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Calvin and Hobbes #4
Weirdos from Another Planet!
In Calvin and Hobbes book Weirdos From Another Planet!, this power-packed extravaganza of creative energy and imagination feature the childhood fun and fantasy that was a Watterson trademark. Weirdos From Another Planet! is out of this world!
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
75 people are currently reading
1680 people want to read
About the author
Bill Watterson
409 books4,908 followersBill 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 307 reviews
October 25, 2025
It has been a long while since I have read Calvin and Hobbes, so I jumped on the chance to read this when I found it at my university library. The comics are still as sharp and funny as when they came out. The art has a fantastic animated quality that brings the characters and action to life, especially when Calvin's imagination is active.
June 12, 2012
Oh! Book Lord, please give me more more more of this!!!
March 1, 2015
"That's one of the remarkable things about life. It's never so bad that it can't get worse." Calvin
Read
November 14, 2023
Mais palavras para quê?
May 29, 2016
Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us. ~ Calvin
Calvin's wit keeps amazing me. I'm glad I get the funny points . . . while not having him right in my household.
Calvin's wit keeps amazing me. I'm glad I get the funny points . . . while not having him right in my household.
Being a tiger is more than just stripes, you realize. ~ Hobbes
September 2, 2023
Some of the jokes are getting a bit stale/repetitive. Specifically Calvin doing the Father reviews treating his dad like a political figure campaigning for his role as Dad. Otherwise the strips are getting crisper and fine-tuned. The artwork is fantastic especially the full-color Sunday pages.
March 25, 2009
Some of my favorite ones:
Calvin: SUSIE, QUICK! GET HELP!
Somebody filled my sandbox with quicksand! I'm sinking fast! ACK! RRGHH!
Susie: Oh, right. Give me a break.
Calvin: Your gender would be a lot more tolerable if it wasn't so darn cynical!
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Calvin: Boy, what a beautiful summer morning, huh, Dad? Too bad you can't stay home to enjoy it.
When you're old, you'll be sorry you never took advantage of days like these, but of course, that's far off, and in the meantime, there's lots of work to be done.
Yep, you'd better get to work. Have a good long drive in traffic. Maybe you'll get home in time to watch the sunset… if you can stay awake. So long!
Golly, I'd hate to have a kid like me.
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Calvin (to Hobbes): Ever sit and watch ants?
Look at this one. He's carrying a crumb that's bigger than he is, and he's RUNNING.
And if you put an obstacle in front of him, he'll scramble like crazy until he gets across it. He doesn't let anything stop him.
I just can't identify with that kind of work ethic.
Calvin: SUSIE, QUICK! GET HELP!
Somebody filled my sandbox with quicksand! I'm sinking fast! ACK! RRGHH!
Susie: Oh, right. Give me a break.
Calvin: Your gender would be a lot more tolerable if it wasn't so darn cynical!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Calvin: Boy, what a beautiful summer morning, huh, Dad? Too bad you can't stay home to enjoy it.
When you're old, you'll be sorry you never took advantage of days like these, but of course, that's far off, and in the meantime, there's lots of work to be done.
Yep, you'd better get to work. Have a good long drive in traffic. Maybe you'll get home in time to watch the sunset… if you can stay awake. So long!
Golly, I'd hate to have a kid like me.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Calvin (to Hobbes): Ever sit and watch ants?
Look at this one. He's carrying a crumb that's bigger than he is, and he's RUNNING.
And if you put an obstacle in front of him, he'll scramble like crazy until he gets across it. He doesn't let anything stop him.
I just can't identify with that kind of work ethic.
January 13, 2015
This is my first copy of Calvin and Hobbes comics as a book and I am thoroughly thrilled to have my hands lay on it. I have always been an ardent lover of Bill Watterson's creativity, passion and beautiful sense of values which has taught(still teaching) the wonder beneath the quotidian life.
This book is a valued possession which I know that I would cherish for a lifetime(and perhaps add it in my Will and pass it on to the next generations to come).
