Calvin and Hobbesis one of the greatest comic strips of all time, not simply because it’s hilarious, but becauseit brilliantly captures what life is like through the eyes of a child. Six-year-old Calvin and his(allegedly) stuffed animal/imaginary friend Hobbesgo on no shortage of adventures together, all of which are rooted in child-like fun and whimsy, as well as more serious and stressful aspects of life as a kid.
The only downside to the comic strip series is that there’s only ten years worth of stories for fans to enjoy. However, that shouldn’t suggest thatCalvin and Hobbesis thin or incomplete - far from it. The ten-year run-time actually benefits the series, as it’s a complete story that gives fans abrief window through which to gaze into the lives of Calvin and Hobbes, and it makes every individual comic strip feel that much more special. And as of November 2024, an entire month’s worth ofCalvin and Hobbescomics have just turned 30 - here are the 10 best!
10Calvin Tries to Dictate His Mother’s Lunch-Making Methods
Calvin and Hobbes- June 28, 2025
Calvin walks up to his mother, who is right in the middle of cooking dinner, andhe brings her a complaint about his lunch. Calvin says that his peanut butter and jelly sandwiches have been soggy lately, and requests a container of jelly and a knife in his lunchbox to apply the jelly himself. Calvin then says that his mom uses the wrong kind of bread slices for his sandwiches, and specifically requests the end pieces.
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Needless to say,Calvin’s mom ignores him, and he hilariously discovers that the next day at lunch. The fact that Calvin has the audacity to complain about how his mom makes him a homemade lunch every day - while she’s making him a homemade dinner, no less - is absolutely hilarious, as is the fact that his mom simply ignores him (and rightly so).
9Hobbes is Willing to Betray Calvin for the Promise of Food
Calvin and Hobbes- June 16, 2025
Calvin and Hobbes are lying in bed together when Calvin hears a sinister voice speaking to him from underneath his bed. The voice - clearly belonging to the monster that lives under the bed - makes Calvin an offer. It tells him that it will give him a shiny toy, and all Calvin has to do is go under the bed. Calvin sees right through the monster’s tricks, saying how it’s only trying to lure him under there to eat him.
So,the monster then tries to get Hobbes to force Calvin under the bed by promising the tiger fresh salmon - and Hobbes considers it. It makes sense that Hobbes would consider selling out Calvin for the promise of food, as that’s basically how the two became friends to begin with. However, that doesn’t make it any less reprehensible (or hilarious).
8Calvin has a Hilariously Creative Way of Getting Out of Taking a Message
Calvin and Hobbes- July 19, 2025
Calvin answers the home phone to find someone on the other end who wishes to speak with his father. Calvin tells them that his dad isn’t there, so the person asks to leave a message with the six-year-old. Calvin says sure, but it quickly becomes apparent thatthe last thing he wants to do is listen to this person’s ‘boring’ message for his dad. So, Calvin blows up a balloon and pops it right next to the phone before screaming, “I’ve been shot!”.
Calvin has always been a creative kid, whose creativity is matched only by his trouble-making aptitude.
Calvin then hangs up the phone and walks away, commenting on how much he hates taking messages. Calvin has always been a creative kid, whose creativity is matched only by his trouble-making aptitude. And this comic strip highlights both aspects of Calvin’s personality in the funniest way possible.
7Hobbes has a Dark Answer to Calvin’s Existential Question
Calvin and Hobbes- June 12, 2025
While Calvin and Hobbes are lying in bed together,Calvin turns to Hobbes and asks him a rather existential question. Calvin is wondering why humans were put on Earth, what their purpose is, and why anyone is here at all. Hobbes has a shockingly simple answer to that question, even if it is a bit dark: “Tiger food”. Hobbes then shoots Calvin a sly grin before rolling over to go back to sleep, leaving Calvin wondering if Hobbes was serious.
Hobbes is a famously food-obsessed tiger. He became friends with Calvin because the six-year-old fed him, and even considered selling Calvin out to monsters for the promise of fresh fish. So, when Hobbes said that humans only exist to be tiger food, Calvin is right to be skeptical of his supposed ‘best friend’.
6Calvin Finds the Absolute Worst Way to Cheat on His Math Assignment
Calvin and Hobbes- June 29, 2025
Calvin’s dad is at work when he suddenly gets a phone call from Calvin. Given that it’s in the middle of the day, Calvin’s dad asks his son if he’s at school, and if he is, then why is he calling him. Calvin assures his dad that he is at school and that he’s okay, butCalvin does need his help with something: the answer to the equation 11+7.
