Good morning and welcome to the third issue of Saturday Morning Cartoons!
What We’re Watching:
We’re going to try something new and begin our very first review series! It seemed only fitting that we start this off with (arguably) the most iconic comic cat of all time: Garfield. This week we’ll discuss '“Garfield and Friends” the first animated iteration of our lasagna loving cat, but stay tuned during the rest of April as we explore more modern adaptions of Garfield, Otie and Jon.
Garfield and Friends | Garfield’s Thanksgiving (s1e2)
Like a hearty lasagna, this week, we sunk our teeth into the timeless classic, Garfield. Originally gaining fame from the comic strip, Garfield has been serving up humor as dry as the Sahara since 1978, but it wasn’t until 1991 with “Garfield and Friends” that this feisty feline made his way to the silver screen.
Forgive us for talking about Thanksgiving in April, but strangely enough, the first two episodes of this show are Christmas and Thanksgiving themed (respectively). Maybe we were just hungry, but Thanksgiving seemed oddly more appropriate than Christmas so we started with episode 2.
“Garfield and Friends” is a classic, with laughs and heartwarming moments in equal measure. Enhanced by the familiar voice of Frank Welker, who's lent his talents to an array of iconic characters, including Scooby-Doo and Megatron, Garfield exudes that good ol' American charm reminiscent of lazy Saturday mornings.
One of our favorite parts of “Garfield and Friends” is the realism infused into the show's human-cat dynamics. It's peppered with special moments that all pet owners will recognize, such as Garfield feigning starvation on his vet-induced diet.
But let's talk quirks—ever notice Garfield's non-moving mouth? It's a fun element that adds to his charismatic interactions with other characters, setting him apart from other animated protagonists.
In a future SMC issue we’ll discuss our thoughts on the upcoming Garfield movie, starring Chris Pratt, as it returns to unpopular territory by having Garfield move his mouth while talking. This was last seen in the two live action Garfield films released in 2004 and 2006. Will it capture the essence of the original? Only time will tell.
Yet, amidst the laughter, there's a glaring spotlight hog—Jon. Always portrayed as the epitome of blandness, Jon’s boring personality is not only a major plot point for the show, but seems to overshadow Garfield completely. It's a departure from the comic's emphasis on Garfield as the star, and a strange choice that left us bored and confused.
Highlight of the Week:
Bryant has been exploring 3D modeling on his iPad using Nomad Sculpt. Though he has been using the free software, Blender, for modeling for awhile now, he finds the more hands-on sculpting approach to be more a more natural workflow. He is working on building out some character designs and will be bringing them into Blender to begin rigging them for animation over the next few weeks.
If you’re looking to get into modeling and come from a more traditional art background, Nomad Sculpt is highly intuitive and affordable at a one time payment of $20! The app is so intuitive that he was able to build the first concept model of George in just one day.
What We’re Cookin’ Up:
In case you missed it… George has gone to Hell!
We’re working to create a more immersive That Cat’s Cookin’ experience by developing full-length content. We won’t give too much away yet, but soon you’ll be able to follow George’s adventures as the lead drummer in Hell’s Nightclub.
We’re making steady progress on building out George’s spooky story, specifically our first merch collection! Bryant created a starting point design a few weeks ago and has been expanding on it since. It’s still a work in progress, but we’re excited about where it’s heading.
The updated design was heavily influenced by classic horror movie posters and carnivals, such as Luna Park at Coney Island.
Our goal is to release a limited line of Hell’s Nightclub merch by summer 2024, which will help fund our efforts in creating our larger project. We know it’s difficult to wait for all this exciting content, but never fear; if you need more That Cat’s Cookin’ in your life, stop by our Etsy store to shop our current products.
As always, thank you for your support along this magical journey.