But what if there is no Garfield?

https://garfieldminusgarfield.net

https://garfieldminusgarfield.net/tagged/garfield%20minus%20...

Those are painful for me rather than funny. Kind of like The Office.

My understanding is that they have Jim Davis' approval.

I'm not sure I've ever laughed out loud at a cartoon, but as a kid, the compilation books of Charles Addams cartoons used to fill me with so much warm pleasure I would read them over and over, and his cartoons still just plain make me happy to this day. I can clearly see that Larson does that same thing for many people.

I too am a Charles Addams fan! The best ink painter in cartoons (IMO), and definitely plenty of grin worthy gags.

Peter Arno is also another good ink painting cartoonist, although his subject matter has generally aged much more poorly…

That's totally fair. I had to dig a bit - but I'm pretty sure I may have audibly chuckled when I came across these in the wild.

https://imgur.com/a/UiCVymg

A “101.5 The Hammer” of Moths absolutely kills me.

> Have you ever laughed out loud at a cartoon?

I laughed out loud multiple times clicking on links in this very thread, reading comics I've read dozens (and dozens) of times before.

Have you ever read Viz?

Specifically on the London underground (or your local public transport) during morning rush hour, with a hangover. It's hard not to laugh out loud.

https://viz.co.uk/about-viz/

Never heard of it until now. Is it sort of a British equivalent to America's "MAD" magazine?

Still worth reading if you're a scruffy yank?

MAD is wacky. This is more England and it's casual gutter talk. All cultures have their own. Do you enjoy any British hum(o)ur?

VIZ is crass, puerile in the extreme, casually (insert your red line here)-ist on many levels, and often repetitive. It uses common slang words, so somewhat culturally revealing. It's 'wrong' on many levels but done with style, albeit sometimes a repugnant style - So you inwardly 'gasp' in revulsion but outwardly stifle a giggle.

The fake small ads are often very very funny.

Lastly, like so many gags that use the 'shock' effect, the humour doesn't last forever; take a look at an early one on Archive...

>Have you ever laughed out loud at a cartoon?

Generally, I agree with you. But I do remember coming across Parking Lot Is Full one night and having to stifle my laughing so I didn't wake up my wife who was sleeping next to me while I was reading it.

I used to read The Neighborhood during a dark period in my life, until I started laughing out loud. Then I'd set the book down and go to sleep happy.

It was an amazing therapy.

Yes. Calvin and Hobbes.

Recently doing a re-read with my eight year olds and still laughing, though at a different layer of meaning/funny than when I was eight.

Maybe you have to be a boomer or Gen X-er to appreciate it?

The test:

https://www.thefarside.com/new-stuff/390/the-chase

If given the choice, I would have the Viking ship with a kittens-in-a-basket flag.

I love you.

Marry me.