What is Calvinball. How do you play Calvinball. What are the rules of Calvinball. Why did Calvin invent Calvinball. What equipment is used in Calvinball. How does scoring work in Calvinball. What is the Calvinball theme song.
The Ingenious Creation of Calvinball: A Sport Unlike Any Other
In the beloved comic strip Calvin and Hobbes, few elements capture the imagination quite like Calvinball. This wildly inventive game, dreamed up by the mischievous Calvin and his tiger companion Hobbes, stands as a testament to childhood creativity and the rejection of rigid structure in play.
But what exactly is Calvinball? At its core, Calvinball is a game with only one permanent rule: it can never be played the same way twice. This fundamental principle opens up a world of possibilities, allowing players to invent new rules, challenges, and scoring systems on the fly.
The Origins of Calvinball
Calvin created Calvinball as a response to his dissatisfaction with organized sports. While the comic doesn’t provide an exact origin story, it’s implied that the game evolved organically from Calvin and Hobbes’ play sessions. As Calvin himself notes, “Sooner or later, all our games turn into Calvinball,” suggesting that the sport emerged from their tendency to constantly alter and reinvent the rules of conventional games.
The Fluid Nature of Calvinball Gameplay
One of the most fascinating aspects of Calvinball is its ever-changing nature. No two games are ever alike, as players are free to introduce new elements, zones, and rules as they see fit. This fluid gameplay keeps participants on their toes and fosters creativity and quick thinking.
Common Elements in Calvinball
While the specifics of each game vary, certain elements frequently appear in Calvinball matches:
- The Calvinball: Often a volleyball, but can be any ball
- Masks: Players typically wear masks during the game
- Wickets: Sometimes referred to as “time-fracture wickets”
- Flags: Often used as objectives or to denote special areas
- Numbered signs: Used to mark various zones or points of interest
- Sports equipment: May include items like croquet mallets, badminton birdies, or soccer balls
Unique Zones and Rules
Calvinball games often feature special areas with their own rules and effects. Some examples include:
- The Opposite Pole: Reverses everything when touched
- No Song Zone: Players don’t have to sing the “Very Sorry Song” here
- Invisible Sector: Players must cover their eyes when in this area
- Vortex Spots: Cause players to spin uncontrollably
- Boomerang Zone: Penalties are reversed back to the caller
The Art of Scoring in Calvinball: Creativity Unleashed
How does one keep score in a game where the rules are constantly changing? The answer is: creatively and often absurdly. Calvinball scoring is as unpredictable as the game itself, with points awarded in various non-standard units.
Unconventional Scoring Systems
In Calvinball, you might hear scores like:
- “The score is oogy to boogy!”
- “It’s Q to 12!”
- “I’m winning 10 quoggleflapps to 3 snargs!”
These nonsensical scores perfectly encapsulate the spirit of the game, where the joy of play takes precedence over rigid point-keeping.
The Calvinball Theme Song: A Musical Celebration of Chaos
No sport is complete without its anthem, and Calvinball is no exception. The Calvinball theme song, which appears in the comic strip, perfectly captures the game’s free-spirited nature:
“Other kids’ games are all such a bore!
They’ve gotta have rules and they gotta keep score!
Calvinball is better by far!
It’s never the same! It’s always bizarre!
You don’t need a team or a referee!
You know that it’s great, ’cause it’s named after me!”
This catchy tune, with Calvin on lead vocals and Hobbes providing “Rumma-Tum-Tums” backup, emphasizes the game’s rejection of traditional sports conventions and celebrates its unpredictable nature.
Special Calvinball Traditions: Songs and Poems
Beyond the theme song, Calvinball has spawned other musical and poetic traditions that add to its whimsical charm.
The “Very Sorry Song”
In one memorable strip, Calvin is forced to sing the “Very Sorry Song” after Hobbes hits him with the Calvinball. This impromptu ditty serves as both a penalty and a source of amusement:
“Here’s the ‘Very Sorry Song.’
