Customer Reviews

Garfield: His 9 Lives

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is quite a rare book about Garfield, to be sure, but it definitely proves Jim Davis cannot be put into the proverbial box. The story lines are diverse, with both whimiscal themes as well as the disturbing. Overall, it is a showcase of Davis' talents as a story teller and an artist above and beyond the classic Garfield we all know and love. If you really want to appreciate Mr. Davis' creativity, definitely get this book.

Okay, folks, incase you have no idea what NINE LIVES is all about, I'll sum it up for you: Through reincanation, Garfield well lead nine seperate lives! That's right. These are a collection of short stories that tell who he was, what he was, and what he well be in his former lives, present life, and future life. It's an interesting book for Garfield fans (Just because I'm a 21st century mouse, that doesn't mean I don't like the tubby tabby like the rest of you), butlets face it, each story has nothing to do with each other. That's why I'm forced to write seperate reviews on each of the ten stories... IN THE BEGINNING: B This short story takes a look at how God created the cat. Hip and funny. CAVE CAT: A This one portrays Garfield as the first cat ever. Hilarious! THE VIKINGS: B- It's good, but look at the time frame. According to this, these vikings liked in 1984. But so did Garfield! How is this possible? BABES & BULLETS: A+ The best story in the boo! k! Clever, funny, and mysterious. EXTERMINATORS: A+ The funniest story in the book. I love the old lady. LAB ANIMAL: F The ending ruined the story. GARDEN: A- Original, with brilliant art PRIMAL SELF: C An otherwise good story, it's just too short. GARFIELD: A+ Funny! And you just got to love the ending. SPACE CAT: A+ Another hilaious story with another great ending!

"Garfield his nine lives" is the best book ever written by Jim Davis. It goes through 9 of garfield's most exciting lives like cave cat, space cat, and detective cat. The wonders never cease when you read this amazing book. You'll filp when ya' see it.

It has been far too long (almost 20 years) since I read this book as a kid but even then I was blown away by it. Yes, I'm reviewing a book based on very old memories but I do this because this book is a tragedy that can still be reversed. Jim Davis, who may only be remembered as a hack, actually has incredible talent along with a dark side and a thoughtful side that is never seen in the factory churned comics of Garfield. "Nine Lives" shows this in very bizarre ways. Some have said it was frightening to children but I, as a very timid child who was scared by the Thriller video, was really amazed by this comic. It may have been my earliest exposure to what comics can really do.

I can't say much more about this other than that I hope my review and others might be a signal that this book should be more than a rare collectors item seen as a "fluke." If anything, I hope it shows that Jim Davis didn't just create a cute licensing icon but actually created great art that the world wasn't ready for.

I used to be a big fan of Garfield when I grew up in the 70s and 80s. I've always maintained an interest in comics as a medium, but as I ascended into adolescence Garfield was rapidly replaced by new mature favourites such as the graphic novels of people like Alan Moore, Will Eisner and Neil Gaiman. The Garfield concept is, after all, very limited and rather monotonous, focused as it is on standard themes such as Garfield's gluttony, Jon's social ineptitude etc.

A couple of years ago I was walking past a second hand comic store and happened to see "Garfield: His 9 Lives" displayed in the window. It was obvious from the cover design that this was an attempt at a new take on the comic, and it sparked my curiosity. What I found was something very different from the Garfield I had known as a child - deep, introspective and in parts even dark and disturbing. It most certainly gave me a new found respect for Jim Davis - I would imagine that it takes both courage and creativity beyond the capabilities of most average unprovocative syndicated cartoonists to experiment with their characters to such an extent, and to do a good job of it.

I can certainly see how some of the stories in this book would be frightening to some children, so I'd say that a bit of caution would be required on the part of any parents who buy this book for their kids. I wouldn't consider it unsuitable, but a bit of parental guidance may be called for in the case of young children who are easily frightened (but then again, the same can be said for much of what is routinely considered "harmless children's entertainment" these days). For myself, as an adult ex-Garfield fan, the reading of this book was however an entirely positive experience.

I first found this book in 7th Grade in a comic book box at my high school library, and I was amazed. I'd always liked the Garfield comic strips, but this book was so much more. The artwork in all the stories was beautiful and the story lines were both delightful and hilarious. Garfield's commentary was also good.

Because these stories are all very different I'll rate them each individually.

In the Beginning: 4/5 This story is one of the cleverest in how it presents the 'joke' of the story and the artwork is very interesting, as it appears to be a amalgym of photographs, trippy colour saturation and air brush art. Very cool.

Cave Cat: 3/5 this one was funny but probably one of the weaker stories. The artwork was interesting and would certainly entertain a small child.

