You know, I got to meet Hobbes once at a comic strip character conference. Let me tell you, that is one cool cat. After the keynote speaker, a Mr. Dagwood Bumstead, finished his speech I was flying about the cheese table when Hobbes strolled up. This was the winter of 1994 when he was at the top of his game, appearing in nearly 2,400 newspapers! I was nervous with flustered feathers but I had to say something, right? So I landed on the cheese plate in front of him and introduced myself. I asked where Calvin was and the dude said something about aliens disguised as parents. I didn’t know if he was joking but I laughed anyway. He told me he loved Calvin and really didn’t mind the washing machine. He was so cool and collected, not absorbed by his fame. What a great guy!

Here’s a strip that I think really captures his essence:

< Click to enlarge.

Greetings! I’m Marilla and my fine-feathered blogging associate is Hank. Together we’re the cartoon universe’s leading authority on comic strips. Here at Zingerding, we’ll be discussing the ins and outs of our favorite medium. Stay tuned to hear more about the art of comic strips, learn about its history and maybe peek into its future. And of course, we’ll be meeting many great characters and their artists along the way!