Garfield minus Garfield

[history79]

Trigger Warning for Depression and Suicide













































































Source: http://garfieldminusgarfield.net/

Comments

[informationgeek]

...man, these are depressing. I've heard people call this stuff funny before, but I just can't see how.

[randyripoff]

I don't know that I ever heard of anyone calling these funny. Definitely different.

I know someone had done some strips where they removed all of Garfield's speech balloons, and I think this came on the heels of that. As I recall, the former made Jon seem just a tad deranged, but not on the level of these strips.

[jmacq1]

I think "There's something wrong with my pants" was pretty funny. Not so much the rest.

[thezmage]

It's the knowledge that they've taken something innocuous, made a minor change, and turned it into something really depressing. Basically, it's the same humor as in the Perry Bible Fellowship

I find this funny, so I don't know what that says about me.

[deh_tommy]

I think the humour comes from just how depressing this is; on their own and without prior context of Garfield, they're just sad. However, with context, the humour stems from taking something as relatively innocent and generally funny as Garfield and turning it into... whatever this is.

It's also effective because, even without Garfield, the strip still works as a story (just not the same kind WITH him).

Have you ever seen an episode of Mr. Bean? Taking that seriously, it's an unfortunate series of a man struggling with everyday life and how he can't perform the most basic of tasks without help, but he's to proud to admit something's wrong. However, Mr. Bean is slapstick fun and meant to be light-hearted, like 'The Three Stooges'.

Re: I find this funny, so I don't know what that says about me.

[tugrul]

That's a good assessment. I have always found the Garfield amusing and often touching.

Mr. Bean had just too over the top struggling to my taste.

If Garfield and Odie were there....

[7dialsmystery]

...it would still be depressing because John is imagining his pets are talking to him.

[alicemacher]

I can't imagine how the "breakfast lawn gnomes" one would make Jon look any less disturbed even with Garfield and his dialogue restored.

[informationgeek]

Garfield mentioned he was still dreaming in that one despite "waking up" at the beginning.

[kamino_neko]

I assumed Garfield was making Jon debase himself for some reason.

[cyberghostface]

Never thought I'd live to see the day where Garfield required a trigger warning.

[tugrul]

Ha! Yes!

[kamino_neko]

A different set of G-G gets published on GoComics, too. My only complaint being is the original strip is shown after a tiny amount of white space, which dulls the effect some.

[reveen]

No joke, I actually kind of consider G Minus to be genuinely artistic in a meta sense, showing how relatively minor alterations can radically change the message of a work.

I wonder how feasible it would be to Minus Garfield in the cartoon.

[thatnickguy]

Even the Jim Davis gave his approval and published a book of the strips.

Then again, he's completely shameless in marketing and selling anything.

[alschroeder3]

I agree. I find myself smiling at their bleakness. Maybe "funny" isn't the right word. Maybe heartbreakingly ironic?

Cartoon G-G

[sir_razorback]

I think somebody did that once. Let's see if my Google-Fu is up to the task.

https://vimeo.com/8689159

[fungo_squiggly]

The "But we can do something about the future!" one is best when placed last.

Ends things on a surprisingly hopeful note.

[thatnickguy]

Personally, I prefer the ones where Garfield is still in them but doesn't say anything. I find those funnier for some reason.