1mo ago

Jon - 1976-01-22

Largely the same as the Garfield strip from 1978-08-07:

Confused about what this strip is? See the first post here

2 comments

I knew about Jon, I think from the Quentin reviews video about the history of Garfield, but maybe from my own wiki dives. I'm obcessed with the Pipe Strip video (ironically?) so I've done a little digging myself.
But I've never really compared them side by side with the "remakes" and it's a pretty interesting contrast. Davis' art style is simpler and less expressive in some ways. In Jon, Lyman's desperation posture is affecting, I really feel for the guy. His cartoonier pose in Garfield is funnier, less melancholy. I think the joke lands better. Same with swapping "apartment" for "home", helps the punchline to land better.
I'm not saying its an amazing joke, but it's interesting to see how Davis grew and changed over time.
- In Jon, Lyman’s desperation posture is affecting, I really feel for the guy. His cartoonier pose in Garfield is funnier, less melancholy. I think the joke lands better.
  yow, there are different elements from each version that I like better.
  in Jon panels 2 and 4 I like Lyman's pose better than the later equivalent. The full prostration really helps deliver the joke, which is falls flat (ha!) in the later one. But panel 3's pose is better in the later version (more "typical melodromatic pose")
  I kinda like the earlier "my apartment is your apartment" better bc it subverts the expected "my home is your home". It's still not enough of a joke to carry the strip by itself tho.
  I like the later "ding dong" panel just showing Garf's face. dunno what's up with that background tho
  glad he got rid of the unfortunate use of "massuh" there.
  either way, Garf's sandbox is off-limits.