvale School for the Gifted...pull, don't push.

Weighs as much as a cow too., October 21, 2003
At over 19 pounds in weight and containing some of the funniest cartoons ever drawn, this book can be a real side-splitter.

More than half of the cartoons have been colorized, and they actually look very good done this way, so even if you have all the individual books there are still good reasons to get this compilation (including the ~1100 or so strips that have not previously been collected I believe).

There are three or four panels per page typically, and a couple page intoduction to each chapter (year) by the author.

Steve Martin's short introduction isn't all that funny in my opinion.

For any Larson fan, this certainly is a must-have work.

These will be reprinted, December 22, 2003
An earlier reviewer claims that this book will not be reprinted. I called Andrews McMeel Publishing and they say they have already started a new run and will continue to reprint the book as long as there is a demand for it.

Absolutely Sublime, November 5, 2003
I didn't know that this book was coming out. I saw it in a book store and balked at the price tag, but was rescued when I received it as a gift. Now that I have seen it I can honestly say that it is worth far more than the list price. This is simply the greatest compendium of comics ever.

The books are beautifully bound, and the set is VERY heavy (remember to lift with your legs, not with your back) and very large. That brings me to my only complaint about the set, which is that at a bit over 14 inches tall, the books will not sit in most standard bookcase shelves, so I have to figure out someplace else to put them now. It is a small price to pay for all of Larson's brilliance (and Cow Tools, too)!

The books are very well printed and many of the panels are in color (even some of the original black and white panels) which to me adds to the beauty of the books, although I understand some purists have objected to the 'colorization.' To those people I say 'get a life.' This is how Larson wanted them and I totally agree. I couldn't be happier with the set!

Wow., October 23, 2003
I would love to see the leather bound edition of this because the hard back edition is just fantastic. The binding is solid, the paper, printing, everything is of fantastic quality. The cartoons are absolutely hilarious, despite their age and Gary Larson's fear that they would not be understood now. I spent two hours reading these tonight and I've got a long, long way to go.

It's a great piece of extremely high quality. You can do no better than this. If you or someone you know is a fan of the Far Side then this is an absolute must have.

Two of the world's greatest word-jewellers., November 9, 2003
Gary Larson and Steve Martin in one volume? Get it, whatever the price.

Both authors polish their words until they shine; until they sound so familiar that they ease into your ear, yet literally contain such astonishing content that you can't contain your laughter.

Larson, I think, is more a wordsmith than a cartoonist. How many of his cartoons are just literal depictions of a verbal pun? And how many quite funny cartoons become gems though their perfect captions? ("Latte, Jed?", or the incomparable "She's lookin' good, Vern..." stick in my memory)

Larson uses the rhythms and patterns of normal speech to lull us into a false sense of security, then subverts our interpretation of of the sentence with a surprising image. A true master of uniting the verbal and the visual.

Why did he choose the world of natural science so often for his subject matter? Maybe nature is plastic, fluid, and playful (as he shows in his visuals) whereas the way we use language nowadays, sadly, is not.

Shrug off your sticker shock (didn't Larson do a cartoon about that phrase once?) and get it. ... Read more

Editorial Review

When cartoonist Bill Watterson announced that his phenomenally popular cartoon strip would be discontinued on the last day of 1995, Calvin and Hobbes fans throughout the world went into mourning.Fans have learned to survive - despite the absence of the boy and his tiger in the daily newspaper.Now, like the wave of a sweet memory; comes one last chance to experience Calvin and Hobbes, in its final collection.Like the thirteen extraordinarily successful Watterson books that came before it, this volume promises to deliver all the satisfaction of visiting its characters once more. Calvin fans will be able to see their favorite mischief maker stir it up with his furry friend, long-suffering parents, classmate Susie Derkins, school teacher Miss Wormwood, and Rosalyn the baby-sitter.This collection, including full-color Sundays, has it all: Calvin-turned-firefly waking Hobbes with his flashlight glow; courageous Spaceman Spiff rocketing through alien galaxies as he battles Dad-turned-Bug-Being; and Calvin's always inspired snowman art.There's no better way for Watterson fans to savor once again the special qualities of their favorite strip. ... Read more

Reviews

The hardcover edition is the only way to go on this treasure, January 4, 2000
For over a decade, Calvin and Hobbes was a part of our families. We came to know Calvin and his suave stuffed tiger, Hobbes. We shared in his divine 'love' for his mother's cooking. We got the warm fuzzies as he and Susie Derkins played out their young romance through insults and secret G.R.O.S.S. meetings. We laughed at Calvin's vivid imagination through installments of Tracer Bullet, Stupendous Man, and the incomparable Spaceman Spiff (zounds!). And we cried and smiled through tears as Calvin learned the value of life and the pricelessness of a true friend. Calvin and Hobbes encapsulates every special moment of childhood, and can melt away the hard shell of even the most jaded and bitter individual. This comic strip is a celebration of life, and while it saddens me to realize that I'll never be able to share future adventures with them, I can always go back and relive those past moments again trough wonderful collections such as this. Since this book is the final collection, you owe it to yourself to own it in hardcover form. I can't recommend this book (or any of the others) enough. If there's a child somewhere in your soul, all of these books are absolutely essential.

seriously funny !, March 18, 2003
Bill Watterson's creation of Calvin and Hobbes is for my taste the ultimate adult comic strip; six year old Calvin, his stuffed tiger Hobbes, and his extensive and witty vocabulary, can be laugh-out-loud hilarious.
In this large, softcover book, you get all the usual suspects: The dreaded Miss Wormwood, Calvin's schoolteacher, who has to put up with his imaginitive but lame excuses, snowball fights with Susie, Spaceman Spiff, who gets stranded on distant planets, and of course, his stressed out parents.

Other characters include two marvelous one-eyed aliens, Galaxoid and Nebular, who buy the earth from Calvin for 50 leaves, but when it snows, claim they were overcharged, and demand that Calvin bring the planet up to code, and Calvin's musings on whether there is an Evil Santa, who gives to the bad girls and boys "the dangerous, annoying, and corrupting toys your parents won't allow", and best of all, when he decides to be a Suburban Post-Modernist artist, and claims that "art isn't about ideas, it's about style".

Hobbes is my favorite cartoon animal, drawn as a stuffed toy when seen from non-Calvin eyes, but a wise and playfull being in Calvin's magical world. There's a lot of love between them, and the hug on the back cover of this book says it all. Calvin and Hobbes will appeal to the rebel in us all, provide numerous laughs, and warm our hearts on cold days.

The Last of the Magic, September 13, 2004
This is the final collection of comics from CALVIN AND HOBBES, arguably my favorite comic strip of all times. Cartoonist Bill Watterson chose to retire before he drained all the magic out of his characters. While I'm disappointed, that is probably wise since this collection shows he was still at the top of his game.

Calvin can make an adventure out of everything, whether it's having Susie over for an afternoon (a great day for GROSS), trying to get out of school, playing Calvinball with Rosalyn, or putting off a leaf collection project until the very last night, his antics are sure to make you laugh. The genius of the strip is that we're often laughing at ourselves. Hobbes's comments are often funny and true, and watch out for the Chewing magazine strips. They hit a little too close to home.

This strip got better as it went along, and there is some classic stuff here. It's a little bitter sweet reading the last few knowing it's the end. And I still want to know what the noodles incident was.

While there are some strips out there I enjoy, I still miss this great strip. If you somehow managed to miss it, pick up any book today. It's guaranteed to have you laughing in no time.

It's the last of this stupendous series of books by Waterson, July 20, 1999
It is a great book and if you are a Calvin and Hobbes fan, this one will have it's own space in your heart. It own's the final comic strip of Calvin and Hobbes. I think Bill Waterson made a mistake when he quit making the strip, but it is still one of the better books in the series. As I said before, if you are a Calvin and Hobbes fan, this one will own a special part in your heart because you know it's the last one, and it ends with a great personality of Calvin that we just wish that it is possible to Calvin's own free will (not the going to school part, but his great fun and laughs between school strips.).

Great farewell, March 14, 2006
From what I know this is the last C&H collection published before Watterson's adieu. That means the last page and, in particular, the last picture are the last we'll hear from Calvin and Hobbes in our lifetime. They're both absolutely beautiful and I don't mind to confess that I had tears in my eyes the moment I watched them. This book is typically exhilarating Watterson art: crazy, warm, witty, always funny and incredibly well written and designed. The strips about Calvin's snowmen are the ones that probably stand out, but it's a very tough call. A great, great farewell from my all time favourite comic strip.

Review of IT'S A MAGICAL WORLD, a Calvin and Hobbes Book, March 27, 1997
It broke fan's hearts when they heard it. Bill Watterson was retiring from the Calvin & Hobbes business. IT'S A MAGICAL WORLD is Bill Watterson's last Calvin & Hobbes collection, and it keeps the original life of Calvin and Hobbes the same, but all new comics come in. The only put down of this book is that if a seven year-old buys it, some of the jokes may be hard for them to understand it. Myself, owning seven other Calvin & Hobbes books, think this is by far the best one. Don't get me wrong, now. All the others I have would be at least a seven on the rating scale. This is truly one of the best books I've ever read, though I also read chapter books, and the best Calvin & Hobbes book I've read. If you like Calvin & Hobbes, but need some new good comics to read, this is a must buy. At a store, I would buy it for twenty dollars. Although, the list price is a good fifteen dollars, why not order it from Amazon.com? It's only $13.45. I remember a few weeks ago, I was out to buy a Calvin & Hobbes book, but I didn't know which one to choose. My choices were THE AUTHORATIVE CALVIN AND HOBBES, THERE IS TREASURE EVERYWHERE, and IT'S A MAGICAL WORLD. I bought IT'S A MAGICAL WORLD,not knowing what to expect. I had only read about fifteen pages when I decided it was the best choice I could have made, and that I should put a review on it. For you fans with broken hearts out there, you can keep the pride of Calvin & Hobbes forever, with the best collection. You can buy what you want, but for everyone, IT'S A MAGICAL WORLD will cheer you up any day. Happy Reading!

A Sad parting to a wonderful Comic, July 23, 1999
I have been a loyal Calvin and Hobbes reader since I first heard about the strip, about 4 years ago. I can't say I was there from the beggining(not that many people were, the first strip appeared in only 54 newspapers), but I have all but three of the books, which I am planning to get soon. I have read every single comic that had been put in a book collection, and this book is one of his best. I still wish he was writing Calvin and Hobbes, even if he just put out book collections and didn't do newspapers, so he wouldn't have to worry about deadlines. Anyway, for any Calvin and Hobbes fan, this book is a must!

