See Delightful 'Force Awakens' Fan Art Drawn Calvin-and-Hobbes Style
In the realm of ‘80s nostalgia, Star Wars lives alongside Calvin and Hobbes — so it’s a treat to see these two triumphs of imagination come together. A series of fan drawings from Disney artist Brian Kesinger re-creates classic moments from Bill Watterson’s comic strip, using characters from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Check out some examples below, and look at all six on Kesinger’s Instagram (though be warned: a few get into spoiler territory).
Image: Brian Kesinger via Instagram
Image: Brian Kesinger via Instagram
Image: Brian Kesinger via Instagram
Bill Watterson’s witty and innovative comic strip Calvin and Hobbes, which ran in newspapers from 1985 to 1995, revolved around the adventures of a young boy and his imaginary best friend, a stuffed tiger. Fans of the comic will instantly see the parallels between Kesinger’s adorable, expertly-drawn characters and Calvin’s exploits, such as sledding with Hobbes (rendered as Poe and BB-8 on a scavenged spaceship door), imagining himself as “Spaceman Spiff” (now “Spaceman Finn”), and being harassed by the school bully Moe (drawn as Kylo Ren, threatening a Calvin-like Poe Dameron).
Artist Kesinger has no plans to sell prints of the mash-ups, out of respect for the original characters’ copyrights. (Watterson has famously refused to license any Calvin and Hobbes merchandise.) But you can easily check out his work elsewhere: Kesinger was the second-youngest animator ever to be hired by Disney, and has worked as a storyboard and layout artist on films ranging from Tarzan to the upcoming Zootopia.
(h/t io9)
