 Spaceman Spiff
Spaceman Spiff is the Intrepid Explorer of the Galaxy. He is frequently used as a metaphor for events happening in Calvin's life, with aliens representing others in a situation. Calvin often uses him as an excuse, for instance, when Spiff collides planet 6 and planet 5, leaving the larger planet 6 the only one left, and by this logic Calvin writes on his test that 5+6=6. He is just one example of the brilliant imagination Calvin has.
The character of Spiff was actually born much before Calvin, in one of Bill's first comic strips, though the character similarities stopped at the name.
Tracer Bullet
Tracer Bullet is a flm-noir stereotype Private Eye. He takes over just like the other alter-egos, when Calvin has done something wrong or needs to avoid something. Clients represent parents or others in a situation. Tracer Bullet was always drawn in the black and white daily strips in a heavily shadowed style, mocking films with the same theme.
 Stupendous Man
Stupendous Man, the defender of justice, usually "saves the day" for Calvin by doing something that allows Calvin to put off work or something else he doesn't want to do. For instance, once Stupendous Man spun the world backwards on its axis so that Calvin had a few more hours before he had to do his homework. One difference between Stpendous Man and the other alter-egos is that Calvin actually does have a Stupendous Man costume, so at times Calvin actually does do what we see in the comic, as opposed to just imagining it.
The Cardboard Box
The cardboard box is Calvin's everything-machine. It is a transmogrifier, transforming people and things into different ones. It is a duplicator, making copies of whatever is inside. It is an ethicator, making copies of only the good part of what is inside. It's even been a Cerebral Enhance-o-tron, expanding Calvin's brain to help with a tough class project, and the world's most powerful computer.
|
|
