Today's Bizarro is brought to you by Not Bizarro. "Producing cartoons that are not Bizarro since 1998."Last week in newspapers, which is this week on the blog, I had/have a guest cartoonist. A handful of other cartoonists have done this before so I thought I'd try it. I've been coming up with 7 cartoons per week since 1985, without a vacation (unless I work double time beforehand, in which case I am too mentally exhausted to spend my vacation anywhere but a convalescent home) and felt I could use a break. It was terrific to have a week off and know that my feature was in the hands of a great cartoonist and a good friend.
I got varying emails and comments on this blog from those who liked or didn't like Francesco's work. That's to be expected, of course. But sadly for Francesco, it is an unfortunate trait of the human monkey that we are more motivated to speak out if we dislike something than if we like it. So this week, I'd love it if a few of you who like Francesco's cartoons could leave a quick comment.
I love this joke because I raised a couple of daughters on Sesame Street (you didn't expect me to teach them to count and read myself, did you? I'm an important man with important things to do!) and remember a time when only Big Bird could see Snuffleupagus.
Last Friday, over our weekly hookah pipe, Francesco told me that they decided at some point that others should see Snuffy, too, so that Big Bird's experiences would not teach children to keep quiet about abuse because adults won't listen anyway. Who knew children's programming was so complex? He also said that Mr. Rogers wore a sweater because he suffered from abnormally erect nipples that could be seen through virtually any shirt, and Kermit the Frog was sent from Sesame Street to The Muppet Show because he couldn't keep is 3-foot-long tongue off of Maria. Kermit being a devout Muslim, Miss Piggy was safe from his meandering mouth organ.
I also have had a lot of experience with anti-psychotic drugs, so this joke spoke to me on many levels.
Check out Francesco's blog here (my recent fave is the Wal-Mart memorandum) and other cartoons here. (My recent faves are July 22 & 23 and August 1 & 4) Some of his cartoons are not appropriate for kids under the age where their parents don't mind them reading so-called profanity.
46 comments:
The fact that everyone else on the show can now see Snuffleupagus is just wrong wrong wrong. They're messin' with my childhood!
Hilarious stuff. A good fill-in.
Loved his own cartoons, too. "Dairy Creationism." Ha!
Hi Chief,
I thoroughly enjoyed Francesco's work last week! He displays his own quirkiness and style while orbiting Planet Bizzaro.
Actually, when I first read the Big Bird panel I focused on the action, not on the top leader, and I related it partly to your missive of last week re: your own travails. I thought "wow! Dan's drawing style really changed for this strip! Wonder if he's changed his meds?!?!"
Then I read the leader and was happy that you were getting a break, and that you'd found a replacement with Francesco's class.
Thanks for the great stand-in, and glad you're (maybe) rested.
PS. Sunday' panel was Bizzaro!
The Piglet and Eeyore Vice Cops on 7/22 was a classic.
The guy's great. Thanks for his link.
cartoons that have to be explained..doesn't that violate the constitution or something?
Love this guy - far better than the recent Bizarros.
I haven't had the opertunity to read the daily cartoon, as I live in the Netherlands, but I'll check out his blog some more. He's also a great cartoonist. I think the ill comments were just people trolling and being too human. It's funny how brave some people become when they sit in front of a keyboard.
From what I could see, all the negative comments on the guest artist were from long-time posters on this board. So lets not look elsewhere for the culprits.
Count me and my wife in as fans of Francesco's fill-ins.
I loved Ces' Bizarros too!
Ces's cartoons were wonderful. Of course people are going to speak up against him, simply for the fact he isn't Dan. You expect to see one thing, and then there is something else in it's place, there will be a certain disappointment, no matter what.
Looks like your disruptor is now my stalker, Dan... Send that poster your anti-psychotic meds. Somebody needs them more than you do.
Hey Julie - love the picture of Tiny Tim you're using for your profile!
i've enjoyed the fill-in strips. hard to believe he also writes Sally Forth.
I thought the fill in strips were really good. I thought they were a little different than typical Bizarro strips, but I personally thought they were of similar quality and I enjoyed learning about this other cartoonist. I was familar with Sally Forth and enjoyed that, but wasn't aware of the internet comic.
Hey stalker, glad you like my pic. I like your pinhead pic as well.
My family thought this cartoon was a riot - we grew up on Sesame Street. The cartoon's on our fridge, and it makes me laugh every time I get ice.
Hahahaha. Good one, Julie.
I very much enjoyed Francesco's work, especially the "dairy creationism" bit. I also liked the "if dogs ruled" panel enough to print out and put on my fridge at home. Nice work!
lhey dan this is not the way to spend another weeks vacation....making up phony blog names and correcting frances-blow cause he cried and asked you
I came at this all backwards -- I was a Ces fan for years (my "Thank you for your donation" Teenage Girl President art is dated August 2005) but wasn't really all that familiar with Bizarro. So naturally I really did enjoy the guest week of strips.
I'm working my way through the archives here, as well -- bear with me.
I think the evangelical goldfish cartoon was absolutely brilliant, and a classic. I wasn't as fond about any of the others.
I though that anti-psychotic meds pull you out of the stratosphere, not mimic hallucinogens, so the Big Bird cartoon didn't make sense to me.
...wasn't as fond of any of the others.
Sorry for the bad grammar.
lmao! I don't know why people are hating on Francesco's work. I've added his page to my daily check list.
