Nevin Martell’s book “Looking for Calvin and Hobbes: The Unconventional Story of Bill Watterson and His Revolutionary Comic Strip
If you’d like to meet Nevin, his book tour dates are:
Oct 17 from 1-5 PM in Chagrin Falls, OH at Fireside Books
Oct 17 at 7 PM in Chagrin Falls, OH at the Cuyahoga County Public Library
Oct 22 at 7 PM in New York City at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art
Oct 29 at 7-9 PM – Bethesda, MD at Big Planet Comics
Nov 15 in San Francisco, CA at the Cartoon Art Museum
Nov 21 in Pittsburgh, PA at the Toonseum
Nice. I look forward to reading his book.
I’m having a bit of trouble trying to figure Watterson out myself – a purist? Or ?? Guess it doesn’t require figuring, but he’s a very interesting topic. I’m going to have to read the above referenced reviews as well.
I have mixed feelings about this book. Or rather, I should say I have mixed feelings about the decision to write such a book. Watterson obviously prizes his privacy among all else, at least when it comes to Calvin and Hobbes. Occasionally he has come out of reclusion to offer his support or opinion, as he did for Richard Thompson’s Cul de Sac book. So to me it seems a bit exploitive to go digging around someone’s life for a project who himself refuses participation in that project. I believe it was Ted Rall who, on a different topic here on TDC, cautioned seperating a man from his art. Everything I really care to know about Watterson is present in his comic strip and that’s enough for me. I will not be purchasing this book.
I kinda side with Garey on this but at the same time, I can totally see the desire and demand for such a book. Anytime a celebrity (lets face it…Watterson is one) comes across as an enigma, he/she becomes the focal point of the fans who admire him. Why else would tabloids be so damn popular?
I think for a lot of people, it comes down to the intrigue of finding out what makes someone as extremely talented as Bill Watterson tick.
I plan to read the book, but agree with Garey. The essence of Watterson is in the strip, as is true of all great comic artists. In addition, Watterson writes and expresses himself well and he’s already explained much about how the strip was done and how it came about, including key help from his editors, not to mention how he feels about comics in general. Still, I’ll always want to read anything new about a great artist – reclusive or not – who made so many people love a boy and a tiger.
I understand and respect Watterson’s desire to let his art speak for him. That said as a hardcore fan of the best syndicated comic strip artist in history I can’t wait to read the book.