36 Years Later, Calvin and Hobbes’ Wordless Comic Still Says Everything
Bill Watterson’s wordless Calvin and Hobbes strip uses a snowball rolling downhill to deliver a visual joke and capture the comic’s playful style. Published at the start of 1990, it also shows how experimentation with form helped make the strip distinctive.
Calvin cheers as a small snowball grows into a giant one and buries his next-door neighbour Susie Derkins, whose angry reaction completes the punchline. The scene reflects their contrasting personalities and shifting relationship, while Watterson’s expressive drawings make the story clear without dialogue. The article says the strip’s inventive approach contributed to the comic’s lasting influence.
- A wordless strip turns a rolling snowball into a visual punchline.
- Susie’s angry reaction captures her dynamic with Calvin.
- Watterson’s experimentation helped define the comic’s enduring appeal.