Very awesome xmas present (2005), thanks Gee

In a trend started by The Complete Farside (gotta give credit where it's due), 2005 saw the release of The Complete Calvin and Hobbes. It sports a 12-page intro (with a few strips) by the elusive Bill Watterson himself. The collection was designed by Michael Reagan

About the introduction
Watterson is notorious for being a very guarded person and he reveals that he's been focusing on his art (painting) after the strip was over. I have to admit, he reads a bit like a very self-righteous person, especially after reading Peanuts recently. The stuff about imposing the Sunday strip format onto newspapers editors really got to me. But I'd lie if I said Calvin and Hobbes wasn't my all time favorite comic strip, the author just doesn't come off as a very nice or approachable person

Collection blurb

The Complete Calvin and Hobbes

"Calvin and Hobbes is unquestionably one of the most popular comic strips of all time. The imaginative world of a boy and his real-only-to-him tiger has charmed readers for twenty years. And now in The Complete Calvin and Hobbes those fans can discover the ultimate Calvin and Hobbes treasure chest, a deluxe three-volume set containing every daily and Sunday Calvin and Hobbes cartoon that appeared in newspapers from 1985 to 1995. Also included are:

- An original introduction by Bill Watterson
- Full-color cover and sport art from Watteson's classic collections
- All of the special illustrated stories and poems that appeared in previous Calvin and Hobbes books

Exquisitely printed on art book-grade paper, The Complete Calvin and Hobbes is truly a collector's edition"

The quality of the collection is quite impressive, I feel like I am holding holy documents, it's all well done but lends itself more as a collection you own than read, or at least that's how I treat my treasured books (basically I am saying don't ask to borrow these, and you'll read em at my house only under intense supervision). Also check out the dimension specs: 12.5 x 5.2 x 11.2 inches, 22.5 pounds.. huge and heavy

Each hardbound tome has different square ilustration of the two buddies, I wish it was a bit larger

Like the Complete Peanuts, strips are printed 3 to page and marked with original publication date at the bottom of the pages. Sunday pages take a full page. There are some fancy stuff where Sunday (color) strips are broken down depending on their free form format (example: "A Nauseaus Nocturne" after Dec 31 1986 is a story broken down in 11 pages.. a bit weird)

The collection really does justice to the color work, all the original pieces Watterson did for the strip in book collection (covers for example) are here adjusted on a large snigle page, each of the 3 volumes opens on a double page spread illustration (very sweet)

Book One 1985-88
Book Two 1988-92
Book Three 1992-95

A gorgeous collection undoubtly for serious fans only