Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis for June 06, 2014

Forever and ever…Stupid dying art form.

Okay, Stephan. Who’s really drawing this stuff?

Who’s Staci ??

Izzat Betty and Veronica?

His wife must have a sense of humor.

At first, I thought the first two women were Veronica and Betty.

in this case , Rigor mortisse has already set in…..

Actually it’s Fritzi Ritz and Lois Flagston. Kid’s not that great an artist after all.

Oh, wow! Libby, if Libby is your real name, you have outdone yourself! A handsome, beefcake-y, studly Stephan, surrounded by bootylicious Betty and Veronica and whoever the redhead is (I don’t follow Archie)! How pathetic by comparison Cartoon-Boy looks in panel 3![NOTE: for irregular readers: Staci is Stephan’s real-liife wife, who has not left him; it is Cartoon-Boy’s wife in the strip, and only in the strip, who has left him, for dramatic purposes.]

Blonde Betty got Kardashian butt.

LOL! Did his wife leave him for real?

Is that Betty and Veronica?

I’ve been reading a great book about Prohibition, “Last Call” by Daniel Okrent. It’s making me thirsty; could Libby please draw me a beer?!?

Betty suddenly got very hippy, a Kim K. clone?

Actually from the images I’ve seen, Pastis is rather hot! And the girls do look like Betty and Veronica. I prefer the original art anyway, Rat just doesn’t cut it when he looks like Mickey in disguise!

I think it’s a take-off on the old Charles Atlas ads that used to be in the back of comics.

and why is he surrounded by females thats a first. no offense steph.

and do not take libby away!

It’s Betty, Veronica, and Brenda Starr…………nice!!!!

Watterson drew better than this. The text doesn’t look like his, either. And it’s not memory talking. It’s me comparing his books to this. I could be wrong, but that would mean he’s gotten worse over the years from lack of practice or something. And using different pens.

who cares?

OK , Got my friday guffaw, so long Libby!

Apparently quite a few people have wondered whether the wife leaving was for real or just happening in comic-land. After seeing Chris’ comment that said the real-life Pastis is “rather hot,” I went to take a look at images — and check out the predictive suggestions from Google (based on what others have typed in):

I was thinking it looked more like a tamer version of Frank Cho’s Liberty Meadows. To bad that one isn’t being drawn anymore.

There’s something about the combination of bikinis and high heels that just seems so… right.:Benny Hill will live forever!

Lib likes some junk in the trunk!

Center frame: Pastis looks more like the young Bruce Campbell.

Are Fernando Ruiz & Craig Boldman the guest artists?

Oooh, the Comic Strip Censor weighs in.

I doubt she really is

Betty and Veronica guest stars? Where’s Archie?

I’m waiting for her to go all Ecchi in Manga style…

I like how it’s all being drawn by Little Orphan Annie.

Is there a different guest artist for each strip?

No, I still think it’s Bill Watterson.

Bill Watterson, ladies and gentlemen: http://stephanpastis.wordpress.com/

Bill Wattersonhttp://stephanpastis.wordpress.com/2014/06/07/ever-wished-that-calvin-and-hobbes-creator-bill-watterson-would-return-to-the-comics-page-well-he-just-did/

It’s almost like seeing new Calvin & Hobbes cartoons again! <3

Perfect strip today!

And to think, as a PBS fan, I got to witness comic history.

Watterson drew it., and the previous two. Pure genius. Congrats Steph.

I’m so happy to see Watterson’s work again. warms my damn heart, and you executed it flawlessly— great teamwork! :)

Bill Watterson still has it. Congrats on getting to collaborate with a legend.

It is a monstrous feather in Stephan’s cap that he was able to coax Bill Watterson out of retirement, even for a few brief, glorious moments. This is a piece of cartooning history, and we have seen it happen.

I am happier right now than I’ve been in years. No joke.

Pastis, you magnificent son-of-a-Buick!! You actually got (you-know-whom) to doing a comic strip, however briefly. I’m impressed. (Love the lines in that last panel, too!)

If you read the blog closely, Pastis has said this was Watterson’s idea…not his. Watterson doesn’t do anything he doesn’t want to, no matter who it is asking. Regardless, I’m extremely happy for both of them and the opportunity to work together. It’s pure gold that Watterson decided to do something in Comics after nearly 20 years hiatus and even if it’s only for the 3 days in PBS, I’ll take it. Congrats Pastis and thanks for this comic history.

Mother of GOD, its Bill Waterson drawing the strip!

Bill Watterson! The return of a legend

Nice of Mr. B. Watterson to draw a few strips. I thought the robots looked like his style, and the dig about space, but wasn’t sure until today.

Bill Watterson on pearls?! I’m so happy right now…

Bill Watterson of Calvin & Hobbes fame was a guest artist on three of these comics. You can clearly tell it’s Watterson’s style and humour and Steven Pastis wrote a bit about his collaboration with Bill Watterson recently after the three strips he collaborated on were published — revealing the mystery guest artist.

