Garfield looking excitedly at the page.
tiny pixel art Garfield sitting.

Garfield

Garfield sitting, hugging Pookie. Garfield standing, hugging Pookie.

Welcome to my Garfield shrine!

As a child I would go to the library and bring home books of Garfield comics, reading them chronologically until I got to the most recent they had. Then I started all over from the begining. I did that a few times, desperately hoping they would have newer books, but eventually I gave up.

Nowdays I probably wouldn't find the Garfeild comics all that funny due to overused jokes, yet I can't help but feel fondness for Garfield the cat.

My Plush

Here is a 1981 plush my buddie got me as a gift!

Garfield plush front viewGarfield plush side view

I was not at all expecting him, so I was very touched. I tend to be critical or indifferent towards gifts, as they are my least important love language, but he meant a lot to me. He now sits on my headboard :3

Tattoo

I am also planning on getting this garf as my first tattoo.
Garfield sleeping on the ground with a content smile
Garfield in the (my) flesh as of 5/27/23.
line art of that same Garfield on my upper arm

Evolution of Garfield

This wouldn't be a Garfield page without a style evolution image ;3

a timeline of Garfield, featuring years: 1978 early, 1978 late, 1980, 1983, 1988, 1991, 2003, 2007, and 2019
This image is my edit of this compilation made by deviantart user DoomesPro93.

Note that this diagram does not show even intervals for years, instead I selected years based on how much Garfield's design has changed.

For a while now many people have made mock Garfield style evolutions, poking fun at how large Garfeild's eyes and feet have gotten, speculating how grotesquely large they will be in the future. Not suprisingly, Jim Davis's style evolution has slowed down a lot. Naturally an artist's style will change drastically in their early days of illustrating a new subject, and then over the years, the changes become a lot slower and more subtle. Notice how much Garfield's appearance changed from the beginning to end of 1978, where as he looks pretty much the same in 2019 as he did in 2007.

Why are Garfield's Feet so Large Now?

According to this article where Jim Davis is interviewed, Garfield's transition into a two legged character was encouraged by Charles M. Schulz, creator of the Peanuts.

If we look at the strips we can see evidence of this. Rather than gradually growing, the change in Garfields feet is an intentional decision by Jim Davis.

Comic strip where Garfield walking on his hind feet (which are small). Jon says, 'Garfield, cats can't walk on their hind feet.' Garfield says, 'I didn't know that,' and switches to walking on his front feet with a smug expression.
April 18, 1981 - an early strip showing Garfield on his hind feet; this is treated as a novelty, rather than part of his design. Jon's remark is a bit ironic considering the future.
Garfield approaches Odie as he says, 'It's been a while since I heard a good splut'. He kicks Odie and listens for the splut.
July 19 1982 - Garfield is mostly shown standing to kick Odie off the table, or for other very specific poses.
Jon's mom asks what they would like for breakfast. Garfield appears carrying a chicken in one hand and a pig in the other.
May 18, 1983 - the last time we see Garfields small kitty feet before he's switched over. Here I'm willing to bet hes only shown on two feet because his front paws are full.
Garfield stands on Odie's head to reach a pie.
June 7, 1983 - the first time we see Garfield with long feet.
Garfield kicks Odie while outside.
June 11, 1983 - long feet one day before a slip up.
Long Garfield strip showing him hiding from Jon who's trying to take him to the vet. In one panel he is standing up against a wall.
June 12, 1983 - Garfield depicted with small feet, after Jim started drawing him with long feet. This is the most telling sign that Jim conciously chose to change how he draws Garfield's feet, as he slipped up and accidentally did his default a day after. That or he may have drafted this comic before June 7th.
Garfield opening a cookie jar only to find Odie in it. He standing the entire strip.
June 30, 1983 - to my observation he consistently has long feet after this point. As such, he begins to be shown a lot more on his hind feet, in situations like this one where he's not really required to be; he could have been shown sneaking on all four feet.

It's interesting to note that this signifigant change in how Garfield is depicted, occurs pretty early on on the strip, in 1983.

Snoopy from the Peanuts Garfield standing in 1983 Garfield standing in 2007
Davis's inspiration from Schultz is very apparent at first, especially with how Garfields hind legs flow into his body, but he gradually develops a more distinct way of drawing Garfield's feet/legs. Although I do prefer Garfield in his four legged form, I think it is very touching to see the stylistic impact comic artist's inspirations have on their own comic. You can also see the influence of Schultz on Bill Watterson in his early Calvin and Hobbes strips!

Cat Behavior

The more often Garfield stands on two feet, the less catlike he is. Thats not to say he was never anthropomorphized, but in the beginning Garfield was very much a cat, and it's sad to see the comic forget that.

Here are some strips/clips of Garfield being a kitty!

