Archive Category: Bizarro Comic
Bizarro Comic Auction
Neatorama pal Dan Piraro is auctioning off original Bizarro comic arts on Heritage Auction Galleries. If you love Bizarro, this is the perfect opportunity to own your very own original comic strip: Link - Thanks Dan!
(And the comic above, "Return to Oz" is so true: just ask any graduate student!)
Bizarro: Are You Faster Than a Fifth Grader?
You’ve probably heard of Fox’s hit game show "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" but Dan Piraro of Bizarro has a better idea: "Are You Faster Than a Fifth Grader?"
For more Bizarro, check out Dan’s website and blog.
Fired While Thinking Outside the Box
I know, I know … it’s a little cubicle joke that may or may not be funny to you, depending on A) if you work in a dilbert-esque corporation, B) how secure your job is, and C) whether you are a Bizarro-lover or Bizarro-hater.
Have a great weekend, and my fingers are crossed that you continue to think outside the box without having the box cleaned out by the end of the day.
For more Bizarro, check out Dan Piraro’s website and blog.
Bizarro: Rorschach’s Parents
Heh! This Bizarro’s comic panel, titled Rorschach’s Parents, made me chuckle. For more Bizarro, check out Dan Piraro’s excellent website and blog.
By the way, Hermann Rorschach, the inventor of the psychological inkblot test named after him actually liked making inkblots as a child. In high school, his nickname was "Klex" (meaning inkblot). His favorite game was Klecksography, a Swiss childhood game where an ink blot was spotted on a paper which was then folded to make a butterfly or a bird (sounds familiar?) (source)
Bizarro: The iHand
iMac, iPhone, iPod … it’s only time before someone comes up with the iHand! Here’s what Dan Piraro of Bizarro envisions it to be.
For more Bizarro, check out Dan’s blog and website.
Bizarro: Baseball Without Steroids
What would a game of baseball look like if none of the players take steroids? Here’s what Bizarro thinks:
For more Bizarro, check out Dan Piraro’s website and blog.
Bizarro: What God Actually Said to Adam and Eve …
So that’s what God said to Adam and Eve … If they had gotten it right, it would’ve saved the civilization a lot of trouble!
See more Bizarro at Dan Piraro’s excellent website and blog. (BTW, you can see him perform live in New York on March 24, 2008 - Info here)
Bizarro: The Sad Truth About Pirate Outfits
Well, it’s kind of true! For more Bizarro, check out Dan Piraro’s website and blog.
Bizarro: Van Gogh’s Valentine
For those of you who didn’t get it, here’s a little story about Vincent van Gogh’s ear:
Van Gogh felt an increasing fear that Gauguin was going to desert him, and what he described as a situation of "excessive tension" reached a crisis point on 23 December 1888, when Van Gogh stalked Gauguin with a razor and then cut off the lower part of his own left ear, which he wrapped in newspaper and gave to a prostitute named Rachel in the local brothel, asking her to "keep this object carefully." (Source)
Healthwise, Vincent was a basket case. Over the years, doctors came up with various mental and physical diagnoses including temporal lobe epilepsy, bipolar disorder, absinthe poisoning, lead poisoning, hypergraphia, and sunstroke (Source).
And on that note, Happy Valentin’s Day, everyone! Be sure to visit Dan Piraro’s website and blog for more Bizarro.
Update 2/14/08 - here’s another cute one, Dog and Cat’s Valentine:
Bizarro: Tunnel of Love, Before and After
This Bizarro comic panel hits it too close to home … too close … For more Bizarro, check out Dan Piraro’s website and blog.
Bizarro: Terror Threat, The Ride
Dan Piraro’s comic Bizarro is like reductio ad absurdum put in cartoon format (well, close enough). Do you agree with this panel? Is the Terror Threat Level useful?
For more Bizarro, check out Dan’s website and blog.
Bizarro: Pulling Buffalo Out of a Hat Magic Trick
Dan Piraro continues to draw the surreally funny Bizarro like a magician pulls rabbits out of a hat (or in this case, buffalo).
//The first thing you probably notice is the ridiculously large hat the magician is wearing, but if you look closer, there’s another reason why the panel is funny.
For more Bizarro, check out Dan Piraro’s website and blog. (By the way, the Press Democrat is running a survey on comics [link fixed], and Dan’s wondering if you would kindly vote for him).
Bizarro: Procrastinating Again? Blame The Vortex!