This book is a valued possession which I know that I would cherish for a lifetime(and perhaps add it in my Will and pass it on to the next generations to come).
April 14, 2021
Back with a bang to Calvin! Though not as enjoyable as the first three books, this is still a worthwhile read. Calvin is as crazy as ever. And the highlight story, that of his journey to Mars, really stands out in its hilarity.
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***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
Follow me on Instagram: RoshReviews
April 18, 2021
I just love Hobbes to bits!
June 2, 2023
Just how funny can this weird duo get?
Weird enough to tickle my funnybone, that's how funny.
Weird enough to tickle my funnybone, that's how funny.
July 27, 2017
I can always depend on Calvin and Hobbes to lighten the mood and provide lots of laughs. Weirdos From Another Planet! is one of the many books in my Calvin and Hobbes collection. I really should read them more often. Calvin is a wonderful mix of an incredibly intelligent six-year-old boy who can ask about the meaning of life and yet still enjoy hours of cartoons on tv while eating his favorite cereal, Sugar-Coated Chocolate Bombs. Hobbes, his constant companion, sometimes tries to steer Calvin towards making smarter choices, but usually they both end up doing something awful (wrecking havoc in the living room by playing baseball). Is Hobbes imaginary? Is he real? I say he’s a magical tiger who comes alive when alone with Calvin. I think we could all use a little Hobbes in our lives.
I don’t want to make Calvin & Hobbes political (in fact, I pulled it from the shelf because I knew it wouldn’t be), but there’s an ongoing joke throughout this collection that is eerily well-suited to Trump’s administration. Calvin tells his father that if he wants to be re-elected to the office of Dad, he has to bring up his poll numbers. He tells his father: “your recognition factor is high [but] the scandals of your administration continue to haunt you.” He continues to advise his father: “See, your record in office is miserable and the character issue is killing you…if anyone ever needed a slick ad campaign, it’s you. I think the image we need to create for you is, ‘repentant, but learning.’ You know, show some humility, and present yourself as a regular guy trying to learn the ropes of a difficult job” (28). Whenever Trump screws up (which is often), his supporters and apologists say this very same thing: “Uh, it’s a tough job and he has a steep learning curve.” Really? Being President of the USA is difficult? Who woulda thought….? Anyway, when I read these panels, I immediately saw their relevancy to the current political climate. Of course, the scandals Calvin’s dad is dealing with are “homeworkgate” and “bedtimegate.” Much more benign than potentially treasonous collusion with Russia.
What really made me laugh like a loon (in public!) were the panels describing Calvin trying to be helpful by fixing a leaking faucet but not turning the water off first. As the bathroom is flooding, he’s walking downstairs to get as many buckets as he can find. He’s not pictured in the panels, just his parents, and the expressions on their faces gradually get more alarmed as they listen to him: “Nothing’s wrong…da dee doo ba…I just want a bucket to hold some…stuff…Let’s see, how many buckets do we have? Dum de doo…No cause for alarm…No need to panic…I just want a few buckets. La la” (80). I love Calvin. Of course when Dad comes running upstairs and sees the mess, Calvin blames Hobbes. What a great friend.
Anyway, if you need some laughter, I recommend anything Calvin & Hobbes. They’re delightful. Many thanks to Bill Watterson for creating them.
I don’t want to make Calvin & Hobbes political (in fact, I pulled it from the shelf because I knew it wouldn’t be), but there’s an ongoing joke throughout this collection that is eerily well-suited to Trump’s administration. Calvin tells his father that if he wants to be re-elected to the office of Dad, he has to bring up his poll numbers. He tells his father: “your recognition factor is high [but] the scandals of your administration continue to haunt you.” He continues to advise his father: “See, your record in office is miserable and the character issue is killing you…if anyone ever needed a slick ad campaign, it’s you. I think the image we need to create for you is, ‘repentant, but learning.’ You know, show some humility, and present yourself as a regular guy trying to learn the ropes of a difficult job” (28). Whenever Trump screws up (which is often), his supporters and apologists say this very same thing: “Uh, it’s a tough job and he has a steep learning curve.” Really? Being President of the USA is difficult? Who woulda thought….? Anyway, when I read these panels, I immediately saw their relevancy to the current political climate. Of course, the scandals Calvin’s dad is dealing with are “homeworkgate” and “bedtimegate.” Much more benign than potentially treasonous collusion with Russia.
