Garfield by Jim Davis for November 11, 2010

I think he got squished.

Or he didn’t and they celebrate it for Garfield.

Surely this isn’t in the best of taste for Armistice Day / Veterans Day

I agree with rogerk00

erm……. I really hope this isn’t a political statement (of any kind)……..

edit: Especially since Transgender Day of Remembrance is just around the corner… Differences need to be celebrated, not oppressed.

Jon needs an exterminator.

…..or a gecko.

Oh well, being sent to war by stupid people does not devalue the Vietnam veterans. So, even if there IS a political statement, it won’t be against them.

Seems to be going around though…’nam, two gulf wars, afghanistan (sp)…awwwww ALL wars are stupiud!!!! If the politicians who start them had to go over there and fight we wouldn’t have any wars, or of we did have wars, we’d soon have no politicians.

LOL

In England, it’s called Guy Falks Day.

By what I’ve heard about it, it’s a fun day.

\\//_

I agree that Remembrance Day Isn’t being totally respected in this comic.

So … let me remind people:

FYI, dkram, Guy Fawkes Day (note the spelling) is the FIFTH of November. 11/11 is Remembrance Day, and is NOT a “fun day,” as you put it.

I don’t think Davis meant any disrespect to veterans. It’s never been his style. I do think the timing of the strip is a bit unfortunate, it should have been swapped with another day.

National Stupid Day indeed.

Probably should have been National Insanity Day.

And I didn’t read anything into it at all. Just very funny.

It is unfortunate that this joke vaguely resonates with Veterans Day, but I agree with those who think (or at least hope) this was not intentional. I can’t think of any time “Garfield” has ever been political or even that socially aware.

But if nobody else is going to mention it, I will: This is a hilarious cartoon!

(BTW, I’ve never been sure whether I count as a vet or not, because nobody ever shot at me. And a good thing too, because at our little nuclear ammunition depot in the forests of Germany it would have meant nuclear war. But they did give me a yellow fever shot for the Cuban Missile Crisis. Yellow fever in Germany? That was a close one.)

@gocomicsmember - I thought dkram was wisecracking that Guy Fawkes Day was akin to National Stupid Day because he was the sole person found guarding a stash of explosives meant to blow up the King and Parliament.

I would sooner equate that spider’s attitude with a suicide bomber (which Guy Fawkes was) than an American soldier! I never met an American soldier who was so ego-centric as to believe their death would create an annual day of remembrance specifically for him/her.

Come on guys! It’s not right to make unfounded and inflammatory accusations! I highly doubt Jim Davis would put down American soldiers or risk his own image like that! That’s a stretch at best.

ANNOUNCEMENT!!

I sent an email to Garfield’s Director of Public Relations and received a reply that says the following is about to be posted on Garfield.com:

—————–

Dear Friends, Fans, and Veterans:

In what has to be the worst timing ever, the strip that runs in today ‘s paper seems to be making a statement about Veterans. It absolutely, positively has nothing to do with this important day of remembrance.

Regarding today’s Garfield comic strip , it was written almost a year ago and I had no idea when writing it that it would appear today — of all days. I do not use a calendar that lists holidays and other notable days so when this strip was put in the queue, I had no idea it would run on Veterans Day. What are the odds? You can bet I’ll have a calendar that lists EVERYTHING by my side in the future.

My brother Dave served in Vietnam. My son James is a Marine who has had two tours of duty, both in Iraq and Afghanistan. You’d have to go a long way to find someone who was more proud and grateful for what our Veterans have done for all of us.

Please accept my apologies for any offense today’s Garfield may have created. It was unintentional and regrettable.

Jim Davis

Oh, stop it ya’ll. Name-calling and over-reaction is what started this whole thing. Show some respect for this day, and just LET IT GO!!!!

Thank you PSCHEARER!!!! Good communication is the key to peace.

No offense taken here.

A cold war vet.

Sun shines bright on the green field of France The warm summer breeze make the red poppies dance. Trenches are scattered under the plow There’s no gas, no barbwire, there is no gun firing now

But here in the graveyard is still no-man’s-land Countless white crosses, mute, where they stand. To man’s ignorance to his fellow man A whole generation that were butchered and damned.

