The adventures of Calvin and Hobbes have been told over thousands of comic strips, but in the very first story featuring the two iconic characters, creator Bill Watterson actually explained how they met. In the 1985 comic, Calvin actually traps Hobbes with a tuna fish sandwich, which would be the first of many classic stories starring the youngster and his stuffed tiger best friend.
On November 18, 1985, Bill Waterson's first Calvin and Hobbes comic strip ran in more than 30 newspapers, showcasing how Calvin met Hobbes. In the story, Calvin tells his dad he's going to check a tiger trap that he set and rigged with tuna fish. Knowing "tigers will do anything for a tuna fish sandwich," Calvin successfully catches Hobbes, as the stuffed animal eats the bait, while itting that tigers are "kind of stupid that way." The comic would be the first of thousands of strips starring the popular duo.
Calvin and Hobbes Quickly Became One Of The Most Popular Comic Strips Ever
Calvin and Hobbes was a quick success, even if when Bill Watterson wrote and drew his first comic strip, which ran over three decades ago, it wasn't printed in thousands of newspapers. Instead, it initially had a small but dedicated readership of 35 newspapers across the United States. However, that number grew exponentially over its first year, as it ended up in more than 2000 newspapers across the globe by the end of its run. Despite only running for ten years between 1985-1995, Calvin and Hobbes remains an incredibly influential and popular comic strip, with reruns still appearing in newspapers' comic sections to this day.
Bill Watterson's first official Calvin and Hobbes comic showed the pair's undeniable connection and bond. From the get-go, Calvin and his stuffed animal Hobbes had zany adventures that showed off their personalities. While Calvin definitely didn't actually catch his tiger pal with a tuna fish sandwich, his imagination made the moment seem as real as any six-year-old boy may make it feel. The comic strip marks the start of a beautiful friendship.
The fact Calvin and Hobbes actually met at the start of their comic adventures shows how Watterson told a story of their friendship during the ten-year run of the classic comic strip. Calvin and Hobbes experienced many highs and lows together while learning many things about the world in the process - and it all began with a tuna fish sandwich. The unlikely first meeting between Calvin and Hobbes remains incredibly iconic and an important part of their collective history.
