The reason Bill Watterson's comic Calvin and Hobbes made such an impact is probably that Bill Watterson knew when it was time to quit- he got out of the business before his popularity went downhill and "the people now "grieving" for "Calvin and Hobbes" would be wishing me dead and cursing newspapers for running tedious, ancient strips like mine instead of acquiring fresher, livelier talent." Bravo, Mr. Watterson.
In the interview, Watterson comes across as a soft-spoken yet immovable man. His answers, like his artwork, are quiet and understated. "The only part I understand," he explains, "is what went into the creation of the strip. What readers take away from it is up to them. Once the strip is published, readers bring their own experiences to it, and the work takes on a life of its own. Everyone responds differently to different parts."
So what we, as readers, were looking for was some sort of resolve- an ending to the story or a grand explanation for everything that Bill Watterson ever did or drew. Maybe we were looking for some sort of formula for success that we could copy to become just as beloved as Calvin or Hobbes. Maybe an answer to what Hobbes was- in Calvin's imagination, or did he really come alive? Of course we will never get those answers. And we shouldn't expect to.
