Recently watched a movie about the reclusive Calvin and Hobbes cartoonist, Dear Mr. Watterson.
Now, for contrast here, think about Snoopy. Snoopy was on my first lunchbox in 1971. Snoopy has been here through my parents’ childhood, through my childhood. He’s more commonly found selling life insurance than kid’s toys nowadays, but he’s been celebrating every holiday with his pal Charlie Brown for 50 years.
At my parents and grandparents and almost any house I ever visited, I could read books of Peanuts comic strips. Snoopy was ever present. Similarly, many many kids of today’s generations started to read using Calvin and Hobbes. Imaginative books with the rich ink drawings of today’s large format books.
Hobbes, in contrast to Snoopy, was never ever licensed. There is no official Hobbes doll. Hobbes doesn’t appear outside his comic strips. The comic strips are the only way to see his real-world facing stuffed toy skin, the only way to see the skin he wears dancing with Calvin and his overactive imagination. Calvin and Hobbes live only in the collected books of comic strips.
How many millions were left on the table by not licensing a stuffed toy Hobbes? The film seeks to answer – Why?
One of the people arguing for licensing asked the viewers to consider how much comfort a Hobbes doll would bring children.
I argue the opposite. By refusing to license one Hobbes, everyone has Hobbes. Any plush toy at arm’s reach can dance in your imagination. And they all look as different as the people holding them.
generous splooge 
Hobbesian logic
Recently watched a movie about the reclusive Calvin and Hobbes cartoonist, Dear Mr. Watterson.
Now, for contrast here, think about Snoopy. Snoopy was on my first lunchbox in 1971. Snoopy has been here through my parents’ childhood, through my childhood. He’s more commonly found selling life insurance than kid’s toys nowadays, but he’s been celebrating every holiday with his pal Charlie Brown for 50 years.
At my parents and grandparents and almost any house I ever visited, I could read books of Peanuts comic strips. Snoopy was ever present. Similarly, many many kids of today’s generations started to read using Calvin and Hobbes. Imaginative books with the rich ink drawings of today’s large format books.
Hobbes, in contrast to Snoopy, was never ever licensed. There is no official Hobbes doll. Hobbes doesn’t appear outside his comic strips. The comic strips are the only way to see his real-world facing stuffed toy skin, the only way to see the skin he wears dancing with Calvin and his overactive imagination. Calvin and Hobbes live only in the collected books of comic strips.
How many millions were left on the table by not licensing a stuffed toy Hobbes? The film seeks to answer – Why?
One of the people arguing for licensing asked the viewers to consider how much comfort a Hobbes doll would bring children.
I argue the opposite. By refusing to license one Hobbes, everyone has Hobbes. Any plush toy at arm’s reach can dance in your imagination. And they all look as different as the people holding them.
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