Perhaps
cat lovers enjoy Garfield because the strip mirrors their own cats’ aloofness
and misbehavior. But portraying social awkwardness, gluttony, and cat-worship does
not seem like cutting-edge commentary. Maybe it is, though. Garfield is a cat
who craves lasagna all the time and develops a rebellious streak against
societal rules. Sound like anyone familiar? In 1982, Garfield’s creator Jim
Davis admitted that the strip was a conscious effort to create a good,
marketable character. “Snoopy is very popular in licensing. Charlie Brown is not.”
Davis, now 75, has a net worth of $800 million. I’d argue that was no accident.
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