As a child, I interpreted Snuffleupagus as being Big Birds imaginary friend. I thought they were trying to be supportive to kids who were lonely (like I was, though no imaginary friends ever visited me) and used their imagination to keep amused.
Taking that away from the latch key kids for fear that children won't speak up when abused is just... well, creepy. Adults think about children being abused way too much IMO.
Dan, hiring Ces for the week was an inspired pick.
It's also worth noting that the code I had to enter to post this was SXXPNTY which my twisted mind read as SEXPANTY, so you see where my enjoyment of both your work and Ces's comes from.
I thought it was very funny!! :)
I haven't read the Bizarro vacation strips, but upon your recommendation I checked out Medium Large and immediately found three new favourites: May 27, June 23 and July 16. So funny! And at the same time strangely touching. Thanks for introducing him to us!
I'm a big fan of Medium Large, and I really liked all of the guest strips!
I missed you, Dan, but Francesco was a great stand-in. Different style, yeah, different sort of twist to the humor, yeah, but I loved Big Bird, Eeyore and Piglet, and particularly the creationist goldfish. I showed that one to everyone here at my favorite coffee shop, and it was well recieved by all. I also got started on his other blogs, and am still rather blown away that he's the same fellow drawing Sally Forth. I wish him a long happy career.
EARLY bizarro fix tonight nothing happening down by the sea especialy on a Monday..
my mom (who i live with) taught me at a young age if you have nothing nie to say dont say anything at all..im passing on this blog buddy have a good week dan
EARLY bizarro fix tonight nothing happening down by the sea especialy on a Monday..
my mom (who i live with) taught me at a young age if you have nothing nice to say dont say anything at all..im passing on this blog buddy have a good week dan
yes guys my spelling has always been awful even when i draw smethiing up i have a websters dictionary on side of me to make sure my punchlines are correctly inked ...i liked todays gothic bizarro.. dan man is back
i'm surprised you didn't mention 7/29 LOL!
Hey, another Sara B.! That's awesome! Of all Ces's Bizarro strips, and granted, I'm biased because he rails me, I liked the evangelical goldfish one the best. As for the Big Bird one...I needed to have him explain it to me, because I think by the time I could understand "Sesame Street," everyone could see Snuffy...but maybe I'm wrong. Of course, I found the show incomprehensible until I was 21, so maybe that's just my developmental delay flaring up.
Holy shit, remember when Mr. Roper died? Or was it Mr. Hooper? Mr. Whomever, the guy who ran the store. That was SO SAD. But not as sad as Maria's hair in some of those early '80s episodes.
I LOVE Francesco's stuff. Your absolutely correct- people are more likely to leave neg comments than positive. I vow to do better!!!! (and I love your stuff too!)
A good choice for a fill-in! I've added Medium-Large to my USDA recommended daily consumption of humor!
The Goldfish cartoon didn't make sense. I suppose to understand it you have to have the same misconceptions about what Creationists actually believe. The truth is, the argument is transversed. Creationists believe we were designed by a creator (Just as the goldfish does) but Evolutionists believe we just appeared one day in a puddle (as the Jesus fish believes.)
I think what Ces was trying to say was that while folks who believe in evolution think that humans evolved slowly, over time (and, indeed, continue to evolve), and so represent one part of a multi-branched genetic family tree...whereas folks who believe in creationism are of the opinion that humans (Adam and Eve, etc.) suddenly appeared as such, as if God suddenly just dropped them from heaven.
It's worth noting that there are those who believe that we have an intelligent creator who put into motion the process of evolution, and that it is all part of his/her/its divine plan. So there's really room for more than just a binary division, I think.
The goldfish represent two sides of the debate. A third goldfish might say, "We were made from various ingredients BY SOMEONE."
Not agreeing or disagreeing with said hypothetical third goldfish. Just saying he could be there. But it'd be far less funny, and would crowd the panel, besides.
haha, for some reason my eyes scanned this entry and immediately eyed the link, "erect nipples". i HAD to click on the link. i'm actually a little disappointed, because i was expecting something else, what? i don't really know...
thanks d for continually pointing out i a borderline pervert. hehe.
damn it i got to get back to work, but your blog is addicting, thanks d for the great excuse to goof off!
Ces' week was awesome. He was a great fill-in, mainly because he was able to pull off a sense of comedy that harmonized well with yours without simply aping your style.
Interesting point of view, Sara B. The only thing I would add to your statement is that the Bible clearly tells how Adam and Eve were made. Evolutionists can really only make guesses on how life began on Earth since it has never been shown how it could have happened.
I understand that some people believe a deity set evolution in motion, but it doesn't make a lot of sense. Evolution clearly admits that it is a process of slow mutations and survival of the fittest. Why would an all-powerful deity choose such a clumsy time-consuming process?
Thank you for the thoughtful response Sara.
Check me off as one who enjoyed the fill-in strips. Of course, Sally Forth is one of my favorites so I was stoked to see what else he could come up with. It's gratifying to see one innovative cartoonist supporting another.
I love Francesco's work and was ecstatic to see him filling in for the panel.
keep up the good work both of you!
I thought that it was great!!
oh man, I LOVED Francesco's work, and am gonna read his comic from now on!
I'm so glad you introduced him on this blog!! Give the dude a high five for being awesome.
Hope you had a great break and that you're all rested up.
:D
cheers!
I love Ces' cartoons, and I've kept a pretty good pace with everything he's done.
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