Garfield the Cat is one of the most enduring characters in the world of comics. It rivals legendary franchises like Peanuts, Calvin and Hobbes, and The Far Side in popularity. And unlike those other strips Garfield just keeps chugging along as the creator of this chubby, sarcastic feline, Jim Davis, continues to crank out the work at his studio in Indiana.
In 2002 the Garfield strip celebrated the 25th anniversary of his widely syndicated production and Jim Davis put out a special book to mark the event. He also went out on a brief book tour and stopped by our studios 18 years ago to talk about it. During this conversation Davis looked back at his early misstep, a cartoon featuring an insect, and reflected on the enduring appeal of his creation.
One of the more fascinating aspects of the interview was the portion in which Davis discussed the massive counterfeiting industry that has sprung up around Garfield with knockoff products popping up all over and what he has been doing to defend his copyrights.
The Book Nook on WYSO is presented by the Greene County Public Library with additional support from Washington-Centerville Public Library, Clark County Public Library, Dayton Metro Library, and Wright Memorial Public Library.
