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.

Girl Power Lives On

12 Replies

Just between you, me, and how ever many of the millions of people out there in the cyber are listening, I gotta tell you I am still severely depressed over the election results. I am going to do my best to panda on, because the alternative is just too grim to think about. I have responsibilities to you all! The pandas give me what little hope I have for the future. If I ever needed some panda power, now is as good a time as any. And panda girl power is even better.

Last weekend, I spent 3 days with a group of illustrators and writers of books for children. It did more than I could have believed possible to lift my spirits. We did some good work under the guidance of our wonderful illustrators in residence, Catia Chien and Christian Robinson. It reminded me that the way I will survive the next months and years will be to make creative work, be it painting, illustrations or pandas!

So, it’s gonna be a bumpy road. I know many of you are hurting as well. I will keep the pandas coming,although they just might not be as funny as they have been. I’ll try to keep the selections for my Friday encore presentations on the light side, because…well, because we need that.

Panda On!

Will there be cuppycakes?

Be the Bear,
Bob T Panda

Fun with Pandas

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I did promise everyone that after the election was over I would shut my yap and get back to pandas all the time and not pandas behaving badly, but the FUN pandas, the cute, adorable ones. Yes, yes, it is more entertaining when bears are behaving badly, but I think we all need a little break with some unbridled cuteness! While in real life, the Meihem twins have gone on to their new adventure in China (and adjusting quite well, I might add) in the world of panda satire, Lun Lun does not have to give up her free baby sitters. She can go off on spa trip with her best buddies from the other zoos, and Bert and Ernie can stay home and watch their new baby sisters!

Denial is a wonderful thing, is it not?

Be the Bear
Bob T Panda

Between the time I Drew this cartoon and now, my worst fear has materialized. I’m not going to add to the trauma right now with yet another iteration of why I think the outcome of this election is such a bad thing. Enjoy today’s presentation and take a deep breath. I’m afraid that as art is always a reflection of the experieience of the artist, cuteness alone will not suffice. I mean, pandas ARE always cute, but they suffer from angst as well.

The cartoons in the next few weeks or months will most likely reflect what I am feeling, so be prepared. I will be sorry if you feel you need to step away for a while, but I do understand. I have unsubscribed to a thing or two this past week because I needed to for my own peace of mind.

Y’all are da bears.

#WeShallOvercome

It’s a girl! It’s another girl!

And Now, for Something More Cheerful

7 Replies

We are tired of gloom and doom. As is my practice, I am getting this post ready in advance, so while in real time, it is still election day, by the time you see this, it will all be over but the shouting. And the suing. Rev up your attorneys! It’s gonna be a bumpy ride! I don’t know about you, but I could use something way more cheerful to read today, so I looked in the archives to find some of the funniest, most light hearted ‘toons I had.

Enjoy and feel cheerful!

Pandas aren’t dopes!

just in time for the upcoming onslaught...a visit to Bob's First campaign!

Huzzah for the Cake Party!

Or how about some cuppycakes?

Visit the Panda Ranch!

What do you mean by “was?”

Bee-lieve!

Who says real life can’t be funny?

Well, That’s all for now! Stay tuned for more pandas and panda satire!

Be the Bear and have a Fabulous Furry Friday!
Bob T Panda

Note from the Panda in Chief: As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, it was assmbled before the election. As you may surmise, I am deeply distressed about the outcome of the election. Please take this group of lighthearted cartoons as a little respite from what ever anxiety, sadness, and fear you may now be feeling.

I don’t know how to process this news, or even how to go on, but I have been through bad times before, and this one is a doozy. Art is the way I process what I experience and feel. And so, the upcoming cartoons, with the exception of the next two (which were done before the election) may be…um…a little dark. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

I have to believe that we, as a nation will survive and maybe even thrive, even while I am not hopeful of that. Know that panda satire will prevail and will hopefully bring a bit of light into the darkness that surrounds us right now. Unless they arrest me. I guess that there is always that possibility.

#BeTheBear. #WeShallOvercome

The Day After

21 Replies

Okay, I am actually writing this on the day OF the Presidential Election here in the US, so I really don’t know what is going to be the outcome. The news media is doing okay so far, not making predictions before the polls close on the West Coast. Washington and Oregon both have all vote by mail, but California has a lot of people voting today. I don’t know what the day after the election is going to look like, I only know that one way or the other, it will be historic and…um…over.

So, with the uncertainty inherent in the situation in mind, here is my ‘toon for the day after election…

Remember the song “The Eve of Destruction”? That’s what today feels like.

