"...A Command of Thoroughly Useless Information"

As a kid (and budding cartoonist), I loved reading the comics page in the daily newspaper.  Not only for the gags, but also for the great variety of styles that fueled my interest in the artform.

Of all the comic strips I've enjoyed over the years, Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes remains my absolute favorite.  Simultaneously irreverant, poignant, wildly imaginative, and (most of all) actually funny, the strip enjoyed a wonderful 10 year run, ending when Watterson felt he'd done all he wanted to do with it.

Within that vast body of work, there were a handful of Watterson's strips that really hit close to home, such as this one...which I'm sure more than a few of my fellow comic book geeks can also identify with.

Comments

[Matt]

Calvin and Hobbes is perhaps the greatest comic strip of all time.

That and The Far Side.

-M

[Mark Engblom]

I agree...though stuff like Schulz's Peanuts and Kelly's Pogo are right up there (both of whom seem to have influenced Watterson).

Since I'm a newly-minted member of the National Cartoonists Society, I'll refrain from commenting on the current state of the comics page.

[Matt]

Heh, might be a good idea, no?

-M