A Magical Collectiom, May 20, 2004
One of the several reasons for Bill Watterson's departure from Calvin and Hobbes is that he wanted to pursue his craft in watercolor. It makes so much sense: just look at some of the background art in this collection and you can see it. (Actually, look at the background cover art, and it looks like Japanese watercolor.) Whatever his pursuits today, Watterson has left us a decade's worth of joy. This collection is just one of several. It doesn't really matter which one you pick up: you will always be guaranteed a few hours' worth of laughter and even a couple of warm tears.

First you laugh, then you cry, July 26, 2000
This is another outstanding collection of Calvin and Hobbes cartoons that are, as always, humorous as well as being little works of art on their own. When you come to the end, however, there's that sad feeling of knowing that its the end of the line as far as the strip is concerned. The same drive that made Bill Watterson perhaps the most brilliant cartoonist ever caused him to pull the plug on his beloved creations when he thought that he had given it all he could give. It is a rare thing for anyone in the entertainment business to know when to call it quits. Perhaps, instead of being sad, we should say, "hats off."

Watterson's still the best...., July 13, 1997
Okay, okay, so I'm prejudiced. I knew I would love this book before I read it. What's not to like? Calvin is the quintessential smart-aleck, while at the same time maintaining an innocence that is completely endearing. Whether we identify with Calvin the child or Calvin the child within us, he makes us feel...well, NORMAL. Calvin's quirks are our quirks. Not content to merely AMUSE us, Bill Watterson ENTERTAINS us. Calvin and his family (including, of course, Hobbes) are multi-faceted characters who stir up emotions and explore the angst of being a kid in a grown-up world. (And, for that matter, being a grown-up in a grown-up world!) Whew! What a task! And Bill Watterson does it superbly. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Millions of office workers in businesses all over the world identify with Dilbert, the phenomenally popular comic strip created by Scott Adams. Whether it's Dilbert doing battle with his Pointy-Haired Boss over redundant and ridiculous assignments, Wally mastering the art of appearing busy, or Alice "dealing with" annoying vendors, Dilbert speaks to everyone from cubicle dwellers to corner office inhabitants, who see--if not themselves--their coworkers in every too-true panel.

Executive suite and tiny cubicle alike will benefit from the humor and color provided by the Dilbert 2011 Wall Calendar. It features a large redrawn and colorized panel and two supporting strips on each spread. It also includes a Dilbert greeting card and envelope.

Dilbert copyright 2010 Scott Adams, Inc. Licensed by United Feature Syndicate, Inc. ... Read more

Reviews

Love Dilbert, February 12, 2010
I love Dilbert and always get a new calendar every year. I like the weekly planner and can usually get it at the local bookstore or the mall, but for the past two years I have been unable to get the monthly calendar locally. Thank goodness for Amazon.com. They always have the calendar and it usually arrives in about a week. I find the monthly calendar very useful for mid range planning - the calendar is a good size with plenty of space to write information, and I like the colorful illustrations (and of course the humor).

Amausing, silly and uplifting, October 24, 2008
I have been buying Dilbert wall calendars for the past few years because when ever I need something to smile about there is this month's cartoon.

Designed by a pointy-haired boss, March 23, 2008
I'm a Dilbert fan, and the calendar doesn't disappoint in that regard. The characteristics that I dislike are (1) the numbers used for the dates are too small to read from a distance (one of the reasons for wall calendars) - the unusual font only aggravates this problem; and (2) the height of the format is a little too large to fit comfortably in the location where I'm using it - there's no good reason for the excessive height other than (I suspect) a bug up some designer's rectum. If you're only going to be three feet away and you have plenty of wall space, it's great. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The milestone 50th GARFIELD compilation book—with a SPECIAL EDITION ANIMATED COVER!

The fat cat returns for his 50th book—a brand-new collection of hilarious strips, featuring Jon, Odie, and all the famous characters in the world of the one-and-only Garfield. Featuring a one-of-a-kind lenticular animated cover! ... Read more

Reviews

One of the Best Garfield Book Available, November 12, 2010
I like this book because of it is funny and also because it is creative and cool. The cover is in 3D. I am eight years old and Garfield books are my favorite. ... Read more

Editorial Review

In just over five years of syndication, Calvin and Hobbes has become an American comic strip sensation - touching the hearts (and funny bones) of the millions who read the award-winning strip.One look at the new Calvin and Hobbes collection and it is immediately evident that Bill Watterson's imagination, wit, and sense of adventure continue to be unmatched.In this collection, comprised of cartoons never before published in book form, Calvin and his tiger-striped sidekick Hobbes are hilarious whether the two are simply lounging around philosophizing about the future of mankind or plotting their latest money-making scheme.Chock-full of the familiar adventures of Spaceman Spiff, the latest findings of Dad's popularity poll, and time travel to the Jurrassic Age, Scientific Progress Goes "Boink" is guaranteed to set scientific inquiry back an ean - and advance the reading pleasure of all Calvin and Hobbes fans. ... Read more

Reviews

Calvin is my role model!, December 26, 2001
"Scientific Progress Goes 'Boink'" is a collection of "Calvin and Hobbes" comic strips by Bill Watterson. The strips document the misadventures of Calvin, a small boy, and his stuffed toy tiger, Hobbes (who comes to life in Calvin's vivid imagination). In this volume we see Calvin's alter egos (daring interplanetary adventurer Spaceman Spiff, private eye Tracer Bullet), get a lesson in Calvinball ("No sport is less organized than Calvinball!), witness the rampage of the Calvinosaurus, and attend meetings of the G.R.O.S.S. (Get Rid Of Slimy girlS) club.

Many of the storylines in this book have a strong science fiction element: in Calvin's imagination, his "personal gravity polarity" is reversed; he turns into a giant; etc. But the most fun comes when Calvin decides to clone himself. Much of the humor springs from the discontinuity between Calvin's rich fantasy world and the perspective of his often frustrated parents. Through it all, Hobbes remains a witty and philosophical pal to the mischievous Calvin.

C&H is a comic strip that is both consistently funny and consistently intelligent. The art is great, especially in the fantasy sequences (check out the noirish milieu of Tracer Bullet, for example). Calvin himself is a nonconformist, a terror to authorities of all types, a dreamer and a schemer -- he's one of the all-time great comic strip characters, and "Scientific Progress" is a great showcase for him and Hobbes.

Keep on "Boink"-ing, July 26, 2000
The title of this book refers to the classic sequence of strips in which Calvin first uses his (cardboard box) duplicator to make a copy of himself that he hopes will do all the unpleasant things he has to do (like go to school). However, because the duplicate IS Calvin, he has his own ideas. This is another classic collection in the Calvin and Hobbes series. Bill Watterson is a comic genius whose presence in the funny pages has been sorely missed since his retirement.

The absolute best, December 3, 1999
I've read almost every C & H book not discounting the fact that I read the strip regularly while it was syndicated. Brilliant, funny, touching and many times loving. In addition, my son learned to read starting at the age of 6 thru C & H. Now that he's 10 he still rereads the books. He's getting a little old to act out Calvin's antics, but he continues to appreciate them as I do. . . Thanks, Bill.

Calvin and Hobbes Experience the Topography of Life, November 15, 2005
This wonderful collection of cartoons has provided me many hours of enjoyment. As all fans of Calvin and his companion tiger Hobbes know, Bill Watterson's imagination has created a comic strip whose characters wonderfully capture flights of fantasy that help many of us vividly recall some of our most memorable childhood experiences. Calvin (in his many roles), Hobbes - the wonderful embodiment of every child's most loyal companion , Susie Derkins - the little girl next store who is constantly appalled by Calvin's weirdness,, Moe the bully, and Rosalyn the constantly embattled babysitter all manage to come to life in episodes that are sure to bring smiles to the faces of everyone who get to know them.

This is fantasy at its best, at times simply lighthearted everyday experiences observed from Watterson's unique perspective and at other times cartoons being used as the conduit for wonderful philosophical observations. I found equally priceless both Hobbes leering smile as he responds to Calvin's question "I wonder why man was put on earth. What's our purpose? Why are we here?" with the simple answer "Tiger Food" and Calvin's sudden frightening bout with cubism when his ability to see both sides in a debate fractured his perspective and led him to see everything from all angles. In fact, the title of my review is adapted from one of my other favorite episodes in the book.

Calvin's love of life and Hobbes love of Calvin are contagious; I found myself cheering them on and not wanting the book to end. (Luckily there are many other collections of this comic strip which was sadly terminated after only ten years.) I continually smile, chuckle and on occasion laugh out loud whenever I pick up this book, which I often do in my spare moment. And if you're with someone else when you're reading these, your progress will be slowed but your enjoyment increased by your desire to share the delight which you experience. A wonderful book for kids of all ages (I'm only 63) and most adults will enjoy it as well.

Tucker Andersen

Hysterical and bittersweet, April 25, 2006
When you get right down to it, is there anything better than Calvin & Hobbes? In this compilation or any of the others, you get lessons in quantum physics, nostalgic looks at the agony of grade school, observations in human nature, and a bit of the "thing under the bed" style horror. All this and you'll laugh yourself to the point of wetting your pants.
The Calvin & Hobbes strips are hysterical. But beyond that, they are poignant and often bittersweet, reminding us of the children we once were and of the rich fantasies that come with childhood.
Behold Calvin, utterly impish and wise-beyond-his years. His snowmen displays, at times morbid at times downright surreal, could fill a collection of its own.
Calvin fancies himself the smartest boy in the world. And who can argue with him, other than his long-suffering parents and his faithful friend Hobbes, a tiger who may or may not be real.
Hobbes is the pentultimate friend. He is Calvin's confidante and his patient ear, but he is also the first to pounce on the boy or to challenge his sordid views of the world. Together, the pair ponder the meaning of life, question the adult world, or sneak off to explore the fascinating landscapes of childhood found under dead logs or under rocks.
If I were banished to a small island with only scant supplies to get me through my days, this book would be among the items in my trunk. I have had this collection for ten years or more and I've gone through it a dozen times. I'll go through it a dozen more before it's battered to the point of unreadable.
Watterson is an absolute genius. But as you fall into the world of Calvin & Hobbes, you'll forget that they were created by a mere man at all.

Vocabulary lessons in disguise #2, August 3, 2005
Our boys love the C&H cartoons. They are expanding their vocabularies without even knowing it! I refrain from telling them this though because they usually shy away from "educational" books. They are ages 9, 8, and 6.

Calvin the Scientist?, July 18, 2004
There is one thing about any Calvin and Hobbes book, they are always funny. They are funnier if you have children. This edition has several classic sequences. In one series Calvin duplicates himself, and mayhem ensues, all blamed, of course, on the duplicates. Naturally Calvin has a unique way of getting out of trouble. Calvin also has a rather entertaining time with his babysitter, who seems forever doomed to being outwitted by Calvin, even if she always wins in the end (and Calvin's parents always lose as they have to bribe her to come back).