What really made me laugh like a loon (in public!) were the panels describing Calvin trying to be helpful by fixing a leaking faucet but not turning the water off first. As the bathroom is flooding, he’s walking downstairs to get as many buckets as he can find. He’s not pictured in the panels, just his parents, and the expressions on their faces gradually get more alarmed as they listen to him: “Nothing’s wrong…da dee doo ba…I just want a bucket to hold some…stuff…Let’s see, how many buckets do we have? Dum de doo…No cause for alarm…No need to panic…I just want a few buckets. La la” (80). I love Calvin. Of course when Dad comes running upstairs and sees the mess, Calvin blames Hobbes. What a great friend.
Anyway, if you need some laughter, I recommend anything Calvin & Hobbes. They’re delightful. Many thanks to Bill Watterson for creating them.
February 16, 2016
You can always depend on Bill Watterson and his brilliant creations Calvin and Hobbes, and in the collection "Weirdos From Another Planet!" Watterson does not disappoint.
This collection has many strips that deal with Calvin's numerous unnamed alter egos, many of them very simple creations (not "characters" like Spaceman Spiff or his noir detective) but rather Calvin imagining certain professions as himself. Examples from the text include his being a pilot, an archeologist, etc.
"WFAP" also introduces us to Spaceman Spiff, as we get to see his first strip and learn of his origins as one of Calvin's alter egos.
The title of the collection comes from a prolonged strip that is about a trip Calvin and Hobbes take to Mars. The trip is undertaken because Earth is too polluted and Calvin is disgusted with humanity's treatment of the planet. The title of the collection cleverly alludes to Calvin and Hobbes, not the Martians, and Watterson raises a very interesting point with how he concludes this particular storyline.
As usual with a Calvin and Hobbes collection I found myself laughing and thinking at the same time. I enjoy when that happens! I can always count on Calvin and Hobbes to make me laugh, and to tease my brain cells a little. I love them, and these collections, for that!
This collection has many strips that deal with Calvin's numerous unnamed alter egos, many of them very simple creations (not "characters" like Spaceman Spiff or his noir detective) but rather Calvin imagining certain professions as himself. Examples from the text include his being a pilot, an archeologist, etc.
"WFAP" also introduces us to Spaceman Spiff, as we get to see his first strip and learn of his origins as one of Calvin's alter egos.
The title of the collection comes from a prolonged strip that is about a trip Calvin and Hobbes take to Mars. The trip is undertaken because Earth is too polluted and Calvin is disgusted with humanity's treatment of the planet. The title of the collection cleverly alludes to Calvin and Hobbes, not the Martians, and Watterson raises a very interesting point with how he concludes this particular storyline.
As usual with a Calvin and Hobbes collection I found myself laughing and thinking at the same time. I enjoy when that happens! I can always count on Calvin and Hobbes to make me laugh, and to tease my brain cells a little. I love them, and these collections, for that!
January 26, 2025
I remember reading this ages ago and loving it. Calvin has a vivid imagination just like how I did when I was a kid. It is remarkable how Bill Waterson can portray so many emotions going through a 6 year old and make it relatable and enjoyable for people of all ages. There are a lot of insights about life in the most fun way possible.
Definitely the best comic on the planet!!!
Definitely the best comic on the planet!!!
June 2, 2012
The full article of the review is available in this link:
http://bookunderthesun.blogspot.sg/20...
Ever read the comic in pullout section of the newspaper? If you did, then Calvin and Hobbes will not be total strangers to you. The humorous comic which ran in boxes of four or sometimes luxuriously filling up half of the page had been featured in most comic sections for as far as I can read, and had been the company of most readers of newspaper. There are a few compilations of Calvin and Hobbes comics and Weirdos from Another Planet! is one of them.
