‘Garfield’ Found Its Perfect Formula Before the Second Strip Even Arrived Almost 50 Years Later

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Not many comic strips figure out their voice with the first installment, but the ones that do tend to stand out. Peanuts had a boy who seemed to praise Charlie Brown to his face, then said, “How I hate him!” This all but cemented Charlie Brown’s status as the perpetual hard-luck loser. Calvin and Hobbes kicks off by introducing the titular ten-year-old, having caught the tiger who’ll become his best friend with a simple tuna fish sandwich; it isn’t until a few strips later that fans learned Hobbes was actually a stuffed animal. However, one comic strip perfectly nailed its lead character from the jump.

That strip is Jim Davis‘ Garfield. In this strip, readers are introduced to cartoonist Jon Arbuckle and his cat, Garfield. Garfield immediately stands out for his bright orange fur and enormous size, but what really stands out is his perpetual sarcastic streak. When Jon introduces them, Garfield responds — or rather, thinks to himself — “Hi there, I’m Garfield, I’m a cat, and this is my cartoonist, Jon.” Jon ends the strip by saying, “Our only thought is to entertain you,” while Garfield merely thinks, “Feed me.” This dynamic would fuel a multimedia empire, including The Garfield Movie in 2024.

The Very First ‘Garfield’ Strip Defines Who Garfield and Jon Are

Garfield-First-Strip — The first ‘Garfield’ strip introduces the sarcastic cat and his owner, Jon Arbuckle. Art by Jim Davis.

As Garfield‘s evolved throughout the years, most of Garfield’s trademark characteristics, including his love for lasagna and his loathing of Mondays, have been folded into the script. However, one thing remains unchanged: his sarcasm. Garfield is always quick to deliver a witty aside or a scathing joke, usually to Jon, Odie the dog, or kitten Nermal. What makes these quips hit all the hardest is that Garfield, and by extension, the audience, is the only one who can hear his thoughts. Therefore, anyone who reads a Garfield strip is in on the joke, and can enjoy a good laugh.

The first Garfield strip also establishes that Garfield is the straight man, or straight cat, to Jon. Jon is often derided for being a “dork,” whether it’s his less-than-stellar fashion taste or being extroverted to the point where he chases off potential friends. This gives Garfield plenty of material, but it also helps endear Jon to the reader. After all, who hasn’t committed a social faux pas at some point in their lives? Jon also gets a running subplot where he tries to ask Liz, a veterinarian who treats Garfield and Odie, out on a date. Nearly every time this happens, Liz rejects Jon with a scathing quip to match Garfield’s, though recent strips have seen the two entering into a relationship.

Who’s Your Perfect Classic Rock Band?

Classic Rock Personality QuizWho’s Your PerfectClassic Rock Band?A Personality Quiz · 10 QuestionsFive legendary bands. One perfect match. Answer 10 questions about your personality, attitude, and taste to find out which classic rock icon you truly belong with. Are you raw power, rolling swagger, operatic drama, thunderous riffs, or timeless melody?

⚡AC/DC

👅Rolling Stones

🤘Metallica

👑Queen

🎸The Beatles

Begin Quiz →

How do you walk into a room?Choose the answer that feels most like you.

ALike a freight train — loud, fast, and everyone knows I’ve arrived.BWith a slow, cool swagger — I take my time and own every step.CHead down, focused — I’m here for a purpose and small talk isn’t it.DWith total confidence and a flair for the dramatic — all eyes on me.EWarmly and curiously — genuinely excited to see what and who is here.

Next Question →

What does your ideal Friday night look like?

ALoud bar, cold beer, cranked jukebox — the louder the better.BA smoky club, good company, and doing whatever feels right in the moment.CIntense concert or staying in with headphones — nothing in between.DSomething theatrical — a show, a dinner party, an experience worth remembering.EHanging with close friends, maybe making music, keeping it relaxed and genuine.

Next Question →

What’s your philosophy on keeping things simple vs. complex?

ASimple is king. A great riff repeated perfectly beats any amount of cleverness.BKeep it loose and bluesy — the groove matters more than technical perfection.CGo deep and dark — I want layers, tension, and something that hits hard.DWhy not both? Elaborate arrangements and hook-driven anthems can coexist.ECraft every detail — a perfect melody is the result of countless small choices.

Next Question →

How would your friends describe your personal style?

ANo-frills, no-nonsense — jeans, a t-shirt, and ready to go.BEffortlessly cool — slightly dishevelled in a way that somehow always works.CDark and deliberate — black is a lifestyle, not just a colour.DBold and expressive — fashion is a form of performance for me.EClean and classic — timeless over trendy, always put-together.

Next Question →

How do you want to be remembered?

AAs someone who never let the energy drop — relentless, loud, and alive.BAs someone who lived fully and on my own terms, unapologetically.CAs someone who was brutally honest and made music that meant something real.DAs someone who transcended genres, boundaries, and expectations entirely.EAs someone who changed the world — and left it genuinely better than I found it.

