I got a letter the other day. It seems a reader took exception to my treatment of Garfield. (See Garfield’s brief life and exciting death in burn, garfield, burn.) This isn’t a really nasty letter or anything, but I thought it was worth reprinting.
From: PENNENINC@aol.com
Sent: Sunday, December 02, 2001 8:49 PM
To: “John Marcotte”
Subject: Garfield
Despite your loathing, you still seem to be an avid reader, and for that Garfield thanks you.
By the way, you destroyed a very classic early version of the plush doll. Worth much more than you’re getting for daily hits on your site/and or/ads.
I dashed off a quick response to the gentleman, outlining why I thought Garfield sucked. Then I took a closer look at his e-mail address: PENNENINC@aol.com. Pen and ink? Perhaps he was a cartoonist himself. A quick search on the newsgroups got me a name: Brett Koth. A search for Brett Koth on the Web revealed he worked for…Jim Davis, creator of Garfield, as an illustrator and cartoon storyboarder.
So I had personally insulted the guy’s life work. I was torn between not wanting to appear like an asshole, and the desire to stick to my guns. Garfield sucks.
I took the middle road and wrote him a letter suggesting that I did not fit Garfield’s target demographic (I can tie my own shoes). I left the door open to discuss Garfield in particular, or comics in general, some more. I’ll keep you posted on the discussion, if and when it unfolds.
P.S. – I checked ebay. The doll wasn’t worth squat. Nice try.
God bless.
what have you been smoking garfield (person, not the stupid cat) whatever it is, I think it’s illegial. wake up and smell the catnip. garfield sucks!
I love the “Burn, Garfield, Burn” that’s funny
>Garfield has a 1 slightly (and I do mean very slight) amusing strip out of 12 ratio in my opinion, not a good stat at all. To read the funniest strips look no farther than Get Fuzzy, Foxtrot, and Calvin and Hobbes. Dilbert would have made this list but after seeing an episode of the television series I was highly disappointed.
There a nice bio and family photo of Brett here
http://ucomics.aolsvc.aol.com/news/mrpotatohead/bio_bk.phtml
[...] garfield strikes back digg_url = ‘http://www.badmouth.net/burn-garfield-burn/’; [...]
Hey You! Is that really you? It’s me…snoopy
hi, this is the wife of HOUSE MOUSE!!! EEK
love to JoJo.