Can’t seem to get that chore done? Bizarro has the explanation: blame The Vortex!
For more Bizarro, check out Dan Piraro’s website and new blog (and don’t miss the documentary video below)
Bizarro Documentary
Rob Garver of 29P Pictures created a neat little documentary of Dan Piraro, one of my most favorite cartoonists of all time. In it, Dan talked about how he got started, his comic Bizarro, and his activism.
You can find Dan’s cartoon Bizarro weekly on Neatorama, or daily on more than 250 newspapers.
Hit play or go to Link [Flash Video] (with one raunchy comic, but I won’t give it away)
Coulrophobia: Fear of Clown
Comic: Bizarro (who by the way has a new blog and an upcoming comic show at the Purple Onion in San Francisco on February 22, 2008)
Remember that ailurophobia is the irrational fear of cat? Well, coulrophobia [wiki] is the irrational fear of clowns. It comes from the Greek word kolobathristes meaning one that goes on stilts and phobos meaning fear (the Greeks didn’t have a word for clown - the closest thing was those on stilts, i.e. circus performers).
Clown phobia is quite common in small children, but in some, the fear persists well into adulthood. I’ve read that up to 1 in every 7 people have it to some degree, though the exact number is very hard to pin down.
It’s easy to make fun of clown phobia (clever pun, eh?) But it can be quite a dramatic and overpowering fear in adults. Like this lady who is scared to death of clowns:
So why are people afraid of clowns? Most phobia started in childhood, but in some, fear of clown is sparked by reading about one (like the sadistic Pennywise the clown from Stephen King’s novel It) or watching one in horror movies, even campy ones (Killer Klowns from Outer Space, anyone?). Indeed, the theme of evil clown [wiki] is quite common in American pop culture.
Perhaps some clowns are truly evil. Like serial killer John Wayne Gacy [wiki] aka The Killer Clown. Gacy, who was convicted for the rape and murder of 33 boys and young men in the 1970s liked to dress up as "Pogo the clown" in neighborhood block parties to entertain little children. After he was caught and convicted, Gacy spent his days on death row painting - you’ve guessed it - clowns.
John Wayne Gacy’s Pogo and Clown Skull
(Photo: Serial Killer Central, who has more of these kinds of morbid art)
People are apt to overanalyze coulrophobia, though they can come up with interesting reasons. Kathryn Cillick at Phobialist came up with this explanation:
I have a theory about the reason for fearing clowns that I thought I would suggest to you. Because clowns have permanent, exaggerated expressions painted on their faces - usually of joy but not always, it renders the observer impotent in measuring facial expression as a precursor of action and for those who are vigilant about their environment, possibly because of past traumatic events, they are unable to interpret and therefore predict what this creature may do to them. This is heightened when we observe the "happy" clown performing some aggressive behavior - it becomes too much to take - creating intense confusion and fear. I don’t know if this is the reason - simply my first thoughts on a very intriguing subject.
If you’re afraid of clowns, you’re not alone: anti-clown celebrities include rapper P. Diddy, Johnny Depp, Carol Burnett and Anthony Bourdain.
Now I don’t find clowns scary. I find them creepy. How about you?
Bizarro: Politically Correct Christmas
Ah, Dan Piraro really got me goin’ with his Bizarro comic making fun of the political correctness-gone mad this Christmas.
In the United Kingdom, there were reports of school scrapping nativity plays and local community councils renaming Christmas "Winterval". The secularization of Christmas had gotten so ridiculous that recently, even the Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims and the Human Rights Commission in United Kingdom said enough is enough:
Muslim leaders joined Britain’s equality watchdog Monday in urging Britons to enjoy Christmas without worrying about offending non-Christians.
"It’s time to stop being daft about Christmas. It’s fine to celebrate and it’s fine for Christ to be star of the show," said Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Mr. Phillips, reflecting on media reports of schools scrapping nativity plays and local councils celebrating "Winterval" instead of Christmas, worried the unintended consequences of secularizing the holiday would "fuel community tension."
So he joined forces with minority religious leaders to put out a blunt message to the politically correct: leave Christmas alone.
Links: Christian Science Monitor article | Dan Piraro’s website: Bizarro
(In other news, it is rumored that Britney Spears is starring as Mary in a bizarre satire film called "Sweet Baby Jesus." Not as Mary Magdalene, but as the Virgin Mary. Sigh.)
