Bill Watterson

Bill Watterson's (b. 5/7/1958, USA) 'Calvin & Hobbes' comic, about a six-year-old boy and his lively stuffed tiger, got published as a daily newspaper strip in the mid-1980s and became an instant success. Within a year, the syndicate for which Watterson worked presented him with licensing possibilities, which he stubbornly rejected. "My strip is about private realities, the magic of imagination, and the specialness of certain friendships. Who would believe in the innocence of a little kid and his tiger if they cashed in on their popularity to sell overpriced knickknacks that nobody needs?" After a long fight, the licensing-rights were eventually returned to Watterson. Watterson also fought the syndicate on the matter of the strict regulations for the Sunday strip, which were loosened, and on sabbaticals, which has made it easier for cartoonists to take a time-out from their work when they get tired. After ten years of doing the strip, Watterson decided to quit.