Class of 666
Some would see the cartoon above as yet another of my elitist, class-warfare-waging cartoons because you have to be able to spell to get the joke. So be it. It is my hope that by publishing cartoons that require basic literacy skills to enjoy, I am encouraging education. And, I think it’s safe to assume that every person who cannot spell well enough to understand this gag probably has someone nearby who can explain it to them. The president could ask one of his Secret Service men, for instance. I think those guys have to pass actual tests to get that job.
I hope it shows how much I enjoyed doing the art on this one. As with many skills, some days you’re on and some days not so much. The day I drew this, I was really getting into some interesting character designs and had a ball drawing them. And the coloring was just as much fun. I really like doing that bottom lighting, reflective, glowing-orange fire stuff. So much fun.
Last thing before the rest of the show: Beginning March 13th, 50% of all Bizarro Shop and Diego Piraro Shop sales will go to Help Feed the Frontline (in partnership with World Central Kitchen), which delivers food from local restaurants to health care workers in LA. So you’re supporting local restaurants AND the overworked nurses and doctors fighting COVID-19. Win-win!
Let’s find out what fun Wayno had this week with his Bizarro Cartoon Oven. Mmmmm! Smells like humor!
I can’t help asking myself, would I rather be able to fly or type? (Natural chickens in the wild can fly.)
And grab some baby oil while you’re there in case the kid starts squeaking.
Imagine if your uncle married one of those things. I’d call her Aunt Eater.
Over on Wayno’s weekly blog post about this same batch, he mentions how since our cartoons are submitted weeks or months ahead of their publication dates, by the time the public views them, some can take on a different tone than we intended. Since so many people are worried about the pandemic now and more each day know people who have been affected by it, cartoons about sickness and dying can seem insensitive. We’re sorry if that happened to you. But I hasten to remind everyone that finding humor in tragedy is a uniquely human skill and one we’ve evolved to use to make the dark a little less scary. We hope you’re getting more good than bad out of our work these days.
For those who are interested in step-by-step demonstrations about how an idea becomes a published cartoon, Wayno put a post about this gag on the King Features Comics Kingdom site which you’ll enjoy. He shows the whole process from scribbles to final. (I don’t think you have to be a subscriber to read it but definitely let me know if you do.)
He does not, however, mention what he used as a model for that grotesque head, and perhaps that’s for the best.
This cartoon falls into the same category as the funeral one above. When it was drawn and submitted, the THING hadn’t yet started. Our apologies if the above doctor joke works against you.
Thus concludes this week’s three-minute self-quarantine distraction. Thanks for keeping your distance. If you like what we do and that we do it free, without ads, give our links below a gander and maybe toss us a buck. Every little bit helps to keep the wheels of cartoon industry greased with coffee and tequila.
Until next time, be smart, be nice, be happy, and resist ignorance and Trumpism.
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