Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for May 21, 2024

Unfortunately, in many places homes do have to be fortresses.

To Calvin, it’s more a prison than a home.

There’s no place like home.

There are lots of old, ruined fortresses on this planet.

So—just install an alarm system. The most sophisticated one available at that time.

Okay, so he doesn’t just look like Flakey Foont now, he thinks like him too.

I never fort of that before…..

Today’s strip is another thoughtful one in this bittersweet story arc. Dad’s thought, “A home should be a castle but it shouldn’t be a fortress” is one of my favourite serious Calvin and Hobbes quotes. It ranks alongside one from Calvin when Mom was ill, “It’s hard to be a Mom to a Mom!”

As I have said before, this is one of my six favourite story arcs from my favourite Calvin and Hobbes year, 1989. The other five strips are listed below:

1. The Rosalyn story arc in which Calvin declared, “Tonight, the Revenge of the Babysat.” That was the time he stole Rosalyn’s notes and ran with them to the bathroom. It marked a change in the relationship between Calvin and Rosalyn with Calvin becoming more vengeful.

2. The propeller beanie story arc. It showed a lot about Calvin’s nature and many of us – including myself – strongly identified with him and he impatiently waited for the propeller beanie which proved a big disappointment. It was also a story arc which – as with the Rosalyn arc – showed the brotherly relationship between Calvin and Hobbes. Hobbes was like a brother in the way which he mocked Calvin as Calvin waited for the propeller beanie and mocked him some more as Calvin wore it and faced the bitter disappointment of not being able to fly with the propeller beanie.

3. The arc in which Calvin forgot all about doing a bug collection for school. There was a good switch in the viewpoint which changed from Calvin’s to Susie’s and back again.

4. The story arc in which Calvin and Hobbes started their GROSS Club and then tried to run away from home after accidnentally pushing Mom’s car out of the garage and into a ditch.

5. My personal favourite Rosalyn arc in which Calvin locked Rosalyn out of the house and Hobbes declared, “This is the best we’ve ever been babysat.” Watterson had a very hard job trying to top that one. For the final two Rosalyn arcs, he used first Stupendous Man and then Calvinball.

We have locks like everyone else, but also an alarm. Came in handy one night—guy tried to do something to the pad to turn it off which not only triggered burglary in process but triggered the personal safety alarm. The police were there in less than 3 minutes. He got away with nothing, but is now in the county jail serving a sentence for burglary.

Our homes have been fortresses since the first home was a cave. We’ve gotten used to being somewhat safer.

I feel like Watterson had this happen to him? It’s more personal than most of his arcs.

Movin’ right along…

Dad’s still in shock but it is fading slowly. A tough thing to face because the damage and replacements will bring it back.

Get a dog.

What a wimp! Get a backbone, dad!

I am not sure where the humor is in this story line

In today’s world it has to be a fortress.

Amen, Dad. Sadly.

Was this based on Watterson’s own experience?

It does THESE days….but, it shouldn’t HAVE to be…

No, it shouldn’t.

Dad, truer words were never spoken !! ! ! !

A rare introspective moment with Dad all by himself.

I’m no expert but I assume the odds of someone breaking into your home is much less if you are actually home.

Maybe Dad needs a stuffed animal like Hobbes…

hmmm…depends on your perspective of those living in it…are they worth protecting at any cost?

This strip has really stood out to me ever since I first read it. It’s the only time I can recall getting inside Calvin’s dad’s head and seeing him as a sympathetic human being. The rest of the time he’s either angry, snarky (though that’s pretty funny sometimes) or just plain weird.

And it certainly should not be armed like a small country

I find that a dependable firearm on my bedside nightstand works for me. If someone tries to break in to my house, one of us will not be leaving. Simple really.

Sometimes if I’m unable to fall asleep and it’s almost 2 AM, I think of this strip.

YES!

Rather unusual – neither Calvin nor Hobbs appears or is mentioned.

The dogs are the early warning system that gives me time to get the gun out of the bedside table. I said that in the teacher’s lounge one time and most of the responses were " Oh, I could never shoot someone." Trust me, if you are in my house, my only concern about shooting you would be that it would mess up the carpet.

I’d say get a gun or a dog but it’s Calvin’s house so a gun is a non-starter and I wouldn’t trust him with a dog.

Shields Up!

All very true. It’s a shame that they won’t prosecute criminals nowadays. Voting matters.

Sitting at home comfortably and quietly reading these over the years, one ponders how it may have taken many years to process an unfortunate experience and yet still return to a peace that encompasses All. The journey was worthwhile, merely for thinking it so~

Been there, felt that – I can readily agree with Calvin’s Dad!

I feel so bad for him…poor dude is having a crisis… I wish I could just hold him and reassure him. (Also third panel is quite offsetting, considering the text and almost silhouette-like drawing.)

I went through that in December 1982. This is very much how we felt.

the thief that broke into my apartment many years ago here in crime-free japan seemed to know exactly where to look for the couple dollars i’d brought back from a business trip to the states and put in what i thought was a safe place. maybe he had more luck in the other apartments he also broke into. the cop who showed up thought he was columbo, kept cracking jokes the whole time he was “investigating”…

I agree. dad.

Nice Remington 870 would give you a warm feeling at times like this.