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I've always been attracted to works of fiction that mess with one's mind, things that seem lighthearted at first but have a dark crux, and things that leave you feeling uneasy after you've seen them. Things like Eraserhead, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Donnie Darko (in the order I thought of them while typing).

So it was of particular interest to me when I found this series of Garfield comic strips from 1989. I've never had particular interest in Garfield, though I used to watch Garfield and Friends when I was in fourth grade while waiting for Pokémon to come on. However, this particular sequential narrative of strips stirred my attention. I've included a picture from it, but if you want to see the whole thing, I have it hosted at a link that I have given at the bottom of this post.

I found out about it from the Onion AV Club's "12 Memorable newspaper comic-strip deaths" article. It is certainly up to interpretation whether Garfield is actually dead/dying, but it does seem to present the disturbing statement that Garfield, now alone and his own existence apparently fading, decides to reject reality so that he can continue to live happily. Indeed, that in itself seems to imply that all subsequent comic strips in the Garfield series are taking place purely within Garfield's imagination.

I never would have expected something so dark and existential from Garfield. Calvin and Hobbes, but not Garfield, a Heathcliff doppelganger who only wants to eat spaghetti and nap.

Well... erm... so, for anyone who's still here... any interpretations of this very deep, philosophical Garfield story? XD After reading it over again, it appears to me personally that Garfield is having a terrifying dream of the inevitable future, and decides to pretend that it will never happen. Of course, there is the irony that being fictional, he can and probably will stay the same age forever and doesn't have to worry about death. You can read he "he's dead" interpretation in the Onion AV Club article I linked to in one of the above paragraphs.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot to link to the series of strips that make up the story! You can read the whole thing HERE.

Updated: 08/08/07 1:03 AM Log in to comment! | Share this!

The People Have Spoken

16 Comments

Aug. 8, 2007 | 1:52 AM Fox says:

I'm a huge Garfield fan, and have read probable read all the strips up until about 2005 (they just start to suck after that). When I read these strips, I never once thought about Garfield's demise. I always thought it was a mere dream, or perhaps a ghastly vision into the future. The last square in the last strip also hints at it being a dream. "An imagination is a powerful tool."
Also it seems like Jim Davis was trying to send a message with this short storyline. So in my opinion, Garfield had a bad dream and learned a (lifelong?) lesson.

Aug. 8, 2007 | 2:22 AM Sticky says:

The comic is saying that your mind can manipulate your past memories and your perception of your future based on the way you live your life.

Aug. 8, 2007 | 3:23 AM deadlock32 says:

nice find.
I think it shows you how people that, to us, are obviously living a line, can seem like the truth to them.

Aug. 8, 2007 | 4:01 AM FlameAlchemist says:

When does it say he dies? It just says he imagined it.

Aug. 8, 2007 | 5:04 AM Skye-McCloud says:

When I first saw these comics, I was driven to research into it. However, my findings found that he didn't really die, but that his imagination threw him into his greatest fear. This became a big thing when the comics were reprinted for the 20th Anniversary Collection, and Jon Davis even made sure to comment on them. Here is the quote from the book:

"During a writing session for week, I got the idea for this decidedly different series of strips. I wanted to scare people. And what do people fear? Why, being alone of course. We carried out the concept to its logical conclusion and got a lot of responses from readers."

In other words, it was never meant to be that he died, but that he imagined it all and upon snapping out of it he was deeply happy to have Job and Odie back. You can read all about it on the Garfield Wikipedia page. It was all metaphorical, not literal.

However, I have to admit that when I first learned about these strips, it was through a YTMND peice, which had some music that, when combined with the strips, made me realize just how much companionship is important.

Anyway, the real kicker to proving he isn't dead is in the very last line.

"... or paint a future so vivid that it can entice... or terrify, all depending upon how we conduct ourselves today."

What this line meant was that his imagination showed him something that terrified him.

Aug. 8, 2007 | 2:38 PM NAveryW responds:

Thanks for that! It's good to see an actual statement about the strip from its creator. And I applaud him for actually trying something different and creepy.

Aug. 8, 2007 | 5:12 AM KupaMan says:

Most people don't know this, but he's actually referring to the people who like him anymore.

Aug. 8, 2007 | 5:57 AM RaNcIdPsYcHoJoSh says:

No, Garfield's not dead. Despite this series of strips that broke out of the norm once nearly 20 years ago, the writers don't really have the facilities to move the strip that far. Davis himself heard all the speculations that fans made about how Garfield is actually trapped alone in a house and fantasizing his whole world right now, and he was reported to have laughed out loud when he heard those things.

Aug. 8, 2007 | 8:28 AM NextGen says:

I can see how people would get the impression that he died or was dying, but I agree with you. Upon reading the strips myself, it almost seems obvious that he was merely imagining a parallel life (not necessarily a future) of loneliness. Although, in the last panel, Davis mentions "the inevitable process of time" which hints at a future.

Anyways, the whole thing about the thing says that Garfield was only imagining that he was alone and abandoned. He lived his life (note the phrase "how we conduct ourselves today") like the fatass he is, taking the company of Jon and Odie for granted. His imagination woke up him and caused him to really appreciate all he had ("Who needs it? I need you!").

I don't think this was a dream, actually. Unless he was dream-walking. Or something. I'm not sure what it was. A hallucination from being so damn fat? Who knows. Anyways.

I'm the same age as you, and living in the same state, but I never got to see Garfield and Friends. I did watch Pokemon, however, because it was on as soon as I got home. Woot!

Aug. 8, 2007 | 11:13 AM super-maruigi says:

that comic is kinda chilling. but i still don't think he died. there's that whole thing in the end about imagination. i don't see why people think he died. nice find, though. this certainly was of interest to me.

Aug. 20, 2007 | 12:20 PM robattle says:

They're called "nightmares".

Sep. 17, 2007 | 1:35 PM qwertytiny says:

STOP TORTURING US!!! I'LL DO ANYTHING 2 KNOW ABOUT THE SECRET ROOM!!!!

Sep. 27, 2007 | 3:11 AM Sticky says:

lol I can't believe you really put a secret room in your game. If I hadn't managed to find the answer to finding the secret room I would've assumed it was a joke.

Oct. 20, 2007 | 1:53 PM karlu20 says:

lalalala... good gameeeee lalalala.... i forgot what i was gonna say..... oh and garfield is all uhh icky <.< and stupid... and yea welll....... icky... anyways... uhhh right well good game and ummm yeaaaaaaaaa... uhhhh be my friend or ill knee you - wait ur a guy right *scrolls up* good ur a guy (kinda hard to knee a girl...) anywayssss yeaa... be my friend or ill knee u ^.^ and yes thats random but randoms good ^.^ u of all ppl should know - im going by the game u made

Oct. 25, 2007 | 3:32 PM xKiRiLLx says:

Dawg finnish ur site! :D
And give out the secret room :)

Feb. 8, 2008 | 9:05 PM Kyusaku says:

Dilbert was killed at least one time.

Mar. 9, 2008 | 3:49 PM Robert2812 says:

Im also a Garfield Fanatic,

but i dont know the answer soz.