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‘Calvin and Hobbes’ Best Babysitter Quote Is Still Among the Funniest in Comic Strip History
A feature looks back at Rosalyn, Calvin’s babysitter and recurring nemesis in Bill Watterson’s *Calvin and Hobbes*, and argues that her sharpest line remains one of the strip’s funniest moments. Their changing rivalry gave Watterson material for longer stories, with Calvin increasingly causing trouble while Rosalyn tried to manage him.
Rosalyn first appeared in 1986, initially portrayed as harsher towards Calvin, including locking him in a basement. Later stories often stretched across several days; one two-week storyline in 1989 saw Calvin lock Rosalyn outside and enjoy television and Oreos. Another, “Revenge of the Baby-Sat”, features her studying for a science test while Calvin plots mischief; the supplied article text ends before revealing the quote it calls her best.
In short
- Rosalyn became Calvin’s recurring babysitting nemesis.
- Their rivalry powered several multi-day comic storylines.
- The article’s text cuts off before giving her standout quote.
Explained simply
Calvin and Hobbes is a comic strip by American cartoonist Bill Watterson, centred on Calvin, an imaginative and mischievous boy, and Hobbes, his tiger companion. Hobbes appears as a real tiger to Calvin, while other people see him as a stuffed toy.
Rosalyn is the teenager Calvin’s parents hire to look after him. Their repeated clashes became a source of longer storylines, as Rosalyn tried to keep Calvin under control and he found ways to cause trouble.
The strip ran from 1985 to 1995 and is known for combining humour with reflections on childhood and everyday life. Its recurring characters and stories let Watterson develop comic situations over time.