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
An arrogant person considers himself perfect. This is the chief harm of arrogance. It interferes with a person's main task in life—becoming a better person. Leo Tolstoy
Whether Tolstoy actually said or wrote this (I've yet to see a source cited), the words are valid. We can see examples everywhere. Some are blatantly obvious, such as when people actually use the word "perfect" to describe themselves, and more often in nonverbal ways.
The quote takes on specific meanings when "person" is replaced with "artist," "writer," or other descriptors.
Most cartoonists I know are constantly striving to become better at their art, and we often see only the flaws in our own work. The community is generally welcoming and supportive; more humble than arrogant.
I'm lucky to be part of this profession, and coming across the Tolstoy quote reminded me why I enjoy being around fellow cartoonists.
I expect this applies to any endeavor, and that those who are convinced that they're flawless stand out, but not in the way they believe.
Speaking of cartoonists, today's pipe pic was drawn by my cartoon hero Virgil Partch. I found the image on an auction site and resisted the urge to bid on it.
The image is a clip from this gag:
The caption reads, "He was my commanding officer during the war."
If you spot any boo-boos in the week's cartoons, rest assured that I probably noticed them after the files were uploaded and have been fretting ever since.
When Monday's comic was published, regular Bizarro reader Matthew H commented, "She's rollin' in dough." Naturally, I had to steal that for today's blog title, and I tip my hat to Matthew, who always has something amusing to say.
Last Wednesday, we foreshadowed this week's four-day run of "What's Your Jam?" multi-panel gags riffing on various characters and what type of music they might enjoy. The format provided an opportunity to create title panels, which Dan uses every Sunday, and I had fun with it.
The tortilla chip that likes salsa music might be my favorite in this group.
I wrote one more after this week was already queued for publication, so it will appear in late March. I've probably exhausted the premise, but let's never say never.
You have to admire the commitment to old-world craftsmanship.
Thanks for dropping by to peruse these illustrated drolleries.
Bonus Track
Duke Ellington: "C Jam Blues"
Soundies film, 1942
"Soundies" were precursors to modern music videos. Over 1,800 of these short musical films were produced in the 1940s, and they could be viewed on video jukeboxes called Panorams.
Additional Bizarro Resources
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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
Some jokes are all joke.
James Booker (1939-1983)
With Mardi Gras coming up in a few days, my mind is on the people, food, culture, and music of New Orleans, America's finest example of the metaphorical melting pot.
James Booker was one of the city's quirkiest and most astounding musicians. I urge you to check out any of his recordings. Booker was the subject of a documentary, Bayou Maharajah, which is also worth seeing.
This week's blog will be a little briefer than usual, as I have some homework to do for a special project over the next several days. It'll have to remain hush-hush until the fall. It's not a huge thing, but it's important to me.
Bizarro field correspondent and blog reader Jim D. directed me to today's outdoorsy pipe pic. He saw it in a book and did a web search for the image, finding a postcard for sale on eBay.
The credit on the reverse side reads:
This dapper climber with pipe is climbing 8,906-foot Eagle Cliff Mountain in August 1963. Also attracted to the craggy outcroppings are eagles, falcons, kestrels, hawks, and turkey vultures. (Courtesy Rocky Mountain National Park, NPS.)
The unseen photographer's accomplishment is equally impressive.
Thanks to Jim D. for spotting this one!
I wonder what James Booker might have thought of this week's gags. Are the jokes all joke, or do some have more going on?
I wasn't the first to imagine a Disney/Kurosawa mashup, as I recently learned that a direct-to-video movie of the same title came out in 2024. It looks nothing like our version.
Some readers opined that there's not much difference between a good mime and a bad one, but I'm keeping quiet on the subject.
Fair warning: I may explore this angle again.
At Bizarro Studios, we're doing our part to make narcissism funny again.
It's generally advisable to eliminate unnecessary words from a cartoon's dialogue, but some gags call for verbosity.
I like the joke, but drawing this panel was much more challenging than I'd anticipated.
Thanks for looking at these boxes of words and pictures.
I wish you a happy Valentine's Day, a festive Mardi Gras, and, as the Year of the Horse arrives on Tuesday, twelve months of health, happiness, peace, and prosperity.
Bonus Track
Fats Domino: "So Swell When You're Well"
from Fats is Back Reprise Records, 1968
New Orleans legend Fats Domino recorded this James Booker composition, with Booker playing piano on the session. Aretha Franklin also did a great cover of "So Swell" on her 1973 album Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky).
Superabundant Bizarro Shenanigans
If you like what we do and appreciate that it's still free, we encourage you to explore the following links.
