4807: Jon, May 33rd, 1977
| Jon, May 33rd, 1977 |
 Made by: Muchacho1994 |
Explanation[edit | edit source]
This strip redraws the original strip from 2004 in the style of Garfield's predecessor strip, Jon, which ran from 1976-01-08 to 1978-03-02. The author puts a small "not" next to "Jim Davis's" signature to make clear that this is not a genuine Jon strip.
The author's note implies this strip was first created and submitted before Quinton Reviews released the full archive of Jon strips en masse on 2020-06-05; prior to that point, there were indeed only a few Jon strips in circulation, and even those few had only likely resurfaced due to this strip's author's previous effort 3170: Embryonic Garfield, widely believed to be the first time Jon had ever resurfaced outside of unmentioned references in Garfield merchandise books since its original run.
The date mentioned in the title is nonexistent; the month of May has only 31 days. The date that is the closest existing analogue to that nonexistent date, 1977-06-02, did indeed see a Jon strip run that day (Jon ran once weekly on Thursdays in a single newspaper).
The author writes:[edit | edit source]
I decided to redraw a Garfield strip in the style of its predecessor, Jon (also named Garfield for the last few months of its run). Why? I don't know. Cabin fever can make you have strange ideas.
In my opinion, looking at the few Jon strips in circulation at the time of writing, Jon, problematic moments aside, was Garfield done right, or at least better. The character designs, while awkward, especially in early-mid 1976, are still more realistic and interesting than the ones we know and love.
Original strip: 2004-04-29.
Transcript[edit | edit source]
Jon: They've improved your cat food
{Jon sets Garfield's food bowl onto the table}
Jon: It doesn't look and smell as disgusting as it used to
{After carefully examining his cat food, Garfield leaves in disgust}
Garfield: Then it isn't cat food
Signature: JiM DAViS (not)
