“Calvin and Hobbes” is among the most beloved comic strips of all time, and its creator, Bill Watterson, is one of the most respected cartoonists. Born in 1958 in Washington, D.C., and raised in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, Watterson developed a love for drawing early on, and cites “Peanuts” creator Charles Schulz as a major influence. After studying at Kenyon College, Watterson worked briefly as a political cartoonist and spent time designing ads for grocery stores and car dealerships while working on comic ideas — all the while weathering rejection after rejection. In 1985, when Watterson was 27 years old, his big break came: “Calvin and Hobbes” gained a national audience in newspapers around the U.S.

The comic strip about a mischievous 6-year-old and his anthropomorphic stuffed tiger quickly captivated readers. But the comic’s witty and philosophical reflections on life only lasted a decade: Watterson ended the strip in 1995. This was a time when other comics, such as “Garfield,” were raking in massive merchandising profits, but despite receiving lucrative licensing offers for his own strip, Watterson rejected every one of them. His refusal not only reinforced his commitment to his work, but made him an enigmatic figure in the comic world. After retiring the comic strip, Watterson remained largely out of the public eye until reemerging with a new book, The Mysteries, in 2023.