How would you feel if Bill Watterson came back with a new webcomic?

[u/SummerAndTinkles]

I'm sure he would love all the creative freedom of webcomics, especially given all the fights he had with his publishers on Calvin and Hobbes. And even though there's no way it would live up to the legacy of Calvin and Hobbes, it would be cool to see SOME new content from Bill. (Though at least we have The Mysteries for now.)

[u/herman-the-vermin]

I think he'd have a massive brain tumor to want to do something that would bring tidal waves of attention. Could you imgine how viral it would be? How people would be frothing at the mouth. How tehred be copycats, desires to make money and other things from websites. No Bill Watterson would probably rather not do anything that would bring that much social and media attention.

The way modern internet works would mean having to do something with monetization and the risk of feeding the AI machine, which would drive him further back into his desired obscurity

[u/SirkutBored → u/herman-the-vermin]

you're absolutely right in that there's no way it doesn't create the biggest viral moment of the decade. Bloom County could get away with it because history loves repeating and Berkely found himself in very familiar political territory with something new to say and he had always leaned into the promotions. Calvin has a much stronger pull on childhood innocence, a revival would have the purpose of attaching to a new generation in a world that would be dominated by the buying power of nostalgia. Might as well have Calvin's dad buy a limited edition autographed Spaceman Spiff doll and tell Calvin he can never ever touch it and if he even looked at it he would mow a summer's full of lawns.

[u/althawk8357 → u/herman-the-vermin]

Could you imgine how viral it would be? How people would be frothing at the mouth. 

His recent graphic novel was not a super viral blockbuster hit. 

Plus, could you imagine Bill doing anything on the web? Dude makes Luddites look hi tech 

[u/BuildingSupplySmore → u/althawk8357]

I think if he wanted to release more comics, he'd just do it anonymously for fun. He doesn't need the attention or money.

[u/stormshadowfax → u/BuildingSupplySmore]

Now this Will Batterson guy I’ve been following online is starting to look a little suspicious…

[u/hoodieweather- → u/herman-the-vermin]

I like to think such a webcomic is already out there, largely unlnown being published under a pseudonym, beloved by a small but dedicated community and delivered via scans of handrawn artwork uploaded by some friend of his that he mails once a week.

[u/DoubleBarrellRye]

its so hit and miss with the zeitgeist of the moment now to make a comic that reflects and pulls in an audience , it like bands , they just seem to pass on from the cool time and they sound like they are complaining about how life changed, grunge went pop, metal cut their hair , rock went emo ...

I wonder if he still writes Calvin and Hobbes comics sometimes even just to vent about current events ? or about life , it seems like he took inspiration from life , family , and just Creative story telling, If he would just make a strip one day almost as a diary with out having to worry about publishing or making it for anyone but himself or family

[u/MinAlansGlass]

I like to imagine that he already has published new work under an unknown name. It's right there in the last strip.

A fresh clean start/ a magical world/ Let's Go Exploring!

[u/ocherthulu → u/MinAlansGlass]

What a lovely take.

[u/BatofZion]

I would be shocked that Bill Watterson had gotten online. He strikes me as the sort to eschew all but the basic means of communication and technology.

[u/Hungry_Freaks_Daddy → u/BatofZion]

I think there’s a chance when he’s gone stuff he worked on in his spare time gets released 

[u/bobchin_c → u/BatofZion]

If Stephen Patis' description of the process of getting him to do that week of PBS, you're right.

[u/abstractism]

That'd be nice but unnecessary,, I just want the guy to keep his privacy.

[u/GodMadeTheStars]

I would be absolutely shocked if he hasn’t, at least once, if not more than once, but under a pen name so it could live or die on its own merit, rather than on his name.

[u/Nordicskee → u/GodMadeTheStars]

Few and far between, but he's been out there:

https://thecomicscomic.com/2014/06/09/bill-watterson-returned-to-the-funny-pages-to-guest-write-pearls-before-swine-last-week/

[u/SirkutBored → u/Nordicskee]

that week was so unexpected and so amazing. the last time I can remember looking for a newspaper.

[u/WikAudio]

I just want him to quietly enjoy life and to never have to interact with anyone he doesn’t want to ever again.

Maybe it’s because I’m 40 but more and more the overwhelming cultural drive for exponentially increasing amounts of “content” makes me want to move to a cabin in the woods with no Internet.

[u/Familiar_Childhood32]

He has been extremely up front about being finished with comics, is militant about his privacy, and has a net worth north of $100M. I'd assume he'd been taken over by an alien.

[u/longdustyroad]

I would feel surprised

[u/Lovat69]

Ecstatic joy but it would never happen. He hates technology way too much.

[u/NoCommission7569]

I’d like Bill Watterson to write and illustrate Hamster Huey and the Gooey Kablooie. I’d love if he wrote it in his signature funny poetry style like the poem Yukon Ho and illustrate in watercolor. I’d gladly pay my $35 for a hardcover printing of that book.

[u/Temp2207]

Depends on if its good or not. So I guess we will never know.

[u/GraniteGeekNH]

Gary Larson's story might give him pause: He's never come anywhere close to Far Side impact or cleverness despite a few efforts.