Comic Observations on the Art: Did Jon get advice from his new girlfriend on the order of "do not wear that green plaid suit and bowtie on our first steady date?" Certainly this purple blazer and red tie (note to real-world bachelors: this color combination is not acceptable) is a superior outfit, but she might have better advised "evening casual is preferable to a full suit for a movie date."
Today's Life Lesson: It's cute that Jon's bolstered confidence stemming from his love life has given him courage to scold his pets in ways he normally does not. His glaring expression in panel one indicates he actually means business, so his tone must be surprising and hilarious Garfield and Odie... and even to Jon, a little bit. Panel two is a fine tableau of three characters in various states of disbelief, but all three sharing the same basic thought: Jon can't seriously think he's in control of his life, right? All your perceived power and poised confidence means nothing when confronted by those with no shame, standards, or impulse control.
Lessons in Comics Grammar: I point out panel three for those slow on the uptake in understanding Davis' methods for maintaining the Garfield reality. While the conversations between Jon and his pets are one-sided, the animals generally give physical cues to their thoughts, and Jon's ability to read his pets' expressions is heightened; today Garfield and Odie's devilish smirks let him know they aren't heeding his commands. Simultaneously, the joke is usually shaded with the understanding that Jon cannot hear Garfield's sasses, which even Garfield seems to forget; today, in panel three, Jon knows something is amiss, he's just staring at his pets as they make creepy faces at him. The reader is the only one privy to both meanings of the joke.
And yes, those unwilling to accept Garfield's fluid timeline and flexible clock: Jon leaves for a Friday night date on Thursday.
Personal Aside: I have been waiting to use that post title since the day I started Permanent Monday. That is all.
8 comments:
Garfield is only funny with your commentary.
When did Odie start standing on his hind legs?
I propose that Jon is not wearing a purple suit jacket but rather a purple trenchcoat over a biz-cas button-down shirt and tie.
Is he wearing pants under that coat? Who can say!
Pants or no pants, dressing Jon in a purple trenchcoat may be the boldest move Paws has taken since le smooch.
I think Garfield's punchline is made infinitely funnier by the fact that he uses Jon's full name. I'm not sure why, though.
It seems to me that Jon's expression in the second panel is a result of his pets' expressions, not of his new courage.
I was thinking the same thing as glenn above. When did Odie start standing on two feet?
This is another example of where the strip would be amazingly funny if you took out Garfield's thought balloon. The "creepy faces" gag is perfect.
Order Pizza and watch the horror movie Night of the Living Bread a mad baker creates evil loaf of brad that eats bicycles and buildings
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