Last Lights
I’m Dan Piraro, the creator of the Bizarro newspaper comic. Each week, I post my Sunday Bizarro comic, then a short essay, then the past week’s Monday-Saturday Bizarro comics written and drawn by my partner, Wayno whose weekly blog post I recommend highly.
Here’s the ANSWER KEY to this week’s Secret Symbols in the Sunday comic, above.—————————————————————————
I sometimes approach these posts with a theme in mind but every now and then, small themes that don’t warrant entire posts of their own mount up, so I do a little housecleaning. This is one such post.
Starting with something fun and frivolous, last week’s post was about some of my most unfortunate fashion and hair choices throughout my life. Lots of people loved it and I was thrilled to hear it. One of the pictures I posted (below) was seen by the makers of a docuseries about the American Basketball Association in the 1970s. I’m told it will be called, Soul Power—the Legend of the ABA, and is scheduled to be on Amazon in Feb 2024. They asked if they could have permission to use it in the series and I agreed, of course. So fun!
Groovy Dude Dan, 1974
I’ll admit I was unaware of this league before I read about the series, but then basketball is not one of the sports I’ve ever followed. If you’re like me and know little about pro basketball, you may be wondering if the NBA champion plays the ABA champion each year. The answer is no, don’t be an idiot. The ABA merged with the NBA in 1976 so there’s been only one league since then. Even I knew that.
I’ve no idea how they’ll use my photo. I’m guessing it will be a 1-second shot in a montage of stereotypical 70s fashions or something. However it turns out, I think it's super fun and I wanted to share it with you!
In other permission news, a Jazz Pickle (Bizarro reader) asked if he could use one of my illustrations as a tattoo, and like the genie I am, I granted his wish. I always enjoy being a part of something someone will later regret, don’t you? He sent me a photo and said I could post it.
Two of the legs living beneath the guy who gets his email at: ronkimka@comcast.net
It’s a pretty good rendering, as tattoos of clothed vegetables go. I’ve got a few tattoos myself and recognize the difference between good art and bad. I have to admit, though, the sock tattoo is even better.
Lastly, I just yesterday posted a new episode of my graphic novel, Peyote Cowboy. This one’s called “Dangerous!” and you can click the title to see how the episode earned it. The story is about to take a very fun turn and we will find out what happened to the boy, I promise! (Regular readers will know what that means.)
To catch up on the story so far, here’s the Episodes page. (Scroll to the bottom for the beginning.)
Thanks for meandering around the studio with me while I tidied up. Now let’s find out if any of Wayno’s Bizarro comics from the week need dusting and straightening…
There’s never a day when you couldn’t use a Bat-hug.
Moth religions are mercifully simple.
To sea or not to sea?
This is the sort of costume I’d design if I were AI.
Sometimes I confuse my ‘topias.
Breakfast is served live or freshly killed, of course.
We’ve reached the conclusion of this week’s cartoon murder mystery. Thanks for sticking around long enough to dust for prints. If you enjoy our work and the fact that we don’t harangue you with ads and clickbait, please consider helping us keep it this way via one of the links below. We will love you for it, maybe even more than you’re comfortable with.
Until next week, start thinking about which Bizarro Secret Symbol you’re going to get tattooed on your ass.
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