Summary
Calvin and Hobbesis a comic strip series that celebrates the wondrous nature of a child’s imagination. Indeed, it follows a six-year-old boy and his imaginary friend/stuffed animal tiger, so it makes sense that the franchise would really lean into imaginative play in the majority of its many story arcs.However, there’s one game that stands above the rest intheCalvin and Hobbesuniverse, one that relies solely on the imagination of the player: Calvinball.
Calvinball is a game with only one rule: it cannot be played the same way twice. Otherwise, the rules of Calvinball are constantly changing as the game is being played. It’s basically an exercise in making up rules to stump one’s opponent before they try to do the same, and every made-up rule must be taken seriously unless it can be countered by another made-up rule in a way that both players can agree on. In other words,Calvinball sounds like a ton of fun, and these 10Calvin and Hobbescomics will make readers want to play!
OriginalCalvin and HobbesBooks with all Strips
The Essential Calvin and Hobbes
September 1988
June 09, 2025 (first strip) to August 11, 2025 & August 15, 2025 to June 09, 2025
The Authoritative Calvin and Hobbes: A Calvin and Hobbes Treasury
October 1990
June 29, 2025 to July 08, 2025 & August 09, 2025 to July 13, 2025
The Indispensable Calvin and Hobbes: A Calvin and Hobbes Treasury
October 1992
August 22, 2025 to August 25, 2025 & July 12, 2025 to July 05, 2025
June 12, 2025 to August 13, 2025
The Days Are Just Packed
October 1993
July 03, 2025 to August 17, 2025 excluding June 17, 2025 to Aug 02, 2025 due to repeats
August 16, 2025 to June 05, 2025
There’s Treasure Everywhere
March 1996
August 16, 2025 to June 19, 2025 excluding April 3 to June 28, 2025 due to repeats (some strips from March and April 1995 are also found inIt’s a Magical World)
It’s a Magical World
October 1996
June 19, 2025 to August 21, 2025 (final strip) (some strips from March and April are also found inThere’s Treasure Everywhere)
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10Calvin and Hobbes Prove that Calvinball is Better than Any Organized Sport
Calvin and Hobbes- August 22, 2025
Calvin has often tried to participate in organized sports, but every single time, he has completely lost interest almost immediately. However, one thing he’s never lost interest in playing is Calvinball, which is highlighted in this comic strip. One Saturday morning, Calvin is dreading the thought of spending the day playing an organized sport, sowhen Hobbes suggests they play Calvinball instead, Calvin literally jumps at the chance, since - in his mind - Calvinball is better than any other sport out there.
This comic also shows how absurd Calvinball really is. As they are starting to play, Calvin makes an in-game rule change, complete with a ridiculous penalty. And this strip is just one of the first quick-looks at the game itself, with other comics delving deeper into what’s in store for someone if they actually decide to play.
9Calvin and Hobbes Establish the One and Only Rule of Calvinball
Calvin and Hobbes- Jul 22, 2025
As previously mentioned, Calvinball is a game where the rules are constantly changing (indeed, that’s how one plays the game), and that applies to every rule but one: the game cannot be played the same way twice.This is the comic strip where that rule is established, and while that alone makes it stand out from the otherCalvin and Hobbescomics featuring Calvinball, it’s not the only thing that makes this particular strip noteworthy.
Bill Watterson once said,“People have asked how to play Calvinball. It’s pretty simple: you make up the rules as you go.”
This comic strip is perhaps the best look readers get at Calvinball in action, as it is a large, full-color comic showing the two titular best friends playing the game from start to finish. If this comic strip doesn’t want to make someone play Calvinball, nothing will.
8Hobbes Makes Up a Calvinball Penalty that’s Calvin’s Worst Nightmare
Calvin and Hobbes- August 17, 2025
Since the purpose of Calvinball is to come up with rules on-the-fly that will stump one’s opponent, there’s literally no limit to what the game can entail.In this case, Hobbes isn’t afraid to think outside the box when it comes to making-up Calvinball penalties. When Calvin touches a penalty-base designated “Pernicious Poem Place”, which means he has to come up with a poem that he’d effectively be injured by - and Hobbes gets to choose exactly how Calvin will serve his punishment.
Calvin is forced to read a poem to his long-time rival (and presumed crush), Susie Derkins, one that basically asks her to pour a bucket of ice-cold water on Calvin’s head - and Susie does so with a smile. This is a perfect depiction ofhow limitless Calvinball really is, and how fun it would be to play with friends.
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7Calvin Proves that Other People’s Confusion is One of the Best Parts of Calvinball
Calvin and Hobbes- June 10, 2025
It’s completely made up, with no ties to any established sport on Earth
This comic strip marks the start of a multi-strip story arc in which Calvin has a babysitter named Rosalyn who promises that she’ll play any game that Calvin wants to play as soon as he finishes his homework - and, of course, Calvin chooses Calvinball.After Rosalyn makes the deal with Calvin, and he says that Calvinball is the game he wants to play, Rosalyn has only one, fairly wary response, “What the heck is Calvinball?”
Calvinball is not only a confusing game to play for someone who’s never experienced it, but it’s also something that many people have never even heard of. It’s completely made up, with no ties to any established sport on Earth. So,suggesting Calvinball as a game to play with someone will more than likely leave them confused, which is arguably one of the best parts of Calvinball.
