In a world where Mondays are universally loathed, and lasagna is king, it’s Jon Arbuckle, the ever-hapless owner of the iconic orange cat, Garfield, who often finds himself at the center of uproarious chaos. With the highly anticipated Garfield movie on its way, it’s the perfect time to revisit some Garfield strips that showcase Jon’s funniest moments.
Jon’s resilience in the face of feline absurdity, Odie’s boundless energy, and the general madness of daily life serve as a testament to the enduring charm of the character. Just like a warm tray of lasagna, these ten comic strips promise a hearty serving of laughter that’s perfect for any day of the week.
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17 Most People Are Their Own Harshest Critics – But Jon Has Garfield
Garfield Is Savage
Jon Arbuckle isn’t the most confident, put-together character in comic book history – and so Garfield could certainly be a little more encouraging when his owner attempts to put on a snazzy outfit. In this strip, Jon directly solicits Garfield’s opinion on his green plaid suit, accompanied by a pink-and-yellow polka dot bow-tie.
In response, Garfield simply holds up a paw while thinking: “Hang on, I’m working up a hairball.” Jon is especially relatable in this strip for the way his enthusiasm is quickly diminished by a lackluster response.
16 Jon Arbuckle Has Zero Chill
Indoor Voice, John
Garfield’s enduring appeal lies in its ability to effortlessly tap into the relatable quirks of everyday life. Case in point: when Jon Arbuckle obliviously shouts out Garfield’s personal ailment, a case of fungus, through the window for anyone to hear, much to the feline’s mortification.
This classic three-panel comic conveys the epitome of Garfield’s social relevance, as it taps into the shared human experience of having a loved one accidentally divulge one’s own private issues in the most public and cringe-worthy manner possible. This knack for finding humor in everyday absurdities defines the heart and soul of Garfield comics, making them universally cherished for generations.
15 As If Garfield Needs A Reason To Bop Jon
Arbuckle Is At His Cat’s Mercy
The enduring charm of Garfield partially lies in his uncanny ability to channel the chaotic and often whimsically violent nature of cats. This distinctive trait shines through brilliantly in this specific comic strip where Garfield wishes Jon a “Happy-slap-in-the-back-of-the-head-day,” and then proceeds to put his not-so-well-wishes into action.
It’s this humorous, yet all too familiar act of seemingly unprovoked violence that strikes a chord with cat owners far and wide. Anyone who has ever shared their home with a feline companion knows that the unexpected slap, or playful, albeit sometimes painful swat is a rite of passage.
14 Jon Stoops To His Pets Level
Man Vs. Nature
Jon is renowned for his unmatched ability to navigate the whirlwind of feline absurdity, Odie’s uncontainable energy, and the sheer madness that defines everyday life. However, even a character as resilient as Jon has his limits. In this comic, Jon encounters the comical conundrum of defending his plate from Garfield’s insatiable appetite, only to pivot into attempting to corral Odie’s unrestrained enthusiasm.
In an unforgettable ending, Jon reaches a breaking point, familiar to pet owners and parents alike, resorting to shoving his food in his mouth. This uproarious scenario captures the universal experience of individuals striving to maintain composure amidst the delightful mayhem that often defines pet ownership and parenting.
13 Jon Arbuckle Only Gets Bored Because He’s Boring
Read A Book, Jon
It’s safe to say that the majority of excitement in the Arbuckle household comes from Garfield. Jon is generally depicted in Garfield comics as at best an ordinary guy, and at worst, totally boring. This strip emphasizes the latter interpretation of the character, as Jon sits around not only doing nothing, but blandly ruminating on his lack of anything to do.
Across three strips, Garfield’s face shifts registers from indifference, to frustration – sharing a sly, fourth-wall breaking grimace with the reader – and finally, to exasperation, as he throws up his paws and thinks: “you could just shut up!“
12 Garfield Delights In His Human’s Misery
Okay, Maybe Don’t Read A Book, Jon
Worse than boring, this strip depicts Jon as downright pathetic. In the first panel, he holds up an overly-bandaged finger, bemoaning to his cat that he “got a paper cut from a book.” In the next panel he elaborates that he reacted to getting cut by dropping the book on his foot.
Evidently, Jon was reading quite the dense tome, and almost certainly a hardcover edition, given that the impact of the book on his foot has left him limping. As he hobbles away, Garfield smirks at the reader, thinking, “I love books with happy endings,” making it clear that Jon’s misfortune is his favoritw form of entertainment.
11 Jon Deals With An Usual Request, To Garfield’s Amusement
As Risque As Garfield Gets
In the whimsical world of Garfield comics, even a ‘wrong-number’ phone call takes on an unexpectedly hilarious twist. In this particular comic, Jon Arbuckle finds himself on the receiving end of a peculiar request. The caller, who promptly acknowledges the incorrectly dialed number, takes an audacious leap by asking Jon if he’d be willing to “pretend to be Peggy.”
The humor in this comic lies in the unstated reason why the caller would ask Jon to pose as a woman, letting readers’ imaginations fill in the blank. It’s a prime example of Davis’ knack for taking everyday, ordinary occurrences and infusing them with sly adult humor.
