There’s a reason Calvin and Hobbes is considered one of the greatest comic strip series of all time, and it’s all due to the expert storytelling and character development skills of creator Bill Watterson. Watterson not only gave readers two well-rounded and genuinely hilarious protagonists (along with a slew of great side-characters), but he also masterfully told one cohesive story about a kid’s childhood, while simultaneously making readers nostalgic about their own.

Calvin and his (allegedly) imaginary friend, Hobbes. Their story is told between the years of 1985 and 1995, giving fans a full decade of Calvin and Hobbes continuity - and it all started with the first 10 comic strips.

10 Calvin and Hobbes Details the Origin Story of the Titular Characters in Its Very First Comic

Calvin and Hobbes - November 18, 1985

Calvin and Hobbes doesn't waste any time telling readers exactly how the titular best friends actually became best friends. Typically, a series will just throw fans into its world and worry about fleshing out the backstory later, but Bill Watterson decided to knock that out right from the start. Their friendship begins when Calvin becomes interested in tiger trapping, as he creates a tiger trap himself in the hopes of catching his very own big cat - and sure enough, Calvin pulls it off.

Calvin puts a tuna fish sandwich in the middle of a snare, and Hobbes happily allows himself to get captured with the promise of free food. This comic not only reveals how Calvin and Hobbes met, but it also establishes Hobbes' famous love of food - something that remains a mainstay throughout the series.

9 Calvin and Hobbes Reveals the Hilarious Reason Why They Became Best Friends

Calvin and Hobbes - November 19, 1985

While the first Calvin and Hobbes comic showed how Calvin and Hobbes met, this one establishes why and how they became (and remained) friends. After Calvin catches his tiger, he asks his dad what to do next. Calvin's dad tells him to get the tiger stuffed, which is what a hunter would do to keep the tiger's dead body as a trophy. But, Calvin takes that as feeding the tiger as much food as he can eat until it is 'stuffed'.

From a single tuna sandwich to an entire feast later on, Hobbes certainly gets his fill upon meeting Calvin, and that apparently leaves an impression. Calvin treated his new tiger right, and he made Hobbes his friend for life as a result. From this moment on, Calvin and Hobbes became inseparable.

8 Calvin and Hobbes Confirms How Everyone (Except Calvin) Sees Hobbes

Calvin and Hobbes - November 20, 1985

The true nature of Hobbes' existence has always been a bit ambiguous in Calvin and Hobbes, especially after the first two comic strips. In them, Calvin clearly catches a tiger before earning his trust through food, and it isn't even hinted at that Hobbes is actually a stuffed animal/imaginary friend of Calvin's until this comic strip. However, no matter what the nature of Hobbes' existence actually is (be that anthropomorphic tiger, stuffed animal, or some kind of shapeshifting magical being), one thing is clear: everyone except Calvin sees Hobbes as nothing more than a stuffed animal.

Plus, because of this, Hobbes regularly does things that get Calvin in trouble without having to face the consequences himself, which is a trend that's also established in this comic strip.

7 Calvin and Hobbes Sets Up the Series’ Longest-Running Joke

Calvin and Hobbes - November 21, 1985

In this Calvin and Hobbes comic strip, Calvin brings Hobbes to school for show and tell, and his teacher tells him to put the stuffed tiger on his desk. While this comic further confirms that anyone who isn't Calvin sees Hobbes only as a stuffed animal, it also sets up the longest-running joke in the whole series. As Calvin is working on a math assignment, he asks Hobbes what 7 plus 3 is, to which the anthropomorphic tiger answers: 73.

Hobbes confidently gives Calvin the wrong answer to his math problem, which is something that happens many more times throughout the series. From confusing him with advanced mathematical formulas to point-blank telling him the wrong answers, Hobbes is the reason Calvin is so bad at math - and that running gag started right here.

6 Calvin and Hobbes Establishes the Nature of Their Relationship

Calvin and Hobbes - November 22, 1985

As Calvin's dad is tucking Calvin and Hobbes in to bed, he leaves without saying goodnight to Hobbes. Calvin shouts for his dad to come back and say goodnight to the tiger, which Calvin's dad promptly does (with no shortage of sarcasm in his voice). But, that wasn't enough for Hobbes, as he wanted a goodnight kiss and a bedtime story. However, Calvin seemed satisfied with the put-down, and told Hobbes to go to bed - calling him a "sissy" as he did so.

