Why I love Calvin and Hobbes...

Art, in any form is a real treat to your soul. It has the ability to speak to you just through your senses. Over the years I have realized that it plays a major part in our lives. The brilliance of art is that it not only challenges your interpretation, but also feeds it.

When I was growing up, as much as I can remember, the first art I really started appreciating was in the form of comics. That one page which I used to fight my brother for, to read first. We literally took turns day after day, on who gets to read the comics first, kinda like "early bird gets the worm" scenario. Might I enlighten you, I still love comics. I still read cartoon strips, comics, watch cartoons on TV and love collecting memorabilia.

Archies, Peanuts, Tarzan, Beetle Bailey were some of the strips which appeared on the paper, in my region. All these comics were witty and humorous . But there was one comic, which to my opinion, was the most enlightening of them all. The one and only, Calvin and Hobbes. You rarely come across a genius like this, in your life. I'm very aware I'm talking about a "comic strip", but it is treasured as the opposite. The mastery and the greatness of the comic unfortunately, cannot be quantified in words and this strip has outwitted and outclassed every comic strip in the print syndicate.

The funny part is I didn't understand the comic fully back then. The real wizardry enchanted the shit out of me, after I started reading this comics again, as a grown up individual. Below, I've interlaced some of my favorite strips with a few snippets of my emotions, explaining why I liked the comics, hopefully getting my point across to you all, that whoever has missed this, PLEASE START READING, and co-fans, let's revel in our joy.



One of the first reasons I loved the strip, was how amazing the art really was. Using that much little space to draw something like this, is no easy task. Finding this quality art in a comic strip. Are you kidding me?

 
The versatility. A guy who draws comical characters, can also draw realistic pieces like this. And let's excuse the art here, see the vernacular change. And Hobbes's words in the last bit, perfect!

 
Hahaha. This strip makes me laugh everytime. Never gets old. Bill Waterson not so subtly gave the readers a take on hunting rationale. The use of the 2D space is also worth noticing. The strip is non-linear but you still follow the comic exactly how you're supposed to.

 
Calvin's alter ego strips are just mindblowing. Spaceman Spiff, Tracer bullet, Stupendous Man, to name a few. As any kid, Calvin day dreams a lot. Let's take a moment and realize that all these are one man's creativity. We are literally in Waterson's head right now.The strip above exemplifies how alone Calvin actually is.

 
Never has a comic strip, ever, induced so much emotion in me, than this one. It is THAT simple. A 4-block non-colored, left to right, classic newspaper strip

I didn't want to make this post too long that is why I've limited to just 5 strips. Hopefully, you'll go and read the rest. Your world will come alive with snowmen, monsters under the bed, childhood denial of parents, pet bonding, school bullies, transmogrifiers, philosophical conundrums and the meaning of life itself.
 
Mr. Waterson, I genuinely thank you!

Calvin: "That is why I want to ask you. As a tiger, a wild animal close to nature, what you think we're put on Earth to do. What's our purpose in life? Why are we here?"
Hobbes: "We're here to devour each other alive"

*Ends*

Back from the hiatus.

Hello my dear bloggers!!!


I seem to have spend quite a long time away from this sphere. 
Wow. World never stays the same. Does it?


Blogger has gone insane with the amount of options to beautify your profile. Instead of being a complaining brat, I've done quite a few changes to my profile. Hope you guys like the new look!


Now, where do I begin..
So much has happened between the last time I've posted and the present. So many stories to write about. Some worth reading, some worth keeping a secret, and some just plain weird.
Today my bro, who also happens to be my best critic, asked me to get back to blogging. Respecting his request, I'm urged to continue blogging.

I recently found a new passion. Photography. Whoops. There you go. I said it!
I used to use this phrase "Everybody seem to think that they are good with photography as soon as they own an SLR". Curiosity eventually killed the cat. I ordered a brand spanking new Canon Rebel XS and bam!! In about a month, I was  taking excellent pictures (at least I seemed to think so). Never realized that I'd fall into my own stereotype.
Why did I suddenly have an eye for nature's subtleties? Why did I look at reflections of light with a keener eye? How did I suddenly understand better vantage points while taking a picture?
Did I have all these instincts before I got the camera? Did it bring out artist within?

I was sure that I wasn't taking good pictures. But I definitely understood and respected the lens a lot more than I used to. I was now willing to learn the science behind pictures, dwell into the specifics of how it all adds up. 
I suddenly found a new reason. The reason was to acquire knowledge on a concept, a set of ideas, which previously I was totally oblivious to. A few more months of practice, and I saw my skills improving, evolving, picture by picture. I also have to mention that the Canon shutter sound is quite addictive (I might have taken hundreds of pictures just to hear the shutter.)


Before I knew it, I was cursing myself to why I even had the stereotype of SLR + people = Good pictures. My retrospect provided me with an answer. The SLR is brilliant piece of technology. It brings out the inner learner because of the amazing prospect it holds. Every beautiful picture you capture will be like a pat on your back. With each click, a sense of achievement, no matter how small it seems, will add up to take the shape of a new passion..one of the few unique emotions of being human.


"Which of my photographs is my favorite? The one I'm going to take tomorrow." -Imogen Cunnigham


*Ends*