The Calvin and Hobbes Portable Compendium Set 1

by Bill Watterson

The first set of books collecting Bill Watterson's timeless Calvin and Hobbes comics in a compact, portable format designed to introduce the timeless adventures of a boy and his stuffed tiger to a new generation of readers. Featuring nearly 500 comics from the strip's debut in November 1985 through March 1987, this is the first set in a series of seven.

"At some level, all American childhoods are the same, which probably explains our lasting love affair with Calvin and Hobbes ." — The Washington Post

Calvin and Hobbes is unquestionably one of the most popular comic strips of all time. The imaginative world of a boy and his real-only-to-him tiger first appeared in 1985 and could be read in more than 2,400 newspapers when Bill Watterson retired on January 1, 1996.

This compact, portable new format is designed to introduce the timeless adventures of Calvin and Hobbes to a new generation of readers, and will fit easily into backpacks as well as on the collector's shelf. Featuring archival slipcase and cover art selected by the author, The Calvin and Hobbes Portable Compendium pays tribute to the strip's origin in newspapers while appealing to both new and existing fans of Calvin and Hobbes.

This set is composed of two 144-page paperback books, including nearly 500 comics from the strip's debut in Nov. 1985 through March 1987. It is the first of seven sets total to be released between 2023 and 2026.

Genres: Comics, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Humor, Graphic Novels Comics, Comedy, Comic Strips

288 pages, Paperback

Published August 29, 2023

About the author

Bill Watterson (born William Boyd Watterson II) is an American cartoonist, and the author of the comic strip "Calvin and Hobbes". His career as a syndicated cartoonist ran from 1985 to 1995; he stopped drawing "Calvin and Hobbes" at the end of 1995 with a short statement to newspaper editors and his fans that he felt he had achieved all he could in the comic strip medium. During the early years of his career he produced several drawings and additional contributions for "Target: The Political Cartoon Quarterly". Watterson is known for his views on licensing and comic syndication, as well as for his reclusive nature.

Reviews

[sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

imagination is so beautiful

[Dawn Ashford-Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slightly embarrassed to say this was my first time reading Calvin and Hobbes aged nearly 40 (I was always a Peanuts and Garfield fan). But this was great, the nostalgia of the comic strip, the wonderful drawings, and I laughed or at least smiled the whole way through. Can't wait to read more. Loved it!

[Sean Ivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has funny short comics. Very funny overall.

[Mariah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and easy read! First time reading Calvin and Hobbes and I can’t wait to check out more of their comics!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always a favorite and a classic about a hyperactive imaginative boy and his tiger who ask the big questions.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of comics featuring the rambunctious young boy, Calvin, his stuffed tiger, Hobbes who comes to life in his imagination and with whom he has many adventures, and his long-suffering parents, classmates, and neighbors.

The first volume seemed to feature more of the earliest comics and Watterson was still finding his groove. Calvin was much more inflammatory and edgy, taunting his parents with telling them he was watching soap operas or pretending to listen to horrible music (buying a record just to freak his mom out with the cover…but telling Hobbes he’d never listen to such stuff). The second volume features the Calvin and Hobbes we’ve come to know and love. They are more funny and less obnoxious. There was a series of strips in that second volume about school picture day that had me laughing really hard. I don’t ever remember reading it before. My advice is to skip the first volume and go straight for the good stuff in volume 2.

Notes on content:
Language: No swearing.
Sexual content: A couple butt scenes of Calvin on bath days. The way Watterson draws him is not very detailed so it doesn’t feel lewd or anything. There were some suggestive comments in the first volume after Calvin watched things he shouldn’t.
Violence: Only in Calvin’s head. Or accidental injuries after launching a sled. People are totally fine in the next frame.
Ethnic diversity: Most of the characters appear to be white American.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified.
Other: Calvin says some disrespectful and mean things (he usually ends up punished and/or apologizing).

[Noah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was convinced by my family to start reading this series. Of course this was just after I told myself I’d stop reading graphic novels. (Comic strips are much better.)

But the first two books of Calvin and Hobbes were amazing. The kid’s hilarious and his fuzzy tiger is the best companion he could ask for. Calvin has what some adults would call an “overactive imagination,” but he’s really just creative. He dreams of his adventures as Spaceman Spiff during math class and makes quite a mess in the bathtub.

I like all the other characters too. Calvin’s mom and dad are never too thrilled with all the crazy things Calvin and Hobbes do, but they love their son. Susie, who Calvin has a big crush on, adds a lot of funny moments to the stories. When Calvin is left at home with his babysitter, Rosalyn always manages to make him seem like a tame animal. Neither of them like the other very much.

Hobbes is the best stuffed tiger Calvin could have. I can’t wait to see what other jokes Bill Watterson wrote.

[Zoey Selwyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

about as fantastic as i remember it being as a kid...granted, it turns out i've only ever read the first two collections so i'll be interested in where it goes next...will certainly be getting the next few of this new format because it finally solves the problem of how wide these damn things are by flipping them vertically!!

ultimately a comic strip that makes me wanna imagine harder and more often...let myself get lost in the simple wonders and mischiefs of everyday life...and then there's the closing storyline of the dead raccoon, a difficult read given the past week and an unfortunately apt segue into rereading We3 :(

[Kit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this format for the strips. The layout and design are beautiful. I took one point off, however, as the material could have benefited from printing the date that the strips originally ran in newspapers.

[maddie patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

look at this point im just happy i finished something this month. but also, calvin and hobbes was fundamental to me as a child and as an adult, its so fun to read these comics back and see just how much of my humor/personality developed from these

[Sonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even better reading this as a parent.

[Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

*As Tiny Tim*

"Please, sir, might I have another compendium? 'Tis Christmas after all..."

[João Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love at first sight.

[Bobby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brings back so many memories from the good ol' days when the comic strip was being made!

[Kristy Madden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book of cute comics about a boy and his imaginary tiger friend. Great fun for all ages!

[Maeve Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute

[Alex Schaefer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks Mary

[Alexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading these aloud to my smarty pants 6-year-old son hits so good.

[Leo Lenze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks Tori :)

[Kirk Finkbeiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love these comics

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://andywolverton.substack.com/p/...

[Eric Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting way to "package" the series; the strips in this set are almost all the ones in the treasury The Essential Calvin and Hobbes except for the last thirty or so pages. Unfortunately, it seems to have skipped the last couple of strips of the amnesia storyline (in book two) and it also contains the strange ordering of strips in the treasury collections (the last six pages/twelve daily strips of Book Two were published consecutively without any Sunday strips).

[RAYMOND STEARNS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great gift from my wife. Makes me laugh out loud more than any movie or comedy special ever has!