Of course there are always the ever-interesting Spaceman Spiff strips, usually involving either Calvin's teacher or his mother. Calvin also appears in a number of strips as a carnivorous dinosaur, the Calvinosaurus. As with any Calvin and Hobbes book, there are the inevitable interactions with Hobbes that extend from fighting and arguing to tender solitary moments.

Because Calvin and Hobbes is a unique series it is difficult to compare to other series or books. All the books I have are all generally of equal quality in terms of the stories. I have a slight preference for the treasury books with their color strips, but Calvin and Hobbes are funny in color or black and white. If you need a good laugh, you'll likely find it here.

Bill Watterson is an expert scientist, September 13, 2002
Bill Watterson is an expert scientist who writes authoritatively on the subject. All Calvin and Hobbes books deserve ore than 5 stars. This collection speaks out and brings us back to our childhood where we can enjoy the many wonders of a simple cardboard box and apply science to meet our whims. There are no words that can describe the creativity of Bill Watterson and his ability to make us all relive our Calvin and/or Hobbes days.

A Must Read for comic book fans!, November 13, 2000
Bill Waterson is argudably one of the best comic writers out there. Even through his retirement, he has made great books of past comics featuring his Calvin and Hobbes characters. I laugh and laugh at these comics he creates and I sometimes wonder how he comes up with such brilliant ideas sometimes with the storylines of some of the strips.

Calvin, one of his best known characters, is the trouble-making kid in the school. He is funny and imaginative and likes to make funa and games with his "real" pet friend Hobbes. Through the comics, you can see the relationship between a stuffed animal and a human.

In this comic though, Hobbes "comes to life" in Calvins eyes. The things that Calvin can sometimes get involved in is so hilarious and sometimes out of this world.

I guarantee that anyone that loves comics will fall in love with this one and should definitely buy this book to start their collection of classic comics.

All of Bill Waterson's comic books are very well done and very professional. His work is his life and it shows the time and consideration it took to make these characters come to life. Thank you Mr. Waterson for creating such a great comic and thatnk you people for reading my review!

Problem child now, creative genius later, January 23, 2005
Calvin is an extremely imaginative child and with his stuffed tiger Hobbes, engages in a series of adventures that are amusing, but also contain a serious purpose. Due to his short attention span and vivid imagination, Calvin does poorly in school and creates serious problems for his parents. Which is a description of the childhood of many people who went on to have very successful careers in a creative field. When I was young, I played a game called pretend, where for hours, I would imagine myself living various roles. Almost every night, from the time my mother finished dishes and vacated the kitchen until it was time to go to bed, I let my imagination run wild. It was a very fun time, as there were no limits on what I could do. In their biographies, many creative people refer to the vivid imaginations they had as children and how it led to problems in school.
This collection of cartoons from the Calvin and Hobbes collection will amuse everyone. However, for those whose imaginations get in the way of their daily lives, they will have a special meaning. A problem child now, quite likely a successful artist, writer, entertainer or cartoonist in the future.
... Read more

Editorial Review

In a tenth anniversary celebration, the creator of "Calvin and Hobbes" discusses the art of cartooning, explains how he creates his immensely popular comic strip, and presents his favorite moments from the series's ten years. Original. 1,500,000 first printing. ... Read more

Reviews

Best retrospective collection, September 4, 2002
The announcement last November that Bill Watterson would be retiring his comic strip Calvin and Hobbes at the end of the year should not have surprised anyone--at least, anyone who has read the recently released The Calvin and Hobbes Tenth Anniversary Book. Like Gary Larsen's Pre-History of The Far Side, this volume provides a retrospective collection selected by the author, with notes on the origin and evolution of his creation. Both cartoonists annotated the books themselves, explaining the writing process and the business of cartooning. Larsen, though, as happy with his medium--his retirement was a factor of creative burnout rather than frustration with the limitations of the comics page of today's newspaper. That frustration with the four panel strip was the reason for Berke Breathed's early retirement, and is quite likely the reason for Watterson's as well. Watterson believes in the comic as a real art form--and in his hands it often was--but the dynamics of the business, both the physical limitations on the drawing and the way the economics is split between artist and newspaper with a syndicate go-between, restricted the full expression of his art.

The Tenth Anniversary Book is not a depressing collection, although it is quite serious in its examination of the ten years of the strip. Watterson reveled in his creation, and the work that he produced was always of the utmost quality. This collection has some of the most joyful moments of the past--Spaceman Spiff is there, as well as Stupendous Man, the Replicator, and the dreaded Babysitter. The amazing thing isn't that Watterson is retiring, but that he could spend ten years producing such work as fresh and imaginative as his debut.

While I am sad to see Waterson and Calvin and Hobbes retire, I have hope that we have not seen the last of either. The rise of the "graphic novel" and its acceptance in the United States (the form has always been popular in Europe [Tintin, Asterix] and Japan [magna too numerous to list]) offers Watterson the format that he deserves, where he can be enjoyed and appreciated as one of the most innovative sequential artists of the later 20th century.

Watterson Philosophizes, January 2, 2004
When I bought this "Calvin and Hobbes" book I had a hard time getting into it at first. The first eighteen or nineteen pages contain more prose and philosophy than it does art, and I've always bought "Calvin and Hobbes" books for the humor. I really felt as though the philosophy and description that Bill Watterson was describing was a distraction, at first. But the more I read the more I started to get into "Calvin and Hobbes" from Watterson's perspective. Looking at the evolution of "Calvin and Hobbes" as described by Watterson, and his travails with syndicators, I have a new perspective on what it takes to create a strip like "Calvin and Hobbes."

The art and the strips are outstanding, as with the other "Calvin and Hobbes" collections, but this time we also get to see Watterson's perspectives on various characters. Some of Watterson's observations about various characters are as funny as the strips themselves. Watterson makes a rather succinct comment regarding Moe the bully. I'll leave you to read the comment, but it's hilarious.

Watterson offers comments on all the major characters along with key details about each. Moe, of course, being a simple moron bully, requires minimal description, but the other key characters have a history associated with them. Watterson provided a bit of a compliment to his wife in his description of Susie Derkins. I also agree with Watterson that I suspect that Calvin does have a mild crush on Susie. Watterson offers nearly a half a page of comments on both Calvin and Hobbes that are interesting reading.

I also enjoyed the selection of various strips over ten years of the strip, showing the evolution of the strip and the characters. It's interesting to see how the quality of the strip has improved in ten years as Watterson continually perfected the characters. Being a cartoonist is clearly much more difficult than I ever thought it was.

I will miss "Calvin and Hobbes" since Watterson has retired the strip. However, all the collections are still available, and I think they will continue to be fresh in the decades to come. The insight Watterson has provided in this book is valuable for hard core fans interested in Watterson's viewpoint on his creations. If you are uninterested in Watterson's perspective, you can always skip over it and read the strips! I highly recommend this book for all "Calvin and Hobbes" fans.

Your collection isn't complete without this book, April 4, 2001
As a fan of Calvin and Hobbes, I put off getting this book because I thought it was merely a best of collection I didn't need since I had all the others. Boy was I wrong! This book is a wonderful insight into the mind behind my favorite strip of all time.

Bill Watterson spends the first part of the book talking about everything from character names and personalities to his fights to keep his characters from being over commercialized. While I wish there were more products available, I do respect him for sticking to his principles on this. He also talks about the format of the Sunday strips.

The rest of the book is a collection of strips, starting with the very first. What is interesting here is Mr. Watterson's commentary. Whether it's the idea behind or an amusing story that happened because of a strip, it's all very entertaining. It also brings out some of the themes talked about it the strip. He also discusses the ideas behind such staples as the wagon, Calvin's box, and Spaceman Spiff.

I truly miss this wonderful strip because of its creativity and insights into our American culture. This book shows the behinds the scene story in an entertaining and informative way.

A Brilliant Comic and Artist, December 30, 2000
Bill Watterson is not your typical cartoonist. He did not set out to create an empire from his comic. He merely set out to create an art in a dying format. He is a true comic fan whose love for it is expressed in this book. Calvin and Hobbes is not your typical comic. You don't always see the "one-liner" jokes nor the same gag done ad nauseam. There are unique and creative story lines. The characters don't have paper-thin and ever-changing personalities.

In the book, Bill Watterson writes an excellent narrative about the history of Calvin and Hobbes. The best part I believe is when he starts talking about his struggle with his syndicate over merchandising Calvin and Hobbes. I grew a lot of respect for Bill Watterson and his art after reading it. You realize how serious he is about it. You also discover why he took those long sabbaticals.

You also find out a lot about the comic itself. There are many strips in the book that Bill Watterson makes personal comments about that enlightens the reader. You learn about how each character from Calvin to his Parents to his teacher to his babysitter was created and developed.

Ever since Bill Watterson ended Calvin and Hobbes there has been a hole in the comics that may never be filled. Though this book you relive the laughs, wagon rides, snow men, maulings, and poems through the eyes of their creator. This is quite a interesting and profound read for any Calvin and Hobbes fan and even and fan of comics in general.

Arguably the best comic strip - EVER, March 13, 2000
This book is a wonderful insight into how Bill Watterson's mind works. I for one feel grateful for the trend of comic artists doing a book to tell us readers about the nuts and bolts of their strips.

Watterson shows us his influences, gives us the inside scoop on his troubles with the syndicate and his take on artistic integrity. We learn about the idiosyncracies of Watterson's mind and how they shaped the growth and development of "Calvin and Hobbes". I learned a great deal about the history of comics as a whole, as well as many of the reasons for their decline and loss of space in recent years. Plus, the book contains many of the best strips and story sequences from the annals of Calvin and Hobbes.

I hoped Watterson would maybe do a Calvin and Hobbes comic book on his own terms after retiring from the daily grind; he could remake comic books in an image more to his liking. Sadly, I think the effort wore him out. C&H is sorely missed, there are only a handful of strips out there worth anything, and of those none (in my opinion) come CLOSE to equalling Calvin and Hobbes, even in it's early stages. I think the Tenth Anniversary Book reveals that Watterson is a very intelligent and competent artist, whose absence from the newspaper leave all of us a little emptier. Now with the loss of Charles Schulz, I fear the comics will slide further into banality and the same jokes done the same way by the same cartoonists, many of whom blatantly (wittingly or not) rip off Watterson, Breathen, Kelly and other giants of the medium.

Here's to originality. Here's to Calvin and Hobbes.

