Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Complaining, Flying, Jumping

Bizarro is brought to you today by Baby Proofing.

The first cartoon I've posted today is one of my favorites in a long time and is my cartoon answer to the sort of folks who write scathing letters to me about something they found offensive about one of my cartoons. Regular readers of this blog have seen a few of the kookier bits of hate mail I've received, so you know what I'm talking about.

Recently I've begun receiving mail from people who are upset that I put the "K2" into my cartoons. I've been doing this for around 15 years, it represents my two daughters, whose names both begin with K (Krapuzar and Krelspeth) but apparently there is some kind of recreational drug or something that goes by K2 now and people think I'm promoting it. Like I would do that. I haven't bothered to look this thing up so I have no idea what their talking about. Is it illegal? Is it actually dangerous like chrystal meth or is the supposed danger a corporate-inspired myth as with marijuana? For all I know you can buy it at a health food store but it's cutting into pharmaceutical profits so Fox News is waging a propaganda war against it. I'm sure I'll find out soon enough.

This next cartoon is about the constantly growing list of things airlines are charging for. Soon there will be a two-drink minimum. Where will it end? And when will someone invent a way to get a large airplane off the ground without using fossil fuels? There could easily be a time in the near future when there are no airlines because of fuel difficulties. Weird.

From the archives, here is one of my long-time favorites that was used on the cover of one of my early books. An embarrassing first day in Heaven.

CHNW and I jumped out of a perfectly good airplane a couple of years ago. It's tons of fun and we didn't die. Unless the afterlife looks just like our normal lives.

As some of you know, I don't actually believe in any kind of afterlife but it's such an irresistible premise for cartoons that I use it a lot.

12 comments:

DnA Springer said...

I like your Caveman outfit.

ojeano said...

Re: parachutist's afterlife: I love a cartoon that makes me hear what was said before the caption was spoken.

Anonymous said...

Is it just me or does the stewardess look a lot like the angel?

A comic conspiracy?

Something to do with K2......

It has to be!

Unknown said...

There's some hope that jets could soon be powered by biofuel:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=jet-biofuel-ready-for-takeoff

But don't hold your breath for battery-powered large passenger planes any time soon.

patrick said...

Hey, I have that book with the parachute comic! Regarding the punch line comic, I'd have expected the people in the lineup to be recognizable characters (like BC, Alley Oop, etc) -- but maybe that is why your comics continue to amuse -- they deliver the unexpected (like the text in the airplane comic).

Dosbears said...

It should be 'ensure a safe landing' not 'assure'.

Binky said...

If planes were launched with giant bungee cords, they could glide to their destinations without using any fossil fuels. The passengers would stretch out the bungee, thus no external energy source would be needed. I'm working on a prototype, and am looking for volunteers.

Elder Geek said...

From what I understand you can make fuel from coal. It may be $6.00 a gallon to do so, but we have LOTS of coal in North America. Enough to keep things going a few hundred years more.

There are plenty of good reasons to stop burning hydrocarbons, but an eminent lack of said product is not one of them.

Plan9Studios said...

I have to say, if this is your afterlife, I'm disappointed it isn't more focused on me. But if it is, would you mind doing something about the odd smell behind most restaurants?

Unknown said...

//And when will someone invent a way to get a large airplane off the ground without using fossil fuels?//
Research the Daedalus Project. Human-powered flight using bike gears to power a giant propeller:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIT_Daedalus

Anonymous said...

Wikipedia says this:
"One case has been reported where a user, who had previously suffered from cannabis induced recurrent psychotic episodes, suffered reactivation of their symptoms after using Spice." (also known as K2)

Anonymous said...

K2 is a synthetic cannabinoid. It was recently made illegal (to sell, but not to possess) in the county where I live, and other governments around the country are acting similarly. I'm thinking the reality is closer to your second scenario than your first.