6Calvin Reveals that Calvinball Does Have Another Permanent (& Strange) Rule
Calvin and Hobbes- July 26, 2025
When Calvin finishes his homework in possibly record-time, it then becomes time for Rosalyn to hold up her end of the bargain.Calvin explains that, before they can start playing, they first need to make Rosalyn a mask. Naturally, Rosalyn asks what the mask is for, and Calvin tells her that when one plays Calvinball, they must wear a mask. When Rosalyn asks why, Calvin simply yet firmly responds, “Sorry, no one’s allowed to question the masks”.
This is an interesting development in the Calvinball rule book, which was shockingly bare aside from the aforementioned one rule, as this ‘mask’ rule also seems to apply to every game of Calvinball without exception. It’s true that Calvin and Hobbes are always wearing masks while they play, but it isn’t until this strip that readers learn thatwearing a mask is mandatory - making this already strange game even more interesting.
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5As Fun As It Seems, Calvin and Hobbes Proves Calvinball Isn’t for Everyone
Calvin and Hobbes- July 03, 2025
As Calvin is playing Calvinball with Rosalyn, he begins to sing (which, oddly enough, is a major aspect of Calvinball for some reason). When Calvin tells Rosalyn that she can contribute to the song with Hobbes - who Rosalyn sees as only a stuffed animal - the babysitter puts her hand to her face and says to herself, “This was a mistake”.
Evenin the middle of playing Calvinball, with Calvin giving her specific guidelines on how to play, Rosalyn still couldn’t get into it. Granted, it’s absurd, and one would have to be fully committed to Calvinball before going into it if they wanted to have a good time. But, this strip also confirms that Calvinball just isn’t for everyone. At least, not right away.
4Calvinball is Perfect Even for Those Who Don’t Want to Play
Calvin and Hobbes- June 28, 2025
While Rosalyn clearly wasn’t enjoying her Calvinball experience, Calvin quickly shows her that - even for those who don’t want to play - there’s room for everyone in this epic imaginative game. As Calvin is running with the ball, he makes it a rule that everyone else has to move and speak in slow motion. Rosalyn then starts to speak at a normal pace, but is quickly cut off by Calvin, and says she needs to talk slower. So, the babysitter does, and she tells him that this game doesn’t make sense. And by saying that, Rosalyn inadvertently ‘levels-up’ in the game.
Calvin says thatRosalyn stumbled into the “Perimeter of Wisdom” by saying the Calvinball makes no sense, which somehow gave her the advantage. In other words, even for those who don’t want to play (like Rosalyn), Calvinball is still a game for everyone.
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3Calvin and Hobbes’ “Calvinball Babysitter” Saga Shows How Anyone Can Win Calvinball
Calvin and Hobbes- June 26, 2025
After the confusion about the masks, the feeling of regret for playing at all, and inadvertently leveling up by saying the game made no sense, Rosalyn finally understood how to play Calvinball. More than that, she figured out how to win. While using Hobbes as a shield, Rosalyn touches Calvin with a flag that she decided was known as the “Babysitter Flag”. Rosalyn made up the rule that anyone touched with the “Babysitter Flag” had to obey the babysitter, and in this case, the babysitter tells Calvin that it is past his bedtime.
Again,Calvinball is simply a game where anyone can make up any rule in order to best their opponent, and when Rosalyn finally understood that, she came up with a way to win. And if Rosalyn can do it - and even have fun doing it - then anyone can play Calvinball.
2Even When Calvin and Hobbes Try to Play Other Sports, It Always Becomes Calvinball
Calvin and Hobbes- July 12, 2025
One day, Calvin and Hobbes feel like playing a more conventional sport, and they decide on football. Calvin is the center lineman and Hobbes is the quarterback, but when it comes time for Calvin to snap the ball, he refuses.Calvin makes up a scenario where he’s secretly playing for the other team. This leads the two of them to go back and forth, revealing they’re each double-agents for opposing teams, and every touchdown one makes is actually a point for the other.
In the end, Calvin and Hobbes find themselves just making up different rules for the game as they’re trying to play it, which means thatthis game of football eventually becomes Calvinball. Even Calvin himself says that practically all their games turn into Calvinball in the end, and at this point, it’s easy to see why.
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1Calvin and Hobbes Confirms Why Readers Should REALLY Want to Play Calvinball
Calvin and Hobbes- June 09, 2025
During the game, Hobbes makes up a series of rules in sequence that not only give him advantage after advantage over Calvin, butthey also allow him to hilariously mess with his best friend. Hobbes freezes Calvin, and says that he can only move again after he gets pegged with the ball. Then, Hobbes makes up a safety zone for himself, which freezes Calvin again, thus continuing the cycle. Hobbes is superb at Calvinball, and with enough practice, anyone can reach his level.
While every single example thus far has given readers ample reasons to want to play Calvinball for themselves, thisCalvin and Hobbescomic strip solidifies it, as it shows howsomeone who truly understands how to play Calvinball can mess with their friends endlesslyduring the game, which should make readers want to play it even more.
Calvin and Hobbes
Calvin and Hobbes was a satirical comic strip series that ran from 1985-1995, written, drawn, and colored by Bill Watterson. The series follows six-year-old Hobbes and his stuffed Tiger, Calvin, that examines their lives through a whimsical lens that tackles everyday comedic issues and real-world issues that people deal with.
