Bill Watterson returns to the comic pages (for a few days)
AT THE END OF 1995, the beloved “Calvin and Hobbes” sledded off the comics page for the final time, and its long-reclusive legendary creator, Bill Watterson, retired from the business, never to draw another syndicated newspaper strip.
Until now.
This week, the millions of readers across generations who have pined for the cartoonist’s return got a sudden glimmer. Turns out, Watterson’s brilliant artistic hand has recently been hiding in plain sight. Readers don’t need to go back a couple of decades to see his latest work; they need only go back, say, a couple of days. That’s because Watterson has returned home to the comics page — even if only for a limited engagement.
Yes, you read that right. For three days, Watterson — once known as the J.D. Salinger of the strips — has resurfaced, his inspired visual wit intact. For this, we have Stephan Pastis’s real estate and surreal humor to thank.
Since Wednesday, Watterson’s new artwork has been featured in Pastis’s syndicated strip, “Pearls Before Swine.” It’s a creative collaboration that stunned Pastis, who says that he sooner expected to team up with “Peanuts” creator Charles M. Schulz. “And yes,” Pastis says slyly, “I am aware that Schulz is dead.”
Read Calvin and Hobbes creator returns to the comic pages in the Washington Post.
Thanks to Stella for the alert.
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June 10th, 2014 at 00:21
Your Grace, furthermore, Bill Walterson won the comic’s most prestigious awards–Angoulême Grand Prix–last February 2014. Your Grace, here’s the link to that historic matter: http://www.bleedingcool.com/2014/02/02/bill-watterson-wins-angouleme-grand-prix-now-for-next-year/