Bizarro is brought to you today by Catzilla.
I have a long-time pen pal in Germany by the name of Michael Roth. He’s a writer and sometimes he writes cartoon ideas he’d like to see and every now and again I use one. He sent me some ideas about how outdated the “communicators” from the original Star Trek TV show would look to us now, and we finally settled on this treatment for it. If that’s not enough, I packed it with lots of background jokes, too, so click the image for a larger look-see. On the side of the pink truck is one of my Jazz Pickle, limited-edition T-shirts. If you missed this one, check out my most recent shirt,available for only TWO MORE DAYS! Makes a great gift for that person in your life who is addicted to lame TV shows or Justin Bieber. 
And don’t forget to drop by and say hello to Michael.
These next several cartoons are the tail end of last week’s offerings. Michael Roth also sent me some ideas about Godzilla, one of which was about GZ ordering a “Manhattan” cocktail, which resulted in GZ asking about the missing terrorized populace in his drink.
A magician from an organization in Dallas asked me recently to come up with something for his students of magic, and that got me thinking about a trick attempted without knowing the “trick”. Whoops.
Lastly, we have an impatient patient. This one was a collaboration with my good buddy and frequent writing partner, Andy Cowan. Andy is a former TV writer for Seinfeld, Cheers, 3rd Rock from the Sun, and some other shows. He’s neurotic mess, of course, but you have to be to write for TV sitcoms. I’m one too, which is perhaps why we’re friends as well as collaborators.
PREBIZTORICALS: Hey, remember 1997? Neither do I, but this cartoon says it was published then. If you google “Catzilla” today, you’ll get numerous images, but I’d never seen the idea before when I published this cartoon. Perhaps I was the first? I’m going to assume I was and if you find out differently, I’d appreciate your not bursting my little ego bubble.
If you don’t get the gag, click on it and blow it up. On the far right is an old-fashioned, electric can opener being tugged out to sea. I only explain this because I fear I didn’t draw it large enough to make it clear. Ah, the foolishness of youth.
Hey Dan…I count 10 hidden items in here. Did you forget the ones contained in the Bunny’s Pie Repair logo from the t-shirt design (which I bought and wear ALL THE TIME and get comments on it ALL THE TIME!) which have bunny, firecracker, pie, eyeball, and the arrow through the eye. With the large pie on the truck, K2, firecracker on the truck, eyeball on the baseball cap, and the inverted bird. Adds up to 10 items, right?!
I want to suggest, again, that your next should shirt have a drawing with all of your hidden items so we can show people we are not crazy when we look all over your comics doing “crown”, “”fish tail”, “loafer”…etc!
I don’t always get the count right. I’m a deeply flawed human being, especially when it comes to math. :^}
That’s your story and you’re stickin’ to it!! I think you just like to see who’s paying attention or not!!
Pat
Kaboom! Laxatives: priceless
The pedestrian signal at the very top of the strip reading “Wade”: so appropriate for the sea of humanity in the cities.
My screen size won’t blow-up the cab door sign big enough to read, but I get the skull-and-crossbones on the passenger door anyways.
For a real hoot, the dude in the orange shirt would look better if he had a striped shirt to go with his plaid pants.
The door of the cab says “Death Trap Taxi”.
Loving the detail on the Sunday strip! Curious about a couple of things: what the heck kind of shop is that on the corner with animals attacking people; and does the crosswalk sign say “WADE”? Oh, and if the bunny on the BPR truck counts as a symbol, then so should the pie, eye, dynamite, and (maybe) arrow, which would put the count at 9 (or 10).
And I freakin’ *LOVE* the Catzilla strip…it’s sooooo true!
My daughter Andrea named her cat “Catzilla” (or Ziller, for short) back in 1997. Must have been the year for that name.
If you think I’m neurotic, imagine how C-o-w-e-n feels. : )
In the Godzilla panel, is that a slice of blueberry pie on the bar stool? And did you intentionally make the olive in the bearded guy’s martini glass look like an eyeball?
Yes and yes. Thanks for noticing.
Re: 7/4 Magician:
In 1961 an episode of “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” titled “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” was filmed. It was based on a story by Robert Bloch (author of the novel Psycho). The episode ended with Brandon De Wilde (the wimpy “come back Shane” kid from the 1953 movie) beginning to cut busty blonde Diana Dors in half. NBC & advertisers objected to the implied violence & the episode was not broadcast. It is shown in syndication & is on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZzbrNUjQn0.
Fascinating story, Neil. Thanks!
Michael is (on my computer at any rate) currently “unavailable”. 🙁
Thanks for trying, Pat! — I’ve just checked with Roger, the NSA guy who observes me (and makes three times the money I make, DANG!). He says things are clear now and you should try again!
https://www.facebook.com/michael.roth.5095
Nope! You’re still unavailable!
Pat (not the Belgium one)
Seems you need to be locked in at facebook yourself (maybe in an extra tab) to find someone there “available” …
my cat is on my lap as i continue to laugh out loud at Catzilla
thank you for starting my morning out the RIGHT way, with a long hearty, cleansing laugh!!!
I do have a photo of our late cat Mojo meeting Godzilla:
https://sites.google.com/a/poltrack.net/www/Photo-Themes/daily-photo-themes/saturdayphotothemes/caturday/mojomeetsgodzilla
Great pic, thanks for the link and sorry for your loss. :^]
I’ll meet you at the corner of Deja and Vu when the light changes to WADE? Is that right?
haha… love all the extra touches – great one, Dan!
Great, great stuff. As a former bartender I too have wondered where the screaming people are.
Have a drought resistant summer!
In yor sunday strip under the great K2 is a poor soul with a squirrel on his back. Is this in anyway related to the strange story about the tufted ground squirrel? Google “tufted ground squirrel” for story if not. If a squirrel can kill a deer then I would not want to meet one on any trail any where. What difference, really, is there between a small deer and one of us?
I’d not heard of this story, but thanks for the tip.
You just never quit….do you???
Can’t afford to. I’ve got bills to pay. :^}
Dan, Much thanks for including my 1952 Henry J in the Star Trek masterpiece! Mine was gold and black and without the birds. My first car 60 years ago back home in Indiana.
My pleasure!
Was the crow in the car part of a murder? Is that why he looks so suspicions?
They usually are.