This is not a plea, a supplication; this is a command from the American People. Mr. Bill Watterson get thee back to the drawing board. "Jurassic Park" would have been a poor second if you had put your imagination and artistry plus the help of "Spaceman Spiff" into "Calvin the Movie."

Oh, no! We can't lose the comic strip "Calvin and Hobbes." It explores the image of microcosm of the little work of man epitomizing the great world. The comic personae of ingenue characterization portrayed by a juvenile and his disdainful talking tiger extolling virtues of lofty and earthly excellence will be sorely missed.
Because the gifted author, Bill Watterson, as not bowed to the "money changers at the temple," the merchants of greed, in not surrendering his convictions to the mass production and rampant commercialization of a creation dedicated to higher standards of idealism, we will be depraved, and will miss "Calvin and Hobbes" daily reminder of a democratic literary independence and champion of individualism. Don't leave us, Bill Watterson. Even if the strip is featured just once a week, without compromise, it would be an inspiration of humanistic metaphor and fill a void of philosophical emptiness already pervasive and being replaced by mechanistic metaphor. Hopefully, Calvin's attitude about "girls making such good exhibits" will change.
To all "Calvin and Hobbes" groupies like myself, write to Lee Salem, editorial director of Universal Press Syndicate in Kansas City, and demand the return of the idealistic and inventive creation of intellectual and mythical seriocomedy. Let's all do something right for a change.

Hi! My name is Michael. You can call me Mike for short. I am a big fan of your books. I read the ad in the paper. I was pretty sad, but I got over it. Oh, I was wondering if I could take over but I would need instructions to draw the characters. IF you say yes, Calvin and Hobbes will continue but it will be a little different. If you say No than you don't even know what will happen. Bye!

PS Please give me an answer and please write back.

I am so sorry Calvin and Hobbes will be no more, for me to have a smile every morning. I will miss them very much. I just loved the expressions. It made my day. I can only hope to see at least the re runs. Yes? Bless you for whatever you do in the future. Stay in good health.

I'm a senior citizen - the first thing I look for in my newspaper is Calvin. Don't take him away from me. Calvin is everyone's little boy.

This letter came from the Calvin and Hobbes Enthusiasts Club:

I like you comic strip a lot. I don't think it is getting any worse. In fact I think there even funnier than before. Maybe you should take a vacation. Or just write the Sunday ones. You are depriving people of happiness by quitting. The world will miss Calvin and Hobbes and so will you. Calvin and Hobbes is the best comic strip in the paper. Please don't quit.

Sincerely,
Emme, Calvin and Hobbes Enthusiasts Club

This 6 year olds pleas...
Please don't stop drawing Calvin and Hobbs becas my brother has a bok ov yor Comec streps he likes yor Comec streps too, so please don't stop!

From a 77 year old reader in California:

I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am that the Calvin and Hobbes comic is being "shut down". I also must tell you that I am pleased for you, that you will seek fulfillment in a new adventure! Good Luck! I wish you the best and thank you for the many years of superb enjoyment Calvin and Hobbes has provided.
I am a grandfather of 77 years and have 14 grandchildren. I see some of Calvin in all of them.

From 11 year old Corey in Colorado:

My name is Corey. I have been reading your comics about Calvin and Hobbes for a number of years. I think they are very funny and they remind me of one of my friends named Sean. When I heard you were retiring I was very sad. But it got me thinking and an idea hit me. And that is what I'm writing to you about. What if, for your last comic in the newspaper, you had Calvin grown up and married (to Susie Derkins of course) with kids. He has one kid who is just like Calvin when he was young and they find Hobbes tucked away in the attic and Calvin's some sees Hobbes like Calvin used to and they run off and go sledding or something. It is just an idea though but it would be an honor if you published it. Thank you for your time.

10 year old James writes:

I understand how you feel about quitting but could you only draw comics on Fridays and Sundays or just Fridays? Or you could just take the comics out of some comic books you have written. but if you don't want to do that, I will try to give you some ideas: you could have Calvin in art class or music class. But if you are too tired could you only draw a comic once every week. But please don't quit my friends and I thank Calvin and Hobbes is the best comic of all time. You started writing Calvin and Hobbes the year I was born. They have been together for ten years now and I am ten now too. When my dad told me you were quitting, I cried. When my friend Nick heard he said, "NO! NO! NO! NO!" and then said it's the best comic. I can't believe he's going to quit! But if you need some more time, you can draw a strip only every forth night. I hope you don't quit because then the comics would not be worth reading! Calvin and Hobbes is the gold of the comic world. Please don't stop drawing Calvin and Hobbes.