10 Years of Magic, September 8, 2002
This book is great like all the other Calvin and Hobbes collections. This one, however, offers the unique feature of commentary written by Bill Watterson himself. Bill has selected some of his favorite, or important landmark, strips and some of his least favorites. He also gives an in depth study of each character (Calvin, Hobbes, Calvin's parents, Susie, Rosalyn, Miss Wormwood and Moe). He gives brief explainations of the importance of Calvin's wagon, Calvins incredible use of corrugated cardboard boxes, Spaceman Spiff and the "fantasy" strips. (Dinosaurs, Tracer Bullet, Stupendous Man ect.) Now Spaceman Spiff is a fantasy, but I think Bill thought he was especially important so Spiff is granted his own page. Bill also describes the five years where he fought tirelessly to save Calvin and Hobbes from being licensed. I honor him for his efforts, because, like he says in the book, when you have the characters appearing on coffee mugs saying things that aren't in the cartoonist's control, the character's personality can be thwarted and it ruins the actual strip. He has a section explaining the three strips that influenced him (read to find out what they are), the Sunday strips and how he feels about them, and a part on the process of creating a cartoon. At the end of the book, he has a page about comics in general. Another good thing about this book is that due to the timing of Attack of the Deranged, Mutant, Killer, Monster Snow Goons, the Sunday strips featured in that book didn't make it into a treasury collection so none of the Sundays are in reprinted in color, except for some in this book. Some strips may be even funnier after you read this, because you know where the iidea for it came from. I have to say now that if you consider yourself a fan of Calvin and Hobbes and you do not own this book, you need to seriously re-examine the title you have given youself

Watterson: More than just a comic genius, an artistic genius, May 31, 2005
When I think of the five top cartoonists in the history of cartoons, the names and the variety always intrigue me. Names like Walt Disney, Matt Groening, and even Charles Schultz are still on the tip of tongues all over the world, and each of them had a different style that they popularized. Each of them has been very influential to the cartooning business as well. The two other names aren't Hanna-Barbera (though they are right on the cusp of making the top five), but two cartoonists who both are retired, but made their names known with the comic strip format in the newspapers: Gary Larson and Bill Watterson. This book is a reflection by Bill Watterson, the genius of the hit comic strip "Calvin and Hobbes." C & H has been out of newspapers now for almost 10 years, but this book is a confession by Watterson on the first 10 years of creating "Calvin and Hobbes," a strip he ultimately retired after 11 years of creating.

The topics that are discussed by Watterson are taken very seriously and are talked about almost in a bitter, negative tone. His rants on the comic strip industry become tedious after a while, and he seems to be a cynical person on this topic. However, his arguments of artistic control and freedom vs. the demands and limitations set by syndicates make a good point/counterpoint argument to augment the balance of philosophy and prose vs. plain ol' whining. What you sense with Watterson while reading these passages is his evolution from a straight up cartoonist to more of an artist who wanted no limitations on getting his artistic message across (especially while creating his Sunday strips). You can sense a perfectionist inside of Watterson, and looking at the early strips cartoony look and simple gags to the later strips sophistication in storylines and art, it is easy to agree with Watterson that the early strips look "weird". It is also easy to see that Watterson fell more and more in love with the Sunday strip format. Looking at later daily strips, you sense he rushed through these to spend time on the Sunday strips, which are lush, lavish, and very colorful in their new format. Wattersons views of the cartoon business can come across as preachy and overbearing, but he provides enough evidence to balance out any bias on his part.

The book also takes on the issues of licensing, sabbaticals, and the process of creating a strip. I agree 100% with Wattersons stance on licensing, and his stance concludes to me that he is a man of integrity. I have grown so sick of strips like "Garfield" and "Dilbert" because of how overexposed they are, and these strips show the cartoon as more of a marketing tool than a piece of artistic pride by the cartoonist themself. Watterson put up a fight to stop the licensing of his product, and while burning some bridges and passing up millions of dollars, he came out successful. These fights, however, exhausted Watterson, which is why he took a sabbatical to recover. He makes mention of how syndicates now give 4 months off every year to the cartoonist, and he thinks these are more logical than his nine month vacation.

The part of the book I enjoyed the most was his description of characters and how he chose to write certain strips. The descriptions are pretty hilarious (especially Moe and Miss Wormwood) and even complimentary(Susie as a reflection of the type of girl he is attracted to, aka his wife). I thought that his descriptions are right on target, and is probably what people think when they read the strips. The background in his creation of certain strips show Watterson as humorous, cynical, honest, random, caring, thoughtful, and very creative. You will not only be laughing at the strips he chose, but by the descriptions he gives about the creation of the strip as well.

"Calvin and Hobbes" is thoroughly a missing part of the newspaper today. The comics page has not been the same since Watterson hung up the paintbrush about 10 years ago. While standard, pedestrian strips keep churning along ("Garfield", "Dennis the Menace", etc.), strips that pushed the envelope like this, "Peanuts", and "Far Side" are few and far between today. Thank God for book collections. If you are a fan of "Calvin and Hobbes", or interested in what they are all about, read this book today to see the genius of the man behind it all, Mr. Bill Watterson.

10 Years of Mischief and Imagination, August 20, 2001
For 10 years (November 1985-January 1996), Bill Watterson has brought laughter to many reading the newspaper with his cartoon Calvin and Hobbes.

Calvin (whom Watterson named after the theologian John Calvin) is a young kid with lots of imagination and attitude! His only friend in the world is his stuffed tiger Hobbes who comes to life with Calvin's imagination (Watterson named Hobbes after the Engish philosopher Thomas Hobbes).

In this anthology, Watterson explains how he came up with the inspiration of many of his cartoons. He also talks about some of the other characters like his cynical but long-suffering parents, his teacher Miss Wormwood, Suzie Derkins, who Calvin loves to terrorize, the dumb bully Moe, and Rosalyn, his sometime babysitter who doesn't tolerate much from the little monster!

Some of Calvin's adventures include transmogrifying himself into a tiger, duplicating himself (once with a terror just like himself and again as a good, well-behaved carbon copy of himself), turning into Stupendous Man, making snow-goons in the winter, and going on boring camping trips in the summer (which only Calvin's daddy enjoys- "This is fun- it builds character!").

If you were a fan of Calvin and Hobbes when it appeared in the newspaper, you'll want this collection!

Laughed So Hard That Coffee Spurted Out My Nose, October 6, 2000
Bill Watterson captures what being a six-year-old boy is about - and what being around one is like if you're a parent, a teacher, or a well-behaved six-year-old girl. Calvin is both lovable and exasperating. The cartoons capture the boredom of school, the fun of making believe you're a pirate or a spaceman or an adventurer, the frustration that the most loving of parents experience. Mostly, though, the cartoons are some of the funniest that you'll ever read or see; both the drawing and the dialogue are great.

Doesn't everyone love Calvin and Hobbes?, September 17, 2002
Is there anyone who doesn't love these two screwball characters? The idea behind the original strip (a little boy with a stuffed tiger that only talks to him) is original, at least as far as I know, and remarkably clever. Watterson carried it off for a good long while, until the pressures of writing made things so unfun to him he hung up his pen. I notice that he's stayed retired, so I would assume he took his loot and scooted.

This collection contains some of the most outrageous of the cartoons, but it also has a good deal of commentary by Watterson himself. He tells you what basis the characters have in reality, from Calvin's parents to Miss Wormwood and Susie Derkins. He also discusses the various trials and tribulations he went through as a cartoonist producing the strip for a syndicate, and the evils of said syndicates as far as he's concerned. There's a lot that hints at why he quit. He also includes explanations of what Calvin's talking about, or alternatively, what the strip is supposed to be saying. Lastly, he talks about characters he has removed from the strip, or things he did that he didn't think worked. I loved this book, and of course wish he would produce more stuff now that he's retired from the pressures of doing it day to day. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Calvin and Hobbes books have taken the country by storm and here's the biggest, brightest one yet!Calvin and Hobbest soared to the top of the bestseller lists in its first month of publication, selling a million copies within 9 months of publication.Something Under The Bed Is Drooling exploded out of the stores, selling nearly a million copies within the first month of publication!Now, those two books are brought together in this over-size anthology-type book.Adding to the fun in The Essential Calvin and Hobbes are an original 16-page story and color Sunday cartoons. ... Read more

Reviews

Great collection and a great bargain, September 1, 2000
Calvin & Hobbes was so popular during its run that people never needed to explain what the strip was about to anyone; it's been a couple of years and with the exception of little kids, people seem to remember the strip for the most part. So, all I'll say about this collection is that it is the preferable purchase over the first two books, the self-titled "Calvin & Hobbes" and "Something Under The Bed Is Drooling." Why? "The Essential Calvin and Hobbes" actually collects every single strip from those two books (it's NOT a best of, as some people would say), and most importantly, the Sunday strips are in color. Hands down, Watterson painted the most beautiful looking Sunday strips since Walt Kelly, and it would be a shame if you only knew them through the black and white reproductions of the smaller collections. It's also cheaper to buy this book instead of the first two, as well. As a special bonus, Watterson included a nice, water-colored poem at the beginning, which isn't available anywhere else.

The book that introduced me to a legend, December 22, 1999
Watterson's talent is pretty hard to get over. What's the big idea, making a cartoon so consisently funny, explosively creative and accessibly brilliant that no other cartoonist could ever hope to match wits? When I saw the first Calvin strips in my paper several years ago, I knew it was something special. Here's a little kid more clever than most adults, whose stuffed friend comes to life and has philosophical debates with him while they careen down a gully in a wagon.

Calvin and Hobbes is more than a comic strip, and that's what makes it so special. Far Side and Dilbert are clever and hilarious as well, but Calvin's creator has an artistic talent that will not be confined. The everyday life of his six-year-old protagonist is frequently spliced with daydreams--Spaceman Spiff, Dinosaurs, etc.--which are consistently staggering in their rendering. It's art good enough for Marvel but stylistically superior. In the later years he was arguing with newspapers for half- or full-page spaces that would do his work justice.

What impresses me perhaps the most about Watterson, though, is his integrity. From the great beginning that is this book, up through the end, he refused to have his art form violated by commercialism. Calvin will be found ONLY on the printed page, not on TV, not on a baseball cap (save the amateur ones), not in a breakfast cereal, nor action figures, nor a fanclub, nor a box of fruit snacks. Watterson was true to the integrity of his character. What's more, he quit while he was ahead--before his strip could become repetitive, but after its potential had been fully explored.

So buy this book, if you haven't already. In fact, do yourself a favor and buy every Calvin collection, because each is completely flawless. Calvin and Hobbes is the best cartoon that ever was, and it's the best cartoon that will ever be. I'd bet my sense of humor on it.

A fantastic collection of early Calvin and Hobbes comics, June 15, 2004
The Essential Calvin and Hobbes, first published in 1988, is chock full of early Calvin and Hobbes comic strips. No cartoonist, not even Charles Schultz, has captured the magical essence of childhood the way Bill Watterson did in this strip, and it should come as no surprise (although it did to Watterson) that Calvin and Hobbes quickly developed an incredibly loyal following. This strip went way beyond mere popularity. While I was in college, the campus newspaper decided to stop running Calvin and Hobbes (I think this was during one of Watterson's sabbaticals) - this resulted in nothing less than a furor on campus, as countless students immediately demanded the return of C&H. In a matter of days, Calvin and Hobbes were right back where they belonged.

