The robot who almost ruined Calvin and Hobbes

Robotman was supposed to be the next Garfield or Snoopy. In the 1980s there was a multi-million-dollar campaign to promote him, complete with an animated special, toys and a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. At the same time, a young cartoonist named Bill Watterson was pitching a comic strip to United Feature Syndicate. The syndicate turned down Watterson's strip, Calvin and Hobbes, but made him an offer: If he would agree to add Robotman to the strip, they would reconsider. Here are some of the sources I used: Jim Meddick interview with Hogan's Alley: https://www.hoganmag.com/blog/man-and... Bill Watterson interview with Comics Journal: https://www.tcj.com/the-bill-watterso... Honk! magazine is defunct, and never had a website as far as I know, but someone has helpfully scanned their interview with Watterson:   / i_scanned_my_copy_of_the_bill_watterson_in...