Won’t you help and sing along?
Bum bum bum
I’m very very sorry that I took your precious flag!
Bum bum bum
I’m very very sorry that I made you play this game!
Bum bum bum
I’m very very sorry that I hit you with the ball!
Bum bum bum
I’m very very sorry, I’m sorry most of all!”
The “Pernicious Poem”
Another Calvinball tradition is the “Pernicious Poem,” recited when a player lands on the Pernicious Poem Place. This poetic penalty often involves some form of self-inflicted discomfort:
“This is a poem! Please do what you’re told!
And here is a bucket of water, ice-cold!
Please take this water, and dump it on me!
Don’t hesitate, do it A.S.A.P.!”
The Philosophy Behind Calvinball: More Than Just a Game
While Calvinball is undoubtedly a source of entertainment in the Calvin and Hobbes comics, it also represents a deeper philosophical stance on play, creativity, and childhood.
Rejection of Rigid Structure
By creating a game with no fixed rules, Calvin rebels against the structured nature of organized sports and, by extension, the adult world’s tendency to impose order and limitations on children’s play. Calvinball celebrates spontaneity and imagination, allowing players to shape their own experience in real-time.
Embracing Creativity and Adaptability
The ever-changing nature of Calvinball requires players to think on their feet, adapt to new situations, and exercise their creativity continuously. These skills, while valuable in the context of the game, also serve as important life lessons about flexibility and innovation.
The Joy of Play for Play’s Sake
Perhaps most importantly, Calvinball embodies the pure joy of play unconstrained by competition or external validation. The focus is on the experience itself rather than winning or losing, encouraging players to fully immerse themselves in the moment.
The Legacy of Calvinball: Inspiring Real-World Play
Despite being a fictional game, Calvinball has inspired real-world enthusiasts to create their own versions of the sport. While these games can’t truly capture the spontaneity of Calvin and Hobbes’ creation (as any attempt to codify rules would inherently violate the core principle of Calvinball), they serve as a testament to the enduring appeal of the concept.
Calvinball in Popular Culture
The influence of Calvinball extends beyond direct attempts to recreate the game. Its spirit of creative play and rule-breaking has inspired numerous other works, from improvisational theatre games to experimental video games that allow players to modify rules in real-time.
Lessons from Calvinball
What can we learn from Calvinball? Here are a few key takeaways:
- Creativity thrives when freed from unnecessary constraints
- The process of play can be more rewarding than the outcome
- Adaptability and quick thinking are valuable skills in unpredictable situations
- Humor and absurdity have a place in even the most competitive environments
- Rules should serve the players, not the other way around
Calvinball Equipment: Tools of Imaginative Play
While Calvinball can theoretically be played with any objects at hand, certain items appear frequently in the comic strip’s depictions of the game. Understanding these elements can provide insight into the creative process behind Calvinball and inspire would-be players to assemble their own Calvinball kits.
Essential Calvinball Gear
The following items are commonly seen in Calvinball matches:
- The Calvinball: Usually a volleyball, but can be any ball
- Masks: Simple eye masks to maintain the game’s air of mystery
- Flags: Used to mark territories or as capture objectives
- Wickets: Croquet-style hoops that may serve various purposes
- Numbered signs: To designate different zones or rules
- Miscellaneous sports equipment: Could include bats, rackets, or goals
The beauty of Calvinball lies in its adaptability. Players are encouraged to incorporate whatever items are available, transforming ordinary objects into tools of extraordinary play.
The Role of Imagination in Calvinball Equipment
While physical objects form the backbone of Calvinball gameplay, the most crucial element is the players’ imagination. A simple stick might become a “predator-repelling wand,” while a patch of grass could be designated as the “zone of eternal confusion.” This emphasis on imaginative transformation encourages players to see the world around them in new and exciting ways.
