Garfield Treasury

In 1978, United Feature Syndicate gave the go ahead to Jim Davis to do a cartoon strip about a fat, lazy cat who would rather eat and sleep than do just about anything else. Now, 25 years later, this cat would still rather eat and sleep than do just about anything else. At least some things in this world never change.Garfield has been making grown-ups and children laugh for almost 25 years. This comic strip is one of the most widely distributed comic strips in the world. And in this book, "The 1st Garfield Treasury" you can see how it all began.The Garfield of today does not much resemble the Garfield of 1978, looks wise that is. I had forgotten how different he looked back then. But his charm, or lack of it, is still there in all of its glory.This book takes us through the first two years of Sunday comic strips, from 6/25/78 to 7/13/80. If you grew up with Garfield as a kid, and even if you did not, the "1st Garfield Treasury" will be a wonderful look back at how it all began.

Certainly, Garfield has evolved over the years into something else. Today, Garfield walks on two legs, isn't even close to how fat he was then (he just has a little gut) and is much meaner to everyone around him. Here, in his very first strips, he's got about six chins, is mean, but still sweet to his owner, less cynical, more cute, and just plain more heartwarming. Garfield the cat was born in Mama Lioni's Italian Restaraunt, where he showed an instant love for pasta, and, most of all..... LASAGNA! The owner was doing bad bussiness because of his lack of food, and so he sold Garfield to a pet store, where a yound man by the name of Jon Arbuckle walked in and took the kitten (the BIG kitten) home with him. Since then, Garfield has been making us laugh for twenty-four years (so far) but I still don't think he's as good as he was in the beggining, here. This is were all the characters are introduced. Jon, Lyman, idiot dog Odie, and Garfield. In this book he looks like a completely different character. He even walks on four legs, like a real cat. Here he's got more of a attitude of a creature new to the world. He explores the fun of sharpening his claws on the drapes, sharpening his claws on the chair, and eating, sleeping, and kicking Odie off the kitchen table (poor, clueless Odie, he'll never learn). Jon, Odie, and all of the other characters have changed, as well. Odie used to have black ears (although at the end of this book, his ears are brown) and Jon looks less geeky. The best thing about this book is the color. Bright and vibrant, it's nice to see Garfield as he originally was. The color in the book isn't as good looking as it would later become (see: The Tenth Garfield Treasury) but it's cute. garfield may be more recognized as he is today, but I've always felt that his older comics are his best. Garfield Treasury is a must buy and keep for all fans of the fat cat. Highley recommended.

This is garfield in the beginning. This is the first garfield i took from my public library to read. It is so hilarious, it is the best treasury of them all. ALl fans of the cat should have treasury #1 in hardcover, its soooo great.

I just got this book for Christmas and read it in the same day. I have been a garfield collector for some time and have every regular compilation book. I have started to get treasuries and want all of tha others. A definite must-buy.

Review of Jim Davis' The Garfield Treasury I enjoyed this treasury, which is based on the Sunday comic strip about a cat named Garfield, his owner, Jon Arbuckle, and their house companions, Lyman and his dog Odie. Garfield is a most lovable cat most of the time. He has his problems, one of them being that it wasn't his idea for Odie to move in. Of course, Garfield's owner gets frustrated with him sometimes, but I believe that happens between sentient beings all the time in real life. Garfield likes sleeping in, eating, and generally getting into mischief. He seems to enjoy eating human food more than his own. I think most cats are like that. Mine, at least, seem to enjoy certain kinds of human food, especially fish and cheese. In one of the page-long comic strip vignettes it's made clear that, like me, Garfield has problems with people hurting each other during times of conflict, stealing from each other, and not having a great deal of pride in their homes and neighborhoods, among other things. If you want to read a cat story, but don't have a great deal of time, this is the book for you! After reading this treasury the first time, I wanted more of them. And more came out! Each time a new treasury has come out, I've made sure to buy a copy. If you like Garfield the cat, you will, too.