The new age of cartoons

[Kirtai]

Originally Posted by BWinmill

The other issue is how to market a strip that is produced on an irregular schedule. He didn't have the tools back then. Even the Internet has some deficiencies. (How do you keep people visiting your website when they don't know something new is going to be there?)

RSS & Atom feeds can do that but there's a surprising lack of awareness about them.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by BWinmill

Yet part of the pleasure of Calvin and Hobbes, at least to an adult, is that Calvin never grew up. I'm not so certain that I'm prepared for this Calvin: http://gerrycanavan.blogspot.ca/2009/03/grown-up-calvin-and-hobbes.html

I always thought there might be room for Calvin and Hobbes: The next generation.
(A daughter, of course. With daddy always off camera.)

[Kirtai]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

I always thought there might be room for Calvin and Hobbes: The next generation.
(A daughter, of course. With daddy always off camera.)

Or even these four:
http://www.pantsareoverrated.com/arc...bes-and-bacon/
http://www.pantsareoverrated.com/arc...and-bacon-002/
http://www.pantsareoverrated.com/arc...nd-bacon-03-2/
http://www.pantsareoverrated.com/arc...nd-bacon-04-2/

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Kirtai

Or even these four:
http://www.pantsareoverrated.com/arc...bes-and-bacon/
http://www.pantsareoverrated.com/arc...and-bacon-002/
http://www.pantsareoverrated.com/arc...nd-bacon-03-2/
http://www.pantsareoverrated.com/arc...nd-bacon-04-2/

Yup.
Exactly what I had in mind.

Sadly, those also illustrate Waterson's point about the old syndicated cartoon corporate system. He created Calvin and Hobbes to express himself and he stopped the series when he felt it was time to do so. It is his creation and he is entitled to control it as he sees fit, regardless of the unmet demand for more.

If he hadn't asserted himself and instead "gone with the flow" the series would have continued (perhaps under carefully selected succesors) and eventually something like this (very nice homage) would have at some point replaced his vision out of commercial necessity. And the end result would not necessarily be as tasteful.

As much as I love the homage, I do respect his decision. I just wish he'd reverse it, even if just for a while.