Bill Watterson

Date of Birth: July 5, 1958

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Biography

Bill Watterson is an American cartoonist best known for creating the comic strip “Calvin and Hobbes,” which was syndicated from 1985 to 1995. Born William Boyd Watterson II in Washington, D.C., he showed an early interest in drawing and storytelling. Watterson attended Kenyon College, where he earned a degree in political science. After college, he worked briefly as a political cartoonist before launching “Calvin and Hobbes,” which would become one of the most beloved comic strips of all time. The strip features the imaginative adventures of a young boy named Calvin and his anthropomorphic tiger, Hobbes. Watterson’s work is noted for its humor, artistic quality, and philosophical depth. Beyond “Calvin and Hobbes,” he has remained largely out of the public eye, rejecting offers to commercialize his characters and focusing instead on personal artistic pursuits.

5 Interesting Facts about Bill Watterson

1. Bill Watterson won the National Cartoonists Society’s Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year three times, in 1986, 1988, and 1992.

2. He has been extremely protective of “Calvin and Hobbes,” refusing to license the characters for merchandise, which is why you won’t find any official “Calvin and Hobbes” T-shirts or toys.

3. Watterson took a sabbatical from “Calvin and Hobbes” in 1991 to recharge and returned with a renewed focus on creativity.

4. Watterson’s reclusive nature has added to his mystique; he rarely gives interviews and has made very few public appearances since retiring the comic strip.

5. In 2014, he made a brief return to the world of comics by guest-illustrating a few strips for Stephan Pastis’ “Pearls Before Swine.”