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Garfield – As Loveable As A Lasagne Breakfast
Digging far back in my memories, I always been a Garfield fan. I remember watching Garfield and Friends on CBS Saturday Mornings with the US Acres backup segments. I also enjoyed reading the comic strips in the newspaper, and whatever books I could find. Thus, I’ll always jump at the chance to read a comic about my favorite orange cat whenever the opportunity presents itself. So I was glad to find that KaBoom, an imprint of Boom Studios, has been putting out new Garfield Comics.
This book contained three full-length stories. Then, at the end were extra little strips. Most of these were in the Jim Davis style – the art and the humor.
Groundhog Day
The first story was the titular, “The Monday that Wouldn’t End.” Garfield is stuck in a time loop, reminiscent of Groundhog Day. It’s ironic that, where the classic movie starred Bill Murray, he also voiced Garfield in the live-action/CGI movie and its sequel. After many mishaps in the Arbuckle house, Garfield travels outside to meet Patches. Each time he meets him, this fellow cat goes on and on about how he’s his biggest fan. Eventually, Gar learns he’s a robot.
Each day ends by getting hit by a bus. Garfield tries to escape the loop by correcting his route. But it all somehow ends the same. At some point, the thorn-in-the-side Nermal seems to be the cause of all this. He says this is revenge for all the times Garfield mailed him to far-off places. But it conveniently happens to be all a dream.
If that wasn’t enough of the annoying gray kitten, he ends up starring in the next story. “Nermal Takes Over” is drawn by a different artist than the first story. But it’s amazing that both Antonio Alfaro and David Alvarez’s work were able to remain identical in Davis’s style. Garfield is in a coma induced by Jon’s fettuccine alfredo. So Nermal does exactly what the title suggests.
Some of the best episodes of Garfield and Friends was when the fourth wall was broken. And that’s what this story was all about. Nermal asks readers what they want his comic to entail. Do they wanna see him as a superhero? What about as a cocktail-drinking, suit-wearing, James Bond-esque spy? Or do they wanna read a Star Wars-paradoying space epic?
Nermal’s phone blows up with texts demanding for Garfield. So, as Nermal carries on, the loyal Odie wakes Garfield from his coma. Thus, Gar sabotages Nermal’s chance for the spotlight. He calls the artist to change the setting, and have a pterodactyl carry him away.
Paying Homage to Jim Davis
Where the last two were in the Jim Davis-style, “The Undersea Adventures of Jacques Garfeau” switches it up. It is written and drawn by Sarah Oleksyk. This is an obvious spoof of Jacques Cousteau. But I don’t know much about the famous diver; I’m only familiar with the Spongebob Squarepants spoofs.
In a deep sea dive, Garfeau finds a utopian Atlantis populated by mermaid cats. After a brief tour, Garfeau is sold by the smorgasbord of food. The centerpiece of the buffet is the “Lasagna of the Sea.” Garfeau only heard about this in legends. But with his helmet in the way, all is hopeless. Instead of just removing said helmet, he high-tails it out of there.
You can pick up your copy of Garfield: The Monday That Wouldn’t End directly from BOOM! Studios, Comixology or at your local comic book store.
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