Blogcritics: Comments on Bill, Come Out to Play!

Comment by Eric Olsen

Sun, 14 Dec 2003 22:46:56 EST

Very interesting Bill, and I agree this is a strange way to enjoy life.

Comment by Bill Peschel

Sun, 14 Dec 2003 21:19:30 EST

Larson devotes a lot of time every day to jazz guitar, and sometimes plays in public. He appears to be doing what he likes. He even occasionally picks up the pen, like the "Hair in My Soup" book, or the New Yorker cover. Anyway, he has an outlet for his creativity. Watterson does as well, and if he's happy in what he's doing, I'll accept his gift of Calvin and move on. On the other hand, I'd love to hear his thoughts on this form of the creative process. Can he really find satisfaction from creating paintings no one will ever see? Can a man really that be that self-contained and not have serious mental issues? I say this, not just because I admire the man and his work, but because I don't recall anyone else acting like this. To reach the state where he became something of a hermit, J.D. Salinger suffered serious trauma as an infantryman in World War II. Did something like this happen to Watterson?

Comment by Eric Olsen

Sun, 7 Dec 2003 12:29:27 EST

P-man, I am sure there are many like you, millions ofpeople who would like to hear from him.

Comment by Particleman

Sat, 6 Dec 2003 23:30:18 EST

Back when i thought i had any art skills, i used to practice by tracing Calvin comic strips. I bought one of the big Calvin books and bookmarked it to infinity. I sure hope Bill's ok.

Comment by Eric Olsen

Fri, 5 Dec 2003 11:42:27 EST

"magic scientism" like the strip

Comment by JR

Fri, 5 Dec 2003 11:39:38 EST

"But conversely, someone (Larson) who does come up with such odd thoughts probably doesn't ever stop thinking like that, either." Yeah, makes me really curious about what his music sounds like...

Comment by Tom Johnson

Fri, 5 Dec 2003 11:25:36 EST

I can entirely understand that, Eric. The kinds of stuff a guy like Larson comes up with is the kind of thing that just strikes you. Actively trying to think stuff up like that saps it of both creative energy and the excitement of discovery. I really don't know how he kept up at it for so long (4300 panels!) But conversely, someone who does come up with such odd thoughts probably doesn't ever stop thinking like that, either. But, yeah, maybe after having churned out, literally, thousands of cartoons, maybe he really is completely burned out.

Comment by Eric Olsen

Fri, 5 Dec 2003 10:52:58 EST

I can only imagine the burn-out factor of having to come up with something great every day, but this all-or-nothing approach seems very strange also. You'd think there could be a middle way, but perhaps the very idea of returning pen to paper makes some of these guys recoil in horror.

Comment by Tom Johnson

Fri, 5 Dec 2003 10:48:18 EST

I'll add to this Gary Larson. Gary's off playing jazz guitar, which is cool, but I can't believe there isn't a part of him that still wants to cartoon. Someone who creates something like The Far Side never truly stops - he may only be thinking the kinds of things he used to illustrate, but I don't believe that he doesn't still have a book of new pieces in him, at least. I suppose, for now, we'll have to "settle" for that giant anthology that was recently released . . . but I sure he takes ink to paper at some point in the future.

Comment by Eric Olsen

Thu, 4 Dec 2003 21:57:32 EST

Perhaps so, grasshopper.

Comment by Craig Lyndall

Thu, 4 Dec 2003 21:50:42 EST

This might be the "duh" moment of the year, but is that why Watterson had a tiger in his comic?

Comment by Eric Olsen

Thu, 4 Dec 2003 20:38:36 EST

I am a proud Tiger from high school and college, although I only lived in Chagrin for three years between '72-75. It's weird because my family has been in Aurora since '75, I've lived here (again) since '90, and my son goes to Aurora, so even when we play Chagrin I root for Aurora. But I'm still a proud Tiger. I remember beating West G in baseball at least twice back in the Stone Ages.

Comment by Craig Lyndall

Thu, 4 Dec 2003 19:45:05 EST

I always knew there was something about you Eric. Not a bad thing, but something that turned my stomach a bit just the same. You went to Chagrin Falls high school? That must be it. As a West Geauga alum, I give you my deepest apologies. :-)

Comment by Eric Olsen

Thu, 4 Dec 2003 18:30:16 EST

Thanks Nick, it's a real concern at this point. I think it's the kind of thing that gets harder and harder to break out of as time goes on. I hope he is okay, I really do.

Comment by Nick Hodges

Thu, 4 Dec 2003 16:48:12 EST

That was kind of my feeling as well when I read the Cleveland Scene piece. Calvin and Hobbes still captures the fancy of people of all ages. My eight year old goes through the books like a hot knife through butter, and I read Calvin everyday on the web. I respect his desire for privacy, but at the same time I would love to hear from him every once and a while -- a graduation speech, and interview with a respected journalist, something.