The Mysteries

I was super excited about the new book from Bill Watterson and John Kascht. At 72 pages and 350 words you can read this book in 90 seconds. So read it 3 or 4 times.

I know a lot of Calvin & Hobbes fans are unhappy with the new work, but really, if you thought Watterson was going to do anything related to C&H, you don't really know the author like you think you do.

That said, I do think there is a direct line from Calvin to the story in The Mysteries. C&H was about maintaining your child like sense of wonder. Calvin doesn't age, but the benefit, even the necessity, of not growing up was essential to the comic. Just compare Calvin's constant sense of adventure with his parents constant sense of resignation.

Now read The Mysteries again and contemplate the ending implied for the people in the book that think they have it all figured out.

Also think about who exactly Watterson is talking about in The Mysteries. Who are the king's people?

Watterson's genius is that he can say so much with 350 words.

I think it's time to revisit The Complete Calvin & Hobbes.