Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for September 12, 2024

The beginning of an art career…..

Calvin drew the truth. His truth.

Yup, that’s Calvin alright

Kinda sucks that no one appreciates Calvin’s creativity.

Hopefully creativity was one of the requirements for that assignment.

Aye yi yi

Calvin was smart enough to pack up the suitcase and leave.

Er… wasn’t that supposed to be a portrait of Susie??

A drawing of Spaceman Spiff would’ve been much better.

Was it a Purple People Eater?

My kinda’ guy.

From Calvin’s mom’s comment in the last panel, I’m betting Calvin’s dad now wishes to withdraw his inquiry of how the meeting went.

Mom recognized Calvin from his artwork, didn’t she? Mission accomplished.

When today’s strip was last reprinted four years ago – the thirtieth anniversary of its first appearance in 1990 – I commented that it reminded me of Cole Sears’s anecdote to Dr Crowe in The Sixth Sense. Cole enjoyed drawing rainbows. Dr Crowe asked him why. Cole explained that he started drawing rainbows after he drew a picture of a man with a screwdriver through his head. He explained to Dr Crowe, “After that I just drew rainbows. They don’t have parent-teacher conferences over rainbows.”

The green bogie eater doesn’t roll off the tongue like the Purple People Eater does…..

hobbes is a pookah

Miss Wormwood told her there’s no Charles in the class.

“Pick nose!”

Why didn’t Dad go?

Downhill? That the most creative kid in that steenky school. Gives him a award already.

Hoo-boy… I bet she’s not liking how many times Calvin was sent to the principal office ON THE FIRST DAY!!

You cannot tell me he was the only six-year-old boy in an American public school class who sees himself that way.

Always thinking outside the box!!!!!!

OK, Dad. Time for aspirin and water followed by a nice cup of tea. Mom needs a little love.

Calvin and Hobbes should be in Borneo by now.

Calvin, on the nose!

The relief of no having Kids.

Ohhhh, Calvin Calvin.

“These are the times that try parents’ souls” – not attributed Thomas Payne

But she recognized him… : )

They are living in a simulation (or a comic strip) and only Calvin knows that is what he really looks like!

It’s these arc’s I don’t get, if I was a teacher and I had a kid this creative, I’d encourage him/her not deter him/her, Hollywood would love someone like this…LOL

Mom knows Calvin well. But she got more details.

That is sort of scary and concerning. Is that Calvin sees himself? How does he see others around him? Will he pose a future threat to himself and others around him??

Calvin tried to use generative A.I. to do his picture. Always looking for a shortcut…

She’s lucky Calvin was in a good mood when he drew that portrait. Hate to see what he would have drawn if he was having a bad day

Now would be a good time to discuss having another child.

Are we supposed to understand what she’s described as a sign that Calvin’s a problem child? Really, his creativity and sense of humor are two of his best assets. Calvin does have his problems—the sight of Susie reeling from his casual cruelty in last Sunday’s strip was heartbreaking—but the idea that we’re supposed to be horrified by a little harmless fun like that which we see here is too much.

We all know Calvin has a great imagination. It sounds like he’s going to eventually be saving up for some pretty crazy body modifications:

Dye hair green

Green whole-body tattoo

Eye implants

Nose gauges

Filed teeth…

The beginnings of another great author, J.R.R. Tolkien, Stephen King or some author like that. Maybe Heinlein, Asimov or Le Guin.

That was not a meeting with the teacher, that was the open house they have at the beginning of the year. Other parents were there.

I got a question. What’s Calvin’s mom and dad’s their family name? I know about Susie Dinkis but mom and dad?

but she knew immediately that it was calvin right? success!

So it was a portrait of his inner self.

No surprises here! Kids with a lot of imagination struggle for a lot of reasons and are a load for parents and teachers alike. If my folks were still with us, I’m sure they’d whole heartedly agree ! ;-) .

At least she had no difficulty at all identifying her son’s desk.

I have always said that Calvin will grow up to be a great sci-fi and fantasy filmmaker.

I’m just wondering how close Calvin is to wiping out the motherly instinct from his mother.

All of the great cartoonists from Mad Magazine are now gone or going, sort of like the magazine. Calvin might have been the next gen artist, if this strip hadn’t been retired years ago. The Beaver once asked Wally when life became so complicated. He replied: “I think it’s when the Yankees traded Roger Maris.” I am having a nostalgia attack.