Saturday, September 24, 2022

Fattening Frogs for Snakes

This is the regular 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, who created Bizarro in the late twentieth century, continues to do the Sunday comic from Rancho Bizarro in Mexico.

Wayno


 
Humor is just another defense against the universe.
Mel Brooks

I open today's entry with an expression of gratitude to all Bizarro readers who contacted papers in the Lee Enterprises group who dropped us along with many other comics. Lee's corporate bosses chose to make a standardized and heavily reduced comics page for all of their seventy-seven newspapers across the US. We're hoping someone up there will listen if enough readers express their displeasure. Meanwhile, we're trying to remain hopeful, and are working on more comics for you.

The quote at the top of this post (attributed to Mel Brooks, but who knows) expresses why we sometimes create jokes about things that scare us of make us uncomfortable. When sources of humor start disappearing, that's a danger to everyone's well-being. So, again, we thank all of you who read and support your favorite comics, whichever ones they may be.


 

Bizarro reader Dave J of Ventura, California sent us this pipe pic, rendered in autumnal colors.

 
The subject is British philosopher and mathematician Bertrand Russell (1872-1970).
 
This orange image has appeared in several places online, but I've been unable to find a credit for the illustrator who created it. If anyone reading this knows who's responsible for the art, please let me know, and I'll provide proper attribution.

I confess to being unfamiliar with Russell's works, but a search for quotes from his writings made me want to explore further. Here's one that seems rather timely:

The first step in a fascist movement is the combination under an energetic leader of a number of men who possess more than the average share of leisure, brutality, and stupidity. The next step is to fascinate fools and muzzle the intelligent, by emotional excitement on the one hand and terrorism on the other.

Thanks to Dave J for sharing the image, and prompting me to investigate Russell's works.


Now, let's see if any of this week's Bizarro comics might have provided any defense against the universe.

On a positive note, the house is completely free of mice.

Princes were a dime a dozen in those days, but a half-human half-frog could make a decent living in a traveling carnival.
 
Wednesday's dark panel references a quote from Friedrich Nietzsche, although I wasn't familiar with it until after I'd drawn the gag. In Beyond Good and Evil, Nietzsche wrote:
He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you. 
My favorite aspect of this one was the play on the double meaning of "ruminate."
 
This scene is to be expected when Grandma comes to visit, no matter where you live.

Although I only had to draw half a panel for Friday's gag, the wallpaper pattern eliminated any time I'd hoped to save.
I was particularly pleased with the strip version, with the sheets of wallpaper echoing the look of a multi-panel comic strip. This is as close as I've some to a completely blank image serving as a gag.

Saturday's panel explores an interesting reading of the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution.
 
That's the latest from the Little Shop of Humor at Bizarro Studios North. Thanks for stopping by, and for reading the blog and the comic.
 
Please consider visiting these affiliated virtual locations:

Dan Piraro's Bizarro Blog

Wayno's Bizarro Newsletter

Diego Piraro's Peyote Cowboy Graphic Novel


See you next week.

Bonus Track

Clarence Frogman Henry "Ain't Got No Home"
Argo Records single, 1956


16 comments:

  1. Prof. Zwicky clearly cannot get enough of analyzing Bizarro cartoons!
    https://arnoldzwicky.org/2022/09/21/the-monster-and-the-minotaureador/

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  2. Anonymous1:51 PM

    What is work? Work is of two kinds: first, altering the position of matter at or near the surface of the earth relative to other matter. The second, telling other people to do so. --- Bertrand Russell -1935
    From his book of essays - 'In Praise of Idleness'

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  3. Anonymous2:00 PM

    Thanks for yer sharp eye & mind. Please keep up the good work.

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    Replies
    1. I'll keep at it. Thanks for the kind words.

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  4. Anonymous3:42 PM

    How is the plumber not stone? :)

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  5. I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. I'm sure you'll see them off in grand style!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much. It's going to be emotional. Our friend was a beacon of warmth, and she was loved by everyone.

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  6. Anonymous6:38 PM

    Love your work… Fattening Frogs for Snakes is Black American saying from the 1930’s. Blues men Sonny Boy Williamson II and Buddy Guy recorded the tune…. Thanx for all

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    Replies
    1. Yes! I thought of the song because the week's gags had snakes and a frog, but I decided not to explain using it to headline the post. I knew that music lovers would catch the reference!

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  7. I thought the guy papering the fourth wall was really clever. I'm glad you got the image done before he completely papered it over.

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    Replies
    1. I had to draw fast, that guy is good.

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    2. Anonymous7:40 PM

      Lol

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  8. Anonymous10:28 PM

    Bertrand R. Was a vocal anti- nuclear weapon proponent in Britain during the early '60s ; remenber a photo of him among a group holding a new image - the prace symbol ...

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  9. Anonymous9:54 AM

    If you haven't heard Rob Peckman ding "Ain't Got No Home" with John Gresh in Pittsburgh, you have missed one if the joys of the universe!

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  10. Alan Winston9:02 PM

    note image #10: https://blogs.loc.gov/now-see-hear/2022/09/does-someone-know-my-name-mystery-photos/

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