Calvin and Hobbes' Calvin is famously bad at math(something that’s been true since the first week of the comic strip’s syndication), but his scheme to get out of solving a math problem in this particular comic strip is absolutely pathetic. Calling his dad to give him the answer to a problem? That’s the worst way to cheat on an assignment - though it might be the funniest.
5Calvin Experiences the Dangers of Playing Around at His Desk
Calvin and Hobbes- July 25, 2025
While Calvin is sitting at his desk at school, reading a book, he just can’t seem to sit still. Calvin starts rocking in his chair, and just generally doing everything a teacher tells their students not to do while sitting at their desk - and Calvin finds out why the hard way.Calvin loses his balance and falls on the ground, and rather than admitting to playing around at his desk,Calvin asserts that he fell completely by accident.
Calvin is an incredibly active kid, so having to sit still at his desk during school hours is a nightmare. But, in this comic, Calvin learns that the alternative can lead to falling on the ground in front of the whole class. And, no matter what Calvin says, that doesn’t happen by accident, that’s simply the danger of playing around at his desk.
4Calvin Declares Himself the Most Important Person in History
Calvin and Hobbes- July 21, 2025
Calvin and Hobbes are walking through the woods one weekend, and Calvin admits to Hobbes that he’s been thinking about history, not any one specific point in history, but all history. Specifically, Calvin’s been thinking about how all history has led to his birth.Calvin asserts that he’s the most important person in history, because everything that has ever happened has led to his existence.
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So, Hobbes asks what Calvin will do with this ‘great destiny’, and the comic smash-cuts to the two of them simply watching television.Calvin and Hobbes' Calvin has always seemed like a little dictatorwith delusions of grandeur, but this absolutely takes the cake, especially since Calvin’s ‘great destiny’ is basically just goofing around with Hobbes.
3Calvin has the Most Hilarious Picture Day Ever (but His Parents aren’t Thrilled)
Calvin and Hobbes- July 01, 2025
This entireCalvin and Hobbescomic strip is nothing but a series of images of Calvin making funny faces at the reader. Except the last panel, which is his parents' reaction to those images. Apparently,these ‘many faces of Calvin’ are the result of Calvin’s school picture day, and Calvin’s parents are simply coming to terms with the fact that they will not be getting the cookie-cutter version of ‘nice’ photos of their son anytime soon.
Calvin’s decision to make funny faces for his school pictures is absolutely awesome, and utterly hilarious. But, his parents are a bit on the conservative side, so they’re not exactly thrilled. They are, however, accepting - and their begrudged acceptance of who their son is is one of the funniest parts of this comic.
Calvin and Hobbes- August 08, 2025
Calvin’s dad is sitting on the porch, enjoying a nice sunset, when he calls out to his wife to join him. She, however, is doing the family’s dishes, and doesn’t have the luxury of watching the sunset, and she quietly plots the murder of her husband for being so oblivious. Then, Calvin joins his dad on the porch and asks him why old pictures are black and white rather than color.
Calvin’s dad (and, honestly, his mom too) proves he’s one of the most underrated characters in the series.
Calvin’s dad explains to him that the world was black and white back then, and every time Calvin tries to counter that explanation, Calvin’s dad just further gaslights him into believing that the world indeed was black and white.Everything about this comic is absolutely hysterical, from Calvin’s dad’s interaction with his wife tothe fact that he’s just lying to his six-year-old son about the nature of the world. Indeed, Calvin’s dad (and, honestly, his mom too) proves he’s one of the most underrated characters in the series.
1Calvin Introduces Fans to His Most Bizarre Alter Ego
Calvin and Hobbes- July 13, 2025
ThisCalvin and Hobbescomic opens with Mt. Calvin, a seemingly dormant volcano, suddenly erupting, gushing molten lava all over the place. The comic then cuts to Calvin sitting at the dinner table with his family, chugging a glass of water, as the chili sauce he just got a big mouthful of was apparently too hot for him to take. To make matters worse,Calvin spewed his food all over the table, just as his volcano alter ego did with lava.
Calvin has no shortage of alter egos inCalvin and Hobbes, from Spaceman Spiff to Stupendous Man. However, a literal volcano has to be one of Calvin’s most bizarre, and in this case, the most chaotic. That’s why this is one of the 10 funniestCalvin and Hobbescomics that just turned 30!
Calvin and Hobbes
Calvin and Hobbes was a satirical comic strip series that ran from 1985-1995, written, drawn, and colored by Bill Watterson. The series follows six-year-old Hobbes and his stuffed Tiger, Calvin, that examines their lives through a whimsical lens that tackles everyday comedic issues and real-world issues that people deal with.
