When I was a kid, I thought it was weird how the aliens in Calvin’s Spiff fantasies always talked like aliens and not like Calvin’s parents or teacher.
Is that Calvin’s imagination translating the dialogue?
So many people started reading this strip as kids, like so young that they couldn’t yet read themselves so their parents or older siblings read it to them, so they’d always thought that Hobbes was a real-life tiger, and that makes me wonder at how they’d perceived strips like this very one.
It’s a testament to Watterson’s excellent art that Calvin actually looks convincing shouting “Look behind you!” even though that’s usually an obvious trick.
When I was Calvin’s age pasta sauce wasn’t tanked up with sugar like most of the major brands today. I refused to eat pasta sauce, eating my pasta with butter and cheese, until my uncle one day poured a lot of sugar into the sauce. It was during one of my childhood adventures (a trip to the Thousand Islands) but I remember little else but the pasta sauce incident.
What he doesn’t know is that 15 years later, he’ll be a college student, standing in front of an open fridge in his briefs, eating cold manicotti straight from the takeout tray.
A kid who doesn’t like pasta?? And manicotti in particular? Of course, the filling has to be yummy, but manicotti can be some of the most delicious treats fashioned by the hand of man.
Calvin hates manicotti?!?!?! How can he hate manicotti?!?!?! Heck, it’s not even all that bad served cold (but nothing beats freshly baked). Oh, no way is this kid human!
My mother never made us eat what was served. If you didn’t want to eat what she offered up, fine, go hungry or go make yourself a peanut butter sandwich. Just don’t whine later on that you are hungry.
BE THIS GUY over 5 years ago
No briefs? I hope Spiff does a good job of post-business hygienic maintenance.
Sugar Bombs 95 over 5 years ago
When I was a kid, I thought it was weird how the aliens in Calvin’s Spiff fantasies always talked like aliens and not like Calvin’s parents or teacher.
Is that Calvin’s imagination translating the dialogue?
The Calvinosaurus That Calvin Wanted To Discover over 5 years ago
His parents should be used to tricks like these now.
DaveG1960 over 5 years ago
Should have told him it was slime..
codycab over 5 years ago
Another great escape!
Templo S.U.D. over 5 years ago
Suppose the manicotti to which Zokbar-2 is referring IS the manicotti that’s for dinner?
Bilan over 5 years ago
Calvin, there are spacemen on other alien planets that would love to have a bowl of cold manicotti.
lucky444 over 5 years ago
The real question is: is Mom such a bad cook?
montylc2001 over 5 years ago
I always loved my Mom’s cooking….still do!!
Yngvar Følling over 5 years ago
I like the alliteration in panel four. :-)
Jeff0811 over 5 years ago
My 3 favorite Italian dishes, not necessarily in this order, Manicotti, Pizza and Gina Lollobrigida.
HappyDog/ᵀʳʸ ᴮᵒᶻᵒ ⁴ ᵗʰᵉ ᶠᵘⁿ ᵒᶠ ᶦᵗ Premium Member over 5 years ago
I can’t believe he doesn’t like pasta. Try some grated cheese on it.
cubswin2016 over 5 years ago
I can’t believe Mom and Dad fell for such a rookie stunt.
!!ǝlɐ⅁ Premium Member over 5 years ago
So many people started reading this strip as kids, like so young that they couldn’t yet read themselves so their parents or older siblings read it to them, so they’d always thought that Hobbes was a real-life tiger, and that makes me wonder at how they’d perceived strips like this very one.
posse1 Premium Member over 5 years ago
Calvin’s goin’ camo!
Katsuro Premium Member over 5 years ago
It’s a testament to Watterson’s excellent art that Calvin actually looks convincing shouting “Look behind you!” even though that’s usually an obvious trick.
Doug Taylor Premium Member over 5 years ago
Squirrel!
jrankin1959 over 5 years ago
Manicotti? Geez, kid how picky can you get?
sheilag over 5 years ago
Panel 2: Commando Calvin?
And Manicotti? Fantastic stuff… too bad he’s a kid who doesn’t know that yet… :-P
DanFlak over 5 years ago
What is wrong with cold manicotti for breakfast?
LadyPeterW over 5 years ago
What kid doesn’t like pasta? Calvin is a weird lil twerp, but, not liking pasta!?!?!?
JMG316 over 5 years ago
“Poised precariously over a peculating pit of putrid pasta”
Phantastic!!!! :)
mattro65 over 5 years ago
When I was Calvin’s age pasta sauce wasn’t tanked up with sugar like most of the major brands today. I refused to eat pasta sauce, eating my pasta with butter and cheese, until my uncle one day poured a lot of sugar into the sauce. It was during one of my childhood adventures (a trip to the Thousand Islands) but I remember little else but the pasta sauce incident.
eladee AKA Wally over 5 years ago
Spaceman Spiff would prefer a bowl of Sugar Bombs please.
JudyHendrickson over 5 years ago
send this brat to the homeless shelter!!
FassEddie over 5 years ago
I never pulled that trick. I wish I had now. Especially on fried liver night. Yuk.
jless over 5 years ago
Cold pasta is good. I wouldn’t mind that.
Agapostemon over 5 years ago
What he doesn’t know is that 15 years later, he’ll be a college student, standing in front of an open fridge in his briefs, eating cold manicotti straight from the takeout tray.
KEA over 5 years ago
What does he wear? …wait, never mind.
AndrewSihler over 5 years ago
A kid who doesn’t like pasta?? And manicotti in particular? Of course, the filling has to be yummy, but manicotti can be some of the most delicious treats fashioned by the hand of man.
Leojim over 5 years ago
Good to see the Calvin has embraced the Commando theme.
bookworm0812 over 5 years ago
Calvin hates manicotti?!?!?! How can he hate manicotti?!?!?! Heck, it’s not even all that bad served cold (but nothing beats freshly baked). Oh, no way is this kid human!
cosman over 5 years ago
Man, i’d cottin’ up to some cotti right about now..
pchemcat over 5 years ago
My mother never made us eat what was served. If you didn’t want to eat what she offered up, fine, go hungry or go make yourself a peanut butter sandwich. Just don’t whine later on that you are hungry.
MCProfessor over 5 years ago
Kapwinngg! I swear, that’s the noise my kids made running from the dinner table!
Yrrah Premium Member over 5 years ago
Love this comic !
57BelAir over 5 years ago
I loved my Mom’s spaghetti, she never used all the other pasta shapes, pasta is pasta.
M2MM over 5 years ago
I love the dialogue in the final panel. A little real life intruding in on the imaginative scene.