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I grew up reading newspaper comics during the “Calvin and Hobbes” era. I read Peanuts but I never understood its appeal as seemed extremely dull. Later I read

I grew up reading newspaper comics during the “Calvin and Hobbes” era. I read Peanuts but I never understood its appeal as seemed extremely dull. Later I read a collection of Peanuts from around 1955 and it was incredible. Kinda like early Simpsons

soperj 7y ago
I grew up in the same era, thinking the same thing. I'll have to go check that out.
- jacobkg 7y ago
  Even more surprising is to go back and read early Garfield.
  - RobertRoberts 7y ago
    Maybe when a cartoon hits syndication that the quality dips? I read somewhere that is when Bill Waters (of Calvin & Hobbs) quit creating, when syndication was his only viable option moving forward. (I think he was burning out) I loved Garfield as a kid, but as an adult it was really dull. I tried to even enjoy the old stuff... But this makes Garfield awesome again: (you may need some Garfield experience before appreciating this) https://garfieldminusgarfield.net/ https://garfieldminusgarfield.net/
    - tempguy9999 7y ago
      I guess people just get tired of having to be machines of continual creation. It must be terribly wearing. I'm not surprised it becomes just crank-turning after a while. Unrelated but I'd like to plug this which is brilliant, though it seems the author burned out a while ago. One of the best comics I've come across https://abstrusegoose.com/ https://abstrusegoose.com/ Hit Random a few times and you'll start getting some good ones. He seems to be a high level physicist so there are some impenetrable bits of maths etc. which you can safely skip.
      - KineticLensman 7y ago
        > I guess people just get tired of having to be machines of continual creation. Gary Larson (Far Side) [0] is a great example of a great cartoonist who quit while he was ahead. I was both sad and appreciative when he stopped. Fawlty Towers [1] is an example of a series whose creators also intentionally stopped it before it jumped the shark. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Larson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Larson [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fawlty_Towers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fawlty_Towers
      - lonelappde 7y ago
        If you skip the abstruse stuff, it's just goose.
        tempguy9999 7y ago
        I've no idea what you mean, but upvoted anyway for making me chuckle
    - DerekL 7y ago
      Calvin and Hobbes was syndicated. What do you mean?
      - RobertRoberts 7y ago
        Sorry if I wrote that vaguely, he did _not_ syndicate. He was burnt out and it was either close up shop or syndicate, he chose to close up shop. I may be off on this a little, as I did a little reading to verify. Waterson was opposed to having other people write and draw the Calvin & Hobbs cartoon for him. He noted that so many other cartoons had done this and their quality had plumetted. From memory (because it was written in his last book, and I can't find it online) he said that when he couldn't make a new cartoon every day and be happy with the quality, he would be done. Edit: I may be conflating syndication with licensing.... :P

soperj 7y ago

I grew up in the same era, thinking the same thing. I'll have to go check that out.

jacobkg 7y ago
Even more surprising is to go back and read early Garfield.
- RobertRoberts 7y ago
  Maybe when a cartoon hits syndication that the quality dips? I read somewhere that is when Bill Waters (of Calvin & Hobbs) quit creating, when syndication was his only viable option moving forward. (I think he was burning out) I loved Garfield as a kid, but as an adult it was really dull. I tried to even enjoy the old stuff... But this makes Garfield awesome again: (you may need some Garfield experience before appreciating this) https://garfieldminusgarfield.net/ https://garfieldminusgarfield.net/
  - tempguy9999 7y ago
    I guess people just get tired of having to be machines of continual creation. It must be terribly wearing. I'm not surprised it becomes just crank-turning after a while. Unrelated but I'd like to plug this which is brilliant, though it seems the author burned out a while ago. One of the best comics I've come across https://abstrusegoose.com/ https://abstrusegoose.com/ Hit Random a few times and you'll start getting some good ones. He seems to be a high level physicist so there are some impenetrable bits of maths etc. which you can safely skip.
    - KineticLensman 7y ago
      > I guess people just get tired of having to be machines of continual creation. Gary Larson (Far Side) [0] is a great example of a great cartoonist who quit while he was ahead. I was both sad and appreciative when he stopped. Fawlty Towers [1] is an example of a series whose creators also intentionally stopped it before it jumped the shark. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Larson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Larson [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fawlty_Towers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fawlty_Towers
    - lonelappde 7y ago
      If you skip the abstruse stuff, it's just goose.
      - tempguy9999 7y ago
        I've no idea what you mean, but upvoted anyway for making me chuckle
  - DerekL 7y ago
    Calvin and Hobbes was syndicated. What do you mean?
    - RobertRoberts 7y ago
      Sorry if I wrote that vaguely, he did _not_ syndicate. He was burnt out and it was either close up shop or syndicate, he chose to close up shop. I may be off on this a little, as I did a little reading to verify. Waterson was opposed to having other people write and draw the Calvin & Hobbs cartoon for him. He noted that so many other cartoons had done this and their quality had plumetted. From memory (because it was written in his last book, and I can't find it online) he said that when he couldn't make a new cartoon every day and be happy with the quality, he would be done. Edit: I may be conflating syndication with licensing.... :P