Oh, Webcomics-

I assume everyone’s familiar with Garfield Minus Garfield by now. The basic idea is that Garfield is removed entirely from Garfield, leaving many, many panels of Jon speaking to no one and staring. I find it unbelievably hilarious.

That’s not why it’s my favorite webcomic, though – and I didn’t realize until today just why I’m so fond of the concept. I love it because I don’t have to actually go to the website to get the effect.

I was over at the amazing Josh Reads the Funnies So You Don’t Have To (which I only found out about today – thanks again, AV Club!) and while he was critiquing a Garfield strip, I immediately pictured it without Garfield and found myself chuckling.

That’s why it’s such a wonderful strip – once you have the basic concept explained to you, you no longer need the website! You can imagine the joke for yourself, or, if you have five minutes and photoshop, make it for yourself, as I have:

Gone are the days of waiting for creators to actually write and draw comics (I’m looking at you, John Achewood)! This is the democratization of webcomics! Or at least webcomics production for people with no ability to write or draw.

One or the other.