Garfield: An Analysis

[Mr. SmartyPants]

but I never really got to read Calvin and Hobbes, so I can't say much about that.

You can't be serious... It's amazingly witty, innocent (sort of) funny, imaginative, and captures the essence of a 6 year old boy with his loyal pet stuffed-tiger Hobbes as they go on with their crazy imaginations.

You will adore it.

[mastersquirrel]

When I was younger Garfield was my favorite comic. I still like the old stuff, but the newer stuff is just worn out jokes and some of it is reused material.

Calvin and Hobbes is now tied for favorite with Sherman's Lagoon for me. Far side, Dilbert, Peanuts (especially if you can read them in order), and Fox Trot are all at the top of my list.

[uc pseudonym]

To be honest, I've never really liked Peanuts. For me, at least, it is almost never funny and feels very repetitious. Can you (or anyone else who enjoys it) elaborate some on why you find it appealing?

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Same here. I like a few Peanuts strips but never found them all that funny or ingenious.

[Puritan]

Ya know, I stopped paying attention to Garfield years ago, but this actually IS really funny. Odd how simply removing the thought bubbles improves these things... Actually, besides a few good comics like Foxtrot or Dilbert currently, and the Far Side, Calvin and Hobbes and the old Bloom County comics, I find the majority of the comics in the paper pretty boring. I'm continually surprised that half to three-quarters of them are still around because I can barely imagine people reading them.

[Radical Dreamer]

To be honest, I've never really liked Peanuts. For me, at least, it is almost never funny and feels very repetitious. Can you (or anyone else who enjoys it) elaborate some on why you find it appealing?

Well, for me, most of it is the endearing characters. I mean, almost everyone can relate to Charlie Brown at some point in their life]A Charlie Brown Christmas[/u] is a classic in my family, and I've been reading Peanuts comics ever since I was at least 5. I guess a lot of it depends on personal taste, but Peanuts has always just struck that nostalgic "awww" chord in me, so that's why I like it. XD

[battletech]

Garfield is King.
Those comics you say are better are never funny.
I might have to leave CAA because of all you Garfield haters.
Garfield is my hero.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Well, maybe we just like intellectual humour, instead of non-funny humour?
Don't leave CAA because off this thread, that's so immature.

[battletech]

I was being facetious when I said I was leaving.

facetious, adj. 1.not meant to be taking seriously or literally. 2. amusing, humorous. 3. lacking serious intent.

[uc pseudonym]

For clarification: were you entirely sarcastic or do you actually like Garfield in some sense?

Also, Warrior 4 Jesus, please try to consider your words more carefully. While I agree with your opinion, it is exactly that and shouldn't be used in such a manner. If someone actually came into the thread and posted "ur dm i luv Garfield" then they've already proven themselves immature and no posting is necessary.

[Alice]

Personally, although I've read Peanuts cartoons since I was a kid, I never really understood much of the humor involved. Maybe it's like a missing Peanuts-humor-organ in me. I'm kind of ashamed of it, because lots of people like it, even people in my family, but I just never really have. I kept thinking I would understand, and like it someday, but so far that hasn't happened.

On the other hand, I *do* like Garfield -- in moderation. Especially the earlier ones, which are (sometimes) actually funny. (I haven't read a funny one in the paper in coon years.)

What I like about Garfield is that it's a fat cat who doesn't care what people think about him, and often goes off on goofy fantasty tangents. [*Edit* And I think I like that because I wish I could be more like that myself - unabashed about what I weigh, look like, etc., and not care what other people think of me!]

As for Calvin and Hobbes -- I've read all of them, or all of them that are easily accesible without buying a huge collection, years ago. I know them all by heart, and although I enjoy the humor, I must say it's old hat. I can't read them with anything like original enjoyment anymore, because I know every word and panel. So, yeah, I yawn about Calvin and Hobbes.

[MidnightWalker]

I like it Garfield's thoughts dont help the comic at all >.<

[Nate]

For me, I like Peanuts. Not because I find it funny, because I don't. I like Peanuts because often times, it didn't try to be funny. Not blatantly funny, anyway. I see it as more a "slice of life" comic strip, not really amusing, but enjoyable. Compared to say, Family Circus, which fails at being both funny and enjoyable, by trying too hard to be funny.

Calvin and Hobbes is, was, and forever will be my favorite comic strip (followed closely by The Far Side), for a lot of reasons. It was deep, and funny at the same time. It had a lot to say about life; earlier today I remembered a series of strips that ran for a few days, about how Calvin found a little baby raccoon that was injured, and tried to take care of it, only to have it die overnight. It suspended disbelief in Calvin actually being six years old, when he couldn't do a simple math problem yet wrote essays using words that even I had to look up.

By the way, I have the three volume hardcover C&H collection, and I must say it's the best hundred bucks I've ever spent.

[Radical Dreamer]

For me, I like Peanuts. Not because I find it funny, because I don't. I like Peanuts because often times, it didn't try to be funny. Not blatantly funny, anyway. I see it as more a "slice of life" comic strip, not really amusing, but enjoyable. Compared to say, Family Circus, which fails at being both funny and enjoyable, by trying too hard to be funny.

You pretty much summed it all up right there. I agree 100%. XD

[uc pseudonym]

That is more or less what I expected. I've never been fond of anything to which the phrase "slice of life" applies, simply because of my general personality. Not to sound heartless, but I am apparently missing my "awwww" cord.

[ShiroiHikari]

I got some really funny results on the Garfield randomizer, so I just thought I'd post them here for the heck of it. Enjoy.

[uc pseudonym]

Thanks for those, actually. Both of them were amusing and had a strangely high degree of continuity. Given that Jon has a limited number of shirt colors, someday there will be a comic that looks completely unified but doesn't make any sense.

[QtheQreater]

Well...this one made me laugh...it just opens up so many random possibilities...

[Tenshi no Ai]

Well...this one made me laugh...it just opens up so many random possibilities...

Yeah that is a gooder^^

[Fish and Chips]

By the way, I have the three volume hardcover C&H collection, and I must say it's the best hundred bucks I've ever spent.

You, sir, have good taste.

[SaintGabriel]

Ah yes, Garfield is funny.
I'm happy to see that Jim Davis is actually doing something different by putting Jon and Liz together.

Favorite Garfield comic ever:

Panel 1- Jon is looking at two puzzle pieces.
Panel 2- Jon is still looking at the two rather large puzzle pieces.
Panel 3- Garfield: "Those two-piece puzzles are quite a challenge Jon".