Bill Watterson author page

Bill Watterson biography

Bill Watterson is an American cartoonist best known as the creator of the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes. The strip debuted on November 18, 1985, and was syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate. Calvin and Hobbes follows the imaginative adventures of a boy named Calvin and his stuffed tiger, Hobbes. The strip became widely recognized for its humor, social commentary, and distinctive artwork.

Watterson attended Kenyon College, where he studied political science and contributed cartoons to the college newspaper. After graduating, he worked briefly as a political cartoonist before developing Calvin and Hobbes. Watterson is known for his strong stance against licensing and merchandising his characters, maintaining that the integrity of the strip was paramount.

Throughout its run, Calvin and Hobbes received critical acclaim and won several awards, including the National Cartoonists Society’s Reuben Award in 1986 and 1988. Watterson ended the strip on December 31, 1995. Since then, he has largely avoided the public eye, occasionally contributing to art projects and exhibitions.

In 2023, Watterson published The Mysteries, a picture book created in collaboration with caricaturist John Kascht.