In defense of Davis

[unixronin]

I had an epiphany this morning, and realized what a great unsung hero the world has in Jim Davis.

All these years, we've been thinking Jim Davis was a no-talent hack who's been recycling the same tired Garfield jokes for thirty years (did you know there's over 45 books of Garfield?  Can even Jim Davis tell them apart?) because his strategy for staying in newspaper syndication forever involved intentionally staying firmly settled in a niche of comfortable, safe, non-threatening mediocrity.  But I've realized this morning that this great humanitarian has a nobler purpose of which he does not speak.

He didn't just fall into that rut of stagnant irrelevancy.  No, this hero of our increasingly socially isolated times willingly leapt headlong into it with both eyes open.

... So that Cathy Guisewite wouldn't be lonely there.

Comments

[bbullock.livejournal.com]

I understand his whole point was to be so unassuming and mediocre, no one would ever be offended. And it worked. He works something like two or three hours a month, and makes millions.
If I could get away with it, I probably would, too.

[rosencrantz23.livejournal.com]

the first 5-ish years, he actually had story development and a large cast of characters. Over the next 25 years since, he's whittled the characters down and placed a CSF (comics stasis field) over it. Stories come and go, but there is no development.

Witness the huge reaction to Jon and the Vet becoming a couple.

And bbullock is right, Davis did get into comics seeking unoffensive mass-market mediocrity, and he succeeded fantastically at it.