Today's Bizarro is brought to you by Two Too Hairy.I've seen a lot of self-referential cartoons over the years with various gimmicks that use cartoon balloons as props within the scene or characters that make reference to the borders, etc., and I've done a handful myself. In general, cartoons like that can be too "easy," so I only do them when I think I have a concept that is interesting enough to make it worthwhile. I think this one passes that test; some will disagree with me, of course. (See comments section under "Anonymous.")
I like the fact that this has multiple layers: the victim's last words, the caption balloon stabbed into his back, the reference to the 911 call which would have been the same as the victim's last words. For super-genius readers, like those who frequent this blog, the whole thing falls into place instantly, you smile and snort, count the secret symbols and move on to "Cathy." But for some readers, this cartoon was confusing enough to write to me and ask what it meant. Here is an excerpt from one such email:
"Huh?"
So here is the full explanation of this cartoon:
A guy in a cartoon calls 911 and says, "Help! Someone is using my own words against me!" Because he is in a cartoon, his words appear in a balloon above him with a pointer that designates the speaker of the words contained within. Apparently, as guy #1 utters these words, guy #2 (not pictured) is, in fact, grabbing that same caption balloon and stabbing the caller with the point of it, thus using his own words against him. All of this happens before the scene pictured. As we join the unfortunate cartoon character, now presumably dead, the police cartoon characters have already arrived, one of whom exclaims with his own cartoon balloon that he now understands the peculiar 911 call, "Help! Someone is using my own words against me!"*
Simple.
*This cartoon is fictional and is not meant to represent any actual events or persons. No actual characters were harmed in the making of this cartoon. All characters, both explicit and insinuated, are entirely constructed of lines and color and do not exist in biological form. Your computer screen is an electronic device for personal use and is not a window into another world or alternate reality.
17 comments:
I've never looked for those strange secret symbols before, but I thought I'd give it a shot. There's a k-squared scribbled on the wall, there's a Pie of Opportunity above the lethal thought bubble, and I think that's a Crown of Power on the right policeman's badge. That's all I can find.
By the way, there is an error in your account of the death of the poor cartoon character. According to your story, the poor hapless victim said "Help, someone is using my own words against me" before he is actually attacked using his own words. How did he know that the nefarious evil-doer would grab his bubble and kill him with it? Unless, of course, he had already used some of the other word-bubbles of the victim beforehand, but had failed in his attempted murder, and was only successful once the victim was distracted enough by his 911 call. I guess that makes (cartoon) sense.
This also begs another question. Can you use thought-bubbles in a snow-ball fight?
My computer is too a window into an alternate reality! The proof is obvious here!
i reported this one on the blog as very funny when it came out as i understoood the reference to the balloon good one..
oh and forth the record....mr islam as they called themselves i recieved another letter
i had stated i could do better than many cartoonists in the paper many i never pointed out specifics
Are they the same two cops who shot the chimp?
Ok, now I hate you. I never know about the secret symbols before and now I have to go back through every previously posted cartoon to find them.
AAaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrggggghhhh!!!!
Or you could just get some help for your OCD anonymous!
derek - you are good writing and be good comic man like do it fierce
Anonymous said...
Or you could just get some help for your OCD anonymous!
Hey! I don't have OCD, although I suspect I have CDO. It's a lot like OCD but the letters are in alphabetic order like they're supposed to be.
Jeremy and isee, i just saw on the news another bank collapse, this one in Oregon are you affected.
I just hope there isn't a serial cartoon killer on the loose, knocking off rival characters. Doesn't the victim look a little bit like Jughead?
@Oskar...
They were struggling over the word balloon when he made the call. Which means the victim must have known the perp or he would not have known what he was going to do. Good detective work.
@Anonymous...
Love the CDO reference. Made me laugh.
this is 2 face down guys you have done in the last week...is a trend developing...what events have you got planned for the future...please let us know..
I don't normally laugh out loud when I read these.. sort of a little smile maybe a slight snicker.. ... but when he said this..
Here is an excerpt from one such email:
"Huh?"
I couldn't help but laugh... my daughter was like.. "Mom what are you laughing at".. I could just see Dan saying this to someone.. "and he was like.. Huh?"..
Working in a jail, I laughed my ass off at this one and another recent panel (not on the blog yet)...thanks for the smile Dan:)
-Dave
A tip, Dan... a little less time censoring harmless comments from bloggers like Fido and a little more time spent making Bizarro funny again.
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