Decades after the beloved comic strip Calvin and Hobbes concluded its run, six-year-old Susie Derkins continues to stand out as one of the most uniquely written and underrated characters in newspaper strip history.
Over the years, dedicated fans have created various sequel works imagining the future of Bill Watterson's iconic cast. A prominent example is the 2011 web comic Hobbes and Bacon by Tom Heyerman of Pants Are Overrated, which survived online through a WordPress mirror. Works like Heyerman's frequently lean into a persistent fan trope: an adult Calvin marrying Susie and passing his stuffed tiger down to their child. Because Susie was Calvin's only consistent peer, fans naturally pair them together, even though their daily interactions in the original strip were notoriously volatile.
Throughout the comic's original publication, Susie operated primarily as Calvin's narrative foil. She represented academic responsibility, order, and social adjustment, directly contrasting Calvin's chaotic, imaginative, and school-averse temperament. While early storylines—such as a 1986 Valentine's Day arc—hinted at subtle mutual affection, these warm moments were rare exceptions similar to early comic anomalies like Calvin's Uncle Max. For the vast majority of the series, the two characters functioned like oil and water.
Unlike Calvin's parents, who also served to highlight his wild personality, Susie was rarely given standalone storylines. Her most prominent individual plot occurred in May 1986, when she found and rescued Hobbes after a stray dog snatched him away. Beyond that event, she mostly appeared alongside Calvin during school-related scenes.
Despite her limited solo spotlight, Susie delivered some of the comic's most memorable commentary. A classic strip from October 4, 1993, which was widely shared across libraries, captures her spirit perfectly. Waiting for the morning school bus, Susie excitedly shares her enthusiasm for reading their textbooks. Calvin ignores her, transforming his book into an animation of a dinosaur driving the Batmobile. Unfazed, Susie remarks that books might be the only friends worth having.
Susie's extreme academic drive remains an intriguing mystery, as the comic never detailed her home life or parents. Nevertheless, her portrayal as an extraordinarily capable six-year-old scholar cemented her status as an enduring icon for avid readers.
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