Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for March 22, 2025

Anything to avoid playtime with Calvin.

Aren’t you uncomfortable studying on the floor, Susie?

Notice that Susie doesn’t question Calvin’s explanation. I bet she also sees Hobbes as real when Mom isn’t around. And Calvin, Susie IS smart—just speak for yourself!

A FRANK exchange? Who’d trade a beef Nathan FRANK for an Ethen Frank #53?

Calvin is like my youngest brother; he’d waste a huge amount of energy trying to get out of tasks that would take five minutes.

I once carpooled to school with a group of girls who spent their ride share with a group exercise of our spelling test words. Who would of thunk it.

I always think that Calvin’s final retort to Susie in this strip, “Huh! I used to think you were smart!” sounds like something someone may have said to Bill Watterson after learning how much hard work he had to put into Calvin and Hobbes to make it such a brilliant comic strip.

Right, Calvin. She could have just asked Siri like you do, boy howdy. Dilly! Dilly!

Being naturally intelligent will get you 80% of the way.

If you want 100%, you also have to work at it.

I got to 80%…

……..and that is why ……buddy!!

She is.

Cal will learn that the ladies are far more complex than the men.

Don’t worry, Calvin. In several years she’ll end up fat, smoking, jerking her snot-nosed kids around the house all day, and taken for granted by some stinky drunk husband wearing a torn t-shirt and Converse tennis shoes with no socks. Meanwhile you’ll be happily applying for a GED while working at a car wash.

“Frank exchange of ideas”. Funny.

Calvin’s work seems to be a bit more fun — maybe.

“Frank exchange of ideas”………Sounds like what we formerly called “an attitude adjustment”

Taking notes? Entire chapters?? In first grade???

Learn from her, my man.

How about this fictional FRANK exchange?

“Let’s trade Frank Burns for Frank Bullitt!”

That’s why Susie is smart – she does the work, Calvin. You’re a very intelligent boy, with a wonderful imagination, but you refuse to do the work needed.

At least consider that thought…

Calvin adheres to the Oxford University line of thought as described by Steven Hawking. If you have to study, you’re too stupid to go to Oxford. Students who had to study were ridiculed by the “smart” students who got good grades without studying.

Wait, is Calvin actually saying that others are smarter than himself?

Mom is definitely thinking If I just had a girl, she’d be like Susie.

Calvin = () ;-)

That doesn’t sound like a first grade assignment.

She can’t be all that smart. She later marries Calvin. ;D

Same planet, different worlds

Behind every smart person is an incredible amount of effort to get there.

One of my all-time favourite Calvin quotes: “Hobbes and I had a frank exchange of ideas.”

I understand it now…

This is why more girls end up going to college than boys.