Ballantine, the publisher that’s been churning out those Garfield books since I was a kid ordering them from the school book program, is now going to be putting out a collection of “Garfield Minus Garfield” strips. Not only is this being done with Jim Davis’ blessing, but he’s actually promoting the project!

“Garfield Minus Garfield” is the February 2008-launched online strip that spoofs “Garfield” by showing the comic without its main cat character. So readers are treated to surreal, existential scenes of the Jon Arbuckle character talking to himself.

The full-color book will include the original and doctored “Garfield” strips together on the same page for comparison. Dublin, Ireland-based “Garfield Minus Garfield” creator Dan Walsh (GarfieldMinusGarfield.net) is writing the foreword.

Jim Davis, who started “Garfield” in June 1978, said of Walsh’s feature: “I think it’s an inspired thing to do. I want to thank Dan for enabling me to see another side of ‘Garfield.’ Some of the strips he chose were slappers: ‘Oh, I could have left that out.’ It would have been funnier.”

I’m sure I wasn’t alone in thinking that Davis and/or King Syndicate would eventually try to put the kibosh on Walsh’s project when I frst saw his redoctored strips. It’s really amazing, in a good way, to see Davis embrace the project, realizing that rather than detract from the Garfield brand, this actually enhances it in ways the original creator would likely never have seen.

Now I’m just waiting for an announcement of a “Nietzsche Family Circus” collection.

Spread the word!