Special Sub-Topic: The Life of Bill Watterson Click Here To Play: The Life of Bill Watterson

Where was Bill Watterson born?

Washington, D.C.. Watterson was born on July 5, 1958. He was born in Washington, D.C., where his father (James G. Watterson) worked as a patent examiner while going to law school.

When Bill Watterson was six, his family moved to a nice quiet town in what state?

Ohio. Watterson and his family moved to Chagrin Hills, Ohio when he was only six years old. His mother become a city council member. When Bill's younger brother, Tom, got older, he moved down to Texas where he became a high school teacher.

In 1980, Watterson graduated from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. He received a degree in what subject?

Political Science. The Cincinnati Post immediately offered Watterson a job drawing political cartoons with a six-mounth trial. Bill also designed some grocery advertisements for four years prior his first "Calvin and Hobbes" comic.

After many rejections of his comic strip, Watterson finally got Universal Press Syndicate to take it. What year was "Calvin and Hobbes" first published?

1985. The exact date was November 18, 1985. Watterson wrote that his influences for "Calvin and Hobbes" came from Chuck Schultz (Peanuts), Walt Kelly (Pogo), and George Herriman (Krazy Kat).

Watterson battled with against pressure from publishers to merchandise his work. He rejected the idea of putting "Calvin and Hobbes" on coffee mugs, stickers, and t-shirts. He also refused to accept the proposal that "Calvin and Hobbes" become ______ ?

an animated series. Watterson felt merchandising his work would cheapen the comic. But somehow, there are certain t-shirts with "Calvin and Hobbes" characters on them for sale.

Watterson was awarded the National Cartoonists Society Humor Comic Strip Award in 1988. This was the same year he also won what award?

National Cartoonists Society's Reuben Award. He was also rewarded with the National Cartoonists Society's Reuben Award in 1986, and was also nominated for another one in 1992. After Watterson was nominated three times, the National Cartoonists Society declared that no artist could win the award more than once.

Watterson announced his retirement from "Calvin and Hobbes" in a letter to newspaper editors. What year was the final "Calvin and Hobbes" comic strip published?

1995. After the final publication of his comic strip, Watterson has taken up painting, often drawing landscapes of the woods with his father, according to wikipedia.org.

Watterson was vocally critical of a former cartoonist for merchandising his comic strip. Who was he?

Jim Davis. He felt that for Davis to liscense his strip "Garfield" to many different things cheapened the comic.

Watterson is also known for being the first cartoonist to say what word in a comic strip?

Booger. It's funny how that Watterson will be remembered as the first cartoonist to use the word "booger" in a comic. I doubt though he will be remembered just by that.

Watterson's cat has inspired most of the physical features of Hobbes. His cat also inspired much of Hobbes's personality, too. What is Watterson's cat's name?

Sprite. Another animal that has inspired a character was Watterson's wife's dog, Derkins. He used the name of the dog for the last name of supporting character, Susie Derkins. A lot of people in this world have enjoyed "Calvin and Hobbes", I surely have. It will be remembered as a great comic strip and Bill Watterson will be known as a great cartoonist.