In
the anniversary book, Bill says: "Named after a seventeenth-century philosopher
with a dim view of human nature, Hobbes has the patient dignity and common
sense of most animals I've met. Hobbes was very much inspired by one of
our cats, a gray tabby named Sprite. Sprite not only provide the long body
and facial characteristics for Hobbes, she also was the model for his personality.
She was goodnatured, intelligent, friendly, and enthusiastic in a sneaking
up and pouncing sort of way. Sprite suggested the idea of Hobbes greeting
Calvin at the door in midair at high velocity.
With most cartoon animals, the humor comes from their humanlike behavior. Hobbes stands upright and talks of course, but I try to preserve his feline side, both in physical demeanor and his attitude. His reserve and tact seem very catlike to me, along with his barely contained pride in not being human. Like Calvin, I often prefer the company of animals to people, and Hobbes is my idea of an ideal friend.
The so-called "gimmick" of my strip - the two
versions of Hobbes - is sometimes misunderstood. I don't think of Hobbes
as a doll that miraculously comes to life when Calvin's around. Neither
do I think of Hobbes as the product of Calvin's imagination. The nature
of Hobbes's reality doesn't interest me, and each story goes out of its
way to avoid resolving the issue. Calvin sees Hobbes one way, and everyone
else sees Hobbes another way. I show two versions of reality, and each
makes complete sense to the participant who sees it. I think that's how
life works. None of us sees the world in exactly the same way, and I just
draw that literally in the strip. Hobbes is more about the subjective nature
of reality than about dolls coming to life.
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