Viking Story (don't remember the title): 4/5 Funny, well drawn and true, in a sense, to the original Garfield comics. It has cheeky moments that would keep adults (or library dwelling teenaged girls, in my case) entertained, but would not be really picked up by younger readers. The artwork was truly comic book style, and Garfield looked like himself behind the beard and helmet.

Detective Story (again the title eludes me): 4/5 This is nothing like you would expect, it's very film noir, but funny none the less. The illustrations are very lovely and well drawn (reminds me a bit of Blacksad), and the story is actually quite a clever mystery. It loses a star because it's not really a comic per se, but it is still an entertaining addition to the book.

The Exterminators: 4/5 Bravo Jim Davis! This story is hilarious both for it's own jokes and for it's rather clever parody of the Three Stooges. True to original Garfield, but still unique and interesting, and the art is quite scribbly and humourous.

Lab Animal: 4/5 This story is a bit darker in tone, and the humour a little more oblique, but it's one of the most interesting tales in the book. Other reviewers have slammed it for being too scary, but this one isn't really too bad in my view, it is funny in its own way and it gets you thinking. The art is fascinting in its detail, and the realism suits the story.

The Garden: 4/5 this story probably deserves two ratings, one for the story and another for the art. The story isn't really funny, but it is very gentle (perfect for little kids) and it carries a nice message. The art is colourful and stunning, and it is certainly the most beautiful story in the book. The art work makes me think of Lisa Frank stationary and it is both futuristic in a way, yet also very eighties. Almost psychadelic, really.

Primal Self: 5/5 This one is probably my favorite from a story point of view. It builds suspense very well, and I laughed myself sick at the end. Primal Self is very unusual and if you like your humour a little dark and creepy, like I do, then this story has real appeal. The artwork is realistic, yet surreal and captures the mood of the story perfectly. I might scare very little children, but I'd say any child over seven could deal with this one, especially if they have a devillish sense of humour.

Garfield: 5/5 This is easily the most funny and obviously the truest to Garfield as we know and love him. It chronicles Garfield's birth and childhood and has a couple of very funny moments, especially when Garfield first goes to the pet shop. The artwork is colourful and nice and this story has the cutest pictures of baby Garfield and Odie. Little kids would love this one.

Space Cat: 5/5 Also very funny and interesting. The opening bit was hilarious and the overall story was clever and engaging. The art is unusual and similar to the comic strip. It neatly finishes the book and I really liked it.

I can't recommend this book enough, for fans of any age, it will impress any comic buff, and provides an interesting comparison of styles. My favorite ever Garfield book, and one of the best graphic novels I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Deserves every star.

Having been a serious Garfield fan from the day I could read, this is by far the best Garfield book. Watching him "grow" from the dawn of time (when chickens had teeth) to a "futuristic" Garfield, is fantastic. He even tries his paws at sleuthing. A definite must read for the Garfield fan.

I'm not sure who this book was written for, or why it even exists. The book is too scary for children obviously, and not many adults I know read Garfield cartoons. However, any self-respecting fan of graphic novels will probably enjoy the darker aspects of this book. But at the time that this book was written the graphic novel wasn't a fully realized possibility, and so Jim Davis wouldn't have written it for that audience. Who then was this book written for ? Sure, it makes a nice book for kids... at least some sections. I discovered the book in my uncle and aunt's basement when I was five or six and, liking Garfield, tore into it. I had some of the stories read to me. Images from this book have been burned into my mind, and my inner-child still quivers at segments like Primal Self. Before buying this book for children, consider Primal Self. It's the most frightining example of "children's literature" I've ever read, and I have read the original Brothers Grimm. In it, a cat ( who looks quite realistic and nothing like lovable Garfield ) is possessed by an evil spirit. This spirit throws the cat's body against a wall. And then the cat attacks its owner, a gentle old grandmother holding a picture her grandkids drew for her. Try explaining all that to your five year old. It's still a good book, for strong-stomached youth. There are segments like Garfield, the Exterminators, the Viking one, Space Cat, the Garden ( although I was never able to make out the cursive writing when I was a kid ) and pretty much everything else except for the lab animal one. Oh, and the introduction with the Cat-Man ( Glowing eyes of primal fire and suit of spotted orange: half skin, half fur, half suit. What is he and what is he not ? ). It's a nice book. There's still the mystery of why it exists but it shouldn't prevent you from enjoying it. If your kids have watched Harry Potter or Willy Wonka or the Dark Crystal ( especially the latter two ) and didn't have bad dreams then they should be okay.

Before Garfield and Friends, before the milestone anniversaries, before...yes...the Internet, the fine folks at Paws Inc. decided to get creative.

