I, also, would set my hair on fire for even one email from Mr. Watterson. I have done so for less. I miss Calvin but I understand, he could not go on forever.
Berke Breathed is another cartoonist I sorely miss. Makes me sad to think Opus is dead, which is what it feels like when a cartoonist make the soul-wrenching decision to end a strip.
Thanks for this. Will certainly check out Pearls before Swine.
It pays to ask. I discovered this when I worked in a shoe store in Corning, NY, years ago. The job itself was slow and boring, so I was forever finding ways to amuse myself. Which is how I hatched an idea involving a stuffed Tigger my boss had found in the store one day.
I took Polaroids of Tigger doing various things -- bunging jumping off the bridge, peeking in the local strip joint, reading Playboy -- and with various people, like a cop and an EMT and a mohel. Every day I would anonymously send my boss a new Polaroid from "Tigger's Excellent Polaroid Adventures." After a couple of weeks, I began to run out of ideas until I read that John McPherson, the cartoonist who draws Close To Home, was back in Corning to visit relatives. So I screwed up my courage and contacted him and asked if he would stop by the store so I could take his picture with a stuffed Tigger.
He showed up and seemed a little skeptical at first until I explained what I had been doing. He not only allowed me to take his picture while he held Tigger, he drew a golf cartoon specifically for my boss.
Perfect post for Sunday morning...I still read the "funny papers" occasionally... and grew up reading "Peanuts." My mom would put the tiny little books into our stockings for Christmas. Not sure I can pick a favorite, but Pearls Before Swine is one of the better ones out there.
Before he died, Donald Harington responded to a fan email from me and we actually exchanged several messages. He told me he was working on another Latha novel in Stay More.
A lot of folks won't have any idea who or what I'm talking about here. But anyone who's "been to" Stay More, Arkansas will know what an amazing privilege it was to learn what a generous and friendly man its creator was. When I got the book, reading it was all the more special.
I've shared this story with my best friend. She and I grew up on Doonsbury, Bloom County, Calvin, and the Far Side. Thank you so much, Janet! Like opening up an old photo album - good times, good memories.
I saw this! Very neat, though it makes me wonder what else Bill Waterson has been doing. It seems (to me) a creative mind like that does not lie fallow.
One of the reasons a friend of mine has a blurb by an uber-legend-god-among-authors is that the three of us found him alone in the bar, moved in, and ended up having the funniest time ever had in a hotel bar. An ARC discreetly changed hands and said blurb is now on said cover.
A wedding party came in and one of the more-inebriated guests kept pushing me into the legend's shoulder as he ferried drinks to and fro. I finally said, "Hey, do you know who that is?" When I told him his eyes got even more saucer-like than they already were. I introduced him and he ended up buying legend a drink.
The best stuff happens when you don't ask too many questions and just roll with it. And thank heavens he blew off Spielberg. Can you imagine the utter disaster of a live-action/CGI Calvin and Hobbes movie? In a word, *Calvin face* BLECH!
12 comments:
I, also, would set my hair on fire for even one email from Mr. Watterson. I have done so for less. I miss Calvin but I understand, he could not go on forever.
Berke Breathed is another cartoonist I sorely miss. Makes me sad to think Opus is dead, which is what it feels like when a cartoonist make the soul-wrenching decision to end a strip.
Thanks for this. Will certainly check out Pearls before Swine.
It pays to ask. I discovered this when I worked in a shoe store in Corning, NY, years ago. The job itself was slow and boring, so I was forever finding ways to amuse myself. Which is how I hatched an idea involving a stuffed Tigger my boss had found in the store one day.
I took Polaroids of Tigger doing various things -- bunging jumping off the bridge, peeking in the local strip joint, reading Playboy -- and with various people, like a cop and an EMT and a mohel. Every day I would anonymously send my boss a new Polaroid from "Tigger's Excellent Polaroid Adventures." After a couple of weeks, I began to run out of ideas until I read that John McPherson, the cartoonist who draws Close To Home, was back in Corning to visit relatives. So I screwed up my courage and contacted him and asked if he would stop by the store so I could take his picture with a stuffed Tigger.
He showed up and seemed a little skeptical at first until I explained what I had been doing. He not only allowed me to take his picture while he held Tigger, he drew a golf cartoon specifically for my boss.
That is indeed a great story. 'Calvin and Hobbes' and 'The Far Side' were my favorites all time. Thanks for sharing that, Janet.
I saw this earlier this morning. Very cool story. How amazing to get to work with someone you admire so much.
Fantastic! Thank you for the link. Calvin and Hobbes was a great comic strip. And Far Side.
Yeah, made my day as well.
Even as an "adult" I still love flipping through Calvin and Hobbs.
Who doesn't take a call from Spielberg? Now I know! Great story, thanks for sharing.
Perfect post for Sunday morning...I still read the "funny papers" occasionally... and grew up reading "Peanuts." My mom would put the tiny little books into our stockings for Christmas. Not sure I can pick a favorite, but Pearls Before Swine is one of the better ones out there.
Before he died, Donald Harington responded to a fan email from me and we actually exchanged several messages. He told me he was working on another Latha novel in Stay More.
A lot of folks won't have any idea who or what I'm talking about here. But anyone who's "been to" Stay More, Arkansas will know what an amazing privilege it was to learn what a generous and friendly man its creator was. When I got the book, reading it was all the more special.
I've shared this story with my best friend. She and I grew up on Doonsbury, Bloom County, Calvin, and the Far Side. Thank you so much, Janet! Like opening up an old photo album - good times, good memories.
And some GREAT new strips, too!
I saw this! Very neat, though it makes me wonder what else Bill Waterson has been doing. It seems (to me) a creative mind like that does not lie fallow.
Yeesh, attack of the typo monster.
One of the reasons a friend of mine has a blurb by an uber-legend-god-among-authors is that the three of us found him alone in the bar, moved in, and ended up having the funniest time ever had in a hotel bar. An ARC discreetly changed hands and said blurb is now on said cover.
A wedding party came in and one of the more-inebriated guests kept pushing me into the legend's shoulder as he ferried drinks to and fro. I finally said, "Hey, do you know who that is?" When I told him his eyes got even more saucer-like than they already were. I introduced him and he ended up buying legend a drink.
The best stuff happens when you don't ask too many questions and just roll with it. And thank heavens he blew off Spielberg. Can you imagine the utter disaster of a live-action/CGI Calvin and Hobbes movie? In a word, *Calvin face* BLECH!
Terri
This is wonderful, and so inspiring! Thank you to all involved.
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