Simplified Series – Where's Waldo?

My feverish pursuit of MOAR content brought forth this feature: Simplified Series. Here's the pitch: quick synopses (I'll try and keep them spoiler-free-ish, but, you know, most of these are past the statute of limitations on spoilers) of the entries in a series followed by the reasons you should or shouldn't read it. This week:

The Where's Waldo Tetralogy by Martin Handford

Background Info: So, my research on Wikipedia tells me that the Where's Waldo books were created by an English illustrator named Martin Handford. Also, that in England, Waldo is named Wally. Also, this is actually a heptalogy, but I only had the first four books when I was a kid, so that's all there is, damnit! So, these aren't books that you read so much, they're fun activity books for kids about finding the eponymous Waldo in a series of increasingly busy illustrations. The books become more difficult as they progress, with less and less of Waldo visible and additional characters added in subsequent volumes. So, let's take a look at everyone's favorite bespectacled perambulator.

Where's Waldo? (1987): Backpacking and striped sweater enthusiast Waldo is taking a trip all over the world. And it's up for you to spot him in a series of increasingly busy pictures. Whether he's at the beach, the airport, the museum, or on a cruise ship that's being attacked by both vikings and pirates, one thing is constant: he's always losing crap. On the first page he's got a backpack, shovel, tin cup, kettle, satchel, camera, binoculars, wooden mallet, snorkel and walking stick. Well, he's actually lost the cup in the first page, and in every image thereafter he loses something. Seriously, keep track of your crap,Waldo. Can you spot all the things Waldo mentions in his post cards? Can you find everything on the checklist in the back? Am I seriously doing this feature about a series of "find-the-thing" books for children?

Find Waldo Now (1988): Well, that escalated quickly. It's only the second entry and Waldo's already traveling through time. Well, kinda. See, in the introductory note to the Caveman scene, Waldo explains that he's been reading history books. Apparently it's sparked his imagination, in that he imagines himself subtly hidden in a series of pictures. He's still losing things somehow, only this time it's the stack of books. So, if this is all in Waldo's imagination, does that mean that we have mind-reading powers in the world of the Where's Waldo? books?  Why are so many of the eras Waldo imagines beset by violent conflict? Will Handford find a way to crank up the difficult in subsequent volumes?

The Great Waldo Search (1989): So, this one doesn't even bother with a framing narrative, you're just looking for Waldo in a series of fantasy settings. There's goblins, vampires, dwarves, knights, dragons, flying carpets, and, cruelly, a whole world of Waldos (the real one is missing a shoe). Also, every picture now includes the Wizard Whitebeard and a scroll for Waldo to find, so really for you to find. Is this canon? Does Where's Waldo? have a canon? Am I overthinking this?

Where's Waldo? in Hollywood (1993): Well, we're back to diegetic explanations of what's going on: Waldo's in Hollywood. He's just wandering around a movie studio, stumbling upon the sets of musicals, sword-and-sandal epics, and such formerly popular genres as the western, the Robin Hood adaptation, and the Three Musketeers adaptation. And there's even more to search for than ever before: Waldo and Whitebeard return and are joined by Waldo's dog, Woof; his distaff counterpart, Wenda; and his evil doppelgänger, Odlaw. Also, find Waldo's lost key, Woof's lost bone, Whitebeard's lost scroll, and a can of film, just lying around. And, of course, the volume concludes in an ouroboros-like manner, when Waldo et al. visit the set of the Where's Waldo? movie. Wait? So in the Where's Waldo? universe, the Where's Waldo? books exist and are being made into a movie? Or is Waldo just famous? I'm overthinking this, aren't I?

Why should you read the Where's Waldo? series?: Okay, so you don't really read them, per se. But you should check them out if you enjoy visual puns, looking for things and punishing yourself by trying to find the "real" thing in a picture full of fakes. Also, if you're a bored kid, they're a great way to pass the time.

Why shouldn't you read the Where's Waldo? series?: There's literally no reason not to. Unless you don't think it sounds fun. In which case, you should not read them.

Links:

Hey! Remember when Chatroulette was a thing? No? Well, you might still enjoy this image.

Hey! Remember the movie Surf Ninjas? No? Well, it referenced Where's Waldo?

Hey! Remember the Where's Waldo? cartoon show? No? Well, Youtube does.