While Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes comic strip has become one of the most beloved series of all time, the artist and writer ed on potentially making hundreds of millions of dollars through merchandising for one reason: he thought the comic strip should stand on its own. As a result, Watterson rejected an estimated considerable amount of money, itting he did so to keep the integrity of the popular and acclaimed comic intact.
Calvin and Hobbes sit alongside and Peanuts, among the most influential and popular newspaper comic strips ever. The Bill Watterson-penned adventures of Calvin and his stuffed tiger Hobbes ran for more than ten years between 1985 and 1995, capturing the attention and hearts of readers. However, despite having a stuffed animal character who appeared perfect to be made into merch, Watterson refused to license out the characters, as he's estimated to have lost hundreds of millions of dollars by sticking to his guns and keeping Calvin and Hobbes away from becoming toys, dolls, and other merchandise.
In an Calvin and Hobbes despite its wild popularity. Watterson revealed that while he saw the financial incentive to work in the machine that is cartoons and toys, the entire commercial process ultimately was a "detriment of integrity in the comic strip art." Watterson didn't want to see his strip become commercialized and ed on estimated hundreds of millions of dollars (according to Big Think) because of it. In The Calvin and Hobbes Tenth Anniversary Book, he also shared that he enjoyed doing everything himself and didn't want to turn the comic into a creative assembly line.
Watterson Rarely Allowed Merchandise of Calvin and Hobbes, Leading To Numerous Counterfeit Items
Bill Watterson has allowed Calvin and Hobbes to be made into merchandise on special occasions, including calendars, a textbook, and a series of stamps and prints. However, those cases were incredibly rare, as many Calvin and Hobbes items, including the infamous crude vehicle decal featuring Calvin, are counterfeit and never approved by the creator.
While it would have been a lot of fun to see a Calvin and Hobbes cartoon or for fans of the series to own a plush of Hobbes, Watterson's determination to maintain the integrity of the comic strip by having complete creative control over it ended up benefiting the series in the long-run. The comic strip stands on its own, and even with the potential of hundreds of millions of dollars in merchandising rights, Watterson refused to sell out when many other creatives would. In the end, the lack of merchandising is part of the reason why Calvin and Hobbes is so special in the world of comics.
