The Self Called Nowhere

thedailywhat:

Bill Watterson Artwork of the Day: Calvin and Hobbes creator Bill Watterson stopped drawing his iconic comic strip nearly 16 years ago. Since then, he hasn’t produced a single piece of publicly displayed artwork. Suddenly, out of nowhere, comes “Petey,” Watterson’s 6x8 oil-on-board portrait of Petey Otterloop, a supporting character in Richard Thompson’s syndicated comic strip Cul de Sac.

The painting was a surprise contribution from Watterson — apparently a big fan of Petey — to the Team Cul de Sac fundraising project for Parkinson’s research.

“I didn’t get my hopes up that [Watterson] would contribute,” says Caty Neis, a book editor at Andrews McMeel Universal — the parent company of Watterson’s syndicate — who has been spearheading the Team Cul de Sac effort. “Just the fact that this is first art that we have seen from him in 16 years is just so exciting, and what a great cause.”

[comicriffs.]