The Complete Calvin and Hobbes Three Hardcovers Oversized Boxed Set

Script and art by Bill Watterson. All illustrations are ©Bill Watterson.

Here is displayed the gigantically heavy 3 hardcovers boxed-set (12.5 x 11.2 x 5.2 inches or 32 x 28.5 x 13 cm, around 22 pounds or 10 kg) first published in October 2005 by Andrews McMeel Publishing, and my copy purchased in December 2013 is from the 10th print (October 2013, ISBN 978-0-7407-4847-9, 1454 pages, 175$ cover price). Note that there is also a smaller sized 4 paperbacks boxed-set version.

Each hardcover (12.2 x 10.7 inches or 31 x 27.5 cm) features the same second and third of cover. This set contains every daily and Sunday (in full-color) cartoon that were published from 1985 to 1995, and numerous extra art. All strips are dated at the bottom of each pages.


Let's start with book one (492 pages):

second/third of cover

It features a one page acknowledgments written by Bill Watterson followed by a 13 pages illustrated introduction also by the hand of the author (including early versions and a picture of Watterson's cat Sprite that has inspired Hobbes).

This first volume covers the period from November 18 1985 to October 1st 1988. Notice that the missing strip for 28th November 1985 is still and again missing.

Here is the alternative missing strip:

from calvin & hobbes wiki page

Now let's take a look at book 2 (480 pages):

This one covers the period from October 2nd 1988 (plus two Sunday from September 18 an 25 1988)  to April 26 1992. Note that previous paperbacks covers are included among the main material.

And here we finish with book three (482 pages):

This last volume covers the period from April 27 1992 to December 31 1995 (an emotional very last strip).

Calvin And Hobbes very last strip