How does a comic strip featuring a mischievous six-year-old boy and his stuffed tiger attract a fiercely loyal following of adults? Most adults would love to be children again, to know the freedom and sense of wonder that somehow withers inside the human soul after the onset of puberty. Calvin and Hobbes vividly recreates the feelings and emotions of the very essence of childhood. It brings back memories of things we forgot far too long ago, and it thus reawakens the deepest parts of our ever-hardening souls. Reading this comic strip is the next best thing to being a child yourself. Calvin does everything you used to do: he takes time to stomp in mud puddles, he lets his imagination run wild to make thrilling adventures out of even the most mundane tasks, he ponders the same deep questions you are now, as an adult, afraid to ask, he goes for the gusto no matter what sort of risk is involved, he is in every way a perfect specimen of childhood. Who, as a child, didn't pretend to be a dinosaur, walk around with a hideous expression in hopes of your facing freezing that way, tease the girls (or boys) you claimed to hate, journey to distant worlds unseen by human eyes, etc.?

Of course, Hobbes is just as important to the comic strip as Calvin. Hobbes is a tiger, Calvin's best and constant friend, a fellow partaker in the joys of childish innocence. To Calvin, Hobbes really is all that, and that is how we see him as well - until, that is, someone else comes into the frame, when he suddenly becomes nothing more than a stuffed animal. Watterson is a fantastic comic artist, and there is just something captivating about the way he draws Hobbes in his stuffed animal form. Everything about Watterson's art is fantastic, though, particularly the way it captures the emotions of its two principal characters.

Sadly, we have only ten years of comic memories in the form of Calvin and Hobbes, as the inscrutable Bill Watterson retired (around the age of 37) in 1995 and quite obviously has no plans of returning to the public arena. Watterson is actually frighteningly private and seems to be living a life of unmatched solitude. I find this extraordinarily sad: here is a man who captured the essence of childhood so vividly in the form of Calvin and Hobbes, a world bursting with life and possibilities, yet now he seems to have withdrawn from life itself. We must be thankful we do have as much Calvin and Hobbes material as we do, and The Essential Calvin and Hobbes, with 255 pages of black and white daily strips and color Sunday strips, features much more than just a chunk of it in and of itself.

Essential! What else can I say?, October 31, 2003
Fans of Calvin & Hobbes who used to read the newspaper strip in the 80s and 90s will find great pleasure in reading this treasury of C&H comics. These witty comics about the 6-year old Calvin and his stuffed tiger Hobbes, named after the famous philosophers, will amuse people of all ages. The perceptiveness and humor of Watterson deserve the highest of cartoon awards, while his artistic creations exude hilarity. This cartoon is perhaps one of the most piercing yet funny critiques of modern society.

This book covers the first two years of the Calvin & Hobbes strip. One can notice how Calvin used to look different in the beginning. His character though quickly adopted his unmistakable attitude. Here we see his first daydreams about Spaceman Spiff, his relationship with his parents and with Susie, his (mis-?) performance at school, and his first invention: the Transmogrifier. His attitude to life and his quick temper never ceases to entertain. This is the book you can read over and over and never stop from laughing.

Note that there are two series of C&H collections: individual wide-format albums, each covering an entire year of strips (will call it "regular"), and the vertical aspect ratio "treasury series" which covers selected comics from two regular C&H books. Note that C&H ran for a year in newspapers, so there's 10 regular books and 5 treasury books. Though the cartoons are slightly smaller in the treasury collection, each treasury book is far thicker and contains more strips than a regular book, and is furthermore less expensive, so treasury books are a real bargain. "The Essential Calvin & Hobbes" is the FIRST book from the Treasury collection, first released in 1988.

Intelligent, Well-Drawn, and Funny, January 4, 1999
Watterson's "Calvin and Hobbes" comic strip is a true rarity. It is technically well-drawn, unlike so many other comics. It is intelligent, insightful, and has characters one can really relate to - but does not take itself too seriously and is above all funny and fun to read. It is the story of the world as seen through the eyes of a six-year-old, Calvin, and his best friend, a Tiger named Hobbes - which only Calvin sees as real, and the rest of the world sees as a stuffed doll...

Most of all, the creator of the strip, Watterson, is a true rarity: he refused to commericalize the characters - the only product he sells are book collections of the original strip, like this one - and retired in 1995 when he felt he was beginning to become repetitive. Watterson literally walked away from millions of dollars to save the integrity of his creations, Calvin and Hobbes.

For once, both the characters in the strip and their creator in real life teach us something about what is really important in life - and that it is not REALLY all about money and climbing the corporate ladder after all.

Just compare the well-drawn, love-of-life, intelligent and uncommercialized Calvin&Hobbes to the poorly-drawn, cynical, shallow and commercialized-to-the-wazoo contraption named "Dilbert", for example. Compare the talent and integrity of Watterson to the talentless "sell out to whoever pays more" character of "Dilbert"'s creator.

This will give you a REAL insight on what is wrong with the world.

Comics make readers, September 9, 2002
Newspapers these days seem largely devoid of comic strips. Thick-bound comic books like this one have replaced them. And fortunately, comics make kids into readers.

I was delighted the other day when a neighbor gave me five Calvin and Hobbes volumes, including this one. The books have already encouraged hours of reading for each child.

This collection opens with a 10-page poem narrated by a child--Calvin, it turns out--afraid to sleep at night lest monsters snatch him in his sleep. Only in the morning, he feared, would his parents "surmise/ The gruesomeness of my demise/ And see that my remains are in a heap!" (One parent, in this musing, appears with a bone in one hand, and a shrug of the shoulders, though the kid wakes up fine the next day.)

Another 79 comic strips follow, ranging in length from one or two pages to five, and filling a total of 255 pages. Rare is the 250 page-book that a young boy or girl will gladly consume in one sitting. Trust me, this is one of them. In two recent evenings, our two kids have sat on our sofa, devouring this book one after the other, hooting and guffawing their way through. Ready, set, read. Alyssa A. Lappen

A great read!, November 14, 2000
Bill Waterson is argudably one of the best comic writers out there. Even through his retirement, he has made great books of past comics featuring his Calvin and Hobbes characters. I laugh and laugh at these comics he creates and I sometimes wonder how he comes up with such brilliant ideas sometimes with the storylines of some of the strips.

Calvin, one of his best known characters, is the trouble-making kid in the school. He is funny and imaginative and likes to make funa and games with his "real" pet friend Hobbes. Through the comics, you can see the relationship between a stuffed animal and a human.

In this comic though, Hobbes "comes to life" in Calvins eyes. The things that Calvin can sometimes get involved in is so hilarious and sometimes out of this world.

I guarantee that anyone that loves comics will fall in love with this one and should definitely buy this book to start their collection of classic comics.

All of Bill Waterson's comic books are very well done and very professional. His work is his life and it shows the time and consideration it took to make these characters come to life. Thank you Mr. Waterson for creating such a great comic and thatnk you people for reading my review!

Is an angry Muscovite called a Moscowler?, August 25, 2002
I own every Calvin and Hobbes ever published, including all of the treasuries containing excerpts from the yearly compilations. Of course, that is a bit redundant, but for some reason I enjoy reading through the treasuries almost as much as I enjoy reading the sequential comics in the compilations. I would reccomend getting all the books and saving the treasuries for after you have them all. One treasury I especially like is the tenth anniversary book, and I would reccomend that be your first collection after buying all the compilations.

The Essential Calvin and Hobbes, December 28, 2003
Calvin and Hobbes is definitely the funniest comic I have ever read in my life. It is way funnier than Garfield and Peanuts. Anyways, about this book, The Essential Calvin and Hobbes, it has to be one of the funniest books I ever read. This book features some of their funniest adventures including the one where Calvin uses the payphone to call his dad @ 3 A.M.(pg. 29) or the one where Hobbes dresses up like Calvin (pg. 47) or one of my favorites the one where Calvin and Hobbes go to Susie's birthday party(pg. 202). Calvin and Hobbes is a must read on a rainy day or in the car or anytime at all.

Calvin looks a little different in this one, June 2, 2007
This collection contains earlier C&H cartoons. Being accustomed to seeing a slightly different looking Calvin in the more modern works it takes a little getting used to. His head is HUGE! His mouth...HUGE...and also very much like those Peanuts characters. The way his body and feet are drawn is also like them. Maybe they were Watterson's inspiration? Aside from the bigger head and mouth, Calvin in drawn shorter and wider than we are accustomed to and Hobbes is also bigger than him (when he is a stuffed tiger) which makes Calvin look even smaller. I thought at first that he was four or five but then he refers to himself as a six year old so that hasn't changed. I'm guessing that Watterson refined his craft in the years following...after all, this was originally published in 1988!!!

In this collection we see:
Calvin meets Hobbes
Calvin meets Susie...and does some serious flirting???
Calvin goes to the doctor and lives to tell the tale
His mom lets him try smoking
Shrunken heads for dinner anyone?
Calvin vs Rosalyn...who wins?

Many, many more memorable episodes in this collection that will keep you coming back for more!

CAUTION!!: When the information said "Includes cartoons from Calvin & Hobbes and Something Under the Bed is Drooling" I was under the impression that it contained just a few of those. Not so! It actually COMBINES those 2 books so that ALL of those cartoons are contained herein. I learned this because I ordered this together with Calvin & Hobbes...I am assuming it will be like this for other collections as well. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Wonder, merriment, and orneriness abound in this collection full of Watterson's superior artwork and keen ability to depict the inner hopes, joys, fears, and devilishness of the ever-enterprising Calvin and his sidekick, Hobbes. ... Read more

Reviews

One crazy funny book, December 30, 1999
I'm an 8 year old Canadian living in Beijing, China, and I love to read. I really like to read funny books. One of my favourites of all time is Calvin & Hobbes, "Weirdos from Another Planet". I find this book really funny because Calvin's imagination in this one is the wildest ever! The illustrations are a perfect match for the hilarious stories. I enjoyed the main part of this book, the space adventures of Calvin & Hobbes the best. I found them so funny that I couldn't put the book down in bed, and stayed awake very late. This book made me a real fan of Calvin and Hobbes, and now I can't wait to get more! Elise Hoffmann 8 years old, Beijing, China

May Calvin never grow up!, July 29, 2006
Calvin is the kind of child that we all dread when they are a child and would admire and pay money for when they are an adult. His life and the life of his parents are summed up in the cartoon on page 77 when Calvin says, "Golly, I'd hate to have a kid like me." He is destructive, uncooperative, mean to his parents and extremely imaginative. Clearly, if he were to ever grow up, the quality of the entertainment that he would produce would be outstanding.
Fortunately, Calvin and his stuffed Tiger friend Hobbs are cartoon characters so they don't have to grow up. Cartoonist Watterson can keep them this age as long as he wants so that we can continue to be entertained by their antics. This collection of cartoons is funny, imaginative and is an exaggerated view of the life of a child. There is no question in my mind that Watterson was an imaginative child and probably got in a lot of serious trouble during that time. We should be grateful for that, as he grew up to be an outstanding cartoonist and this book is an existence proof of that.

