The complete Calvin & Hobbes, what more can you possibly want?

For those of you that have been living under a rock, Calvin is a precocious little boy who goes on plenty of adventures with his stuffed tiger, Hobbs. They get into trouble with Mom, the teacher, and the neighbor girl quite frequently. Sometimes they learn lessons, sometimes they just prove how dumb boys really are (ha!). But they always have fun and they can always bring a smile to your face....check it out!

My parents never bought the papers with the comics, sadly. So it was in school I was first introduced to comics. But one seemed to dominate all the others, and that was Calvin & Hobbes.

What can I say about this comic that hasn't been said? Not much. Only this: It's genius, it's fun, it's cute, and it's profound, all at the same time. Watterson is almost never off the mark - I really can't think of a 'bad' or 'lazy' strip. Lastly, just about anyone can enjoy it - I find them all funny, but my favorite strips have changed as I've gone from a kid to an adult.

For the few newcomers, prepare to laugh, smile, and think happy thoughts as you watch the everyday adventures of Calvin and his stuffed tiger Hobbes (keep in mind a six year olds 'everyday' includes visiting the jurassic period.)

For the fans (and who isn't, really?) this is a wonderful set and a great gift. The books are divided into three, bound in nice, dark ochre colors, and printed with the inimitable C&H 'handwriting'. There's no better way to explore the comic - the books contain EVERY strip printed, in chronological order, excellently laid out on an off-white background with the strips neatly pasted in. The dates of each are discreetly written on the bottom of each page.

Just one note for those considering it as a gift: If your recipient already loves Calvin, he/she might own this already. If not, they certainly own EVERY single C&H book/collection published, but this is still a great addition for its wonderful, hardcover printing and easy reading. There's also a new introduction by Bill Watterson they can't get anywhere else (and you know die-hard fans kill for those.)

Now go and explore this wonderful (albeit imaginary) world!

I divide my life into two eras — Before Calvin and After Calvin.

I don't think Ive re-read a series as many times as I've read through all the Calvin and Hobbes books. I was in middle school when the author stopped writing stories and I was so distraught that I actually sent mr. watterson a letter expressing my concern and hope that he would someday bring back tales of calvin, but I guess we all have to grow up sometime. But its nice to have something that'll always make you remember what it was like to be a kid again.

Bill Waterson's genius creation, Calvin & Hobbes is neck-and-neck with Tintin as my favorite comic strip of all time. Calvin is a smart-ass kid with a stuffed tiger as his best friend, and a knack for driving his parents insane; in one strip, for example, his mom finds him hammering nails into the coffee table. "What are you doing to the coffee table?!" she screams, to which he replies: "Is this some sort of trick question, or what?" For precocious kids with overactive imaginations.