Bill Watterson editorial cartoon, 1982
Artist: Bill Watterson (All)
17 Comments - 9,609 Views - 7 Likes
Artwork Details
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DescriptionAn extremely rare original Bill Watterson cartoon, from before Calvin and Hobbes, but after his brief stint as an editorial cartoonist in Cincinnati. Watterson drew this when he was just 23 or 24. The drawing is stunningly large, it measures 22" x 28" (about 55 x 70 cm).In his introduction to the Complete Calvin and Hobbes, Watterson writes about this period in his life: "By the fall of 1981, I was living with my parents again, trying to come up with a different comic strip. (...) On weekdays, I designed car and grocery ad layouts in the windowless basement office of a free weekly shopper for minimum wage. (...) On weekends, I drew editorial cartoons ($25 each) for the local suburban newspaper, where my specialty was weather commentary. (...) Such were the prime years of my youth. (...) In the free time I had, I drew up more comic strips." Nevin Martell adds in his book "Looking for Calvin and Hobbes" that: "despite being a newlywed man with a full-time and a part-time job, Watterson was quite prolific during this period. Though (Watterson's college friend Richard) West couldn't remember all of the many side projects Watterson undertook, he implied that Watterson generated a fair amount of miscellany during that time. The diverse nature of the projects Watterson participated in allowed him to flex his creative muscles and hone his cartooning skills. Two projects West does recall are a T-shirt Watterson designed for an environmental event in suburban Cleveland and a 1982 calendar, 'Jude Ernest's Single-handed Survival Calendar' ". (As well as illustrations and postcards for the 'Mark Twain Journal'). The book also points out that Watterson submitted the first finished sample strips of Calvin and Hobbes already in the summer of 1983, and that was after the characters had already appeared (as Marvin and Hobbes) in supporting roles in his previous attempts, including a strip called "In the Dog House" Watterson submitted to syndicates in March 1982. So he was already working on these characters when he drew this (huge) panel! Social/Sharing |
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Comments on this Artwork
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P. Portillo
Member Since 2006
Posted on 6/20/2012
Hey Jyrki, this is totally stunning! I'll be jaybroken fo the rest of the week. Congratulations!
Rob Stolzer 
Member Since 2004
Posted on 6/20/2012
An absolutely beautiful cartoon! Congratulations Jyrki! The find of a lifetime.
Dale E Withers Peck
Member Since 2006
Posted on 6/20/2012
This is amazing! And definitely in the style of Calvin and Hobbes. Love it!
Ray Cuthbert
Member Since 2003
Posted on 6/20/2012
Well, sometimes the word "congratulations" doesn't seem big enough, but that's all I've got... No wait a minute.... Big Time Congratulations! Is that better...? How about heart-felt congratulations? I think that does it! I have no clue about why it would be so large...
Germund von Wowern
Member Since 2005
Posted on 6/20/2012
Just soooo nice, Jyrki! And I can't think of a better and more deserving home! Congratulations! Big Time!
Rabid Ferret
Member Since 2005
Posted on 6/20/2012
Congrats my friend on finding such a grail! It looks magnificent!!
Mike Rice
Member Since 2003
Posted on 6/20/2012
It's no Calvin — but it has Watterson's distinct style and the humor is even close to what you'd expect from his strip. Great piece!
Andy Robbins
Member Since 2003
Posted on 6/20/2012
I'm not into the Calvin world, but good stuff, Jyrki.
Al Gordon
Member Since 2006
Posted on 6/20/2012
Very Cool! I'd found that site you posted a few years back... great site with lotsa fun stuff!!!
Thomas V
Member Since 2008
Posted on 6/20/2012
Haha! The joke is more relevant today than it was in 1982! What a great cartoonist.
. .
Member Since 2009
Posted on 6/21/2012
Argh!!! You win! Original art collecting should just be cancelled now. . . .
mark depolito
Member Since 2008
Posted on 4/30/2014
Not only is the art fantastic, but the words are very prophetic and relate more today than ever! congrats on a great strip.
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