If you missed out on Amazon’s Prime Day deal on The Complete Calvin and Hobbes, you have another chance during the retailer’s Prime Big Deal Days sale[1]. The popular hardcover edition of The Complete Calvin and Hobbes[2] is discounted to $87.29 (was $225)–and you don’t need a Prime membership to snag it. You need to click the coupon on the store page to cut an additional $43.64 from the box set’s advertised price at checkout. This three-volume, 1,440-page box set only ever drops this low during major sales events, and it frequently sells out.
If you aren’t ready to splurge on the hardcover box set, Amazon also has official Prime Big Deal Days discounts on Calvin and Hobbes Portable Compendium Box Sets[3] and Treasury Collections[4]. The Portable Compendiums are on sale for all-time low prices. These compact editions are especially nice for younger readers and traveling.
Written and illustrated by Bill Watterson, the syndicated comic strip earned legions of fans and widespread critical acclaim throughout its 10-year run (1985-1995) in newspapers across the US and abroad. If you grew up stealing the comics section of the newspaper from your parents to read the humorous and insightful adventures of Calvin and his stuffed Tiger, check out Amazon’s deal before it’s gone.
$87.29 (was $225) with coupon[5]
The premium hardcover box set features three volumes compiling every single comic strip from Calvin and Hobbes’ run. All told, you’re getting 1,440 pages of comic strips, some in color, others in black-and-white. The included slipcase features one of the illustrations that is most-associated with Calvin and Hobbes.
I’ve owned this box set for years and can attest to its quality. The comic strips are printed on thick art paper, and the bindings have held up well. Fair warning, though: The premium materials make these books quite heavy. With all three books in the slipcase, you’ve got yourself 22 pounds worth of comic strips, so each book weighs roughly 7.3 pounds.
$91.26 (was $160)[6]
As mentioned, the paperback edition is slightly more expensive than the hardcover at the moment. And since this is the price it has been selling for lately, we’d recommend waiting for a bigger discount if you want this edition. For reference, the paperback box set was $74.63 during Prime Day in July.
The paperback version has 1,456 pages, but the complete run is spread across four volumes instead of three. If you’re buying the collection for a younger reader, this is probably the better option. While the full box set is still a hefty 17.75 pounds, each book is roughly 4.3 pounds. And with over 100 fewer pages per volume, these are easier to hold for kids and adults with smaller hands.
The slipcase features a different, but also well-known, illustration of Calvin and Hobbes dancing merrily.
Prime members can get budget-friendly editions for cheap.[7]
Along with the deals on The Complete Calvin and Hobbes, Amazon has budget-friendly paperback editions and box sets for cheap. You need to be a Prime member to get most of these deals. Multiple different editions are discounted, including the original trade paperbacks, the Treasury Collection, and the ongoing Portable Compendium series.
There are four Portable Compendiums so far, and Set 5 actually releases this week (October 7). Each box set comes with two softcover books and a slipcase to store them in. The first four sets are up for grabs for $10-$12 each as part of Amazon’s Big Deal Days comic book promotion[8].
The Calvin and Hobbes Portable Compendium Box Set Series[9]
Andrews McMeel Publishing began reprinting the series in this travel-friendly format in 2023. As mentioned, Set 5 releases this week, so it isn’t as cheap as the first four right now. The series will continue with Compendium Set 6 next March.
Calvin and Hobbes Treasury Collection:[10]
These are essentially greatest hits collections from the first half of Calvin and Hobbes’ syndicated run. All three oversized paperbacks are on sale for massive discounts.
Original Trade Paperback Editions:[11]
A handful of the original trade paperback editions are eligible for Amazon’s Buy Two, Get One Free Book Sale[12]. The original paperbacks have larger pages than the Portable Compendiums, though they aren’t as big as the Treasury Collections.
Calvin and Hobbes, at least according to Amazon, is recommended for kids ages 10 and up, which makes sense in some respects. I read Calvin and Hobbes when I was just learning how to read as in kindergarten, and many other longtime fans probably did as well. It’s not so much the content that is inappropriate for early readers, it’s that much of what makes Calvin and Hobbes so great is its wit. The cleverness and social commentary can fly right past younger readers. I gained a greater appreciation for Calvin and Hobbes when I read it as an adult.
Adults who love Calvin and Hobbes should consider picking up Bill Watterson’s latest work, The Mysteries, as the hardcover is only $7.63[13] at Amazon. The Mysteries couldn’t be more different from Calvin and Hobbes, but it’s an interesting illustrated fable for adult readers.
References
- ^ Prime Big Deal Days sale (www.amazon.com)
- ^ The Complete Calvin and Hobbes (www.amazon.com)
- ^ Calvin and Hobbes Portable Compendium Box Sets (www.amazon.com)
- ^ Treasury Collections (www.amazon.com)
- ^ $87.29 (was $225) with coupon (www.amazon.com)
- ^ $91.26 (was $160) (www.amazon.com)
- ^ Prime members can get budget-friendly editions for cheap. (www.amazon.com)
- ^ Amazon’s Big Deal Days comic book promotion (amzn.to)
- ^ The Calvin and Hobbes Portable Compendium Box Set Series (www.amazon.com)
- ^ Calvin and Hobbes Treasury Collection: (www.amazon.com)
- ^ Original Trade Paperback Editions: (www.amazon.com)
- ^ Amazon’s Buy Two, Get One Free Book Sale (amzn.to)
- ^ Bill Watterson’s latest work, The Mysteries, as the hardcover is only $7.63 (www.amazon.com)