Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for April 25, 2024

Calvin started out the evening before staring at the wall until bedtime. Now, he’ll stare at a tv until bedtime. That’s called progress.

At least Calvin will leave Mom and dad alone.

You still won’t be watching TV, Calvin. Funny how objective reality doesn’t care about a person’s delusions.

The little cretin needs anger management classes!!!

Even back then, TV was better when turned off. It’s been at least two years since I’ve turned mine on.

D@mmit, now we won’t see the TV dancing in midair!

This is definitely a first, Calvin being punished for going to bed early.

This reminds me of the episode of THE FAR SIDE with the caption “What people did before TV,” showing a family staring at a blank wall…

That’s the same punishment I always got and I hated it.

Nowadays, of course, all you need to do is disconnect the router…

I wouldn’t put it past Calvin to try to vandalize the power grid so that nobody else can watch TV either.

This kid looks like college material to me.

There are worse things in life, kiddo.

Calvin MUST have some French genes. I know, because I do, and this is how my father would react to things!

Calvin’s comment, “I’m indomitable. They cannot change me!” reminds me of an exchange between Calvin and Dad in an earlier strip:-

Calvin: But I won’t let money change me!

Dad: Rats! That was our last hope.

A reader suggested earlier in this rerun that Calvin’s parents should take Hobbes away as punishment. It may have been the same reader who made that suggestion before. On the previous time when a reader suggested Calvin’s parents take Hobbes away as a punishment, another reader replied, “You’re kidding! Calvin already has the worst parents in comic strip history. You want them to be even worse?” Another reader answered, “The worst parents in comic strip history! It’s Calvin who’s the nightmare child. I agree though that taking Hobbes away is a no-no!” My own comment was, “I don’t think Mom would be so cruel as to take Hobbes away. When Hobbes was lost in the wood, she went looking for him and got Dad to go looking with her.”

It might be interesting to see what would happen if Mom and Dad did try to take Hobbes away from Calvin. It might be one of those arcs that have Mom and Dad wondering if Hobbes really could be alive. While Mom and Dad were searching for Hobbes in the wood – and Calvin was asleep in bed – Mom called out “HOBBES!” and then looked embarrassed.

I give it five minutes.

“Homosapiens. What an inventive, invincible species. It’s only a few million years since they crawled up out of the mud and learned to walk. Puny, defenseless bipeds. They’ve survived flood, famine, and plague. They’ve survived cosmic wars and holocausts. And now, here they are, out among the stars, waiting to begin a new life! Ready to out-sit eternity. They’re indomitable. Indomitable!”

This won’t last long. His attention span is about minus 1 so he’ll be up to something pretty soon.

Oh, here’s a idea you can try… STOP GIVING ROSALYN A HARD TIME!!

It’s interesting how many of us review our past while commenting on comic strip arcs.

I remember that my parents were more vested in TV than I was. My Dad bought the first TV on the block. Then upgraded to color TV when they first came out. I remember my parents watching TV way more than I did — news, nature shows, whatever was on. I watched Saturday morning ’toons, but was usually playing outside. My Mom was a huge LA Dodger fan, and got a special antenna to get HBO when they started showing baseball live.

As punishment, I would have been way more devastated if they had taken away my comic books for a week!

Even in 1994 that looks like a very old TV, maybe from the 60s, even has dials

Perhaps Calvin should be paddled and sent to do homework

Stupendous Man would’ve done something more action-packed. But he’s left for the week.

Not so far fetched. When I was in the Coast Guard in the 70s and we were out to sea, some guys would actually sit in front of the TeeVee watching the fuzz on the screen. No picture, no sound.

Careful Calvin. That would actually cause me to extend the ban cuz TV was too important to you.

Really, Calvin?

An apt punishment: gazing upon something he most desires without getting it.

Go time travel, read comics, play house with you know who …

sounds like mt sister with bluey 8.5

Allowing Calvin the time to think is dangerous mistake. Out of his fertile mind will sprout chaos yet to come!

When they say, “Idle hands are the Devil’s workshop”, they forgot to include Calvin’s mind!. It’s the proverbial calm before the storm!

Can’t Stupendous Man do something about this vile predicament?! :D

At least he won’t have to worry about excessive radiation

Cut off your nose to spite your face. Smart thinking!

Calvin can imagine cowboys and Indians on the tube screen.

Ooh, yes, that’s showing ’em.

With Calvin’s imagination he doesn’t need to watch tv

A rare instance where we see Calvin’s punishment for a night where he harassed Rosalyn while the parents were out.

Thankfully, my parents, born in the early 1920’s, never realized how much it would hurt to lose tv privileges and so never used it as punishment.

I see getting chucked out the backdoor in his near future.

I had one of those “rocket radios” (a type of “crystal radio”) with an earphone and could keep myself entertained when I wasn’t allowed TV. At night I would “DX” for radio comedy shows.

If he were mine….he wouldn’t be able to sit for a while.

Love the expression on Hobbes, the sage, the philosopher. And always, the only one with a clue. Pretty good for a stuffed Tiger!

Won’t admit to mistakes or learn from them. Seems familiar…

Calvin, do your Jack Nicholson “Cuckoo’s Nest” baseball game impersonation…

That’ll show ’em, Calvin…

“I refuse to learn a lesson…I’m indomitable. They can’t change me…”

The first one. Certainly NOT the last…

Calvin makes it as unpleasant for himself as possible, while his parents get a week of peace and quiet. Diabolical.

same result

That’ll show ’em alright Calvin.

He’s lucky. A lot of parents would have made his sitting anywhere, uncomfortable, on a sore butt.

Even Hobbes is starting to worry about Calvin’s mental state….*the look on his face.

A week of quiet in that house. Something good came of Calvin’s recent misbehavior.