Calvinball Strategies: Mastering the Art of Chaos
Given the ever-changing nature of Calvinball, developing a coherent strategy might seem impossible. However, successful Calvinball players exhibit certain traits and approaches that can increase their enjoyment and success in the game.
Key Strategies for Calvinball Success
- Embrace spontaneity: Be ready to adapt to new rules at a moment’s notice
- Think creatively: Introduce unexpected elements to keep opponents on their toes
- Stay alert: Pay attention to new rules and zones as they’re introduced
- Use humor: Incorporate jokes and wordplay into rule creation
- Balance complexity: Introduce rules that add fun without bogging down the game
- Collaborate: Work with other players to create engaging scenarios
Remember, the ultimate goal of Calvinball is enjoyment. The best strategy is one that maximizes fun for all players involved.
The Art of Rule Creation in Calvinball
Creating effective Calvinball rules is a skill in itself. Good rules should be:
- Clear enough to understand quickly
- Open to creative interpretation
- Balanced between challenge and achievability
- Amusing or unexpected in some way
As players become more experienced with Calvinball, they often develop a knack for introducing rules that enhance the game’s unpredictable and entertaining nature.
The Impact of Calvinball on Child Development
While Calvinball exists primarily in the realm of comic strip fantasy, its underlying principles align with many theories of child development and learning through play. The game’s structure (or lack thereof) encourages several key developmental areas.
Cognitive Benefits of Calvinball-Style Play
- Creativity: Inventing new rules and scenarios fosters imaginative thinking
- Problem-solving: Adapting to changing rules enhances cognitive flexibility
- Memory: Keeping track of evolving rules exercises working memory
- Language development: Creating and explaining new rules builds verbal skills
Social-Emotional Learning Through Calvinball
Calvinball-inspired play can also contribute to children’s social and emotional development:
- Collaboration: Players must work together to create an enjoyable experience
- Negotiation: Disagreements over rules provide opportunities to practice conflict resolution
- Emotional regulation: The unpredictable nature of the game helps children manage frustration and excitement
- Empathy: Creating rules requires considering how they will affect other players
While organized sports certainly have their place in child development, the free-form nature of Calvinball-style play offers unique benefits that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Calvinball in Education: Learning Through Creative Play
The principles behind Calvinball can be applied in educational settings to create engaging, student-driven learning experiences. While not directly replicating the game, educators can draw inspiration from Calvinball’s emphasis on creativity, adaptability, and student agency.
Calvinball-Inspired Teaching Strategies
- Flexible lesson structures that allow for student input
- Encouraging students to create their own learning games or activities
- Using improvisational techniques to explore academic concepts
- Incorporating physical movement and play into lessons
- Allowing students to set their own learning goals and assessment criteria
By embracing the spirit of Calvinball, educators can create classroom environments that foster creativity, critical thinking, and a love of learning.
The Role of Structured Chaos in Learning
Calvinball’s “structured chaos” approach mirrors certain educational theories, such as constructivism and discovery learning. By providing a framework (the basic concept of Calvinball) within which students can explore and create, educators can facilitate deep, meaningful learning experiences.
This approach can be particularly effective in subjects that benefit from creative thinking, such as:
- Creative writing
- Visual arts
- Music composition
- Scientific experimentation
- Mathematical problem-solving
By allowing students to “change the rules” of their learning experience, educators can tap into the same sense of ownership and engagement that makes Calvinball so appealing.
Calvinball | The Calvin and Hobbes Wiki
in:
Sports, Running gags, Games,
and
6 more
A game of Calvinball.
Calvinball is a game invented by Calvin and Hobbes. There is only one rule: it can’t be played the same way twice.
Rules cannot be used twice (except for the rule that rules cannot be used twice), and any plays made in one game may not be made again in any future games. The game may involve wickets, mallets, volleyballs, and additional sports-related equipment.
