Bill Watterson Releases First New Art Since He Pulled the Plug on ‘Calvin and Hobbes’
It's been almost 20 years since Bill Watterson pulled the plug on his iconic comic strip 'Calvin and Hobbes.' And it's been almost as long since anyone has heard much from the reclusive artist. But we just got some brand new artwork from him.
According to ArtsBeat, the co-directors of 'Stripped,' a new documentary about daily newspaper comic strips, reached out to Watterson to get the cartoonist's insight into the fading art form. They also got the first new art by him since his retirement. Seeing that Watterson crafted 'Calvin and Hobbes' every day from 1985 to 1995, resulting in exactly 3,150 strips, he's one of the true legends in comic history. And many fans rank his creation as one of the all-time best, if not the greatest.
For those who aren't familiar with 'Calvin and Hobbes,' first of all, shame on you! The comic followed the adventures of a six-year-old boy and his stuffed tiger, who came to life only when Calvin was around.
The movie's directors, Fred Schroeder and Dave Kellett, interviewed dozens of cartoonists and comic-book artists for 'Stripped.' But Watterson was by far the most elusive and intriguing. After he concluded 'Calvin and Hobbes,' Watterson focused on landscape painting and has mostly stayed out of the public eye for the past 19 years. But he came out of hiding to draw the official poster for 'Stripped' and declare his support for the project. You can see it above.
'Stripped' originally started as a documentary about the workplaces of comic-strip artists, but it eventually evolved into a recollection of the business by some of the form's most famous artists, who reflect on the many changes over the years, including the recent downsizing from newspaper outlets. 'Stripped' will be available on home video on April 2.