Garfield without Garfield?
July 31, 2008
Filed under Distractions
One of the wonderful things about the internet is that people with way too much time on their hands have a way to share their whacky musings with the rest of us.
I cite a site called garfield minus garfield where the basic premis is this:
Who would have guessed that when you remove Garfield from the Garfield comic strips, the result is an even better comic about schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and the empty desperation of modern life? Friends, meet Jon Arbuckle. Let’s laugh and learn with him on a journey deep into the tortured mind of an isolated young everyman as he fights a losing battle against loneliness in a quiet American suburb.
I’m grateful to Logical Emotions for alerting me to this one! There’s something about the allusions to mental illness coupled with the sheer randomness of the results of removing Garfield from the frames that works for me. Maybe that says a lot about my mental state, I dunno…
Here’s a taste…
and my favourite:
Kinda sad really…
Yes, while I’m seeing the funny side of this – random humour makes me laugh like nothing else – it does remind me of some people I’m working with at the moment. I still love the mentally ill. And I find this funny. Hmm, does that make me evil?
Nope, I thought it was amusing – but maybe too close to home for me!
And me.
These are great. Does laughing at this make one evil? I don’t know. I think much of it has to do with semantics. If we say, “we find John’s mental illness funny” well… that does have a bit of a maniacal ring to it. But, if we say, “Check out John. He’s crazy!” Sounds fun doesn’t it?
Throw the word “illness” in and conjures up thoughts of pity, sickness, depression, sorrow, pain, suffering and all kinds of negative thoughts.
Change the word to “crazy” and now you have something that is wacky, zany, crazy, loony, toony, and fun. Who doesn’t want to laugh at something like that?
So for me, I think John’s crazy and that’s funny. I don’t care who you are, that’s funny.
Yeah I think most things are funny. Like you, I simply saw it, thought that’s funny and I like the angle, laughed and copied it.
I was also alerted to this by someone a while back, and it is brilliant. The seemless removal of Garfield leaves Jon not long looking psychopathic but also somewhat centred.
More power to Jon!
…and it’s hilarious…