There is only one permanent rule in Calvinball: players cannot play it the same way twice. For example, in one game of Calvinball, the goal was to capture the opponent’s flag, whereas in a different game of Calvinball, the goal was to score points by hitting badminton birdies against trees using a croquet mallet.
Contents
- 1 Creation
- 2 Gameplay
- 3 Calvinball theme song
- 4 Quotes
- 5 The “Pernicious Poem”
- 6 The Very Sorry Song
- 6.
1 Lyrics
- 6.
- 7 Obscure Scoring System
- 8 Trivia
- 9 External Links
1 LyricsCreation[]
Calvin created the game when he first became tired of organized sports. Although the first depicted game of Calvinball followed Calvin’s failure to join the baseball team, the game appears in such a complete form there that it is likely that Calvin and Hobbes had been playing the game for a long time beforehand.
The only hint at the true creation of the game comes from the last Calvinball strip, in which a game of football quickly changes into a game of Calvinball. Calvin remarks, “Sooner or later, all our games turn into Calvinball,” suggesting that a similar scenario led directly to the creation of the sport.
Gameplay[]
Although all games of Calvinball are different (as players can make up rules as they go), many of them seem to involve a volleyball (the “Calvinball”), masks, and pickets with numbers printed on them.
Key features of various games have included (in approximate order of appearance):
- Wickets (referred to as “time-fracture wickets” in one strip)
- Soccer balls
- Flags
- Masks
- Small signs with numbers
- Zones/Sectors
- The “Opposite Pole” (when a player touches it, everything becomes the opposite of what it was before. Also, a player must declare when he or she touches it, but because it is the “opposite” pole, the player declares touching it by not declaring it)
- The “Very Sorry Song” (see below)
- A “No Song” zone (a player doesn’t have to sing the “Very Sorry Song” if he or she is in the “No Song” zone)
- The “Bonus Box”
- Croquet mallets
- Badminton Birdies
- The “Invisible Sector” (this sector cannot be seen, and whoever wanders into it must cover their eyes; the only way out is to be bonked by the Calvinball)
- “Vortex spots” (if a player steps in a vortex spot, they have to spin around until they fall down)
- The “Boomerang Zone” (if a player incurs a penalty while in the boomerang zone, the penalty is instead suffered by the player who called them on it)
- A volleyball (the “Calvinball”)
- Trees (as goalposts)
- Buckets
- Poems
- Sacks
- Non-numerical scoring values (such as “oogy,” “boogy” and “Q”)
- The Calvinball theme song (see below)
- Decrees
- Water balloons
- Hobby horse
- The “Pernicious Poem Place” (a player caught in this area must recite a poem and incur a penalty relating to the poem, such as ice cold water. )
- The Bag Flag Zone
- Being forced to move and speak in slow motion
- The Perimeter of Wisdom
- The Corollary Zone
- The Baby Sitter Flag (any player touched by the Baby Sitter Flag must obey the baby sitter)
Also, a player must declare when he or she touches it, but because it is the “opposite” pole, the player declares touching it by not declaring it)
)Calvinball theme song[]
The Calvinball theme song made its only appearance in the penultimate Calvinball storyline. Calvin sings the lead while Hobbes sings backup with “Rumma-Tum-Tums.”
- “Other kids’ games are all such a bore!
- They’ve gotta have rules and they gotta keep score!
- Calvinball is better by far!
- It’s never the same! It’s always bizarre!
- You don’t need a team or a referee!
- You know that it’s great, ’cause it’s named after me!”
- “If you wanna-“
After that, Calvin tells Rosalyn to “feel free to harmonize with Hobbes on the ‘Rumma-tum-tums'”.
Quotes[]
| “ |  | ” |
—Hobbes | ||
| “ | ” | |
—Calvin | ||
| “ | ” | |
—Calvin | ||
| “ | ” | |
—Hobbes | ||
| “ | ” | |
—Hobbes | ||
The “Pernicious Poem”[]
In one strip, Calvin landed on the Pernicious Poem Place and was forced to take a bucket of ice cold water to Susie, and recite the “Pernicious Poem”:
“This is a poem! Please do what you’re told! And here is a bucket of water, ice-cold! Please take this water, and dump it on me! Don’t hesitate, do it A.
