Thursday, May 8, 2008

Fox in the Henhouse

Bizarro is a syndicated cartoon appearing daily in something less than a million markets worldwide, and comes to you in electronic form by way of a culmination of thousands of years of inventions.

I love this cartoon, even though the premise is not mine. This idea came from my good friend, Michael Capozzola, who writes and draws "Cheap City," the weekly feature in the San Francisco Chronicle's weekend guide book thing. (I can never remember what it's called: Entertainment Guide? Left Coast Living? Your Weekend on a Bun? SF Doorway?) Regardless, it's a terrific feature and this is a terrific premise so I snapped it up as soon as he offered it.

I got two emails about this one within the first few hours of the day it ran. One from a reader who loved it, another from a reader who thought there was enough "violence against adults by out of control children" without my going out of my way to glorify it.

If that reader intended to say that Fox, as a corporation, is contributing to a crueler, more painful world, I agree wholeheartedly strictly on the merits of Fox News Channel alone. But I don't think that's what she was saying. I suspect she fears she lives in a world where wild teenagers use comics like mine as an excuse to commit heinous acts they would not otherwise consider. God help us all if she is even fractionally right.

I use the term "god help us" euphemistically, of course.

By the way, you're clicking on all these blue words to see the funny pictures, right?

8 comments:

disabled account said...

the blue words that lead to funny pictures are the best part.

Bhob said...

But where are the funny words that lead to the blue pictures?

Daniel Joseph Sardella said...

Commit heinous acts: check.
Click on blue words: check.
Was there anything else?

Eric said...

Again I say, hell yes, I love the illustrative links. Those teens really frighten me though, stop it already. Great panel, your art especially is outstanding on this one so it doesn't really matter where the idea came from, you captured its spirit EXACTLY. Tho Capozzola is outstanding, of course.

Robert Gidley said...

I wondered who "Capozzola" was when I saw this in the paper. "Has Piraro's inner alien finally emerged?" I wondered.

Thanks for explaining why there was an extra name in the panel.

Michael Tallon said...

i always click the blue words--you never know what to expect

HollyBerry said...

i live for those blue words.

Peter Anthony Holder said...

I think it's sad that some people don't see the humour in a cartoon like this but would rather blame you for an increase in violence by the youth (so now your artwork is right up there with Grand Theft Auto!)

I am reminded of what some therapists have been saying of late. That as a political correct society we are sanitizing what people (ie: teenage boys) say and do and some of the darker thoughts that people possess need a creative outlet. If that outlet doesn't exist that is when it manifests itself in more dangerous ways.

Dare I say, Dan, that if you were in highschool today creating the type of cartoons you put out, the school administration would have you in lockdown, checking your locker daily for weapons. And all you are doing is being creative!

Folks have to lighten up a bit and laugh at some of the things that maybe we are slightly afraid to laugh at in this day and age.