This 1984 work is a series of unusual short stories chronicling Garfield's past (and present and one future) lives. All of them are dramatically different from the mundane 3-panel comic or even the early TV specials. Supposedly the point is to illustrate how the present Garfield's personality came to be, but a lot of it looks all the world like it's just for fun or what someone on the Paws staff thought was a cool idea.

Except for Babes and Bullets, the stories are very simple, if not perfunctory (I got through The Exterminators in less than 2 minutes the first time). What really makes this great is the sheer variety of the tales and the artwork that goes with them. The artwork deserves special mention, as it's vastly more elaborate and detailed (and pretty!) than anything else I've ever seen under the Garfield banner.

Ultimately, as Jim Davis himself says in the introduction, the whole point of the book is that Garfield is supposed to entertain. There's nothing here that I'd consider even remotely "canon", and in fact completely lacks anything even remotely resembling a consistent timeline (which is why I don't have any problem with the TV version being so different).

It's the most fascinating, weird, wonderful, offbeat, and unbelievable Garfield has ever been. That alone makes this a must-have.

Some details on the individual stories:
In The Beginning (prologue) - We're given a glimpse into the creation of the chubby orange icon. The setting is a computer-aided design and development center, headed by an ornery boss ("Cat Man", for lack of a better name) and staffed by a disgruntled crew of technicians. Airbrushed color graphics. (It's uncertain whether this is supposed to represent Paws Inc.; the techs are presented as generic workers, and no names are given.)

1. Cave Cat - This is one of three stories (the others being The Vikings and The Exterminators) to use "comic book" style artwork. A short, silly tale about a prehistoric Garfield emerging from the sea, chasing after a female cat, and being mercilessly domesticated by early man. Odie's prehistoric origin is also given.

2. The Vikings - A small clan of Vikings and their pet, Garfield The Orange, find themselves in modern-day Minnesota and struggle to fit in. As weird as it sounds. This is the most "adult" of all the stories (although still a far cry from South Park and the like), and also has the dubious distinction of having the only instance of The Word That Means The Same Thing As "Donkey" in the Garfield universe (and I was as surprised as anyone when I discovered it). The transformation into ordinary Americans alone is a bundle of laughs.

3. Babes And Bullets - The longest and wordiest of the stories, and one I always found a little cumbersome; it seems like it should be a whole book by itself (which it eventually did become). If you have a little patience, however, it's an entertaining tale, and even today I'm impressed that writer Ron Tuthill was able to pull it off. The characters are black-and-white anthromorphs, which I found simultaneously fascinating and a bit disturbing.

4. The Exterminators - Pure, unbridled, shameless, mindless slapstick, and a direct, er, tribute to The Three Stooges. If anything, it's too short; those nitwits should've really had the chance to wreak total havoc.

5. Lab Animal - One of the two "dark" stories. Garfield is a captive in a federal research facility and makes a desperate dash for freedom after having an unspeakable experiment performed on him. Minimal dialogue; it's pretty much pure action. There's a tiny bit of violence, but no blood (thankfully). This supposedly explains Garfield's fear of medicine, although what happens to him here is far more extreme than anything Liz ever subjected him to.

6. The Garden - By far the most visually impressive story; surrealistic landscapes with a dizzying array of colors. This is sort of a riff on the Garden of Eden story, but it also encapsulates the whole Garfield ethos: fun, happiness, friendship, love. Somewhat predictable ending (maybe), but a beautiful tale nonetheless.

7. Primal Self - The other dark story, and the most...well, difficult to explain. Virtually no dialogue; it's just a short montage of vaguely creepy scenes where what's "really" going on is left to our imaginations. Despite what you may have heard, there's no violence, but this is by far the most unsettling Garfield-related tale ever. Personally, I loved it. :-D

8. Garfield - An utterly non-canon telling of Garfield and Odie's origins. This is the only story that's done in the same style as the actual comic.

9. Space Cat - And to round it off, a "graphic novel"-esque saga of a futuristic Garfield's ill-fated foray into outer space. Lots of great snappy dialogue, some nice in-jokes, and a suitable nemesis. And the twist ending is PERFECT. I won't spoil it; suffice to say that this story isn't as far in the future as you might expect...

First off I am not a kid; I am 16. I remember reading this book VERY often in my elementary school library with my friends; it was very popular. Interestingly enough, I also remember the somewhat more adult parts of the book, despite the fact that I was too young to be shocked by any of it! Anyway, it's a darn shame that for the past five years or so the Garfield comic has been just completely unfunny, and for me this is a reminder of the good old days when I considered Garfield hilarious(we had a lot of the old collections in our elementary school). Highly reccomended.