Bizarro: Hand Puppet Pianist
By the way, you can win original art and a vegan dinner date with Dan Piraro of Bizarro and his lovely wife Ashley in this auction benefiting Farm Sanctuary.
To see more Bizarro, check out Dan’s website: Link
Bizarro: Superman and Global Warming
Here’s a sly comic from Bizarro about Superman and global warming …
For more Bizarro, visit Dan Piraro’s website: Link - Thanks Chad Cloman!
Bizarro: Inner Child vs. Outer Child
You know you’re part of American pop culture when you’re a clue on Jeopardy! So, congratulations to Dan Piraro whose cartoon Bizarro was the clue on Tuesday’s Jeopardy! game (the contestant got it right!).
For more Bizarro, check out Dan’s website: Link
Bizarro: Over-Accessorized Pirate
Today’s Bizarro matches up with our recent article Pirate Lore: 7 Myths and Truths about Pirates so well it must be divine fate! Well, if you want more Bizarrrrrro, check out Dan Piraro’s website: Bizarro and BizarroArtist (with gallery!)
Bizarro: Good Cop / Really Bad Cop
Here’s this week’s collaboration with Bizarro: what a really bad cop would’ve said while sweatin’ a perp! For more, check out Dan Piraro’s website: Link
Bizarro: Lame Ringtone
Here’s our collaboration with Bizarro for this week! For more, check out Dan Piraro’s website: Bizarro
Bizarro: Animal Experimentation Backfires!
Here’s our weekly Bizarro feature on Neatorama - for more, check out Dan Piraro’s website: Bizarro.com
By the way, Dan will be in the San Francisco Bay Area next week. If you’re around, definitely stop by and say hello:
Friday, Sept 28
House Party with special guest Dan Piraro. Dan will be performing comedy and
asking for donations to benefit the East Bay Animal Advocates.
7-7:40pm Mingle, background music, eat and drink, talk to Dan.
7:40-8:00pm EBAA talk & video (Christine Morrissey, E.D.)
8pm-8:30pm (or 8:00-8:45pm) Stand-up comedy from Dan Piraro
8:30-9pm (or 8:45pm-9:30pm) Dan signs/sells books, collects donations, mingles, sneaks outside for a big stinky Cuban cigar.
345 Haddon Road, Oakland, CA 94606
Admission is free, limited space-RSVP required, donations will be solicited
For RSVPS phone: 925-487-4419 or email: info@eastbayanimaladvocates.org
Saturday, Sept 29
World Vegetarian Day Festival
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco County Fair Building @ 9th Ave & Lincoln
Celebrity Guest Dan Piraro performs his one-hour multi-media infocomedyextravaganza in the auditorium at 5:15pm. Afterward, he will be signing and selling books, drawing pictures, taking pictures, being in pictures, answering questions, etc.
MORE INFO: http://www.sfvs.org/wvd/
Sunday, Sept 30
Charles M. Schulz Museum
2301 Hardies Ln., Santa Rosa, CA
1pm to 3pm, Dan will be hanging around the museum as their "Guest Cartoonist," drawing pictures, selling/signing books, talking to people, taking pics, being in pics, flossing his teeth, exuding a welcoming air, etc.
For info and directions: http://www.charlesmschulzmuseum.org/
Bizarro: Halloweeny
Ah, classic Bizarro for our weekly collaboration here on Neatorama. For more, check out Dan Piraro’s website: Link
Bizarro: Play Date
Here’s a cute one for our weekly collaboration with Bizarro! For more, check out Dan Piraro’s website: Bizarro
Bizarro: Still Living with Mother
Oops - I’m a bit late posting our weekly collaboration with Bizarro! Anyhoo, here it is! For more Bizarro, check out Dan Piraro’s website: Link
Bizarro: The Real Story Behind The Ten Commandments
Here’s our weekly collaboration with Dan Piraro - for more of his comics, check out: Bizarro
Bizarro: Budget Dental Clinic
Today’s Bizarro is strangely coincidental with Miss Cellania’s recent post "Tiny Ninjas"! For more Bizarro comic, check out Dan Piraro’s website: Link
iPhone? Still Waiting for iLiver!
For more, check out Dan Piraro’s website: Bizarro
Bizarro: Codger of the Future
For more of Dan Piraro’s awesome comic, check out: Bizarro.
Previously on Neatorama: our rather scarce (and proud of it!) coverage of the iPhone (check out our guide on how to make your very own, very cheap iPhone Altoids!)
