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Aspertastic424
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26 Jun 2012, 9:28 pm

Now I know he is a fictional character, and for that reason does not have a diagnosis of anything. But I feel that Calvin of the comic "Calvin and Hobbes" definitly seems like a kid with aspergers. Just look at the whole picture of him: he doesn't relate well to kids his own age, instead finding companionship in Hobbes, a presumably neurotypical Tiger/friend. He wants to interact well with Susie Derkins, yet is unable to, often doing stupid or annoying things without meaning to. His is very intelligent and thoughtful, yet struggles with basic homework assignments, often getting lost in imagination as he tries do them. His parents write him off as lazy and undisciplined, and Hobbes has to serve as his executive functioner.

He is bullied sometimes, he has trouble getting along, is a very picky eater, is bad at organized sports, and all in all seems like he could have used more help and understanding. Does anyone else agree?



AScomposer13413
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26 Jun 2012, 11:27 pm

When you explain it like that, it makes sense. I'm surprised that didn't even cross my mind, and C&H was a special interest for a large chunk of my life! The only thing that would make me doubt it is how he handles his interests. You could say that his special interests are dinosaurs, aliens, and/or fantasy worlds. However, out of those three interests I mentioned, dinosaurs is the only one he actually gathers and states factual information about. As well, the level of control he has over his interests is quite high for a kid his age. For example, I can't recall a comic where Calvin was talking to Susie specifically about dinosaur facts and that was it. I mean, sure, you could chock that up to his intelligence, but that can only go so far.



NeueZiel
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26 Jun 2012, 11:34 pm

Calvin is what...7 or 8 years old? I love the comics to death but lots of kids are very picky eaters, have unique interests and don't mesh well with others. They eventually grow out of these qualities as they near adolescence..or don't and continue getting picked on throughout school until college where they are suddenly hipsters if they haven't become "normal".

I think Calvin is just an innocent boy who sees the world through an unspoiled, imaginative lens that many grown-ups fondly remembering being like when they were little. Yes, the majority of kids are as*holes to Calvin but he's not even in highschool and kids at that age are always mean. Calvin himself is even mean to other children, like Susie (because she's a "yucky" girl).



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27 Jun 2012, 10:59 pm

I think you might be on to something. Minus the tiger, in many ways, your description of Calvin as an Aspie might as well have been describing me at that age.

-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer



xenon13
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28 Jun 2012, 10:39 pm

I was compared to this character.



Delphiki
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28 Jun 2012, 10:41 pm

He is 5 maybe 6


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AspieOtaku
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01 Jul 2012, 11:21 pm

I was exactly like Calvin when I was at that age, especially when imagining I am a dinosaur terrorizing things, RAWR!!


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Kraichgauer
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01 Jul 2012, 11:34 pm

AspieOtaku wrote:
I was exactly like Calvin when I was at that age, especially when imagining I am a dinosaur terrorizing things, RAWR!!


I admit it - - me, too! That, or Godzilla.

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02 Jul 2012, 3:22 pm

I think I'm one of the biggest Calvin and Hobbes fans in the world. In fact, my bookcase is loaded almost exclusively with Dilbert and Calvin and Hobbes books. Aside from him being a bad kid and me being the opposite, he is almost a complete clone of me even as an adult. I especially relate to his elaborate vocabulary, incredible imagination and his ability to point out the emperor isn't wearing any clothes.

Whenever I think I'm the lone sane individual in an insane world, I can always read Bill Watterson's masterpiece and get a smile on my face.



Icheb
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03 Jul 2012, 3:00 pm

I've always imagined that Jeremy in "Zits" is Calvin as a teenager.


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LaPelirroja
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24 Aug 2012, 7:09 am

Calvin and Hobbes and Asperger's go together like peanut butter and jelly. If you were and aspie and didn't manage to get your hands on a copy of one of Waterson's books, you were missing out.

I always thought that Calvin must have had some form of Asperger's- although I doubt very much that that was what Bill Waterson had intended. Then again, once I was diagnosed, I started diagnosing everybody, fictional or not. :)



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24 Aug 2012, 12:07 pm

LaPelirroja wrote:
Calvin and Hobbes and Asperger's go together like peanut butter and jelly. If you were and aspie and didn't manage to get your hands on a copy of one of Waterson's books, you were missing out.

I always thought that Calvin must have had some form of Asperger's- although I doubt very much that that was what Bill Waterson had intended. Then again, once I was diagnosed, I started diagnosing everybody, fictional or not. :)


Same with me. In fact, a friend has accused me of thinking everyone is autistic. No, just those who stand out for me as being on the spectrum.

-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer



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24 Aug 2012, 8:21 pm

AScomposer13413 wrote:
When you explain it like that, it makes sense. I'm surprised that didn't even cross my mind, and C&H was a special interest for a large chunk of my life! The only thing that would make me doubt it is how he handles his interests. You could say that his special interests are dinosaurs, aliens, and/or fantasy worlds. However, out of those three interests I mentioned, dinosaurs is the only one he actually gathers and states factual information about. As well, the level of control he has over his interests is quite high for a kid his age. For example, I can't recall a comic where Calvin was talking to Susie specifically about dinosaur facts and that was it. I mean, sure, you could chock that up to his intelligence, but that can only go so far.


None of that rules out Aspergers.


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Olohuone
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31 Oct 2019, 1:41 pm

I just googled "calvin asperger" because I knew someone must have noticed and as a result I landed here. Confirmed!



thewrll
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31 Oct 2019, 9:18 pm

No he doesn't and people people please for love of everything that is holy stop necroposting.


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EzraS
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31 Oct 2019, 9:31 pm

This informative video explains Calvin's condition: