The latest issue of Superman/Batman contains an awesome parody of Calvin and Hobbes featuring Lex Luther and the Joker as they discuss ways to destroy their arch enemies. The cartoon was down by Brian Azzerello and Lee Bermejo and is brilliantly executed – line and ink work are very Watterson-esque.
Click image above for larger view.
Brilliant.
I always like Bloom County better back then, but when a strip as good as C&H can STILL inspire things like this and Lio’s recent book cover art 15 years after leaving the game, you know it’s something truly special…
The artwork is cool – but it flopped on the gag.
Umm, that’s Lex LuthOr.
@Garey “Oh. Oh, gee. Aw, gee. Gee, Mr. Luthor. Oh, I see.”
The gag is both brilliant and falls within the Calvin/Hobbes relationship. What did you find wrong with it?
While Lex mimics the Calvin role throughout The Joker only gets Hobbes in the first half with the questioning. I don’t identify Hobbes as taking a Calvin scheme, expanding on it and giving it a more devilish twist. It is perfectly within character for The Joker but it would be unnatural for Hobbes.
I do like the art homage, but maybe replacing The Joker with a snarky Brainiac would have made a better C & H parody.
@Mike – it didn’t make me laugh.
No, this works fine, because it’s a take off on when Hobbes would suggest that Calvin might want him to get Suzie to kiss him in front of everyone. Batman/Superman are Suzie, the gun is a snowball (maybe with rocks/twigs in it) etc, etc. The only reason it seems out of character is that Joker’s outcome seems more macabre, while Hobbes’s would have been more sweet. Perhaps a Lex Luthor/Bugs Bunny team-up would have been better, with Elmer Fudd being Bug’s foil. But then it is too ludicrous. Anyway, enough over-thinking a comic….it’s a nice tribute. Well done!