Thursday, January 28, 2010

Notes on a Zebra

Bizarro is brought to you today by Betty's Secret.

I draw the vast majority of things in my cartoons from memory but now and then I like to get things especially right, which was the case with the zebras here. While researching pictures of zebras online for this cartoon, I was struck by how incredibly beautiful they are. You get used to looking at things all your life and tend to take them for granted, but I find that if I take a moment to step outside myself and imagine I'm seeing something for the first time, like many people before the invention of photography certainly did with animals like zebras, it is truly amazing. A white horse all covered with bold black stripes. It's like they were concieved by a talented gay designer. Unfortunately for the zebras, this has also led to a lot of arrogant disregard for their lives.

I feel this way about roosters, as well. We're so used to seeing them on cornflakes boxes that we forget what exotic birds they are. Roosters are among my favorite animals in the world. Here's another one.

A regular reader wrote to me this week and asked me if the face in the tail area was intentional. It was not, but I see something that looks a bit like a face so he's not totally crazy. Anybody else notice this or is LeRoy perhaps crazier than I think?

Come back later today for the contest. You will experience pleasure.

20 comments:

mkmorris24 said...

It looks like a portrait of John Wilkes Booth on the tail of that stunningly well drawn zebra. That should certainly add a little spice to some conspiracy theories that have long been forgotten.

Gita Devi said...

Looking at the tail long enough I suddenly saw the face. Looks like one of the Luden Brothers from the cough drops or Teddy Roosevelt.

John R. Platt said...

I loved taking photos of chickens and roosters at a recent farm show. Here's my favorite:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnplatt/3494094018/

Mike said...

OMG That's definitely a face, a moustached face.

leonsp said...

At first I thought it said CUNS or GUNS, neither of which made sense.

CUN5 = See you in 5?

Amanda said...

are you able to send the prizes to singapore?

ojeano said...

I don't really get this one. Is it a play on "zebra crossing"? I can sort of see a face in the zebra's rear end, but it's a stretch. I don't know about LeRoy. I like the picture of you and the donkey kissing each other. And yes, chickens are really neat birds. I don't eat them (but I do eat their embryos, I guess everyone has to draw the line somewhere).

hawkgirl said...

Maybe I'm crazier than LeRoy. Now that you mention it, I see what appears to be Teddy Roosevelt wearing a monocle. Since Roosevelt was a big-time hunter, I guess it's appropriate where his face is showing up.

YazDay said...

looked like a face after you pointed it out...old english looking, like he's part of a fox hunt

YazDay said...

Agree about the beauty of zebras...as well about the face on the butt - he looks old english, like he's on a fox hunt...or from Stratego or something

Ryan A. said...

I see the face too, but it is less apparent when you blow it up.
-ryan

Skwishy said...

I think Leroy has been to too many KISS concerts.

Steve Williams said...

The contrast between a really beautiful roster and the overly stylized Corn Flakes roster was especially interesting. Thanks for the reminder that nature is more beautiful than most humans can depict it. (BTW, I loved a lot of stylized art)

ojeano said...

Oh NOW I see the face! Yes, Luden Brothers! Another nice thing about zebras is there is the same amount of zebras as there are zebras asses.

Vladhed said...

I wish chickens didn't poop randomly otherwise I'd love to have them in the house from time to time. I feel bad when it's -20C outside - though they don't seem to mind it.

I brought one of my Indian Runner ducks into the house one mid-winter afternoon when the poor thing got sick. I let her swim in the laundry tub and wander around and then she took a nap in the sun.

FUZZARELLY said...

I thought is was the face of Edgar Allen Poe.

I have two Buff Orpington Banty roosters and love them so much. They, and the two hens, are endlessly fascinating.

Kyle said...

I see Rudyard Kipling

Anonymous said...

I must be morbid. After reading the comments, I must wonder how no one else came up thinking it looked like Hitler. o_O Or maybe it's my lack of sleep.

Yeah, I'll go take a nap now.

David said...

LeRoy is crazier than you think. But in this case hes right. Thats a portrait of my great grandfather. Why LeRoy was focused on a Zebras butt is another concern.

Unknown said...

I'm a bit late to the party but looks very like Stalin to me. Yeah, definitely Stalin.