Washington City Paper’s Alexis Hauk talks to Clayton Hanson, a legislative information editor in Washington DC, who has started posting a mashup of the AMC television series Breaking Bad and Bill Watterson’s Calvin & Hobbes.
WCP: And you are a rabid Breaking Bad fan, I assume?
CH: I started watching when it first came out. I remember the first episode, it just kind of blew my mind. It starts with Walter White in his underwear?it?s such a confusing thing, the first time you watch it. It didn?t have that much hype; they only had seven episodes the first season. Every time I watch it, I want to say, “Did you see this? Is this happening?”
When I started working on “Breaking Calvin,” it was storytelling in short form, so I had to find a way that one line could cover a whole episode. It has really helped me as an author?if you can sum up the whole 45 minute show online…
WCP: Where did you get the idea for “Breaking Calvin”?
CH: I did it for myself the first time?the juxtaposition of a child saying these extremely adult things with a tiger was extremely amusing. I sent it to a friend and they thought it was really funny and they didn?t even watch the show. So I wondered if I could keep doing that. It was sort of strange, but the inspiration was … thinking about both of them together.
Hat Tip: Mike Rhode (Comics DC)
If I was Watterson I would sue. What right does any person have to appropriate the art of another? I LOVE Breaking Bad and Calvin but this is wrong wrong wrong!
It’s a neat concept in theory, but it looks really poorly excecuted and part of the “mash up” trend among artists. Heck you can take any comic strip and just change the dialogue to a popular tv show and I’m certain it’d be popular.
I’m okay with mashups. Most are short-term bursts of awkward creativity. Give this guy his 15 minutes. Calvin & Hobbes will survive the indignity.
At least he’s not using Comic Sans.
I think it’s fine as long as he’s not making money off of it.
It’s not wrong wrong wrong. It’s funny. It’s parody. The strip isn’t even running and it will make no dent in C&H book sales.
Not that Watterson’s lawyers have not already forced him to pull it down. So he is now running a strip about two famous philosophers named John and Thomas. It’s cute.