S.A.P.!”
Susie, after a moment of confusion, gleefully obliged.
The Very Sorry Song[]
In one Calvinball strip, Calvin stole Hobbes’ flag, and Hobbes hit him with the Calvinball. As a result, Calvin was required to put the flag back and sing the “Very Sorry Song.”
Lyrics[]
The “Very Sorry Song” has two parts, one sung by the one who did the action (the “offender”), and one sung by the person whom the action was done to (the “victim”). It is not known if the offender’s lines and the victims lines are sung one after the other, or at the same time.
Offender Victim “Here’s the ‘Very Sorry Songg.’ Won’t you help and sing alongg?” “Bum bum bum” “I blew it!” “He’s sorry!” “I knew it!” “So sorry!” “I’m very very sorry that I took your precious flaaggg!” “Just don’t do it any more, you scurvy scalawaaggg!”
In one game, The offender is free after singing this and gets “free passage to wicket five”.
In a different one, Offender and Victim alike must jump everywhere until somebody finds “the bonus box”.
The “Very sorry song”
Obscure Scoring System[]
The scoring system in Calvinball is never made clear, and it’s unlikely that it has a consistent scoring system across games. The only detail that is known is that scores can have non-numeric values. In one game, the score was Q to 12 and in another, the score was Oogy to Boogy.
Trivia[]
- Bill Watterson once said, “People have asked how to play Calvinball. It’s pretty simple: you make up the rules as you go.”
- In one strip, Calvin and Hobbes are seen playing an obscure combination of croquet, cricket, and baseball. It is unknown whether or not this is a variation of Calvinball, a predecessor to Calvinball, or simply another obscure game.
- While most games of Calvinball are solely between Calvin and Hobbes, Rosalyn takes part in a game during the final babysitter arc, in a successful ploy to get Calvin to behave. As stated by Calvin, “She picked up the nuances of this game fast!“, and Calvin even willingly conceded defeat when Rosalyn invoked the “Baby Sitter Flag” to get Calvin to go to bed.
As stated by Calvin, “She picked up the nuances of this game fast!“, and Calvin even willingly conceded defeat when Rosalyn invoked the “Baby Sitter Flag” to get Calvin to go to bed.External Links[]
https://www.picpak.net/calvin/calvinball
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.
Calvinball | The Calvin and Hobbes Wiki
in:
Sports, Running gags, Games,
and
6 more
A game of Calvinball.
Calvinball is a game invented by Calvin and Hobbes. There is only one rule: it can’t be played the same way twice.
Rules cannot be used twice (except for the rule that rules cannot be used twice), and any plays made in one game may not be made again in any future games. The game may involve wickets, mallets, volleyballs, and additional sports-related equipment.
There is only one permanent rule in Calvinball: players cannot play it the same way twice.
For example, in one game of Calvinball, the goal was to capture the opponent’s flag, whereas in a different game of Calvinball, the goal was to score points by hitting badminton birdies against trees using a croquet mallet.
Contents
- 1 Creation
- 2 Gameplay
- 3 Calvinball theme song
- 4 Quotes
- 5 The “Pernicious Poem”
- 6 The Very Sorry Song
- 6.1 Lyrics
- 7 Obscure Scoring System
- 8 Trivia
- 9 External Links
Creation[]
Calvin created the game when he first became tired of organized sports. Although the first depicted game of Calvinball followed Calvin’s failure to join the baseball team, the game appears in such a complete form there that it is likely that Calvin and Hobbes had been playing the game for a long time beforehand.
The only hint at the true creation of the game comes from the last Calvinball strip, in which a game of football quickly changes into a game of Calvinball.