Calvin was by no means crazy, just an imaginative kid who spends most of his intellect trying to get his own way with his family and friends, not unlike what most of us did in our childhood. His mischievous yet creative ways always made me laughed, and along with Hobbes, he made the people around him crawl up the wall literally. In our childhood, how many of us did not spend time trying to think of a way or excuse trying to bend the adults' reasoning to our side in order to get that piece of dessert that we longed for? And how many of them ended up not knowing whether they should be mad or they should laugh?
A praise to Watterson: the ironic and funny monologues and conversations usually carried with them the reality of the world. For example, Calvin decided to leave Earth for Mars because he came to the conclusion that adults were leaving the Earth dirty so that the next generation will clean up after them.
The art used in the comics is also varied, with different styles meant for different imagined scenario. Watterson's style preferred the simple, with buttoned eyes and a few strokes to get the statement across the comic. In dramatic moments, he leaned heavily to exaggerated styles, with large eyes and hairs that stood upright to show shock, and large gaping mouth to show anger.
The collection really did make my evening more enjoyable, and I still took it out to read once in a while although I had read it numerous times. Calvin and Hobbes: Weirdos from Another Planet! is definitely a recommended reading for you when you are down and depressed.
http://bookunderthesun.blogspot.sg/20...
Ever read the comic in pullout section of the newspaper? If you did, then Calvin and Hobbes will not be total strangers to you. The humorous comic which ran in boxes of four or sometimes luxuriously filling up half of the page had been featured in most comic sections for as far as I can read, and had been the company of most readers of newspaper. There are a few compilations of Calvin and Hobbes comics and Weirdos from Another Planet! is one of them.
Calvin was by no means crazy, just an imaginative kid who spends most of his intellect trying to get his own way with his family and friends, not unlike what most of us did in our childhood. His mischievous yet creative ways always made me laughed, and along with Hobbes, he made the people around him crawl up the wall literally. In our childhood, how many of us did not spend time trying to think of a way or excuse trying to bend the adults' reasoning to our side in order to get that piece of dessert that we longed for? And how many of them ended up not knowing whether they should be mad or they should laugh?
A praise to Watterson: the ironic and funny monologues and conversations usually carried with them the reality of the world. For example, Calvin decided to leave Earth for Mars because he came to the conclusion that adults were leaving the Earth dirty so that the next generation will clean up after them.
The art used in the comics is also varied, with different styles meant for different imagined scenario. Watterson's style preferred the simple, with buttoned eyes and a few strokes to get the statement across the comic. In dramatic moments, he leaned heavily to exaggerated styles, with large eyes and hairs that stood upright to show shock, and large gaping mouth to show anger.
The collection really did make my evening more enjoyable, and I still took it out to read once in a while although I had read it numerous times. Calvin and Hobbes: Weirdos from Another Planet! is definitely a recommended reading for you when you are down and depressed.
July 27, 2009
Calvin is one kid that no one would ever want to try to raise, and Hobbes is one (stuffed) tiger that no one would ever want to mess with. But these two always have their fun, and they sure do have a hell of a lot of adventures (mostly with Calvin's parents): camping, going to the zoo, digging for dinosaur bones, going to Mars, being lifted up in the stratosphere by a balloon, fixing the bathroom sink among others. The list is always endless with this duo. There are tons of philosophical, satirical, ironic, and even slapstick humor all around. Calvin counters with words as relevant today as in 1988, because, "Life's a lot more fun when you're not responsible for your actions."
This collection of cartoons is funny, imaginative and is an exaggerated view of the life of a child. There is no question in my mind that Watterson was an imaginative child and probably got in a lot of serious trouble during that time. We should be grateful for that, as he grew up to be an outstanding cartoonist and this book proof of that.