Did they beat the drum slowly…

This is the Land of the Free, BECAUSE of the Brave The price of freedom is NEVER FREE. Take time today to thank those who helped pay that price, and remember those who paid the ultimate . I DO and I will.

Spider toons have been running lately and I never once connected this one with either Veterans’ or Remembrance Day. I took it as funny. (Thanks to Jim Davis for taking time to respond anyway.)

I look at it for what it is, a comic strip. I do not believe it was a political statement concerning Veteran’s Day, but even if it was, isn’t that what we veterans fought for, to give knunckleheads the right to free speech and comment. Remember we are Americans and not a 3rd world banana republic that would have the comic shot.

C’mon people this is GARFIELD were talking about here. Garfield who celebrates holidays in his own way with a look on life that keeps us coming back for more each day! He has always been Red, White and true Blue! I highly doubt he would make a farce out of me or the rest of our veterans. He has gotten me through some tough times in my life and for that I will always be thankful to this large, orange cat. Please quit making something out of nothing! I Love Jim Davis and thank him from the bottom of my veterans heart for his cat and his outlook on life! GOD BLESS OUR VETERANS AND GOD BLESS GARFIELD!

I don’t quit think this is what Spidie had in mind

I liked it

I didn’t make that stupid connection. Jim Davis merely tries to entertain, not insult.

Garfield’s expressions in the 2nd panel exhibit sarcasm at its best!!!

March 20, on the other hand, would be appropriate for National Stupid Day.

I’m a friend of Garfield on facebook, where I saw Davis’ letter before I saw this

www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/11/12/garfield.ill.timed.comic/index.html No there’s no connection with the story of yesterday’s strip and Veteran’s Day. Just an uncanny coincidence. I think the message Davis was trying to say was, the spider got squashed and is remembered for just being stupid.

@Brother_James437, you said a mouthful!

@MUKYOU, what a beautiful poem… thank you.

Veteran here too, didn’t see anything wrong with the strip myself. I’m thankfully glad that Jim made a statement in regards to this. :)

gocomicsmember: You missed it.

bestis2come: You got it.

\\//_

Davis has apologized for the timing coincidence, he says that the story line was developed a year ago.

I thought it was just me thinking this was insensitive..

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1216970820101112

I read Mr. Davis’s statement on this strip and, considering his own son and brother have served in combat, I take him at his word that he did not intend this to be insulting to Vets.

What I did find interesting is that this strip was created nearly a year ago and that Mr. Davis had no idea when it would be published. That means the syndicate is responsible for this abomination and need to apologize.

@RCMINOR Neither Wilson nor FDR had any inclination to go to war. Both Presidents were brought into war by actions against the USA. FDR agreed to send supplies to Britian, but did not want to send our Nation into “their” war. Oh and don’t forget, Lincoln was a (W/R)

Kennedy… I’ll give you that one.

Sounds to me like some people have been brainwashed into taking everything as an insult.

RCMinor, wars are not always brought to you by the letter ‘D’ (a la Sesame Street symbolism); sometimes the letter ‘R’ has a hand in them,too. Contrary to what you infer, the US DID NOT go blithely into any of those battles; they fought to ensure freedom for those oppressed by tyranny and, in these current wars, by suicide bombers. Like it or not, the world will always be subject to wars and our brave soldiers will always rise to the danger. Thousands of our soldiers have carried the letter ‘D’ (death) to their grave. Lest we forget!

While Jim Davis didn’t pick this date to publish the strip, it is SATIRE. As a Viet Nam era vet I have no problem with the strip, and anyone who THINKS that the strip is calling Veterans stupid is really off the mark. We’re talking about a BUG!!!

really bad timed

Terrible timing, I agree, but Jim Davis did put out an apology that you can see with this link, or just by looking up “Garfield National Stupid Day” (that’s what I did).

https://www.twincities.com/2010/11/10/garfield-creator-apologizes-for-national-stupid-day-joke-on-veterans-day/amp/

National Wisdom Day.

The fact that this comic was literally broadcasted live on televised news networks is hilarious

Hey it worked! Kinda….