Calvin remarks, “Sooner or later, all our games turn into Calvinball,” suggesting that a similar scenario led directly to the creation of the sport.
Gameplay[]
Although all games of Calvinball are different (as players can make up rules as they go), many of them seem to involve a volleyball (the “Calvinball”), masks, and pickets with numbers printed on them.
Key features of various games have included (in approximate order of appearance):
- Wickets (referred to as “time-fracture wickets” in one strip)
- Soccer balls
- Flags
- Masks
- Small signs with numbers
- Zones/Sectors
- The “Opposite Pole” (when a player touches it, everything becomes the opposite of what it was before. Also, a player must declare when he or she touches it, but because it is the “opposite” pole, the player declares touching it by not declaring it)
- The “Very Sorry Song” (see below)
- A “No Song” zone (a player doesn’t have to sing the “Very Sorry Song” if he or she is in the “No Song” zone)
- The “Bonus Box”
- Croquet mallets
- Badminton Birdies
- The “Invisible Sector” (this sector cannot be seen, and whoever wanders into it must cover their eyes; the only way out is to be bonked by the Calvinball)
- “Vortex spots” (if a player steps in a vortex spot, they have to spin around until they fall down)
- The “Boomerang Zone” (if a player incurs a penalty while in the boomerang zone, the penalty is instead suffered by the player who called them on it)
- A volleyball (the “Calvinball”)
- Trees (as goalposts)
- Buckets
- Poems
- Sacks
- Non-numerical scoring values (such as “oogy,” “boogy” and “Q”)
- The Calvinball theme song (see below)
- Decrees
- Water balloons
- Hobby horse
- The “Pernicious Poem Place” (a player caught in this area must recite a poem and incur a penalty relating to the poem, such as ice cold water. )
- The Bag Flag Zone
- Being forced to move and speak in slow motion
- The Perimeter of Wisdom
- The Corollary Zone
- The Baby Sitter Flag (any player touched by the Baby Sitter Flag must obey the baby sitter)
)Calvinball theme song[]
The Calvinball theme song made its only appearance in the penultimate Calvinball storyline. Calvin sings the lead while Hobbes sings backup with “Rumma-Tum-Tums.”
- “Other kids’ games are all such a bore!
- They’ve gotta have rules and they gotta keep score!
- Calvinball is better by far!
- It’s never the same! It’s always bizarre!
- You don’t need a team or a referee!
- You know that it’s great, ’cause it’s named after me!”
- “If you wanna-“
After that, Calvin tells Rosalyn to “feel free to harmonize with Hobbes on the ‘Rumma-tum-tums'”.
Quotes[]
| “ |  | ” |
—Hobbes | ||
| “ | ” | |
—Calvin | ||
| “ | ” | |
—Calvin | ||
| “ | ” | |
—Hobbes | ||
| “ | ” | |
—Hobbes | ||
The “Pernicious Poem”[]
In one strip, Calvin landed on the Pernicious Poem Place and was forced to take a bucket of ice cold water to Susie, and recite the “Pernicious Poem”:
“This is a poem! Please do what you’re told! And here is a bucket of water, ice-cold! Please take this water, and dump it on me! Don’t hesitate, do it A.
S.A.P.!”
Susie, after a moment of confusion, gleefully obliged.
The Very Sorry Song[]
In one Calvinball strip, Calvin stole Hobbes’ flag, and Hobbes hit him with the Calvinball. As a result, Calvin was required to put the flag back and sing the “Very Sorry Song.”
Lyrics[]
The “Very Sorry Song” has two parts, one sung by the one who did the action (the “offender”), and one sung by the person whom the action was done to (the “victim”). It is not known if the offender’s lines and the victims lines are sung one after the other, or at the same time.