Garfield crouched with his tail swishing, hunting a hamburger Garfield frantically wakes Jon up from bed to feed him. Jon feeds him and goes back to bed only to find Garfield asleep on his pillow Jon petting Garfield in his lap. Garfield is kneeding on Jon, tearing his clothes Garfield walks up to Jon reading a newspaper and lays down on his newspaper Garfield pushes Jon's fern off a dresser, and Jon is mad until Garfields cuteness wears him down Garfield is crouched with his tail swishing before pouncing Garfield pounces to steal Jons toast Garfield peaking into Jons sock drawer, his tail swishing Garfield pushes a potted plant off a window sill Garfield climbs into a lonely Jons lap Garfield bats at a window blind pull string Garfield paws at Jon's soup, getting it all over the table

I personally favor his 1979 design; still catlike and round, but cuter than 1978.

Strips!

Read Garfield strips by the month here.

Garfield's Firsts

The first comics to depict Garfield's classic traits

Jon takes away Garfields cup of coffee saying, 'You can't drink coffee Garfield, you'll stunt your uh your ...' he pauses to look at the reader. In the third panel he asks Garfield, 'One lump, or two?'.
Garfield's first coffee - Jun 29, 1978
Garfield says, 'I'm just your average ordinary cat ... For instance I'm crazy about natures most perfect food ... Lasagna!'.
Garfield's first lasagna <3 - Jul 7, 1978
Garfield bats at a pull string on a window blind, accidentally retracting the blind, catching himself in it. He says, 'I hate Mondays'.
Garfield's first Monday! - Sep 18, 1978
Garfield is looking through a drawer and pulls out a teddy bear. He says, 'Hello, whats this? A teddy bear. A dumb, stupid, silly looking old teddy bear ... I think I'll call him Pookie'.
Pooky's origin - Oct 23, 1978

Funny

Strips that actually got a chuckle out of me

Garfield is expecting lasagna, but gets cat food. He throws his bowl at Jon, hitting him in the back of the head.
Jul 20, 1978
Jon feels for his pipe, only to find that Garfield is smoking it. He pulls it out of Garfields mouth and almost puts it back into his own mouth before pausing, then giving it back to Garfield.
Jul 28-29, 1978
Garfield paws at Jons soup, splashing it every where. Jon yells, 'My chicken soup!' and Garfield says, 'the devil made me do it'.
Aug 22, 1978 - my second favorite
Garfield is irritated by a fly and goes to swat it, but accidentally hits the back of Jons head, pushing his face into his place of food. Jon angrily leans towards Garfeild and says, 'Thanks. I needed that'.
Sep 15, 1978 - my favorite
Jon whispers to Layman, 'Here he comes, say something nice.' Layman says, 'Looking good Garfield' and Jon says, 'Sharp sweater ol buddy' to a pissed off Garfield who is wearing a green sweater with a large zig zag stripe and purple cuffs. After Garfield is gone, Layman says, 'sad,' and Jon says, 'Looks like a meatball in traction'.
Jan 10, 1978

Transparent Garfield Images

Just Garfeild in poses I think are cute, or would be fun to put on a webpage as decoration :3

Sourced from the strips, backgrounds removed by me (aprox. 50 pngs, more to come!).

Garfield holding a flower with his arms outstretched. Garfield holding a newspaper and cup of coffee. Garfield announcing something from a peice of paper. Garfield eating lasagna. Garfield crouched at the floor with interested eyes. Garfield in his bed, head rested on his hand. Garfield tucked into bed, resting his hands on the edge of his bed box. Garfield sleeping in bed, content, 1979. Garfield sleeping in bed, content, 1980. Garfield sleeping, content. Garfield sleeping, legs draped over an edge. Garfield sleeping on a pillow. Garfield sleeping in bed, holding Pookie. Garfield holding Pookie, 1980 Garfield holding Pookie 1978. Garfield sitting with a smug smile. Garfield sitting smiling at viewer. Garfield sitting with a small smirk. Garfield sitting pleased. Garfield sitting looking up. Garfield sitting forward, smiling. Garfield sitting smiling. Garfield sitting and looking down with a small smile. Garfield sitting, head over sholder, eyes closed contently. Garfield sitting forward, eyes closed contently. Garfield sitting, eyes closed contently. Garfield sitting, head up, eyes closed contently. Garfield sitting, front paws propped, eyes closed contently. Garfield sitting, eyes closed pleased. Garfield sitting, alert. Garfield sitting, looking down excited. Garfield sitting, looking over shoulder excited, paw to mouth. Garfield sitting, excited. Garfield sitting, looking up excited. Garfield sitting, excited. Garfield sitting, looking up excited Garfield sitting, looking up extra excited. Garfield sitting up, excitedly begging. 1978s Garfield sitting, excited. Garfield sitting, reaching out, excited. Garfield sitting, looking attentively. Garfield walking, looking over shoulder, excited. Garfield walking, looking down, excited. Garfield walking, interested. Garfield walking on a wall, interested. Garfield walking, mischevious. Garfield walking, calm. Garfield walking, looking at viewer. Garfield walking, smiling. Garfield sitting upright, waving over shoulder. Garfield sitting upright, back to viewer, waving. Garfield excitedly peaking around corner. Garfield excitedly jumping down. Garfield excitedly landing on his feet.