The Four Color Media Monitor

The Escapist announced Calvin & Hobbes creator Bill Watterson is returning after many years with a graphic novel that's written for adults, and, wouldn't you know it, the tale is dark:

Calvin and Hobbes creator Bill Watterson is returning to the writing world in 2023 with an adult illustrated fable titled The Mysteries. Set for release on October 10, 2023, product listings for the fable describe it as a story “about what lies beyond human understanding.” It’s enough to send chills down your spine, and Watterson collaborated with caricaturist John Kascht to create an especially creepy package. [...]

Watterson has largely been absent from the writing world since retiring after his famous comic strip series came to an end. The Mysteries may not offer the same level of comedy as Calvin and Hobbes, but with Watterson and Kascht at the helm, we’re sure to be in for a dark treat later this year.

Seriously, I think it's a shame a guy who'd once been in the business of making people laugh with his 1985-96 comic strip about a kid and his toy tiger would now turn to something grisly, when it's practically become a cliche in the past decade. The whole emphasis has practially a demonstration of failure. One can only wonder what Watterson would say in defense of his new direction in interviews, which he'll presumably offer soon. When a veteran who'd once specialized in humor turns to this kind of darkness, it's more a disappointment than a pleasure, because it strongly suggests abandonment of his previous vision as though it were never a good one to begin with.

Labels: comic strips, history, msm propaganda