Offender Victim “Here’s the ‘Very Sorry Songg.’ Won’t you help and sing alongg?” “Bum bum bum” “I blew it!” “He’s sorry!” “I knew it!” “So sorry!” “I’m very very sorry that I took your precious flaaggg!” “Just don’t do it any more, you scurvy scalawaaggg!”
In one game, The offender is free after singing this and gets “free passage to wicket five”.
In a different one, Offender and Victim alike must jump everywhere until somebody finds “the bonus box”.
The “Very sorry song”
Obscure Scoring System[]
The scoring system in Calvinball is never made clear, and it’s unlikely that it has a consistent scoring system across games. The only detail that is known is that scores can have non-numeric values. In one game, the score was Q to 12 and in another, the score was Oogy to Boogy.
Trivia[]
- Bill Watterson once said, “People have asked how to play Calvinball. It’s pretty simple: you make up the rules as you go.”
- In one strip, Calvin and Hobbes are seen playing an obscure combination of croquet, cricket, and baseball. It is unknown whether or not this is a variation of Calvinball, a predecessor to Calvinball, or simply another obscure game.
- While most games of Calvinball are solely between Calvin and Hobbes, Rosalyn takes part in a game during the final babysitter arc, in a successful ploy to get Calvin to behave. As stated by Calvin, “She picked up the nuances of this game fast!“, and Calvin even willingly conceded defeat when Rosalyn invoked the “Baby Sitter Flag” to get Calvin to go to bed.
As stated by Calvin, “She picked up the nuances of this game fast!“, and Calvin even willingly conceded defeat when Rosalyn invoked the “Baby Sitter Flag” to get Calvin to go to bed.External Links[]
https://www.picpak.net/calvin/calvinball
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.
“Calvin and Hobbs” – how did the comic book about a curious boy and his tiger friend captivate fans?
In 1985, American artist Bill Watterson published his first Calvin and Hobbes newspaper strip. It was published in the Cincinnati Post, but did not stay within the walls of one print edition for a long time. Having reached the peak of their popularity, comics about a boy and a tiger began to be printed in many countries of the world. In 1995, the publication of new stories was stopped at the initiative of the author, since he considered that he had already told all possible stories (which is extremely atypical for strips). In May 2018, the Zangavar publishing house released the third collection in Russian called Calvin and Hobbs: Killer Psycho-Jungle Cat.
This book and Watterson’s comics about the famous couple as a whole will be discussed in this material.
3 photos
Let’s start with history, because the culture of newspaper strips plays a very important role in comics culture. Such comics got their name due to their shape and dimensions. The classic newspaper strip consisted of two to four panels arranged in a straight horizontal or vertical line. These strips, no matter how hard to guess, were published in periodicals, as a rule, of local importance and in Sunday editions and were mainly of an entertaining nature. It is generally accepted that the history of newspaper strips begins at the very beginning of the 20th century. At one time, the boom in the popularity of such comics gave rise to a huge number of still recognizable characters: Garfield, Peanuts and others.
“Calvin and Hobbs” also come from the ranks of celebrities, although, according to the behest of their creator, their images were not to be used in any third-party production.
Therefore, neither cartoons nor adaptations with live actors happened.So, Calvin is a six-year-old boy who is smart beyond his years. He is very sassy and cheeky. He’s a prankster and he’s in trouble at school. But his loose tongue and habit of non-standard analysis of any object or event that comes his way instantly fall in love with him. Calvin is grumpy, but extremely sweet. He often flies for his deeds, but together with the reader, he perceives this with humor. By the way, he got his name in honor of the philosopher-theologian John Calvin, who lived in the 16th century and became the founder of Calvinism.
3 photos
Interesting fact : Calvin and Hobbs strips were already published in Russia in Klassny Zhurnal, an entertainment magazine for schoolchildren (Garfield and other strips were also there). Only then the comic was called with the erroneous transliteration “Calvin and Hobbs”, which does not agree with the original idea of the author, which was embedded in the name of Calvin.
