My goal was to keep it this way, even as the strip became a hit. Writing and drawing are slow, deliberate activities, so I tried to keep distractions to an absolute minimum, and I did everything myself. I liked this control, as it fostered a sense of craftsmanship. There was great personal satisfaction in attending to detail and quality, and I remain very proud of the standards the strip met day after day. I also liked the responsi- bility of knowing that, succeed or fail, it was all my own doing. And most importantly, this approach kept the strip very honest and personal-everything having to do with Calvin and Hobbes expressed my own ideas, my own values, my own way. I wrote every word, drew every line, and painted every color. It's a rare gift to find such fulfilling work.
