Garfield’s Birthday: 34 Years of Lasagna and Sarcasm

Happy Birthday Garfield!

Garfield was always one of my favorite comic strip characters, possibly because we have so much in common. We both hate Mondays, love sleep, and speak fluent sarcasm. We also share a passion for lasagna that the world will never fully understand or appreciate. I have a lot of respect for Garfield, because unlike so many in the spotlight, the flabby tabby is comfortable in his fur and has never shown any desire to slim down – in fact, he taught us all that “diet” is really just “die” with a “t” on the end.

Since his first appearance in newspapers on June 19, 1978, Garfield has been one busy cat. He has his own TV show, has starred in several feature films, and holds the Guinness World Record for most widely syndicated comic strip. When you consider how widely read and well-loved he is, it can come as no surprise that Garfield is a muse to many of his devoted fans, inspiring creativity in a variety of mediums. Admirers have expressed their love for the funny papers’ favorite fat cat through drawings, sculptures, and even cupcakes decorated in his likeness.

As popular as Garfield is, it is difficult to imagine a world without his pithy comments – but the webcomic “Garfield Minus Garfield” offers a glimpse into what that world would be like.

“Garfield Minus Garfield” postulates a world where Garfield – and every other character except Jon Arbuckle, for that matter – does not exist. Some of the strips are uneventful (Jon, alone in a panel, yawns) while others are nonsensical (Jon asks “Annoyed yet?” to no one in particular) and some are downright sad. In one strip Jon Arbuckle observes, “Every day is just like every other day.” In the next panel he follows up with, “My life has been one long day.” Presumably in the Jim Davis version, the third panel would feature some classic Garfield deadpan humor. Without Garfield for comic relief, however, Jon is left to frown at the audience and appear resigned to his fate. Deprived of his beloved pets, Jon Arbuckle is a lonely, angst-ridden man slowly succumbing to bitterness, who suffers from the occasional schizophrenic outburst as he appears to be shouting at himself.

Jon Arbuckle needs Garfield, and so do we. Without Garfield, who would teach us the best way to smoosh a spider? Who would ease our guilt about midnight snacking? And who would show us that it’s ok to sleep with a teddy bear at any age? After 34 years in the papers, Garfield is still going strong. Here’s to hoping for another 34 years of feline wit and wisdom.