I have this image of Bill Watterson keeping tabs on this community, and when he sees us reacting to decades-old pieces like "ohhhh shit the raccoon story fuck" he feels a swelling of pride. His work is immortal in our memory and inimitable in our estimation, and I hope he knows that.
I still have every single one of the first edition books that were available when I was a kid. I spent my paper route money on them, and I'll never part with them. They were such special books to me back then. I saw so much of myself in Calvin.
I remember reading this as a kid, and hoping the raccoon would be okay. Looking at it as an adult, I'm surprised Watterson was able to make a joke at the end. So much story in just four panels.