Garfield is a cultural institution at this point, enjoying a level of fame for a comic strip character previously bestowed only on the likes of Charlie Brown or Snoopy. He’s been part of the world for so long, and in such a steady, easily understandable form, that he even gets under people’s skin. But despite the fact he’s a major pop culture icon, there’s a lot of weirdness surrounding Garfield, in how he was conceived, how he’s consumed, and even how he was created. Here’s the very odd story and legacy of Garfield.
The Bizarre History of Garfield takes a look at the weirdness in Garfield comic strip,
and of cartoonist Jim Davis. With subheads like:
Jim Davis has done a lot more than just Garfield
Jon is Jim Davis, and Jim Davis is Jon
The mystery of the missing roommate
Garfield: The Musical is a real thing
Garfield’s bizarre alter ego
What did the internet do to you, Garfield?
Care for a Garfuccino?
Have Garfield and Jon been dead for 30 years?
The mistake that led to Bill Murray voicing Garfield
Dumb dog Odie is based on a real ‘idiot’
Garfield’s very ‘stupid’ mistake
The truth about Nermal
Brian Boone, for Grunge, does an extended check on the stranger aspects of Garfield.