November 21, 1985

Now we get the teacher putting quotation marks around tiger.  I wonder what Calvin was like before this to make everyone think he can't have any imagination. In the future I don't think Hobbes is brought to school much later in the strips but he gets put into lockers or something.  In the last panel I feel Calvin looks very real in comparison to the strips so far.  I think it is that it shows him having teeth for the first time.

November 20, 1985

I am wondering if this first arc takes place on the same day?  Calvin's dad is pretty busy, washing the car, writing at his desk.  Then he isn't even in bed himself when he goes in to yell at Calvin.  Big news in this strip!  Hobbes appears to be a stuffed tiger!  One of the biggest aspect of Calvin and Hobbes and it takes until the third strip to get there.  Calvin's dad also puts Hobbes' name in quotation marks.  He is a no nonsense guy here.  He can't even let Calvin have an imaginary friend!  Another note here, at the end if Calvin was playing the cymbals, why is Hobbes holding them at the end?

November 19, 1985

Calvin's head shape is much better without the pith helmet.  Calvin's dad says he should bring the tiger home and stuff it.  Subtle stuffed animal reference there?  Noticing the blank background in the first two strips.  I remember there being a lot more going on, even in the dailies.  Hobbes was eating tuna, now everything in the fridge.  We are establishing his early hedonistic tendencies.

Starting a new project today.  In the spirit of several podcasts I listen to, Go Bayside for one, I am going to start reviewing Calvin and Hobbes strip by strip.  One every weekday.

I have been thinking of starting this for a while and while thinking about the first strip I realize all I have to do is start typing.

#1 Nov 18 1985

First strip 4 panels.  We are introduced to Calvin, Hobbes and his dad.  It has been a few years since I have read many Calvin and Hobbes but I don't remember the tuna fish sandwich thing coming up again.  Calvin has his early squat looking head and Hobbes also has a weird head.  Dad looks mostly the same.  I do like Calvin's pith helmet, makes it seem like he is really out hunting tigers in the bush.

The joke is decent, pretty much Hobbes is aware of his weakness to tuna fish.  I know from reading about Bill Watterson that he feels he didnt need to introduce the relationship between Calvin and Hobbes at first.  It works for what it is and the start is understandable given how most comic strips have some kind of introduction.

I am looking forward to some more interesting strips coming up with more interaction with Calvin and Hobbes.