'Calvin and Hobbes' creator gives rare interview

Fifteen years ago, Bill Watterson walked away from Calvin and Hobbes, easily one of the most beloved and acclaimed comic strips in living memory. Since then, he’s been almost completely off the public radar, but he granted a rare interview to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, his hometown newspaper, today. (Calvin and Hobbes will also appear on a stamp later this year.)

When asked what he’d like to tell fans who “grieved” the strip’s end, Watterson says: “It’s always better to leave the party early. If I had rolled along with the strip’s popularity and repeated myself for another five, 10 or 20 years, the people now ‘grieving’ for ‘Calvin and Hobbes’ would be wishing me dead and cursing newspapers for running tedious, ancient strips like mine instead of acquiring fresher, livelier talent. And I’d be agreeing with them.”

He’s right, and you don’t need to look much further than a Simpsons fan to prove it.

Still, it’s hard not to miss the duo. Do you think Calvin and Hobbes could still be going strong today, PopWatchers, or do you agree with Watterson, that the strip had run its course and needed to go out on a high note?