Meet a barber’s son in Minnesota, US. A below-average student with an unimpressive academic record, you would always find him doodling cartoons. Whenever he was outside the classroom, he would rush to read the comic strips in the newspaper with his dad, and to practice drawing his own characters.
Click start to play today’s Word Search, where you can find a number of world-famous comic strips.
At age 15, that boy – Charles Schulz – published his first drawing: a picture of his dog, who would later go on to inspire the character of Snoopy. In 1950, the soon-to-be-famous comic strip Peanuts was published in seven US newspapers. Although it had a slow start, it was soon syndicated to more than 2,600 newspapers around the world – taking Schulz’s work to 75 countries!
Comic strips have long been a little window of respite in people’s lives, giving us a laugh each day or week, or food for thought. Many strips have held up a kind of distorted mirror to contemporary society, entertaining and engaging readers in a way no other medium did before.
My favourite, and a beloved comic strip that is celebrated for its imagination, philosophic introspection, and artistic integrity, is Bill Watterson’s Calvin & Hobbes. The strip debuted in 1985, and centred around a boy named Calvin and his (stuffed) tiger, Hobbes. They were named after 16th century theologian John Calvin and 17th century philosopher Thomas Hobbes, whose respective schools of thought defined the voices of the comic strip characters.
Before Calvin & Hobbes became famous however, Watterson could only manage to reserve his weekends to pursue his passion of creating an original comic strip. On weekdays, he would make advertising material in the basement of a supermarket, in an effort to stave off unemployment and make rent for the month.
In later years, perhaps his distaste for advertising and consumerism is what pushed him to fight off any merchandising deals for his strip. It’s why you will never find a Calvin & Hobbes toy, t-shirt or even animated film – even though American director Steven Spielberg tried to strike a movie deal! Watterson strongly believed the prestige of the characters and story lived within the panels of the comic strip – and to this day, the little boy and his pet tiger can only be found in that realm.
What is your favourite comic strip? Play today’s Word Search and let us know at games@gulfnews.com.
