'Garfield': 25th Year of the Cat

By: Dave Astor For a cat who turns 25 on June 19, Garfield has a lot on his plate. But, as always, the sleep-loving feline is letting others do most of the work.

"I'm probably busier than I've ever been," said "Garfield" creator Jim Davis, while emphasizing that it's a positive kind of busy.

The Universal Press Syndicate cartoonist knew months ago that there would be various 25th-birthday events this spring -- including a May 17-24 cruise and a June 19-21 party in his cat's hometown of Muncie, Ind. Now, Davis is juggling those festivities with a nationwide tour promoting a "Garfield" coffee-table book -- In Dog Years I'd Be Dead (Ballantine) -- and with work on a "Garfield" movie scheduled to hit theaters this December. The film was originally going to come out in 2004 or later, but things got moved up.

Davis is an advisor for the movie, but more involved in the project than that title would suggest. For instance, he participated in crafting the story, rewriting the script, and developing the look of the computer-generated Garfield who will interact with live-action characters.

The film's producer is the unrelated John Davis (Dr. Dolittle), the director is Peter Hewitt (The Borrowers), the screenwriters are Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow (Toy Story), and the cast includes Jennifer Love Hewitt, Breckin Meyer, and Stephen Toblowsky.

Jim Davis and members of his 57-person, Albany, Ind.-based Paws Inc. are also working on various merchandising tie-ins to the movie.

There are about 550 "Garfield" licensees, who -- along with the comic's client list of 2,570 newspapers -- put the property in 111 countries.

More Than 260 Million Readers

"Garfield," which started with 41 newspapers in 1978, is now the most widely syndicated comic in the world. It's read by 263 million people. Also, the Garfield.com Web site drew 1.9 million unique visitors and 12.4 million page views during a recent month, and Davis receives about 300 e-mails a day.

Why is the property so popular? "Garfield likes to eat and sleep," replied Davis. "Everyone can relate to that." Also, the character's feisty, outspoken, sarcastic nature gives many readers a vicarious thrill. Then there are all those cat lovers out there, though Garfield acts like a human, too. Davis initially based Garfield partly on his big, curmudeonly grandfather (James Garfield Davis), Morris the cat of TV commercial fame, and Archie Bunker of All in the Family. More recently, said Davis, Garfield is based on ... well ... Garfield.

While Garfield's appearance has changed greatly since 1978 -- much bigger eyes, for example -- the character's basic personality remains mostly the same. And Garfield's "owner," Jon Arbuckle, is still mostly hapless. Davis noted that comedy often depends on contrasts -- tall/short, smart/stupid, etc. "If Jon stopped being hapless," he said, "Garfield would have to become hapless!"

Davis spends about a week every month or so creating gags and sketches for the comic, with Brett Koth assisting. Others do penciling, inking, lettering, and coloring.

The 57-year-old cartoonist is also a fan of other comics, including the late Charles Schulz's "Peanuts," Mort Walker's "Beetle Bailey," Johnny Hart's "B.C.," Bill Watterson's retired "Calvin & Hobbes," and Gary Larson's retired "The Far Side." Among the newer comics Davis enjoys are Glenn McCoy's "The Duplex," Mark Tonra's "James," Allison Barrows' "PreTeena," Chip Dunham's "Overboard," and Darby Conley's "Get Fuzzy."

Of the last, Davis said: "I think it's hysterical. That cat has at least twice the attitude of Garfield. He's a sociopath!"

Cartoonist's View of Newspapers

Davis -- winner of the National Cartoonists Society's Reuben Award as top cartoonist of the year in 1990 -- also reads other parts of newspapers. He wishes papers would offer more content aimed at younger readers, more good news, more coverage of how government affects people's lives, and more information about science, medicine, and business. He'd like to see fewer sensational stories about things like trials and missing-person cases -- though he realizes articles like that can increase circulation.

In his non-work time, Davis also cooks, gardens, plays golf, and spends time with wife Jill and their three children and two grandchildren -- both of whom are too young to read comics. "But the four-month-old can chew 'Garfield' books," he reported. The family also has a dog and cat, with the feline Spunky totally unlike Garfield except for a "passion for eating."

Garfield's birthday year was eventful even before this month. For instance, a special "Garfield" edition of the Monopoly game came out in February, and a "Garfield" cookbook called I'm in the Mood for Food was released in April by Andrews McMeel Publishing.

About 200 people, including many "Garfield" fans, are on the cruise. As passengers sail to Mexico and other locales, they're attending anniversary dinners, seeing "chalk talks" by Davis, and more. The Travel Channel is filming the cruise for a special slated to air in September.

The June 19-21 Muncie bash will include a parade and "Fur Ball" party as revelers "paint the town orange."

When the birthday events are over, what's next for Davis to achieve? "I still want to write one gag that makes the whole world laugh," he said. "That would give me hope that there's a common thread in all humanity. It would also give me bragging rights!"