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Inked Mag Staff

May 18th, 2020

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Let’s Go Explore ‘Calvin and Hobbes’ Tattoos

It's been nearly 25 years since the beloved comic strip ended, but people are still getting tattoos of Calvin, Hobbes, Spaceman Spiff and more.

Reading the funny pages (or comics, if you’re more refined) was a simple pleasure enjoyed by generations. Now that most people don’t get the newspaper in any sort of physical form, especially the younger generations, this is becoming a forgotten pleasure. Even as their presence in our pop culture wanes, the truly iconic comic strips live forever. “Calvin and Hobbes” is one of the heavy hitters, still beloved 25 years after it ended. 

Many of the people who grew up loving Bill Watterson’s tale of a precocious young boy with an overactive imagination and his toy tiger have shown their adoration by getting a “Calvin and Hobbes” tattoo. 

While comics are often aimed at children, this was one of the few comics that spoke to children without speaking down to them. Few writers are able to capture what goes on inside the head of a mischievous child as perfectly as Watterson does. This is particularly obvious whenever the comic veers away from its normal routine to jump into Calvin’s imagination. Personally, I was an enormous fan of Tracer Bullet, Calvin’s alter-ego ripped right from the pages of one of Raymond Chandler’s noir detective novels. More often, Calvin took on the form of the mighty Spaceman Spiff as he went on adventures across the galaxy. 

Of course, we need to talk about Hobbes, the stuffed tiger who came to life in Calvin’s mind for all of their adventures. For Calvin, Hobbes is everything. Sometimes he’s a mildly-annoying pet, other times he’s Calvin’s best friend. 

There is so much to relate to in “Calvin and Hobbes,” especially as you get older and reminisce about the hours of joy that a simple cardboard box could provide. In this gallery of “Calvin and Hobbes” tattoos, you’ll find many of your favorite panels of the iconic comic strip. Enjoy. 

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“I suppose it will all make sense when we grow up” from Calvin and Hobbs. Thanks for getting tattooed

A post shared by Nalea K 김나래 (@naleak_tattoo) on Apr 7, 2020 at 5:41am PDT

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❤️ Such a great piece by @nancydestroyer . . . . #calvinandhobbes #calvinandhobbestattoo #ignorantstyletattoo #ignoranttattoo #flashwork #flashworktattoo #lineworktattoo #typographytattoo #happynesstattoo #tinytattoo #tinytattoos #comictattoo #winkt #_winkt

A post shared by Winkt – we love ink (@_winkt) on Apr 16, 2020 at 8:52am PDT

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“Curiosity is the essence of the scientific mind” fun little Calvin and Hobbes tattoo from this afternoon. #calvinandhobbes #calvinandhobbestattoo

A post shared by Marty Fletcher (@tattfletch) on Jan 13, 2018 at 8:17am PST

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had so much fun making this Calvin & Hobbes piece for Brandt! better pics in a few weeks once it’s less bloody and angry thanks again! . . . . . . . #eugenetattoo #eugeneoregon #eugene #oregon #pnwtattoo #calvinanshobbes #calvinandhobbestattoo #comictattoo #comic #cartoontattoo

A post shared by Cassie Shammel (@stiichn) on Nov 13, 2019 at 2:43pm PST

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Calvin & Hobbes tattoo by @j_rakowski what’s your favorite comic?

A post shared by ⚙️ ⚙️ (@amp_tattoo) on May 27, 2018 at 10:40am PDT

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Still a little red and bruised, but man I had a blast with this one! I love doing cartoon tattoos you guys… just sayin’. #calvinandhobbes #calvinandhobbestattoo #cartoon #tattoo #colortattoo #forearmtattoo #ink #drawing #illustration #art #savannahga #savannah #savannahink

A post shared by Schuyler Abrams (@schuylertattoo) on Feb 24, 2017 at 2:04pm PST

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Thank you Stella! Always a pleasure. Done @pechschwarztattoo #berlin #kreuzberg #pechschwarztätowierungen #blackwork #lineworktattoo #blackworktattoo #calvinandhobbes #calvinandhobbestattoo #calvinandhobbeswisdom #blxckink #darkartists #tattrx #tattooworkers #tattooskinart #blackworkerssubmission #wisdom #workhorseirons #neotatmachines #_rest_less_tattooing

A post shared by Andi Rest_Less (@_rest_less_tattooing) on Jun 1, 2016 at 9:25am PDT

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Спустя месяц выкладываю работу, сделанную еще до самоизоляции . Это персонажи относительно старого комикса «Кальвин и Хоббс» в минималистичном стиле . Мне понравилось делать эту маленькую и милую работу, вроде как я всегда топлю за большие татуировки и проекты, но к маленьким тату у меня есть слабость, особенно когда они наполнены каким-то сакральным для человека смыслом . Я начинаю запись на май! Пишите в директ или любую другу мою соц. сеть, а так же веду запись и консультацию по телефону +79525576233 ‍♀️ . . . . . . P.S: я очень соскучилась по работе #хочуработать _______________________________________________________ #tattoomini#tattoominimalista#tattoovrn#tattoosketch#tattoocomics#tattooart#calvinandhobbes#calvinandhobbestattoo#tattoorussia#татуаоронеж#татуировкаворонеж#татумай2020#татувворонеже#воронеж#воронеж2020#минитату#маленькоетату#кельвинихоббс#татукельвинихоббс#татукомикс#татумастерворонеж#татустудияворонеж