Buy these "Weirdos", July 26, 2000
The title of the book represents a truly classic series of strips in which Calvin first uses his cardboard box as a space ship to travel to Mars. What he finds is that the "Weirdos from Another Planet" are him and Hobbes! This is another first rate collection from the strip that was THE highlight of the comics page during its newspaper run. Bill Waterson's genius has been sorely missed ever since he decided to retire. This is another fine collection in an outstanding series of books.

One of my favorites, October 19, 2006
I love all Calvin and Hobbes books, but this collection has a few of my favorites that never cease to make me laugh out loud, including:

"The Disembodied Hand That Strangled People" (I snicker just writing it)

The trip to Mars ("We're going in the wagon?" "Of course! What did YOU want to do? Flap your arms?" "I guess I hadn't thought about that part."
"Obviously."

This is a great book!, August 7, 1998
This is a great book! There are lots of things in this story I love like when Calvin becomes a tiger, when he ruins the bathroom trying to fix a faucet,getting lost at a zoo, and going to Mars just to get away from all the pollution on Earth. This was one of the best books I've read. If you love Calvin and Hobbes, BUY THIS BOOK!!

Mostly good..., November 28, 2009
It's what I wanted and I got it for an unbeatable price...it was a bit more "used" than I feel was explained, but other than that it's great.

Calvin & Hobbes cannot be beat!, March 17, 2009
Very, very funny and insightful. My 12 year old girl and my 10 year old boy love Calvin & Hobbes as much as I do.

No, we're not talking about John or Thomas . . ., January 20, 2009
Okay, so Calvin is one kid that no one would ever want to try to raise, and Hobbes is one (stuffed) tiger that no one would ever want to mess with. But these two always have their fun, and they sure do have a hell of a lot of adventures (most with Calvin's parents): camping, going to the zoo, digging for dinosaur bones, going to Mars, being lifted up in the stratosphere by a balloon, fixing the bathroom sink. The list is always endless with this duo. And this is only the fourth installment in the series! And there are tons of philosophical, satirical, ironic, and even slapstick humor all around.

Now, you know a psychologically awkward kid like Calvin would probably never survive in the real world (watch the skit on "Robot Chicken" and you'll see why). But then of course, Calvin's vivid imagination is what makes these comics so great to read. The entire series is like pizza, it's deliciously excellent.

(I know the last sentence sounds corny, so deal with it)

This is a book after my own heart!, May 13, 1999
This book is so funny!Something new every page and everything funny. You wonder where did he com up with this? it has incidents he probably hd himself and stuff he saw at other house or was told about. It seems impossible that this stuff could just pop into his head.

hilarious, May 30, 2002
truly and surely one of the best comic strips ever! were you to be sick in bed and need something to make you laugh, this is the best medicine! ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Far Side® and the Larson® signature are registered trademarks of FarWorks, Inc. ... Read more

Reviews

Original 1984 Gallery of Masterpieces Will Never Go Out of Fashion, December 18, 2006
Larson's original gallery has so many classic Far Side cartoons that you can not justify not owning this sensational collection of his work. Larson may well have retired a while ago but the power of these works of brilliance to make the reader laugh will never fade. There have been many who have copied Larson's style but I have never come across anyone else who has even come close to achieving the quality of The Far Side.

Buy The Far Side Gallery along with its sequels, the original smaller books that make up these galleries are also great buys, along with the calendars and other merchandise. Larson's 2007 calendar gives all the proceeds to wildlife conservation (which obviously inspired a lot of his work) so get that too. You can never own enough of The Far Side.

In this volume (originally released in 1984) of the Gallery collections you will find such classic Far Sides as on Noah's Ark "Well that's it for the unicorns, from now on all the carnivores are confined to C Deck", the father being held up by his shirt collar by an invisible man with his son saying "BigBob is tired of you saying he doesn' exist, the smashed bottle falling from the clouds with humans running away with the word Uh-Oh! from the sky. The bears riding in the circus car saying "Looks Like a trap I said, nonsense no one would set a trap way out here in the woods you said...." The crocodiles on the river bank saying "That was incredible, no fur, claws, horns, antlers or nothing, just soft and pink" and of course the classic picture of dinosaurs smoking with the caption beneath "The Real Reason Dinosaurs Became Extinct" are just a small sample of the classic laughs within this sensational masterpiece.

It is a great calendar if you did not buy 2000, October 22, 2000
I love the Far Side calendars. However, there are duplications of cartoons in the 2001 Off the Wall Calendar that were printed in the 2000 Off the Wall Calendar.

If you do not mind repeated cartoons, it is a good calendar.

My First Far Side Collection, March 4, 2006
Some of my earliest memories are filled with reading The Far Side on my father's lap after the evening meal. Whenever I asked my parents for a one of the standard collections, they told me to wait, one day they would all be in one book. Then, for Christmas one year, I got this book.

What can I say, but thank you Mom and Dad and thank you Mr. Larson! The Far Side was, and still is, funny, original, and timeless. This collection gives you some of the best of the original strips and lends itself well to watching the progression of humor up and through until the end.

The best calender around!!!!!!!!!, August 19, 2000
I just bought the calender a few days ago and I couldn't wait till next year. This 2001 calender has some of the funnest Far Side cartoons every created. And best of all it has color cartoons for Monday, so it really helps get Mondays started. So if you haven't ordered it yet, order it today!

Greatist Cartoon Around, July 12, 2000
This book is a hilarious collection of every Far Side cartoon that appeared in the earliest days of the strip. The human is weird, but very intelligent, and is of the kind that either you love it or you hate it. Instead of buying the smaller Far Side books buy the Far Side Gallery instead, you'll get more Far Side for less money. If you already love the Far Side you need this book.

A Great Book, August 29, 1997
If you like Gary Larson but don't know which book to buy, this is the one. It is hilarious, has cow stuff. I asure you you'll laugh your brains out. Well, at least it happened to me

Geekfest extrordinaire, January 17, 2009
Terrific collection of those inexplicably clever, geeky, and very much offbeat creations of Gary Larson's. Many of the cartoons from The Far Side Gallery are instantly recognizable classics to a legion of fans. This is probably the best one of the collections.

So orginal it's hilarious!, February 20, 2003
"Why not write a cartoon book that doesn't bother with a main character and where each joke is totally different from the next?!" That must have been similar to what Gary asked himself when starting to write his hilarious comic books. Every joke is truly different from the next one! And every joke is refreshingly original! Each joke comes from a thoughtful, clever and of course playful mind.

One of my Personal Favorites, January 3, 2001
Not only being Gary Larson's first gallary book of the Far Side series but, a classic. Holding in it some of the most memorable and most enjoyable comic panels. A must have for anyone who collects Far Side books or anything relating with Far Side. A great book even if it is your first Gary Larson book to be interested in, a must have! The First Far Side Gallery, will always hold a special place on my book shelf. Be sure to check out his other books as well! Also if you want a laugh 365 days a year check out Gary Larson's "Off the Wall Desk Calender". its great, give you something to laugh at every day!

Graphic SF Reader, September 2, 2007
The Far Side Gallery is the first collection of Gary Larson's crazy comic strips featuring hordes of talking anthropomorphised fauna and fowl of all shapes and sizes.

These are generally very amusing, and generally very witty, and you are bound to get some fridge or door material out of one of these.


... Read more

Editorial Review

Calvin and Hobbes are ready to pounce back on bestseller lists everywhere with this all-new collection of daily and color Sunday cartoons.Reprising the wide-open landscape format of last year's collection, The Days Are Just Packed, Homicidal Psycho Jungle Cat chronicles another segment of the multifarious adventures of this wild child and his faithful, but skeptical, friend. If the best cartoons compel readers to identify themselves within the funny frames, then all who enjoy Calvin and Hobbes are creative, imaginative, and ... bad, bad, bad!Calvin, the irascible little boy with the stuffed tiger who comes to life are a pair bound for trouble.Boring school lessons become occasions for death-defying alien air battles, speeding snow sled descents elecit philosophical discussions on the meaning of life, and Hobbe's natural inclination to pounce on his little friend wreaks havoc on Calvin's sense of security.Calvin's the kid we all wish we'd been.Sassy, imaginative, far more verbal than his parents can manage, Calvin is the quintessential bad boy - and the boy we love to see. He terrorizes little Susie, offers "Candid Opinions" from a neighborhood stand, and questions his parents' authority. "What assurance do I have that your parenting isn't screwing me up?" he demands.Calvin and Hobbes manages to say what needs to be said about childhood and life: "Eww, mud," says Calvin. "Look at this gooshy, dirty, slimy, thick, wet mud... Bleecch... Talk about a kid magnet!" Created by Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes has quickly become a favorite in more than 2,300 daily and Sunday newspapers. Recent readership polls show the strip as No. 1 in the Kansas City Star, Salt Lake City Deseret News, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Dallas Morning News, Akron Beacon Journal, and Schedectady Daily Gazette. ... Read more

Reviews

More C&H fun!, October 30, 2003
Fans of Calvin & Hobbes who used to read the newspaper strip in the 80s and 90s will find great pleasure in reading this collection of C&H comics. These witty comics about the 6-year old Calvin and his stuffed tiger Hobbes, named after the famous philosophers, will amuse people of all ages. The perceptiveness and humor of Watterson deserve the highest of cartoon awards, while his artistic creations exude hilarity. This cartoon is perhaps one of the most piercing yet funny critiques of modern society.

This book has more encounters with Mrs. Wormwood, when Stupendous Man saves the day. More snowman fun and more snowballs against Susie. Students in particular will like this book since it has many creative ideas for dealing with homework.

Note that there are two series of C&H collections: individual wide-format albums, each covering an entire year of strips (will call it "regular"), and the vertical aspect ratio "treasury series" which covers selected comics from two regular C&H books. Note that C&H ran for a year in newspapers, so there's 10 regular books and 5 treasury books. Though the cartoons are slightly smaller in the treasury collection, each treasury book is far thicker and contains more strips than a regular book, and is furthermore less expensive, so treasury books are a real bargain. "Homicidal Psycho Jungle Cat" belongs to the regular series and was published in 1994.