And for some reason they also colored the strips, which were originally conceived in black and white!
The second central character was the plush tiger Hobbs. Rather, he is plush for everyone around, and for Calvin – the liveliest true friend. Hobbs is a tiger and is often at the behest of his bestial nature. Therefore, he always strives to ambush Calvin. He is also extremely intelligent and always foresees the sad outcome of any of Calvin’s tricks. But, of course, he is not in a hurry to warn him, but instead he is waiting for the onset of a fiasco in order to make fun of the boy to his heart’s content. He received his name in honor of Thomas Hobbes, a materialist philosopher who lived in the 17th century.
The Calvin and Hobbs strips are dedicated to the adventures of this couple and a number of other minor characters. It is worth saying that it was with this series that I met for the first time and had other expectations. At first, there is a false impression that all the plots will be very childish.
Judge for yourself – a boy with a plush toy constantly gets into all sorts of trouble. School and parents are involved in the plots. All attributes are in place. But in fact, everything turned out to be much more interesting!
3 photos
As I said, Calvin is a very smart boy and always has his own point of view. And it is often quite non-standard or non-trivial. Not difficult – no. Namely, that she was born with a very inquisitive mind.
Calvin manages to give his biting commentary on social, family and political issues, reflects on morality and matters of life and death.
He even starts talking about Santa’s selection criteria for “good” kids in a very interesting way. In addition, he formulates his thoughts not like a six-year-old child, which contrasts with his age and looks very funny. But at the same time, he does not cease to be what we see him – Calvin has fun, fools around, mischief and does it all very nicely. This is a very mischievous child: either he makes fun of his classmate Susie, or he tries to piss off his teacher, Miss Wormwood.
Plots are sometimes naive, but sometimes they surprise with the vector of their reasoning. The heroes are talking about seemingly simple things, but the elaboration of both images and dialogues is so good that you are amazed. This is especially impressive, since strips are not the most capacious genre, and the plot, and the thoughts of the characters, and the general concept must be stated very succinctly. What Bill Watterson does! Obviously, he thought about how to put the context in such a short format for a very long time.
I won’t say that I laughed from absolutely all the strips, tearing my stomach, or that I liked the whole collection. No, there were comics with very naive humor. It is extremely rare, but there are jokes that will be understood only by a bearer of a different culture, far from Russian. But this does not spoil the overall picture. On the contrary, if you figure it out and decide to delve into it, you will discover a lot of new things that you did not pay attention to before.
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The drawing in Calvin and Hobbs is quite simple. Most often it is black and white, which is associated with the specifics of the publication, although there are also color strips. Despite its apparent simplicity, Watterson’s drawing is extremely detailed at the same time. In strips, special attention is paid to the facial expressions of the characters, since a large part of the story is told with the help of facial expressions – and here it is good! Since the collection contains strips from different years, the pattern is slightly different, but not much. Basic images and artistic techniques did not undergo major changes. It is difficult to evaluate such a drawing, because it is already a living classic.
Calvin & Hobbs: Killer Psycho-Jungle Cat was released in Russian as a widescreen album (23×30×1.2). This form is most convenient for placing horizontal strips. I have no complaints about the translation, I even note that it was translated with attention to the context, some dialogues are very memorable.
As a result, we have a collection of classic newspaper strips, which is worth reading even if you are not a fan of the genre. I’ve never been a fan, but I really enjoyed it. Comics like this one are piecework, author’s work, where the author’s handwriting, his creative evolution, love when creating his brainchild are perfectly visible. Of course, this feeling is rarely experienced when reading mainstream comics, generated by a ruthless commercial pipeline. Finally, Calvin and Hobbs is simply a collection of sweet, funny, and rather witty stories that can lift your spirits. Moreover, at different ages they are perceived in their own way.
If in childhood the character is easily associated with the reader, then when re-reading years later, you see contexts that were completely incomprehensible before and once again marvel at Watterson’s talent.
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