Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis for December 17, 2013

Hobbes… where are you buddy?

Clothes too small, balding, beer in one hand… all he needs is a shotgun in his other hand and a cowboy hat, and he could blend into West Virginia.

Yeah, the clothes never change. Charlie Brown turned out the same way.

Reminds me of my younger brother…

Now his pants are becoming a speedo. And with that gut…. Pastis you’re one cruel SOB to treat our eyes to the sight of a fat man in a speedo!

Calvin wore shorts in the original strip because they still reached all the way down to his feet. They’re practically nothing at this point.

Isn’t 24 a bit young for such drastic hair loss?

You’re showing a little too much for the average reader wants to see Calvin!

He got bald early!

This arc is bordering on sacrilege, heresy.

Pastis,how dare you defile C&H?

What a wonderful comic to wake up to on my birthday.

Enjoying seeing two of my all time favorite strips collide.

I’m still waiting for my order.

Urp!

That caricature of Calvin looks more like 40 than 24. How old is Pastis? 18?

I wonder what will Bill’s reaction to this will be?

and Hobbes, long since discarded, spends the remainder of his days in the bottom of a box in Calvin’s mom’s attic

Hey Stephan, lookin for luv with your fellow cartoonists?

Here is another take on Calvin and Susie:

Take a look at Hobbes and Bacon:

http://www.pantsareoverrated.com/archive/2011/05/10/hobbes-and-bacon/

Cartoon-Boy is just having fun with irony, one of the basic tools of comedy. We ask, “what if…,” and he shows us. I have no problems with this and see no “disrespect” in it. If Bill Watterson is aware of this at all (and I wouldn’t be surprised if Pastis had contacted him first and already shown him the whole arc), I’d bet he sees the humor in it.

I’m not finding this all that funny. I just think Calvin would have grown up a little less “tired” looking, at least at 24.

But this is just silly! Doesn’t EVERYONE know that Calvin grew up to be Frazz? Just look at the hair!

I remember how sad it was the day that Pogo Possum became road kill. The reporters contacted Howland Owl in the senior retirement center for a comment and all he could say was “Whooo?”

Great arc. As someone else asked, can’t wait to see Hobbes.

That was creepy…

Ewww! Don’t think I’ll ever be able to read C&H again with the same enthusiasm. Some things are just better left unknown. : P

I recall Calvin’s torso as being proportionally long for his body. I guess he grew out of that phase.

Hobbes? Oh, he’s right where you’d expect, stretched out in front of the fire. Hey Hobbes?! Hobbes? Gee. He doesn’t even move. Just lays there, all flat and all. …….. Oh, my. I guess that’s why he looked sort of glassy eyed.

I sure hope he doesn’t do Nancy. That wouldn’t be pretty.

Jeffy is still young when he appears in this strip. Once you’re fired from your strip, the stasis that keeps you young ends, unless you were in For Better or For Worse.

What Sisyphos said- it’s just jokes. Cartoonists take the mick out of each other all the time.

I’ve said before slm about pastis..he used it in self-description..but now I use it again,and mean it

If you dislike Pearls so much why do you continue to read it. Why do so many people get upset with comic strips anyway? There are so many other things that are going on in the world that need focusing on… relax with the comics.

well.. 20 years from now everyone will still be reading Calvin and Hobbes and few will remember Pearls Before Swine. Not saying Pearls is bad, but some other comic is going to come along with the same style of puns and bad jokes. C&H is a classic; timeless.

I comment on Calvin & Hobbes everyday.Comparing the 6 year old Calvin to this 24 year old is just unbelievable.xxx

You treadin’ in swift waters now, Pastis.

You are comparing Pastis and Watterson. Apples and Oranges, man. Both tasty in their own way.

Thanks, ne7. That was good. Kind of poignant . . .

Aout Hobbes? Lets not go on about what he did to/with a stuffed doll…….

For anyone still reading, the GoComics editors reposted this strip on their facebook page. They think it’s hilarious. If the editors like this strip, then why are the rest of you whining?

“Who wears short shorts??”

Also, thanks for the links, ne7minder55 and ellisaana. They were fun.

Pastis plays around with lots of other comic characters. When he does,I believe it’s more of an homage than a swipe. Haven’t you ever kidded someone you liked? Same principle here.

@Sherlock Watson … He also would have some real facial hair and not just stubble. I know this because I work in that state amongst others in the Mid-Atlantic. True Duck Dynasty facial hair is a requirement for full time residency in WVA.

Consider me enraged.

At least Calvin finally grew some legs!