He finds inspiration in Peanuts, Pogo and Krazy Kat. "These three strips showed me the incredible possibilities of the cartoon medium... . All these strips work on many levels, entertaining while they deal with other issues. These strips are just three of my personal favorites, but they give us some idea of how good comics can be. They argue powerfully that comics can be vehicles for beautiful artwork and serious, intelligent expression."
Cartoonists need fresh ideas regularly to keep their strips strong. "Sometimes the best way to generate new ideas is to go out and learn something," he noted and that, "Much of the job of being a cartoonist lies in keeping alive a sense of curiosity and wonder."
To enhance his creative flow for Calvin and Hobbes, Bill returned to his childhood interest in dinosaurs. He said, in the Calvin and Hobbes 10th Anniversary Book, that he "tried to learn more and depict dinosaurs more accurately. I do this partly for my own amusement, and partly because, for Calvin, dinosaurs are very, very real."
The creator of Calvin and Hobbes is a quiet man. Maintaining his privacy is of utmost importance to Bill Watterson. He refuses to give interviews, he makes no public appearances. He doesn't even answer his fan mail.
In his final statement on retiring the strip on January 01, 1996, he said, "I believe I've done what I can do within the constraints of daily deadlines and small panels. I am eager to work at a more thoughtful pace, with fewer artistic compromises."
You can enjoy Calvin and Hobbes on www.ucomics.com or head to your bookstore for your own copies of Bill Watterson's books.
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