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
I know the world is bruised and bleeding, and though it is important not to ignore its pain, it is also critical to refuse to succumb to its malevolence. Like failure, chaos contains information that can lead to knowledge—even wisdom. Like art.
~Toni Morrison, 2004
I share this quote for creative colleagues who despair that their work is trivial in a world often filled with hatred, cruelty, and injustice. My Bizarro partner, Dan Piraro, sent it to me in late 2024, at a time when I was feeling particularly overwhelmed and pessimistic about current events.
Going through some of my vintage paperbacks and found this. Dell did a great job on these mapback paperbacks in the 1940s.
Paul sent me down a research rabbit hole. I was already somewhat familiar with the Dell books commonly known as "mapbacks," whose back covers featured maps of where the book takes place.
My research turned up a collection of hundreds of Dell paperbacks with gorgeous airbrushed cover art by American illustrator Gerald Gregg (1907-1985). The page also has a biography of Mr. Gregg.
To my surprise, the biographical info came from a book about paperbacks written by Piet Schreuders, a photographer, designer, and writer I've worked with in the past.
This creepy clown was one of my favorite images from the collection of Gerald Gregg's covers.
So, big thanks to Paul for discovering the featured book cover, and for leading me to many more terrific images, not to mention a name from my past.
Be sure to check out the New Yorker Caption Contest Podcastfor some in-depth cartoon talk with hosts who are passionate about cartoons, fun, funny, and opinionated (in the best possible ways).
I hope at least a few of this week's Bizarro gags bring you some well-deserved laughs.
Maybe I should've held this for March, when we do the "spring ahead" thing.
Based on the amount of Orwellian Doublespeak coming our way in recent times, this one almost wrote itself.
The panel received an online comment which seems to have missed the joke, or maybe to have proved it true, but I can't say for sure.
I was genuinely curious about this person's point, which seemed ambiguous or confused. I may have misinterpreted his words, but detected an air of indignant aggression, and decided not to ask for clarification.
I may have run out of Nosferatu puns, but that didn't stop me from making another vampire joke.
I believe this defense has actually been attempted.
"I call that last one The Royal Wheeeee!"
Unless there's a color that's more urgent than red, yes.
Thanks for checking our these risible rectangles. Drop by next week to read another new batch, unless your field of vision is filled with floating hearts.
Bonus Track
The Who: "Tattoo"
from The Who Sell Out Track Records UK LP, 1967
A Large Load of Bizarro Lunacy
If you like what we do and appreciate that it's still free, we encourage you to explore the following links.
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
Greetings from the frozen mid-Atlantic region. Our predicted low temperature for tonight is minus ten degrees. Still, we're shovelled out and managing well compared to other areas hit by the winter blast.
The snow probably won't fully melt until March, but fingers are crossed for good news from Punxsutawney next week.
I hope you're all warm and safe.
Today's dapper pipe pic is believed to be an early self-portrait of the pioneering photojournalist Charles "Teenie" Harris (1908-1998)
Harris chronicled life in Pittsburgh's African American community, photographing newsworthy events, sports, political and entertainment figures, and ordinary citizens, for the Pittsburgh Courier. Over the course of his career, he shot more than 80,000 photos, and his archives are now housed in the Carnegie Museum of Art here in Pittsburgh.
In the 1980s and 90s, Mr. Harris licensed his work to a vendor who made prints and sold them at street fairs. During that time, we were fortunate to acquire several of Teenie's photos, which we still display in our home. Here are a few favorites:
The prints we own aren't museum-quality, but we're grateful to have them, and are especially proud that the Carnegie Museum of Art has preserved the legacy of this important man.
We now present some less-than-historic images, in the form of this week's Bizarro comics.
Not everyone observes Dry January.
I have heard from several people whose doctors gave them similar advice.
Perhaps predictably, one Instagram commenter/bot left multiple lengthy diatribes unrelated to the comic. They hit the threshold for being blocked.
That's not a smartphone, but a tiny picket sign.
I must tip my lid to my good friend Vince Dorse. I mentioned to Vince that someone had sent me a joke about Fats Waller and suggested using it as a Bizarro gag. We laughed about the fact that nobody younger than us would even know of Fats Waller. Vince remarked that if it became a comic, "There will be teenagers outside your house, all holding up phones with photos of pitchforks and torches on them."
That clever remark was the seed of this gag. Vince, I owe you lunch!
A roof is optional.
One has to feel sorry for this guy. As far as we know, this isn't yet listed in the DSM.
Nobody likes the coach's pet.
Bonus Track
Fats Waller: "Your Feet's Too Big"
For the kids.
A Plethora of Bizarro Prose & Products
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