A post shared by ‍♂️Богдана ‍♀️ (@__bogdani__) on May 7, 2020 at 12:23am PDT

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Trabalho que realizei em Brasília há alguns anos e me orgulho muito do resultado. Valeu a confiança Henrique. . . #colortattoo #color #Comics #calvineharoldo #CalvinAndHobbes #calvineharoldotattoo #CalvinAndHobbestattoo #xamatattoo #xamacustomtattoo #douglasxama #tattoo #tattoos #Tirinhas #Quadrinhos #triptattoo #xamanovct #df #sp #BillWatterson

A post shared by Dj Xamã (@douglasxama) on Apr 8, 2020 at 5:32pm PDT

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Calvin and Hobbes! You say great for your first tattoo. #calvinandhobbes #calvinandhobbestattoo #tattoo #tigertattoo #sicktigertattoo #natehartleytattoos #hfxtattoocompany #ezcartridge #halifaxtattoo #maritimetattoo #novascotiatattoo #novascotiatattooshops #eternalink #colourtattoo #cartoontattoo #tattoo

A post shared by Nathaniel A. Hartley (@nate.hartley.tattoos) on Mar 14, 2020 at 1:57pm PDT

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Calvin and Hobbes chilling. #tattoo #calvinandhobbes #billwatterson #comicstrip #colortattoo #girlswithtattoo #calvinandhobbestattoo

A post shared by Cory Fodor (@coryfodortattooer) on Mar 11, 2020 at 1:37pm PDT

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This beautiful man let me put some of my favorite things on him. It’s as if he knew me!

A post shared by DallasTattoo Clifton (@dallastattooclifton) on Mar 1, 2020 at 4:42pm PST

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Had fun with this today! #tattoo#tattoos#tattooartist#tattooartists#tattooer#tattooing#tattooist#tattoolife#tattooed#tattoocommunity#tattoosofinstagram#tattooart#tattooworkers#tattoodo#comicart#ink#inked#inkedup#calvinandhobbes#calvinandhobbestattoo#forearmtattoo#colortattoo#eternalink#dynamicblack#kingpintattoosupply#pennsylvania#quakertown#buckscounty

A post shared by John Henry (@johnnyx77) on Feb 29, 2020 at 6:18pm PST

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Spaceman Spiff vs Marvin the Martian. This was a fun one #prairietattoocompany #okotoks #okotokstattoo #alberta #albertatattoo #banff #canmore #calgary #calgarytattoos #calgarytattooartist #yyc #yyctattoos #yycartist #spacemanspiff #calvinandhobbes #marvinthemartian #looneytunes #looneytunestattoo #calvinandhobbestattoo #colortattoo #cartoontattoo

A post shared by Prairie Tattoo Company (@prairietattoocompany) on Feb 20, 2020 at 1:57pm PST

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• Calvin e Haroldo • pagando de malandros de rolezinho na Tardis! HAHA! Essa ideia muito doida veio do @dudubitencourt que é fã de carteirinha de Calvin and Hobbes e Doctor Who! Doideira né? As ideias mais doidas são sempre as mais divertidas de trabalhar! Agradeço demais a confiança Du! E você? Qual ideia doida você pretende mandar pra pele? Comenta aí! #doctorwho #doctorwhotattoo #calvinandhobbes #calvinandhobbestattoo #tardistattoo #sketchtattoo #geektattoo #watercolortattoo #tattooartist #tattooart

A post shared by [MAYARA • M A R Q U E S] (@compulsivatattoo) on Feb 6, 2020 at 3:55pm PST

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This was so much fun, stoked I was able to tattoo this piece! Thanks for the trust Evan! *** *** *** *** #tattoo #tattoos #tattooing #tattooart #tattooartist #mashup #mandalorian #starwars #babyyoda #starwarstattoo #disneytattoos #calvinandhobbes #cartoontattoo #traditionaltattoo #traditionaltattoos #tradtattoos #tattooing #disney #disneyplus #americanatattoos #oldschooltattoo #brightandbold #illustration #longbeach #calvin #hobbes #kevinricharttattoo

A post shared by Kevin RICHART (@kevinricharttattoo) on Dec 8, 2019 at 2:58pm PST

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7 1/2 hrs in on this Calvin and Hobbes rib piece for Adam. Go big or go home, thanks for sitting like a champ and letting me recreate a classic. . #calvinandhobbes #colortattoo #calvinandhobbestattoo #ribtat #ribs #comics #comicart #calvin #hobbes #color #watercolor #eternalink #art #drawing #workhorseirons #fortcollins #tattoo

A post shared by Jordan Persons (@jpcollective_) on Dec 18, 2019 at 6:46pm PST

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