Author Archives: Panda in Chief

About Panda in Chief

Anne Belov paints, writes, makes prints, and is the founder of The Institute for Contemporary Panda Satire. You can find her paintings at the Rob Schouten Gallery and Fountainhead Gallery, her cartoons on The Panda Chronicles, and her new book here. She also writes regularly for The Whidbey Life Magazine, a free journal of art and culture on Whidbey Island. Her main regret in life is that there is no MacArthur Grant for Panda Satire.

The Panda is Political

You know the saying, “The Personal is Political?” You can add to that “All Art is Political” because making art, at it’s core is a political act, no matter your subject matter. Some might even say subversive. If you don’t believe me, look up the paintings of Artimesia Ghentileschi and tell me these paintings don’t make a powerful political statement.

Not that I am putting panda satire, or even my serious paintings in the same technical class as Ghentileschi. But you know…just to make the point…

In celebration of our temporary victory on retaining healthcare for the many that gained access to it through the Affordable Care Act, I thought I’d share some of our more political ‘toons in this Friday’s round up.  Is it too much to hope that the R’s and D’s will now work together and make access to healthcare better and more affordable? I’m such an optimist.

But now, here are pandas at their most political!

Are you now, or have you ever been a panda?

political

Pinky’s career as a spokes panda and icon begins, with a different president.

Remember how it all began????

It is too much to BEAR!

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Today is a good day to be the bear.

field

Just don’t call Bob a loser. He feels bad enough already.

“You are all Losers!” – Mittens the Cat

Pinky is beginning to look positively presidential!

“This is not a loser tail!!!!!”

Poof!

cat came back

Is it just my imagination or does Mittens look even more crazed than before?

I have to say, it’s a little frightening to see how close the satire comes to what has actually been happening.  Stay tuned, folks. I think the bumpy ride is far from over.

Panda On!
Bob T Panda

 

 

You know where this is going, don’t you?

Oh yeah…just look up fairy tales 101, in your guide to children’s literature handbook. Although, of course, Grimm’s fairy tales in their original form would give any one nightmares, not just children.

You know how this story line goes: Big party/royal christening/panda naming day is happening but the evil fairy/witch/panda princess is not invited because of past misdeeds/evil intentions.  Evil fairy/witch/panda princess shows up anyway, chaos ensues, fair princess(es) are saved by gallant prince/knight/guy just walking by that turns out to be a deposed prince.

Yada,Yada, Yada.

Meanwhile, let’s see who has arrived at the naming day party…

You know where this is going, don’t you?

Panda On!
Bob T Panda

 

Being Endangered is SUCH a Curse

I hope y’all didn’t eat too much cake yesterday at Mr. Wu’s Birthday Party! We are ready to continue our story, so don’t touch that dial! Here comes the next episode of Being Endangered is Such a Curse!!!!

Wait, what is dis consequences thingie you is talking about?

endangered

Pinky: Why do I always have to do all the hard stuff?

Panda On!
Bob T Panda

Tomorrow is Mr. Wu’s Birthday

It’s almost here! The very Wu Self’s actual birthday and the party is just about to begin! There are piles of cuppycakes on the tables and Bai Yun is looking serene and radiant…at least till cousin Pinky gets there!

By the way, the story of my journey into panda satire is now a public page, so you can read and get caught up on all the pandas you need to know! Originally, this was given as a talk to the 2016 Panda Convention at the San Diego Zoo, called From Panapiphany to Princess Pinky.

But now, let’s revisit some of my favorite Wu ‘toons in preparation for his birthday tomorrow!

Don’t you love “rear shots” of baby pandas?

Whatever could be in the box the panda kindergarten is delivering to Mr. Wu?

Will the panda kindergarten get it put together before Bai Yun gets home?

“Up in the Air, Junior Pandas…”

Nothing like a snappy graphic to um…solve a problem!

May Day! May Day!

Mr wu’s cousin, da Sooperpanna, appears courtesy of Bruce Sebring, creator of the Sooperpanna Chronicles

Bet ya didn’t see this coming…or maybe you did.

I just had to include something with that provocative “rear panda view” you know!

If you enjoyed this Mr. Wu adventure story, there are more where that came from in The Panda Chronicles Book 4: The Book of Wu! You can find it here!

Princess Pinky and the Meihems (yes, and Bubba too) will return on sunday in their feature presentations, Being Endangered is SUCH a Curse!

