Editing Calvin and Hobbes (section)

=== Launch and early success (1985–1990) ===
The first ''Calvin and Hobbes'' strip was published on November 18, 1985<ref name="pr_calvin" /> in 35 newspapers. The strip quickly became popular. Within a year of [[print syndication|syndication]], the strip was published in roughly 250 newspapers and proved to have international appeal with translation and wide circulation outside the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-11-19|title='Calvin and Hobbes' just turned 30 -- here's the history of the strip and its mysterious creator Bill Watterson|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/calvin-and-hobbes-just-turned-30-heres-the-history-of-the-strip-and-its-mysterious-creator-bill-watterson-2015-11|access-date=2021-10-13|website=Business Insider Australia|language=en-AU}}</ref>

Although ''Calvin and Hobbes'' underwent continual artistic development and creative innovation over the period of syndication, the earliest strips demonstrated a remarkable consistency with the latest. Watterson introduced all the major characters within the first three weeks and made no changes to the central cast over the strip's 10-year history. 

By April 5, 1987, Watterson was featured in an article in the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''.<ref name="simple" /> ''Calvin and Hobbes'' earned Watterson the Reuben Award from the [[National Cartoonists Society]] in the Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year category, first in 1986 and again in 1988. He was nominated another time in 1992. The Society awarded him the Humor Comic Strip Award for 1988.<ref name="reuben">{{cite web |title=NCS Reuben Award winners (1975–present) |publisher=[[National Cartoonists Society]] |url=http://www.reuben.org/ncs/archive/divisions/reuben2.asp |access-date=July 12, 2005 |archive-date=June 28, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628201752/http://www.reuben.org/ncs/archive/divisions/reuben2.asp|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''Calvin and Hobbes'' has also won [[Bill Watterson#Awards and honors|several more awards]].

As his creation grew in popularity, there was strong interest from the syndicate to [[merchandising|merchandise]] the characters and expand into other forms of media. Watterson's contract with the syndicate allowed the characters to be licensed without the creator's consent, as was standard at the time. Nevertheless, Watterson had leverage by threatening to simply walk away from the comic strip.

This dynamic played out in a long and emotionally draining battle between Watterson and his syndicate editors. By 1991, Watterson had achieved his goal of securing a new contract that granted him legal control over his creation and all future licensing arrangements.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book|title=Looking for Calvin and Hobbes : the unconventional story of Bill Watterson and his revolutionary comic strip|last=Nevin.|first=Martell|date=2009|publisher=Continuum|isbn=9781441193667|location=New York|oclc=682891953}}</ref>