YOU ARE ALL SO INSOLENT. BILL WATERSON IS DRAWING THIS!!!!!!!!!!!! http://stephanpastis.wordpress.com/2014/06/07/ever-wished-that-calvin-and-hobbes-creator-bill-watterson-would-return-to-the-comics-page-well-he-just-did/

Wonderful!

Bill, PLEASE come back!

Maybe just an occasional strip about the grown up Calvin with his own precocious strange kid doing weird stuff, Calvin having flashbacks, and Calvin’s mom and dad as the grandparents loving every minute of the “payback…”

Steve, thanks so much for making this happen. This was truly a lot of fun! Many kudos for you!

guest artist ishttp://stephanpastis.wordpress.com/2014/06/07/ever-wished-that-calvin-and-hobbes-creator-bill-watterson-would-return-to-the-comics-page-well-he-just-did/

http://stephanpastis.wordpress.com/2014/06/07/ever-wished-that-calvin-and-hobbes-creator-bill-watterson-would-return-to-the-comics-page-well-he-just-did/

Turns out it was Bill Watterson as the guest artist….which explains the font, style, and some of the punch lines.

Bill/Stephan: thank you for sharing such a special collaboration. Bill, you’re greatly missed in the funny pages.

That actually looks more like the real Stephan Pastis than his own version does.

What a great way to mess with the fans! (First two strips being obviously “in the style of” Watterson, with the third taking a different slant. :)I really (REALLY) hope that seeing Bill Watterson as a guest artist, is a trend that keeps….trending!

This comic was drawn by Bill Watterson. Yes Calvin and Hobbes Bill Watterson. Sooo cool.http://stephanpastis.wordpress.com/2014/06/07/ever-wished-that-calvin-and-hobbes-creator-bill-watterson-would-return-to-the-comics-page-well-he-just-did/

Hi, Calvin and Hobbes creator Bill Watterson did do some guest panels for Pastis. Here’s a link to a story in The Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2014/06/06/exclusive-calvin-and-hobbes-creator-bill-watterson-returns-to-the-comics-page-to-offer-a-few-pearls-gems/

http://stephanpastis.wordpress.com/2014/06/07/ever-wished-that-calvin-and-hobbes-creator-bill-watterson-would-return-to-the-comics-page-well-he-just-did/

Remember how Bill Waterson’s style was totally graphic novel-like when Calvin went into certain daydreams? Especially those that featured him playing some very noir version of “house” with his girl neighbor? He’s an artist full of artists. Hope he takes another turn at this again soon.

Am I the only one who finds it creepy that a little girl would depict a grown man like that, and he’s okay with it? I know it’s all in good fun, and it’s actually bill watterson, but still..

BILL WATTERSON IS LIBBY, HE ONLY DID 3 STRIPS FOR PASTIS

If you read Stephan’s blog, he tells the story of how he and Bill Watterson worked together on the last three strips. Does this mean that “Bigfoot Bill” could be coming back into the comic scene? Probably not, but who knows…

@fritzoidRight on! The wheels on the chair. Classic.

this makes me happier than you can imagine. Attaway Watterson!

http://goo.gl/OpzpWQ

I feel so stupid. All the clues were there. Now it came out that the one and only Bill Watterson has been helping Steph draw this week’s strips. If you do nothing else today, go to Steph’s blog and read the whole funny-as-hell, amazing story of how Pastis and Watterson managed to pull this off. One of the clues: Lib’s name backwards is Bil(l). Almost.

My guess for the identity of the redhead in the panel with Betty and Veronica is Cheryl Blossom, though the haircut might suggest Josie (of Pussycats fame).

Shades o’ “Li’l Abner” ! Thank you, Mr. Watterson.

Waterson, you are a master. I wish you still did a comic – ANY comic. I can’t believe it’s a dying art form – maybe it’s just moving outside of newspapers. Mr. Waterson, please look at Zen Pencils. With the freedom of space the internet allows (no more squeezing comics into tiny newspaper boxes), amazing things are being done, and you could do that too! It’s been quite a few years – what IS Calvin doing now? Are he and Susie an item? Is Hobbes in a second hand store or a zoo? Inquiring minds want to know. :)

OMG OMG OMG OMG It’s Bill Watterson!!!!!

forever alone…

“Nah, the art form’s dying.”How sad.It wasn’t like that for Bill.

What the devil did I just read

middle one was drawn by Bill Watterson :D

This is Bill Watterson’s first cartooning work in over 20 years.Wow.

I just realized that Stephan in Lib/Bill’s version looks like Tony Stark.

Anybody who thinks comics are dying as an art form, needs to get out on the internet. No, they’re not as prolific in the papers anymore, but that’s because papers no longer have a monopoly on them.

Anybody who thinks comics are dying as an art form, needs to get out on the internet. No, they’re not as prolific in the papers anymore, but that’s because papers no longer have a monopoly on them.