Falling off the map

Bill Watterson, cartoonist

The creator of Calvin and Hobbes called it quits cold turkey in 1995, and has since rarely been seen outside or even within Chagrin Falls, Ohio. In 1999, he wrote a short piece on the end of 8220;Peanuts8221; and, last October, answered a few readers8217; questions

Syd Barrett, musician

Was the inspiration behind Pink Floyd in their first avatar circa 1967, then succumbed to the pressures of the fame and lots of LSD that followed. Dropped from the band in 1968, then turned up seven years later 8212; ironically, while they were recording the tribute to him, 8216;Shine On You Crazy Diamond8217;. Recently deceased

Howard Hughes, entrepreneur

Having conquered the marketplace, he fell victim to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and locked himself away from the public. Living in darkened rooms, refusing to cut his hair or nails, his image had so altered that when he died he could only be identified from his fingerprints.

JD Salinger, writer

Soon after the success of Catcher in the Rye, Salinger withdrew into his own world. Not entirely alone, though: Three wives and a mistress kept him company at various times, as did various forms of religion including Advaita Vedanta Hinduism. Still living, with wife 3, 40 years his junior