wow

There's only one known photo of Bill Waterson in existence, taken in 1986:

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2014/02/calvin_and_hobbes_creator_bill.html

He looks like the dad in the Calvin and Hobbes comic:

First, some background. It all started when Stephan Pastis, of Pearls Before Swine, sent this comic strip to Bill.

Stephan thanked Bill for all his great work, and not much else. To his surprise, Bill wrote back suggesting a collaboration!

(For the impatient, Bill's drawing starts on the 4th image of this post)

Together they wrote an arc with Libby, a 2nd grader who criticizes Stephan's artwork and tries her hand at it.

http://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2014/06/02

Stephan often made fun of his own artistic ability in his strips, so Bill suggested he get hit on his head and his artistic ability changes for a week. Stephan instead proposed that a 2nd grader would show a ton of sass and show off her own take on his strips.

This is the last of the "introduction" strips. Looking back, I giggle thinking that's an incarnation of Bill Watterson.

http://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2014/06/03

Here it is! It's happening!

http://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2014/06/04

Damn it feels good to see this style of artwork again.

http://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2014/06/05

That last panel. I couldn't have asked it to end any better.

All credit goes to Stephan Pastis and Bill Watterson.

http://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2014/06/06

Stephan has a blog post with the story here: 

http://stephanpastis.wordpress.com/2014/06/07/ever-wished-that-calvin-and-hobbes-creator-bill-watterson-would-return-to-the-comics-page-well-he-just-did/

Other imgur Calvin and Hobbes posts I've favorited in the past: 

 Wallpapers: http://imgur.com/gallery/bD5vs 

"Hobbes and Bacon", about Calvin and Susie's daughter! http://imgur.com/gallery/OEhLNe5 

That feeling when you look up in the night sky... http://imgur.com/gallery/PbKPd 

The greatest motivating force known to man: http://imgur.com/gallery/5gRpt

Edit: Wild Final Comic appeared!

http://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine

Thanks to Saavedro88 and cboy259 for pointing this one out to me!

Source of that post: http://imgur.com/gallery/xbQmj