This comic strip is the perfect depiction of Calvin and Hobbes' relationship, as it's equal parts sweet and mean. Calvin wanted Hobbes to receive a proper goodnight because he cares for him, but he also called him out for being a "sissy", which is honestly the perfect balance of a true friendship.

5 Calvin and Hobbes Presents Calvin as the Strip’s Standout Character

Calvin and Hobbes - November 23, 1985

In this Calvin and Hobbes strip, Calvin is sitting down to eat dinner with his dad, though he has his reservations. The food Calvin has been served doesn't look very appetizing to the six-year-old kid, and when he asks his dad what it is, Calvin's dad simply says, "Taste it. You'll love it", avoiding the question entirely. But, Calvin knows exactly what that answer means, and he's sure that whatever's in front of him will be disgusting.

This is the first Calvin and Hobbes comic without Hobbes, yet the strip doesn't suffer as a result. This comic confirms that Calvin can stand on his own without Hobbes, which is actually the case in a number of Calvin and Hobbes strips, as Calvin is often featured solo. That means Calvin is clearly Calvin and Hobbes' standout character, and this comic strip proves it.

4 Calvin and Hobbes Reveals the Hilarious Extent of Calvin’s Imagination

Calvin and Hobbes - November 24, 1985

When Calvin then asks his dad to check in his drawer for monsters, his dad refuses before saying one final goodnight and leaving the room. This leaves Calvin and Hobbes in a state of paranoia and fear, as they truly think that a monster is going to get them the second they fall asleep. Then, after the two start making a ruckus, Calvin's dad reenters the room, but Calvin and Hobbes see him as a snarling monster before shooting him with a toy dart gun.

Calvin's imagination is so strong that he actually convinced himself that his dad was a monster. Calvin will often fly off into his own imaginary world where he's battling heinous creatures of all sorts, but this is the first time someone else had to suffer as a result.

3 Calvin and Hobbes Perfectly Captures a Common Childhood Fear

Calvin and Hobbes - November 25, 1985

Even after Calvin's dad checked (before being mistaken for a monster himself), Calvin and Hobbes still weren't convinced that there were no monsters under the bed. So, Calvin decides to speak to the monsters directly, warning them that he has a flamethrower, and that he won't hesitate to use it on them. This makes the 'imaginary' monsters under the bed scared of Calvin, and all of them deny their own existence to keep from getting torched.

Thinking that there are monsters under one's bed is a very common childhood fear, and Calvin and Hobbes not only captures that perfectly, it also teaches kids how to overcome it. Calvin stands up to the monsters, telling them that they're the ones who will be in danger if they decide to attack, which is a perfect example of how to face one's fears that everyone can relate to.

2 Calvin and Hobbes Sets Up the Series’ Most Chaotic Story Arc

Calvin and Hobbes - November 26, 1985

When Calvin is riding in the car with his mom, he asks her if he can drive. Obviously, since Calvin is only six, his mom says no. Calvin then pouts, saying that his mom never lets him do anything, not understanding in the slightest that his requests are way out of the question. While this comic strip is a standalone arc that merely shows how funny Calvin is on his own (just like the first time Calvin was without Hobbes), it actually sets up a future story arc - one of the most chaotic.

In May and June 1989, Calvin and Hobbes gives readers a story arc where Calvin accidentally crashes his mom's car, which is exactly what Calvin says he won't do in this comic strip, proving his mom was right to keep him from behind the wheel.

1 Calvin and Hobbes Establishes Calvin’s Borderline Evil Tendencies

Calvin and Hobbes - November 27, 1985

Calvin has always exhibited some evil tendencies in Calvin and Hobbes, and that started in this comic strip. Calvin builds a pretend city in his sandbox, one that he explains is thriving and serene. But then, Calvin fills up a bucket of water to flood the metropolis, looking directly at the reader and saying, "Tragically, this serene metropolis lies directly beneath the Hoover Dam...".

Calvin created an entire city, made it clear that everyone who lived there was happy and thriving, only to destroy it with a deadly flood. If Calvin were some kind of god capable of creating life, he'd be a wrathful one indeed - if not downright evil. This may be the first time Calvin exhibits evil tendencies, but it certainly isn't the last. Plus, this is also the first time Calvin breaks the fourth wall, something he's known to do in later Calvin and Hobbes strips as well.