Seventeen years after the last comic-strip was created by elusive artist Bill Waterson, an original Calvin & Hobbes drawing for the 1989-1990 calendar fetched $107,550 at an auction this weekend. The price more than doubled Heritage Auctions’ presale estimate of $50,000. The name of the buyer was not disclosed.
The familiar drawing features Calvin and his beloved toy tiger pal Hobbes sleeping under a tree. The art was a gift from artist Bill Watterson to comics historian Rick Marschall, who has owned the piece for the last 20 years.
This is the only piece of original art from the comic series that ran from 1985-1995 ever offered for public sale. Watterson never licensed Calvin & Hobbes for t-shirts or toys.
The same auction also brought in $104,562 for Amazing Spider-Man Annual No. 3 by John Romita, $50,787.50 for Batman: Dark Knight Returns No. 1, $44,812.50 for a Steve Ditka page for Amazing Spider-Man No. 22 and $26,290 for a two-page spread from Watchmen No. 4.