One of the last great newspaper comics..., June 6, 2004
Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes seems to be one of the last of the great newspaper strip panel comics. It's hilarious while also being insightful, poignant, and bitingly satirical. As most readers know, since Watterson has written it elsewhere, Calvin is named after John Calvin "a sixteenth century theologian who beleived in predestination". Hobbes also has a famous historical namesake in Thomas Hobbes, the seventeeth century author of "Leviathan" whose most famous saying is that life in a state of nature would be "Nasty, brutish, and short". From such a foundation, readers can expect more than a wacky strip full of slapstick, puns and sitcom-type pet or baby humor. There is much more, because Calvin and Hobbes, like all of the great comic strips, has depth. Reading just a handful of strips reveals this.

This collection from 1994 includes a great satire on conceptual art (Calvin tries to sell Hobbes a landscape in a Sunday strip); a great satire on corporate philosophy (Calvin ends up telling his mother that he needs to be subsidized); Hobbes sends Calvin anonymous insults in the mail ("Most people have secret admirers, you have a secret detractor"); "Stupendous Man" invades Calvin's class to take an exam in Calvin's place (he still flunks); one of the best is a single panel strip in which Calvin asks his parents "What assurance do I have that your parenting isn't screwing me up?"; There are also loads of Watterson's great Sunday strips. Watterson is definitely one of the last cartoonist artists that fully appreciated the boundaries (or lack of them) of the color Sunday strip. Calvin's imagined dinosaurs, aliens, parodies of "Judge Parker" type strips, and multicolor tiger battles are amazing works of cartoon art. It's difficult to find anything that even comes close on today's incredibly shrinking Sunday comics page.

Bill Watterson remains heavily elusive. What has he been doing since he voluntarily quit Calvin and Hobbes? Internet searches (at least cursory ones) don't elucidate much (one mentions that he is an intensely private individual - no doubt). Hopefully he's planning another amazing strip. Whether we hear from him again or not, in the end, we can be happy that he took up cartoonist's pen and graced the newspapers with at least one more great strip.

Classic Calvin and Hobbes, October 18, 2006
This collection has a few of my favorites in it (especially the girls/bugs analogy - priceless!) Great for any age - I read C&H starting around age 7 and I still read it today! I enjoy it just as much, though I see it from a unique perspective now. Every kid should grow up with this.

G.R.O.S.S. best club in the cosmos!!, December 13, 2005
I think that this is the funniest collection yet by Bill Waterson of his world famous "Calvin and Hobbes".
This is the book that I think has the funniest stupendous man comics when Calvin turns into stupendous man, takes a test, and still flunks!!!
It also has some funny ones when Calvin and Hobbes ride off such giant snow mountains such as "Gizzard Gulch". I think has to be the coolest collection yet I highly recomend it.

There's a party in his head and you're invited, July 24, 2004
Some parents tell me that "Calvin and Hobbes" isn't a comic, it's a documentary.

Calvin is the small boy with a vivid life of mind, or over-active imagination, or clear break from consensual reality, choose your words. Hobbes is a mysterious being. With Calvin, he's a charming, philosophical, debonair spirit of the natural world. When Calvin's parents appear, he becomes something completely different - if you don't already know, I won't spoil the surprise.

Calvin travels to distant planets, he battles dinosaurs or becomes them, he commands travel through time, and he is plagued by his evil robot alter-ego. His parents and teachers disagree, of course. Through it all, he remains blindly and merrily the star of his own show. There really is something seductive about his little world, and the way it spins only around himself. If there's a tragedy in growing up, Calvin leaves it for you to define for yourself.

This is a wonderful collection of C&H strips. It's too bad that Watterson shut the comic strips down long ago, but he didn't want C&H to lose their freshness. Maybe he need not have worried - ten years later, these haven't lost anything.

//wiredweird

Just a Little Twisted, January 9, 2004
This collection of Calvin and Hobbes strips is just a bit more twisted than many of the other collections. The very first strip in the book sets the tone. In the middle of the night Calvin wakes up and says he's thirsty. Calvin then goes for a drink of water. Hobbes jumps off the bed and pounces on Calvin as he makes his way back to bed. He parents find him in the hall with Hobbes on top of him, mumbling "homicidal psycho jungle cat."

While the opening strip is humorous, there are even better strips. Another favorite is one of Calvin's infamous "show and tell" strips. Calvin says he has nothing for show and tell, but he tells everyone that during the daytime his mom puts on a patriotic leotard, a cape and knee-high, high-heeled boots to fight crime. The teacher sends a note home with Calvin that his parent's look over together. His father's comment? "Wow, show me that outfit sometime."

The breadth of strips is consistent with other Calvin and Hobbes books, but for some reason these strips gave me more laughs than many of my other Calvin and Hobbes Books. However, the funniest strips often seem to be the cruelest. For example, Suzy follows a series of signs regarding an "important message," ending in a sign that says, "Important message: Look Out!" We then see Calvin sitting on a branch dropping a snowball, saying, "It's like shooting fish in a barrel."

I enjoy Calvin and Hobbes a lot. Of all the illustrated books I have, Calvin and Hobbes are among the funniest, and the most consistent. This particular collection is particularly funny, though a bit more bizarre than many of the other collections. However, it is the twisted nature of some of the strips that make them so interesting and funny. If you are a Calvin and Hobbes fan or just looking for a smile, here is an excellent book.

Calvin, we miss you, February 26, 2006
"From now on," says Calvin, `I'll connect the dots in my OWN way." In the strips featured in HOMICIDAL PSYCHO JUNGLE CAT, Calvin and cartoonist Bill Watterson do just that: they connect dots by looking at the world through the very old eyes of a young boy, and the results are both hilarious and thought-provoking.

A decade ago, Calvin and his buddy Hobbes the tiger romped through the daily comics in a ground-breaking strip. The humor was often dark, the artwork (especially in the Sunday versions) was unique, and Calvin's self-absorbed observations were sometimes too close to my own private thoughts for comfort.

This volume, published in 1994, is Calvin at his best. The book includes daily and full-color Sunday strips for about a year. We see Calvin in a four-season cycle from the trademark snowmen of winter to the tormenting of Susie-next-door in high summer. All of the characters that made the strip great are included. This collection is an excellent way to become reacquainted with Calvin or to discover him for the first time.

A review from Mr. Entertainment Lover, May 8, 1999
This is by far the best Calvin and Hobbes book ever written. It contains Calvin as Stupendous Man trying to pass his test, mean letters from Hobbes, and a best poster contest. Spaceman Spiff will leave you laughing and so will the dinosaour ones. Heck the whole book will leave you laughing. You're going to want to read more and more of it.

Calvin and Hobbes, June 19, 2006
This book is called Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson. This book is great. It's very entertaining and funny. This book could be read by adults and children. Some words are difficult. It's a comic strip. The characters are Calvin and Hobbes. Calvin has a very big imagination. Hobbes is his stuffed toy and he thinks it a real tiger. It has many stories and they are all funny.It's cool. I want all people to read it. It's cool, funny, and very ammusing.

Norman Bates Has Nothing On This Tiger, November 14, 2002
"Homicidal Psycho Jungle Cat" takes us back to a time in our lives when the only thing we had to worry about was watching cartoons on Saturday mornings, how many pennies we had in our piggy banks, and whether or not our stuffed tiger was waiting around the corner to pounce on us.

Okay, so that last worry really belongs to six-year old Calvin. His best friend, Hobbes, the aforementioned stuffed tiger that comes to life when only Calvin is around, proves the old axiom "you can take the tiger out of the jungle but you can't take the jungle out of the tiger." Don't look now, but I think Hobbes is about to pounce on poor Calvin once again.

This book is a collection of daily and Sunday "Calvin and Hobbes" comic strips from the early 90s. It proves, and reminds us, of just how much we miss this strip in our lives each day. Most "Calvin and Hobbes" fans believe that Bill Watterson ended the strip well before its time. But both Calvin and Hobbes will live on forever through the various collection books like this oen. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reuben Award-winning cartoonist Bill Amend culled through 20 years of FoxTrot strips to select his personal favorites for this lavish retrospective.

Since the 1988 launch of Bill Amend's FoxTrot, Amend has humorously depicted suburban living through the adventures and misadventures of the Fox family. Via kids Peter, Paige, and Jason, along with parents Roger and Andy, Amend comments on the latest Hollywood fads, gaming fixations, and familial fascination with wry irreverence.

Inside this special two paperback slipcased edition of FoxTrot, fans will find almost 1,600 of Amend's favorite and most notable strips. Essays and annotations by the cartoonist offer readers new insight into both the material and creative process behind it.

As evidence of the strip's overwhelming popularity, FoxTrot boasts sales of more than 3.5 million books. The Best of FoxTrot is the book FoxTrot fans have been eagerly awaiting.

2 paperbacks, 280 pages each. ... Read more

Reviews

A fantastic book!, November 29, 2010
'The Best of Foxtrot' is a very good book consisting of Bill Amend's finest stories over the years. Some are:
* The first week of strips
* Jason goes to 'Batman'
* Jason goes to summer camp
* Jason turns into a mini-Paige
* Jason vs. Laura Croft
* Andy becomes obsessed with Titanic
* Peter goes crazy from paranoia
* Roger's cigar

And lots more!

This One's Annotated!, December 22, 2010
For years, "FoxTrot" was one of the best comics published in newspapers. The strip ran daily from 1988-2006. At the end of 2006, creator Bill Amend semi-retired and switched over to a Sunday only format. With the strip only appearing as a regular Sunday strip, a lot of the promotion surrounding the strip is similar to that of a strip that has been permanently retired. First there was what seemed to be a final "treasury" (FOXTROT WRAPPED-UP). Then there was a collection of themed strips (MATH, SCIENCE, and UNIX UNDERPANTS). Now there is THE BEST OF FOXTROT, a massive two volume set of over 1,000 "FoxTrot" comic strips. The first volume covers the years from 1988-April 1998 and the second volume covers April 1998-February 2008. What I enjoyed most about this set is seeing how the strip evolved over time, both physically and the personalities of the characters. During the first couple of years the family members looked almost identically the only difference being that Jason wore classes, Peter wore a hat, and Roger had less hair. Over time, they became more distinctive in both appearance and in personality.

Some of the strips are annotated with comments from Amend. Some of the annotations explain where the idea came from and others explain some detail about the strip (for instance, many of the names of teachers are named after teachers and friends of Amend). There are more annotations in Volume I than in Volume II. However, I was a little disappointed by the number of annotations. Unlike many comic strips, "FoxTrot" treasuries are notorious for having no annotations whatsoever. I was thankful that this "Best Of" collection has some, but for a set that covers two books and over 1,000 strips, there isn't a whole lot here.

