The comics page in the newspaper is known as "the funny pages" for a reason. People often read daily comic strips to have a quick laugh. For the decade it was printed, Calvin & Hobbes followed a boy and his toy/pet tiger, giving readers plenty of laughs. Unlike some other comics, however, Bill Watterson's beloved strips often pulled at readers' heartstrings or broke their hearts completely.

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Calvin was in a stage of his life where he was constantly growing, emotionally as well as physically. As Calvin and his family dealt with their everyday worries and activities, sometimes they stumbled upon life lessons that, while important, were also painful or tragic.

Updated on June 10, 2023 by Thayer Preece Parker: One reason the Calvin & Hobbes comic strip has remained so popular after all these years is that it dealt with real, universal emotions, even when those emotions were difficult to face. Here are even more comic strips featuring tragic, but relatable moments from this incredible collection.

15 The Burglary

Calvin's parents sit in bed and talk about feeling confused

In one series of comic strips, Calvin and his family discovered that someone had broken into their house. Calvin's first instinct was to try to find Hobbes, who was in the house when it happened. Calvin was in tears as he worried about whether his best friend was safe. Luckily, Hobbes was okay.

The story continued by focusing on Calvin's parents. They talked in bed together, dealing with the sense of fear and insecurity that came after their home was violated. Calvin's dad meditated on how, as children, they assumed adults knew what they were doing. As they grew older, they learned the life lesson that everyone was just doing their best to muddle through any given moment.

14 The Baby Raccoon

Calvin cries after a baby raccoon dies

One day, while playing in the woods, Calvin and Hobbes stumbled upon a small sick raccoon. Calvin ran to get his mom, and they all brought the raccoon back to the house to try tending to it. They did their best, but they ultimately couldn't save its life. Calvin's dad delivered the news to Calvin, who was understandably upset.

This encounter seemed to be Calvin's first real encounter with death. Several of the following strips explored his complex thoughts and emotions following the loss of the raccoon. Calvin struggled to understand why living things had to die. Ultimately, he found some amount of comfort in the arms of his best friend, Hobbes.

13 Bullying

A bully teases Calvin for not playing baseball

Calvin was a very active child, but he preferred chaos to rules. Organized sports weren't really his thing, so he wasn't interested when a baseball team was announced at school. Calvin was the only boy who didn't sign up, so the other boys bullied him for playing with the girls. Bowing to peer pressure, Calvin signed up, then ended up helping the other team because he didn't know the rules.

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After Calvin's mistake, his teammates bullied him. Then his coach called Calvin a "quitter" when he stopped playing. Calvin lamented afterward that he just couldn't win, no matter what he did. Through talking to Hobbes, Calvin realized he should try to be himself instead, but it was a difficult and painful lesson.

12 Learning Empathy

Calvin releases a butterfly

In one poignant strip, Calvin caught a butterfly in a jar and showed it to Hobbes. Hobbes responded, "If people could put rainbows in zoos, they'd do it." After that, Calvin decided to release the butterfly. The comic strip had a minimalist approach, with brief dialogue and no background in the panels, but the concept it conveyed was huge.

Calvin was forced to confront the fact that the pleasure he felt from seeing the butterfly, and his sense of ownership over it, was at odds with the butterfly's own interest in being free. Calvin listened to Hobbes' wisdom and showed empathy for the creature, making readers reevaluate their own actions.

11 Calvin Feeling Insignificant

Calvin feels insignificant under the stars

As a young child, it's easy for one to feel as though the world revolves around them. Part of growing up is learning about one's place in relation to the other people and institutions. Growing up also entails realizing not everything is about them. In one strip, Calvin looked up at the night sky, full of stars, and yelled into the cosmos, "I'M SIGNIFICANT!"

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After a pause, he followed up this cry with the quieter addition, "screamed the dust speck." Most readers could relate to the insignificance that Calvin felt when he was contemplating the scale of the universe. Part of growing up is learning one can be small in relation to reality, yet important within one's limited sphere.

10 The Value of Friendship

Calvin and hobbes hug as their Christmas present to each other

In the first Christmas strip of Calvin & Hobbes, Calvin tearfully admitted to Hobbes that he forgot to get him a present. He apologized and clearly felt bad for letting his friend down. Hobbes, however, responded that he didn't get Calvin a present either, and instead gave him a big hug as his Christmas gift.

Children can often be selfish and materialistic, thinking only of the presents they will receive on a holiday. The fact Calvin realized he let someone he cared about down showed that he was maturing and starting to realize that other people's feelings matter as well. In the end, both friends were happy knowing they loved and supported each other.

9 Susie's Loneliness

Susie feels lonely after Calvin was mean

Calvin's classmate Susie often appeared in the comics over the years. In general, Susie often showed more common sense than Calvin and became the foil for many of his outlandish plans. Calvin chose to spend time with Susie, but the two often bickered. Sometimes Calvin would say hurtful things when he didn't know how to behave in a certain situation.

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Calvin didn't intend to hurt Susie. However, several comic strips explored the loneliness Susie felt after Calvin would say something thoughtless or unintentionally cruel. Susie often tried to talk herself out of her sadness, but would eventually have to face her feelings. These strips, while heartbreaking, were utterly relatable for most readers.

