Because if he wanted to just make a quick buck, there are a thousand ways he could do it that would be easier and more lucrative.

A new deluxe edition of C&H strips. Selling original art. Writing an autobiography. Doing a more traditional comic book. Even simply continuing C&H straight up. None of those would have tarnished his legacy at all.

You’re certainly right that the book wouldn’t have gotten the attention it did without his name, but that doesn’t mean it was a cash grab. He has had ample opportunity over the last 3 decades to do something for quick money. There’s zero reason to believe that’s the motivation for a niche book like this.

Regardless of your thoughts on the book, calling Watterson a sellout is one of the dumber things I’ve ever seen on Reddit.

Because it’s fun.

The price point for the OP is ridiculous, but a regular Super8 can be a good time. It’s fun to be limited by 50 feet of film and knowing that what you get is what you get. It’s more than just the nostalgia for the 8mm look.

Sure, it’s a lot pricier than just shooting videos on a phone, but that’s kinda how hobbies tend to work.

The idea is super cool for a hobbyist, but that price is batshit crazy.

Great features:

• Onboard mic
• Removable lenses
• Metering
• Screen (though a bit unnecessary)
• Digital backup

That’s a cool product. But it is not a $5,000 product. You can get a professionally refurbished Super8 for $3-500, and even cheaper if you’re willing to risk it on eBay. Those extra features are not worth the upgrade price.

I was hoping something like this would get popular to bring down the cost of processing, but this is not going to expand the market at all.