Panda On!
Bob T Panda

It’s Mr Wu’s Birthday Week

Huzzah, Huzzah! We are taking a little time out from Pinky’s latest adventure story, in order to celebrate the birthday week of one of our favorite (one might say NO 1 Favorite!) young pandas. Xiao Liwu, nicknamed Mr. Wu by his keeper nannies, is the last of Bai Yun’s six cubs. He was born in 2012 and turns five years old and he is still here! (Don’t tell! Maybe they will forget he is still living in Pandiego and not in China!) I have read reports that he will be here until sometime in 2018, but one never knows!

Meanwhile, I thought I would celebrate his birthday week with a brand new Wu ‘toon!

Happy Birthday week Mr. Wu! I’m sure your mom won’t do anything to embarrass you on the internet!

birthday week

It’s so hard to be cool when you still live with your mom.

Panda on!
Bob T Panda

(and if you want to see the video that so embarrassed the Wu Self, see it here!) And as Mr. Wu said, “wif all dat measuring, you would fink da wu self would get a tux or somefing.”

Some one has to feed the fish

Oh my! Pinky is not going to like this at all! Being made to stay home and feed the goldfish! And all because of a silly little mistake she made when she was very young. It is understandable, after the traumatic panda cam shut down in her early cubbyhood! What is an icon to do? Fish for compliments? Revise history so that she comes out the hero?

Maybe she can play Go Fish with the red pandas!

Fish

Don’t pout, Pinky!

I’m sure Pinky will think of something to do while the family is away!

Panda On!
Bob T Panda

And now, for the Wu Self Birthday Season!!!

Huzzah! It is time for the birthday season of our very own Wu Self, that paragon of pandas, that handsome hunk of hubba hubba, that fabulously furry fuzzbutt…

Ahem… It is hard not to get excited about Mr. Wu. He was the first actual panda that made a name for himself here at The Panda Chronicles and he captured the hearts of people all around the globe, especially after his record breaking well cubby check up video hit the airwaves.

So, without further ado, let us kick off the Wu’ Self’s birthday season with some classic Wu ‘toons!

“Howdy do! I’m Mr. Wu! Who are you?”

And I bet you are happy to see that Little Mr. Wu is safe and sound!

“Wu calls his dance, ‘Ode to a Weaf’ “

Yo ho ho and a bottle of BooBeer!

An explorer’s work is never done.

Mister Wu and his new friends.

“You are right and Wu is wrong…I’ll never do it again, mommy.”

Stay tuned for more from Mr. Wu next week, but don’t forget on Sunday we return with the next episode of “Being Endangered is Such a Curse” starring you know who!

Keep being the bear!
Bob T Panda

Pinky is not going to like this

So what else is new? Am I really supposed to spend all my days trying to write stories that are all about Pinky all the time? I thought as a writer that I had at least a little bit of free will and discretion about what my stories are about. And really, Pinky, if you think that my stories are making you look bad, you could…oh, I don’t know…maybe behave a little better and not tease your brother so much?

What was I thinking!!!!??? We are talking about PINKY here!!!!

Pinky

Commence propeller spin…now!

By the way, if you haven’t seen it yet, pop over to the Froggwell Blog and check out my post about creating…um…forgeries of my other favorite bear!

Panda On!!
Bob T Panda

It’s Birthday Weekend for the Meihems!

We need to wrap up the Meihem’s birthday weekend because up next on the calendar, it’s none other than Mr. Wu’s birthday celebration extravaganza! The Wu self turns 5 this year! But after last week’s struggle to find cartoons starring the Meihem’s WITHOUT Pinky in them, this week we reluctantly joyfully invite Pinky to the Meihem’s birthday weekend!

What is a party without a liddle MEIHEM?????

panda cubs on rocking horses

Huzzah! It’s The year of Pandas on Horsies!

“Hello, Bai Yun? this is Lun Lun…about that detective you suggested…”

Bao Bao, washington DC cover-up

Oh, Pinky…what have you done?

farewell

Fast furry friends…for now…SOMETIMES they get along!

Pandas are standing by to take your calls!

I love a good art forgery, don’t you?

“Oh yeah…dere MIGHT be one or two other pandas in it, but I can’t remember who.”

And mebbee you need to get the latest book about Pinky! Just saying…

Panda On! (and don’t forget the cake!)
Next up! The Wu Self’s birthday season! Huzzah!

Bob T Panda