10 Garfield Can Outwit Jon – Just Not Outrun Him
Got Him On A Technicality
Beyond his love for food, Garfield is renowned for his unapologetic aversion to exercise, a recurring theme that Jim Davis deftly weaves into the comics. This particular comic gem highlights the humor in this recurring motif. Jon Arbuckle, ever the optimist, extends an invitation for Garfield to join him in a bout of toe-touching stretching.
However, instead of bending down to touch his own toes, as Jon had intended, Garfield extends his paw toward Jon’s unsuspecting toes. It is this clever inversion of expectations and the playful yet poignant commentary on Garfield’s legendary laziness that define the charm of this comic.
9 Arbuckle Should Probably Settle For A Double
Slow Down, Jon
Jon Arbuckle and Garfield are known for their love of – and at times, utter dependence on – caffeine to get through the day. Garfield is also known for his overindulgence, and while often Jon attempts to be the voice of moderation for his feline friend, when it comes to coffee, the two are evenly matched in their consumption.
This panel shows Jon at his most unhinged, under the influence of a “triple-shot latte,” as his erstwhile love interest Liz is able to identify from the foam mustaches on Jon and Garfield’s lips, if not from Jon’s rapid-fire dialogue and his ferocious facial expression.
8 Jon Tries To Be Romantic & It Blows Up In His Face
Should Have Gone To The Florist
Where humorous dialogue is a hallmark of Garfield, Jim Davis masterfully demonstrates that sometimes, a comical situation can unfold even more brilliantly without dialogue. This comic breaks from tradition, placing its trust in the artistry to convey the hilarity of the moment. And it succeeds with flying colors, as Garfield, the self-serving feline, doesn’t hesitate to point his paw in Jon’s direction, informing the bees, who are searching for their flowers, of where the flower-stealing culprit has gone.
This panel is a silent comedy that relies on visual cues, but the payoff is nothing short of riotous, as the last panel reveals a severely stung-faced Jon, and a flummoxed date.
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6 Jon And Garfield Find Rare Common Ground
At Jon’s Expense, Of Course
In the world of Garfield comics, humor thrives in simplicity. This comic strip, a testament to Jim Davis’s comedic prowess, exemplifies Garfield’s talent for delivering effortless roasts. Jon Arbuckle, expressing his boredom with life, becomes the target of Garfield’s biting wit, when the feline retorts, “I’m bored of your life too.”
What makes this comic stand out is how relatable it is; many cat owners can’t help but imagine their own feline companions delivering similar quips, if they had the gift of speech. It encapsulates what Garfield comics excel at: transforming life’s everyday moments into universally humorous gems that leave readers grinning.
5 Jon Represents Cat Owners At Their Most Beleaguered
He Exists At Garfield’s Mercy
In this classic Garfield comic, Jon’s exasperation rings true with any cat owner who has found themselves in a similar, if not the exact same, predicament where one’s cat suddenly decides that the most inconvenient moment is the perfect time to play, relentlessly demanding attention.
Yet, as any cat owner knows, the instant their furry companion has had their fill, they unceremoniously signal the end of playtime with a swift bite or scratch, as if it were the owner’s idea to play all along. It’s this timeless, universal tale of the ‘kitty playtime’ that makes this comic a treasured gem among fans.
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For anyone who has ever had the case of the Mondays, Garfield knows your pain, as seen in these comic strips.
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3 Garfield’s Claws Scratch – But His Indifference Cuts Deep
Too Far, Garfield
Garfield’s unapologetic self-centeredness is one of his most defining characteristics, as well as an endless source of humor. Nowhere is this more evident than in this comic strip, where Jon, in an attempt to celebrate his birthday, confronts Garfield with the painful revelation that the feline seemingly forgot about the occasion.
In a moment that perfectly encapsulates Garfield’s brash individualism, he shoots back with an overly cheerful: “No, I didn’t. I didn’t care!“ It’s a callous and, let’s face it, rude response, yet readers can’t help but burst into laughter at Garfield’s extreme candor, even if it’s steeped in pure selfishness.
2 Liz Could Claim Her Actions Were Self-Defense
Try A Brass Instrument Next, Jon
Jon looks truly sad in the first panel of this Garfield strip, as he laments that his “accordion is in the repair shop.” His eyes widen in dismay however, when Liz bluntly asks if “somebody hit it with a hammer” – clearly telegraphing that she’s responsible for the damage to Jon’s instrument.
As Garfield advises her to “demand a lawyer,” readers can’t help but wonder if Liz may have done more damage than she realized. Just as defeating one evil often unleashes a greater evil, it is worth wondering if taking away Jon Arbuckle’s accordion might not lead him to trying a different instrument, one that he’s even worse at.
1 Jon And Garfield Have Very Different Priorities
Snacks Are A Deadly Serious Matter
Garfield is at its best when it not only delivers humor, but does so while encapsulating the essence of Garfield’s character with perfection. In this strip, the convergence of Garfield’s love for food and self-centeredness results in a scenario that is unapologetically Garfield. After a near-death experience involving a choking incident with a peanut, Jon reprimands Garfield for his lack of assistance.
Yet, Garfield’s response is nothing short of classic: with childlike excitement, he exclaims, “we have peanuts?!“ It’s a scene that ranks among the truest of Garfield comics, embodying the fundamental nature of the character, and what makes this comic so side-splittingly funny.