8 The Difficulties of Parenting

Calvin realises it's hard to be a mom

During childhood, it's difficult to recognize all the work and effort that goes into being a good parent. In a heartwarming Calvin & Hobbes comic, Calvin's mom is sick. He's feeling worried about her, so he offers to read her a story like she does for him when he's sick. After she responds that she just wants to rest, he realizes, "It's hard to be a mom for a mom."

One of the main themes of Calvin & Hobbes is how a child's thoughts grow and mature over time as their experience with the world increases. This strip portrayed Calvin showing concern for his mom's well-being and acknowledging the difficult work she did for his benefit on a daily basis. For any parent, the moment when their child recognizes their effort is huge and a touching event.

7 The Dead Bird

Calvin and Hobbes relax against a tree after finding a dead bird

In one of the most philosophical Calvin & Hobbes comics, the pair found a dead bird outside their house. This wasn't Calvin's first experience with death. Rather than getting upset, he began contemplating the nature of life. Calvin recognized that life was precious, fragile, and transient.

Calvin's musings helped him understand that the fragility of life was so hard for people to face that they often ignore it and act thoughtlessly. He concluded that he would understand it all better when he grew up. For the reader, this was especially heavy because, unlike Calvin, adults don't have all the answers either. Calvin's understanding of the value and transience of life and its effect on people was as mature as anyone's, regardless of age.

6 The Last Strip

Calvin & Hobbes go exploring on their sled

The final Calvin & Hobbes comic was published on December 31, 1995. In that Sunday strip, the pair engaged in one of their favorite activities, sledding and unintentionally philosophizing. Calvin and Hobbes saw the fresh layer of snow as a blank page of new possibilities, recognized the magical nature of reality, and left to go explore those endless options.

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As the final strip of a beloved comic, this one was bound to be emotional for readers regardless of its content. The inspirational message it contained, however, really pulled on readers' heartstrings. Watterson, through Calvin, urged people to view the world with the wonder of a child and to explore the never-ending possibilities that lay before each and every one of them.

5 Missing The School Play

Calvin, dressed as an onion, misses the school play

As a child in school, even small pressures can seem enormous. During one series of Calvin & Hobbes comics, Calvin has a role in his class play about nutrition and food groups. Calvin is actually quite excited about the play, asking his dad whether he can be there, and talking about the play with his classmate Susie.

Tragically for Calvin, he ends up having a wardrobe malfunction minutes before he is due to appear on stage. His shirt got caught in his zipper, and as he tried to fix it, he missed his entrance and didn’t appear in the play at all. For a young child, missing an opportunity he was excited about would've been devastating.

4 Summer Vacation Vs Work

Calvin tells his dad about summer vacation

Usually in Calvin & Hobbes comics, Calvin gets his heart broken in one way or another. In this strip, however, it's Calvin’s dad who experiences heartache. As Calvin’s dad got ready for work, Calvin taunts him with all the joys of summer vacation and how terrible working must be.

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Any reader above school age understands the pain Calvin’s dad feels at this moment. Although kids often complain about having to go to school, most adults realize kids have it quite easy compared to the grind of a full-time work week.

3 Calvin Loses Hobbes

Calvin crying to his mom after a dog stole Hobbes

In one series of Calvin & Hobbes comics, Calvin ran home in tears after a dog grabbed Hobbes and ran away. He ran to his mother for comfort, but instead, she blamed the incident on Calvin's insistence on bringing Hobbes everywhere. In the final panel, Calvin is left in tears, feeling even more alone.

Parenting is extremely difficult, especially if the child is as rebellious as Calvin. However, this was definitely not a high point for Calvin’s mom. As a small child, there was little Calvin could've done to prevent a dog from taking his stuffed animal. As a result, his mom’s criticism came across as unduly hurtful.

2 The Broken Binoculars

Calvin broke his dad's binoculars and his dad got mad

In one classic Calvin & Hobbes storyline, Calvin borrowed his dad’s new pair of binoculars. His dad warned him to be careful with them, but Calvin was careless and broke them. After realizing how much the binoculars would cost to replace, Calvin panicked and considered running away to avoid the shame.

In the end, Calvin came clean to his dad, who didn't react well. His dad exploded, and Calvin burst into tears, explaining he already felt terrible about it. Calvin's dad eventually calmed down and apologized for his reaction, but readers could certainly empathize with Calvin’s pain and concern over disappointing his parents.

1 Tomorrow’s Another Big Day

A day in the life of Calvin where nothing goes right

Everyone has days where nothing seems to go right and everyone seems to be picking on them. Calvin & Hobbes comics were brilliant at conveying these universal experiences through the lens of Calvin’s life. In this Sunday strip, Calvin experiences a fairly normal day, but nothing goes his way.

By the end of the comic, Calvin is lying in bed in the dark, sad and sighing to himself. His parents had told him to do many things he didn’t want to, his teacher had embarrassed him in front of the class, and the school bully had threatened him. The strip broke readers’ hearts because it was universally relatable.

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