From a reader in Kentucky:

I was greatly saddened to learn of your decision to retire from the comic strip business. There is no doubt in my minds that you are a genius and it is manifested in you ability to create such characters as Calving and Hobbes. No other has captured life in a character as you have in Calvin: one can read it in the words and see the life expressed on his face, and the tiger's as well!
You are blessed with talent and have blessed us in turn with Calvin and Hobbes. I have "The Essential..., The Authoritative..., and The Indispensable Calvin and Hobbes" as well as other books, and I value them immensely! I'm only sorry I missed out on those few and special T-shirts I've seen fans wear. I would have paid dearly for one.
I hope you find happiness and joy in your life, as you have certainly given delight and joy to readers like me. And, I hope we hear more from Calvin and Hobbes and from you.
I was a little worried about you since I was reminded that another genius in our time, mark Twain, became more cynical and saw less humor as he got older and experienced life's tragedies and grim realities. So, God bless you, Mr. Watterson.

YOUR NUMBER 1 FAN

Mornings will never be the same after December: Not so many chuckles, not so much absolute delight in Calvin's philosophy as in the enclosed strip, which has promoted me to let you know how much all of you will be missed.
I wish you well in you "retirement" but allow myself the dream of a return of those two imps in the near future, after you have rested, simply because (I hope) that imagination of yours is so unique and so strong that you will not be able to suppress it. A dream, I know.

Most sincerely, goodbye, good luck, and goo health.

I read in the Los Angles Times yesterday (and heard on the news a few days ago) that as of the end of year, Calvin and Hobbes will be no longer. I just wanted to let you know how sad that news is - in this sometimes crazy world, Calvin and Hobbes is an incredibly bright spot, the reason for opening the funnies page each day! I and my family and friends could never tire of or get "to much" of Calvin and Hobbes...In fact, your is the only comic strip I have framed and hanging in my hallway. You and your boy and tiger will be missed immensely.

Best wishes in future endeavors.

From a 10 year old Canadian reader:

I am ten years old and I am very sad about Calvin and Hobbes is going to leave comics forever. But I have some ideas that might keep you going: They could get some friends, Calvin could get a sibling, he could get older, they could get a investigator club. Calvin could get some stuffed animals that would come alive or he could get a living Spaceman Spiff toy.

Signed, Brandon

Thank you for all the books. I really enjoy reading Calvin & Hobbes.
Hobbes is my favorite character. I like the strips about "Scientific Progress Goes Boink." I'm sad to see you are retiring Calvin and Hobbes.
Are you sad about it, too? And I love you.

With good wishes,
Signed Steven

My heart is broken! I felt as if a favorite friend had died when I read in today's Dallas Morning News that Calvin and Hobbes last appearance would be this coming Sunday, December 31st. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading about Calvin's subtle but profound antics with his stuffed tiger and imaginary friend, Hobbes. I just had to write and tell you that your comic strip is a classic, the best in the world, which I hate to see become extinct.
I understand how you can be fed up with the stressful and grinding daily newspaper deadlines and the amount of space that papers now devote to comics, and my sympathy goes out to you. But, please consider just taking a sabbatical for now. Why? Because the world needs Calvin and Hobbes, and your spectacularly wonderful characterization of them.
God bless you! I will miss your ingenious talent, and my heart will be heavy as I personally grieve for Calvin and Hobbes!

Most sincerely,
Minnelle

To the WORLD'S GREATEST CARTOONIST! EVER!!

Please, Bill, say it isn't so!
I am 55 years old, and I cried when I read the terrible news. I am old enough to have read most of the great comics in past years. I have also been an avid reader of comic's books - from Disney to the Super Heroes (Superman, etc.) from the beginning of many of them. Furthermore, I always read the Sunday Funnies and daily comics; they help keep me human!
I cry even now as I think of losing Calvin and Hobbes. They are the greatest, most wonderful comics I've ever read - and I thank you for them with all my heart. I will always treasure the books you've produced. God bless you.
I got your address in 1996 Who's Who in American - where you'll also find my name.

Love (Is not too strong a word here),
Bob

I'm really sorry you'll no longer be giving the country Calvin and Hobbes. I can honestly say yours is the only cartoon I look forward to reading it was/is intelligent, clever and extremely well drawn. I've never seen anyone else capable of achieving expressions as you have on Calvin. Thank you for giving us this classic cartoon and my best regards to Calving and Hobbes and everyone else in the strip because for me they are real and I'll miss them.