Book Details:
Title Weirdos From Another Planet! (Calvin and Hobbes)
Author Bill Watterson
Reviewed By Purplycookie
This collection of cartoons is funny, imaginative and is an exaggerated view of the life of a child. There is no question in my mind that Watterson was an imaginative child and probably got in a lot of serious trouble during that time. We should be grateful for that, as he grew up to be an outstanding cartoonist and this book proof of that.
Book Details:
Title Weirdos From Another Planet! (Calvin and Hobbes)
Author Bill Watterson
Reviewed By Purplycookie
September 25, 2013
Oh no, I only have one more book left after this in my stash of Calvin & Hobbes books - I want more!
I just read that a book set has just been published that contains 4 paperbacks that contain every C&H strip ever syndicated:The Complete Calvin and Hobbes. It seems that Bill Watterson said everything that he needed to say on the subject by the mid 90s so guess what - if anybody wants to buy me an early Xmas present - they are more than welcome to buy me this. In fact, this'll do for the next 4 Xmases. Either that or y'all can club together and buy it for me now.
Suffice to say, I absolutely adore this book and all it contains and I thank everything and everyone responsible for bringing it into my sticky grasp.
'nuff said.
I just read that a book set has just been published that contains 4 paperbacks that contain every C&H strip ever syndicated:The Complete Calvin and Hobbes. It seems that Bill Watterson said everything that he needed to say on the subject by the mid 90s so guess what - if anybody wants to buy me an early Xmas present - they are more than welcome to buy me this. In fact, this'll do for the next 4 Xmases. Either that or y'all can club together and buy it for me now.
Suffice to say, I absolutely adore this book and all it contains and I thank everything and everyone responsible for bringing it into my sticky grasp.
'nuff said.
July 18, 2024
Deze heb ik voorgelezen aan mijn kinderen. Opnieuw loopt Casper over van de fantasie, wordt hij Spaceman Spiff of een tyrannosaurus rex. Dit tot ergernis van zijn ouders en schooljuf. En natuurlijk bespringt Hobbes hem nog altijd, spelen ze onzinnige spelletjes en zijn meisjes, en in het bijzonder het buurmeisje Inge, vreselijk. Soms is Casper van goede wil, bijvoorbeeld als de kraan lekt, maar net dan blijkt Casper op zijn gevaarlijkst en krijg je tussen het schateren door ook een beetje medelijden met de vader, die telkens voor zijn plaats in het gezin moet vrezen.
February 20, 2016
protagonist displays the level of xenophobia expected from trenchcoat mafia types.
April 18, 2021
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
June 30, 2017
Picked this up while waiting for my son to finish a library program... timeless humor that speaks to children and adults.
July 10, 2019
Calvin and Hobbes is always amazing.
November 14, 2021
Just wonderful! Absolutely spectacular!
March 14, 2024
Really really funny!
July 30, 2022
Another book full of fine pages and sentences. But also another book filled with a bratty six year old torturing his parents. I keep on hoping for a bit of Calvin and Hobbes that I could love. Which is not fair, because this has bits. The art is fine, the imagination is fine, the taste level is painful. I'm still guessing that if I read these Calvin and Hobbes books one page a day, I'd like them more.
March 18, 2018
Palate cleanser.
February 20, 2021
Sempre cheio de boas tiradas, divertido e engraçado. Só acho triste que Calvin não tem amigo algum além de Haroldo. Não suporta a escola e nunca tem boas experiências lá. Isso é um pouco triste.
As pesquisas de popularidade do pai de Calvin são sempre uma das minhas partes favoritas.
O pai de Calvin não apenas provando que o garoto tem a quem puxar, como dá umas enganadas no moleque.
As pesquisas de popularidade do pai de Calvin são sempre uma das minhas partes favoritas.
O pai de Calvin não apenas provando que o garoto tem a quem puxar, como dá umas enganadas no moleque.
July 7, 2024
classic. nostalgic afternoon read.
May 22, 2025
Woohoo!
November 24, 2025
I’ve read and re-read a lot of Calvin & Hobbes while growing up. It always puts me in a great mood and even as an adult I still get the same enjoyment.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 307 reviews