The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

This is the weekly dispatch from Bizarro Studios North, where I have been writing and drawing the Monday through Saturday Bizarro comics since 2018. My partner and friend Dan Piraro created Bizarro in the late twentieth century, and continues to do the Sunday comic from Rancho Bizarro in Mexico.

Wayno

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Another Saturday has rolled around, which means it's time to take a nostalgic look at the week in Bizarro, but not before we share a pipe pic, as is our tradition.

Today's offering is an isolated comic book panel drawn by the prolific and influential Jack Kirby (1917-1994), a pioneer of the superhero genre, who was nicknamed The King of Comics.

If the website where I found this is correct, the panel was taken from a story titled "It Fell From a Flying Saucer," which appeared in Tales to Astonish #31, published in May 1962.

Kirby was often photographed smoking a pipe, or more frequently a cigar, so the image may have been something of a self-portrait.

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No pesky children interfered with the creation of the following comics panels, although I may have paused a few times to attend to our feline family member's request for a scratch behind the ears or a refill of his food bowl.

There's a self-styled philosopher on every jobsite.
 

An online commenter asked if the wigs shown in the top drawer were based on Moe, Larry, and Shemp of the Three Stooges. They weren't, but I do wish I'd thought of it.

If this panel took a minute to land with you, you're in fine company. When Dan saw my sketch, he said, "The football gag totally confused me until I spotted the pirate, which is good!"

The pirate character was based on an image in the old Art Instruction Schools ads. I'm sure I copied that face a few times when I was a youngster.

I don't believe I've ever done a gag based on Star Wars before this one. I saw one or two of the films when they were initially released, but never became a fan. Many films have appeared in the interim, of which I have no knowledge, so those characters aren't really part of my cultural vocabulary. I felt confident that I could pull off this simple pun without violating the canon, but that notion was misguided. Less than thirty minutes after I posted it, an Instagram user informed me that "This is of course impossible!"

The title of today's post is taken from the novel of the same name by Douglas Adams. It's the second book in his Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. Over the years, I've enjoyed the Guide in various incarnations. I read the books, listened to the radio series on LP, watched the 1981 TV series and the 2005 film. I like Douglas Adams's universe much more than George Lucas's.

Old-world craftsmanship isn't dead.

I normally place the week's strongest gag in the Friday slot, with the next best on Monday and Wednesday. Jokes that I'd grade a little lower are slotted on Tuesday and Thursday, and whatever remains runs on Saturday. Although I didn't think this was the funniest gag of the bunch, I enjoyed making the drawing and still like the look of it.

That's the latest in humorous rectangles from Hollywood Gardens, PA. Thanks for dropping by. Please come back next week for more stuff and nonsense.

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Bonus Track

Tim Souster, "Journey of the Sorcerer"
from the BBC Television Series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

This catchy tune was used as the theme to both the original radio plays and the television series. It was a perfect fit for both.

Until I searched for this video clip, I didn't know the name of the composer. After some additional surfing, I learned that Tim Souster (1943-1994) was an innovative and respected composer, producer and music critic. For a time, he lived in Berlin and served as teaching assistant to Karlheinz Stockhausen, a giant of electronic music.

I'll be on the lookout for more of Souster's recordings, and as I type this entry I'm listening to his 1994 album Equalisation for Brass Quintet and Live Electronics. It's challenging, in the very best way.

Department of Corrections

"Journey of the Sorcerer" was in fact composed by Bernie Leadon of The Eagles, and the song appeared on their 1975 album One of These Nights.  John, a knowledgeable blog reader, pointed out in the comments that the original Eagles version was used as the theme for the Hitchhiker's Guide radio series. When the radio programs were later released on LP, if featured the cover version arranged and recorded by Tim Souster.

Apparently, Leadon's bandmates hated the song, which caused or intensified disagreements among the members, and Leadon eventually left the band.

In my defense, I didn't have to opportunity to hear the series when originally broadcast on the BBC, but that's no excuse for sloppy research.

I'm horribly embarrassed by my mistake, and truly grateful to John for setting me straight. We're fortunate to have a smart and helpful community of readers.

I remain indifferent toward The Eagles, but must admit that "Journey of the Sorcerer" is a pretty cool instrumental.

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Other Bizarro Locations

Dan Piraro's Bizarro Blog
The chief's newest Sunday Bizarro page, plus news of some other projects he's got in store for us

 Wayno's Bizarro Newsletter
Semi-random musings, a clip from a future gag, and an archival illustration or design

Peyote Cowboy

Dan Piraro's epic, award-winning surreal western graphic novel

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