I think my favorite storyline in the entire set was when Jason and Eileen Jacobsen actually were boyfriend and girlfriend. The entire story lasts for several weeks and it's one of the funniest and most touching in the entire series. I have been an avid reader of FoxTrot for years, but I had never seen or read this story. Amend has a short not explaining why their relationship ended. However, I find it interesting that their prior relationship was "forgotten"; when I was reading the strip it always seemed that Jason and Eileen liked each other, but Jason would never admit it. The characters could have referenced the prior relationship, but they never did and after reading this storyline I find that a shame. But, que sera, sera. ... Read more

Editorial Review

A new, small-format edition of one of Gorey’s “dark masterpieces of surreal morality” (Vanity Fair)- a witty, disquieting journey through the alphabet. ... Read more

Reviews

Hilariously creepy, December 18, 2001
The concept behind "The Gashlycrumb Tinies; or, After the Outing," by Edward Gorey, is brilliant in its simplicity. It consists of a series of rhymes about small children who suffer various deaths. Each child has a name beginning with a different letter of the alphabet, and their grim fates are arranged alphabetically by name. Each fate is also accompanied by one of Gorey's macabre drawings. Sample lines: "E is for Ernest who choked on a peach. F is for Fanny sucked dry by a leech. G is for George smothered under a rug. H is for Hector done in by a thug."

I found this book hilarious. Gorey's children have a proper Victorian look to them which makes their scenarios that much more bizarre. Most of the drawings show the unfortunate children just before their deaths; only a few of the pictures actually show explicit death or violence.

One could read "Gashlycrumb Tinies" as an outrageous parody of children's books (of alphabet primers in particular), or just enjoy it for what it is. Either way, I think it's a wicked delight.

Drop-Dead Humor from A to Z, March 19, 2004
Edward Gorey's dark subversion of children's alphabet books is a tiny book guaranteed to bring a sinister smile to the face of every one with a twisted sense of humor. Opening with "A is for Amy who fell down the stairs" and running all the way to "Z is for Zilla who drank too much gin," the simple but inspired rhymes combine with Gorey's pseudo-Victorian Gothic crosshatch illustrations to wickedly funny effect.

Although his disaster-specific illustrations (such as "R is Rhoda consumed by a fire") are macabrely witty, Gorey is really at his best when he leaves the most to your imagination. Consequently, it is really his illustrations of impending doom ("P is for Prue trampled flat in a brawl") or the shocking aftermath of an unknown circumstance ("K is for Kate who was struck with an ax") that are most likely to inspire a mischievous grin.

Although you might not want to give this to your anxiety-prone niece or your traumatized stepson as a Christmas stocking stuffer unless you wish to make them worry about your intent, older children will likely find it every bit as comical as adults--but adults are the real audience here, much more likely to catch the drop-dead humor involved. Wickedly amusing and sinisterly charming in every way.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

highly amusing, June 28, 2000
This is the first Gorey I have ever read. I just read it today. Here are my impressions:

As my title indicates, I found it highly amusing. I found myself laughing out loud a few times while reading this very short book.

The illustrations are fantastic as you can gather from most of these reviews. Most of the illustrations are funny but I might note the exception to that in the gruesome image of Kate's corpse after being struck with an ax. I think that's the only illustration taking place after the event. That proved to be an exception though. The book is very amusing and hilarious at times.

It's an anti-children's book for adults. It can be a funny remedy to the insipid and happy-go-lucky kinds of children's books. That doesn't mean this is just for parents or those particularly sick with those children's books. I think anyone with a decent sense of humor, and especially a dark one, would enjoy this.

It's short. I don't know why the information says it's 64 pages because there are only 26 letters in the alphabet. Anyway, my point is that it's just a little humorous diversion.

This hardcover edition is really great. It's high quality and just plain nice...

My Favorite Gorey, June 16, 2000
I own most all of Gorey's titles, and though "The Doubtful Guest" is my sentimental favorite merely because it was my first, "Tinies" never fails to amuse me. For someone who otherwise would never be caught dead using the phrase 'deliciously macabre', you should allow yourself to appreciate Gorey's unabashed deliciousness, for what else can you can this volume? Inspired? Yes! Hysterical? Yes! Yet it's more than an alphabet book for adults--it's good to know in this politically correct era, that it's OK to laugh out loud when Kate is struck by an axe. If your tastes aren't quite that edgy, then you won't be saddened when Gorey's reached the end, with Zelda drinking too much gin. This material strikes a very timeless cord, and though I wouldn't read it to a toddler--unless his was a particularly developed sense of humor, this savvy tot--I would be alarmed by anyone offened by it. Gorey's great with the 'pleasant squirm', and here he's mastered it perfectly.

A Masterpiece of the not-so-subtle Macabre!!!!!!, August 3, 1999
I purchased this book after realizing that Edward Gorey was the wonderfully sinister artist behind the scary illustrations in most of the books by John Bellairs. What a pleasant (yet disturbing) surprise it was to see the alphabet written in such a memorably deranged way. The shock value alone of this book is great (just imagine an elementary school teacher handing this one out!!!) If you can appreciate anything sick and twisted and if you like any form of dark illustrations get everything ever drawn by Mr. Edward Gorey!!!!!!

Warped! Warped! Warped!, September 3, 2005
Yes, it's warped! I feel like such an utter sociopathic evil human being for thinking this sick creation is completely hysterical. Oh, gosh, I mean, what's wrong with me that I break out laughing over what sounds in description the most demented thing ever drawn?

For those who may not know, The Gashlycrumb Tinies, by the legendary Edward Gorey, is a series of pen and ink illustrations that concern the ghastly, serial deaths of twenty-six small children (yes I feel awful just typing that knowing it's being read) all of whom have a name beginning with one consecutive letter of the alphabet, A,B, C, etc. and all of whom are depicted meeting singularly gruesome fates, each of the incidents set merrily to rhyme. The children are Victorian or Edwardian, as are nearly all characters Gorey drew, and they meet their demises in astonishingly horrid ways. One is devoured by mice, another is eaten by bears. Another is sucked dry by a leech, yet another unfortunate meets her fate under a rug. One child even manages to perish from ennui!

Oh, dear Lord, this is insanity, and yet as penned by Gorey, this is so sick it's funny.

I'm stopping here.

Before anyone tracks me down to stone me at a crossroads under a full moon while chanting from the Book of Common Prayer, try reading this disgustingly hilarious little collection and see if you don't agree it reaches in and finds some twisted avenue in your soul and tickles till your inner sadist erupts with laughter.

I like children. I swear I do.

"M is for Maud who was swept out to sea..."

Help! I'm not a bad person for laughing, honestly! Sick! Sick! SICK!

"N is for Neville who died of ennui", February 7, 2004
But you will not die of ennui if you open this book. It illustrates the misfortunes of 26 children with names A-Z to a ghoulishly humorous rhyme. The cover image of the umbrella wielding symbol of death and his doomed "tinies" is one of the most famous artwork out there; especially in the gothic world. Inside are drawings of the children before or after their sudden deaths. My favorite is "H is for Hector done in by a thug" with a drawing of an innocent schoolboy and two arms holding a long piece of cloth in the background. No doubt this scene was inspired by the barbaric cult that practiced ritual strangulation known as the "Thuggies." The most gruesome drawing is "K is for Kate who was struck with an axe" the rest are more witty than grisly. Like the title, this book is tiny in size as well but big on macabre humor!

A lesson with laughter., October 3, 2001
When I was a boy, my mother read to me the short poem of Solomon Grundy. It went - Solomon Grundy, Born on a Monday, Christened on a Tuesday, Married On a Wednesday, Took ill on a Thursday, Worse on a Friday, Died on Saturday, Buried on a Sunday. This is the end of Solomon Grundy.

I don't remember how young I was, but I was startled by the short life of this Solomon Grundy character. It also made me wonder about death. Not in a depressive, fearful way, but in a curious way. Even though I wasn't intellectually tuned to metaphor , my unconscious understood that though we don't die in a week, we do die - whatever dieing meant to me in those days. It was a lesson. A lesson wrapped in a tale for the young at heart.

Edward Gorey's The Gashlycrumb Tinies teaches us the same lesson, but it also contains the one ingredient we need to extinguish the fear of death ( for a time ). Humor. We see the calamity of it's characters and we laugh. But we laugh because we are kin to the absurdity. The greatest ill a parent can do to a child is to deceive that child from the truth. The Gashlycrumb Tinies allows us to tell the truth, one step at a time. Laughter and death, something we all have in common.

Solomon Grundy or The Gashlycrumb Tinies - thanks Mom.

Otto

Because of American Idol (and Siobhan Magnus), March 16, 2010
While I was down in my man cave I happened to come across a show called "American Idol". I'm not sure if any of you are familiar with this show, but apparently it consists of four middle aged adults picking on young kids who can carry a tune in the middle of a Ford and/or Coca-Cola commercial. In any event, I was engaged in a lead pressing event - squats - so I couldn't change the channel to something more manly, such as anything on Spike TV... thus I ended up watching. Most of the contestants were pretty boring, however one came out on stage and begun singing my favorite Rolling Stones song, Paint it Black. The singer, Siobhan Magnus (thank goodness they write the names out with the phone numbers) did a great job singing it - good enough that I squeezed out a few extra reps at 4,500 pounds each...

In any event, what caught my attention most was the tattoo on her right shoulder. It was of a little dead guy holding an umbrella. I looked it up and discovered The Gashlycrumb Tinies.

The book details the suspicious deaths of over two dozen children. If this doesn't have serial killer written all over it, then I'm the Pope. How does George get smothered under a rug? Earnest choked on a peach? Zillah drank too much gin? How did she even get access to alcohol? I smell cover up. Perhaps if Gorey dove into the back stories of these "deaths" we might be able to gather some evidence to uncover the real story behind Kate and her unfortunate encounter with an axe.

That said, I thoroughly enjoyed all of the death and mayhem portrayed in the book. Believe me folks, having been on a 14 hour flight to Frankfurt (don't ask) with a kid crying/yelling/kicking my seat/and throwing up during 12 of those hours, I can relate to Edward Gorey's murderous impulses. If I were a betting man, I'd put my money on his inspiration for this book coming from his airplane travels.

Who doesn't like seeing kids murdered in unusual ways? Now please excuse me as there are two men in suits ringing my doorbell...

A great , dark gift, November 6, 2006
Go through the alphabet with Edward Gorey -- one death at a time! This is a great gift for anyone you might know with a dark sense of humor. Or as a gift to a young child whose parents you don't particularly like... This short story is, like all of Gorey, a wonderfully illustrated and twisted look at the world from a very different perspective. If you already like, or have an interest in Edward Gorey, I would recommend you skip this and just purchase Amphigorey which contains this story as well as many others. ... Read more