It is difficult to overstate the influence Calvin and Hobbes had on the comic strip format as well as comic books in general. The story of a mischievous six-year-old and his sometimes-real-sometimes-stuffed tiger quite literally changed the format of the Sunday comic strip and inspired an entire generation of young people to let their imagination run wild.

The Complete Calvin and Hobbes collects every strip that ran in the series, starting in 1985 and finishing on a particularly hopeful note on January 1, 1996. Though it lacks the full-page stories that were included in the Treasury Collections such as The Essential Calvin and Hobbes, this is the only way to get every strip in the series in one place. As part of Black Friday, it is now better than half-price for both the hardcover and paperback versions.

Even if you weren’t a fan of Watterson’s latest writing effort, The Mysteries, you’ll find something to love with Calvin and Hobbes. At times it was silly, with over-the-top antics from the pair, but it could also have incredibly poignant moments where it explored the nature of life and death from the point of view of a child. During its run, Watterson began to experiment with the format of the comic strip, changing the layout of the boxes to alter a story’s pacing and delivery in ways that continue to influence comic book artists today.

With The Complete Calvin and Hobbes, you can see this journey take place right before your eyes. It is the perfect gift for any comic book fan who wants something whimsical or magical to read and this is the best price we’ve ever seen for it.

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