Next Question →

What kind of crowd do you want around you?

APeople who are there to have a blast — no pretension, just pure fun and noise.BA mix of rebels and free spirits who don’t take themselves too seriously.CA loyal, passionate crew who are all in — intensity over numbers every time.DEveryone — I want to unite people who wouldn’t normally be in the same room.EPeople who appreciate craft and feel genuinely connected by the music.

Next Question →

If you were writing a song, what would it be about?

AHaving a good time, turning it up, and not overthinking it.BStreet life, desire, and the rawness of being human.CAnger, grief, war, or the darker side of the world — music as a weapon.DSomething epic and emotional — love, loss, triumph, or pure fantasy.ESomething personal and universal at once — a feeling everyone can recognise.

Next Question →

What’s your secret to staying relevant over time?

ANever change the formula — if it works, it works. Consistency is everything.BStay hungry, stay dangerous, and always keep a bit of that rebellious edge.CEarn respect through dedication — the work and the live show speak for themselves.DReinvent constantly — never let anyone put you in a box or predict your next move.EWrite songs so good they can’t be ignored, in any decade, in any context.

Next Question →

You’re playing to 80,000 people. What does your performance look like?

AA wall of sound and sweat — pure, unfiltered energy from first note to last.BLoose, cool, and dangerous — every song feels like it might fall apart but never does.CBrutal precision — tight, powerful, and leaving no one unmoved.DA full spectacle — lights, costumes, vocal acrobatics, and total theatrical command.EWarm, joyful, and tight — the crowd singing every word back at you.

Next Question →

Pick the word that best sums up your relationship with rock music.This is your tiebreaker — choose carefully.

ARaw — stripped back, high-voltage, no frills.BRolling — fluid, dangerous, built on blues and attitude.CHeavy — powerful, honest, uncompromising.DMajestic — theatrical, boundary-defying, unforgettable.ETimeless — melodic, human, built to last forever.

See My Result →

Your ResultYour Perfect Band Is Revealed
Based on your personality, energy, and taste, the classic rock band that matches your soul is…

⚡ AC/DC
You are pure, undiluted rock energy. You don’t need tricks, trends, or theatrical gimmicks — you have something more powerful: a riff that hits like a thunderbolt and an attitude that never wavers. Like AC/DC, you understand that simplicity executed with absolute conviction is its own form of genius. You’re the person in the room who doesn’t overthink it, doesn’t pretend, and never turns the volume down. The highway to hell is a state of mind — and you’ve been on it since day one.

👅 The Rolling Stones
You’ve got swagger that can’t be taught. Rooted in the blues and soaked in street-level attitude, you move through life with a loose, dangerous elegance that draws people in without ever trying too hard. Like the Stones, you’ve seen it all, done most of it, and somehow look better for it. You’re not chasing perfection — you’re chasing truth, groove, and that electric moment when everything clicks. Can’t always get what you want? You tend to get it anyway.

👑 Queen
You are magnificent, and you know it — not from arrogance, but from an unshakeable sense of self that has never needed anyone’s permission. Like Queen, you defy every category people try to place you in. You blend the epic with the intimate, the operatic with the anthemic, the serious with the playful. You live boldly, love fiercely, and perform every aspect of your life as though the whole world is watching. Because sometimes it is. We are the champions — and so are you.

🎸 The Beatles
You have the rarest of gifts: the ability to make something that feels both deeply personal and universally human. Like The Beatles, you’re a natural connector — someone whose warmth, curiosity, and creative instincts draw people together across every divide. You believe in melody, in craftsmanship, and in the quiet power of a song that says exactly what someone needed to hear. You’ve changed the people around you just by being who you are. All you need is love — and you give it generously.

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‘Garfield’ Continues To Thrive in Pop Culture

When Jim Davis created Garfield in 1976, he couldn’t have predicted that it would become a massive fixture in pop culture. Not only is the strip still ongoing, but it’s also inspired two animated series and two movie franchises. The first brought Garfield into live action and features Bill Murray as the voice of the facetious feline. The Garfield Movie returns to animation, with Chris Pratt voicing Garfield; despite its poor theatrical reception, it topped streaming charts when it hit Netflix, and a sequel is currently in the works. Jim Davis even confessed in an interview with The Guardian that Garfield’s popularity makes his job that much easier:

“Now I can take advantage of the fact people know him; the familiarity is much higher. You always expected to see Snoopy lying on the doghouse, for Charlie Brown to miss football. There are certain things that make you feel warm and fuzzy, that have happened that way all your life, like telling an old joke over again. For some of us, it just gets funnier.

Garfield might have grown from a simple comic strip into a multimedia empire, but its very first strip set the tone for decades of stories to come. With 2028 marking the 50th anniversary of Garfield, Jim Davis doesn’t show any signs of making Garfield less sarcastic or less lazy.