Be the Bear
Bob T Panda

Note from the abyss: I can’t believe what I am about to write. I have never felt this much despair over an election result. As I head off to bed, it seems that the worst has happened and Trump is the winner. This is not the first time my candidate did not win the election. I have been disappointed, yes, but I have never felt so much fear and apprehension going forward. Tomorrow will probably look a lot like today. It will take a while before the future takes hold. Maybe all the talk and bluster of arresting his opponents or any one who disagrees with him will all be stopped by people behind the scenes.

I thought that a candidate who wanted to build us up, make life better for the many instead of the few, would prevail. Turns out I was wrong.

Hasta manana, y’all. Right now, this cartoon that I did some days ago seems all too apt, and not funny at all. This man will have the keys to the nukes. Remember that.

You Voted …Right?

4 Replies

Today is a good day to be the bear

From Pinky to Bubba…his own bunny!

Panda Cam Follies

Oh those red pandas! They are such characters!

20) Mr. Wu was very expressive and creative…

Will that hold you until tomorrow?

We are all so very tired. So very, very tired. All that is left to be done is….read panda satire and watch panda videos all day! Huzzah! (You voted , right?)

Be the Bear, (and don’t forget to vote!)

Bob T. Panda

Do the Right Thing.

14 Replies

We are down to the last days. If you’ve already voted, huzzah! But for those of you who are waiting till the last minute, or don’t live in a state with early voting, you have 2 more days until we run out of time to do the right thing.

I’m done pontificating (sort of.) You’ve already heard it, and you agree or not. But I would ask one more time. Please don’t allow He Who Must Not Be Named to become president. Don’t overlook the things he has been recorded saying as mere quirks. Please vote.

Do the Right Thing.

The Power of the Poof (Not to mention, the VOTE!!!)

Be the Bear
Bob T #I’mWithHer Panda

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

6 Replies

Actually, no, NO! Parting is not sweet anything. I will not be philosophical about this. I don’t want them to go, but gone they are. Mei Lun and Mei Huan have gone on their journey to China today, as per the agreement that foreign zoos make with China. Cubs born away from China still belong to China. The fact that the Meihems went back a year earlier than expected makes the pill more bitter. Twinkies 2.0 are more than a year away from needing the Meihem’s rooms, so I don’t know why we had to give them up so soon. Parting, in this case is NOT sweet sorrow. It’s just plain sorrow.

Hmmph.

But in the world of Panda Satire, Bert and Ernie (the Meihem’s fictional counterparts) don’t have to go anywhere! They can stay right here, with Wu, Bubba, and Pinky! Huzzah! I mean, this is all fiction right?

So join me now, in my tribute to the Meihems (with a little help from their friends…)

Who can forget when the news of Twinkiegate first broke…

Atlanta twin panda cubs Mei Lun and Mei Huan and older prother Po

…or when we thought that they (and Po) were boys…

…or how they…um…turned into girls in the first place…

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

Pandas are standing by to take your calls!

Sometimes, Pinky and the Meihems even got along….

Oh dear, the Mei-hem twinkies have made Pinky mad. Uh oh.

…for a little while, at least.

The friendship between Pinky and the Meihems has never been destined to run smoothly.

And who is this mysterious ally of whom they speak?

There are far to many stories of the Meihems (and Pinky! Don’t forget!) than I have room to share here. So if you don’t already have copies of Books 5 and 6 of the Panda Chronicles, now is a good a time as any to rectify that situation!

It’s Pink, but still kinda, um…dangerous!

Note the serious black cover!

Be the Bear
Bob T Panda

And don’t forget to vote!!!!!

You Know What You Have to Do

6 Replies

We are down to the last week before the election and this is a hard week for more than one reason. But there is also great rejoicing in the land, because we now know that Twinkies 2.0 are both little girls! While they won’t get their real names until December 12th when they are 100 days old, their Panda Chronicles names have been bestowed by their particular friend and supporter, Stacy Watts, who dubbed them “Six and Seven” Excellent names, if I do say so! You know what they say about the younger children in any big family: Their names kind of get lost in the shuffle.

Meanwhile, we are all at sixes and sevens over the Meihem’s departure tomorrow.

It is a bitter pill to swallow, that we can’t can’t keep them all. But never fear, On the pages of The Panda Chronicles, they will all stay right here where they belong, and that goes for Mr. Wu and Pinky too. After all, this is fiction right? Unfortunately, this election is not, even if it seems like it most of the time.

So let’s get to today’s episode….

Do NOT mess with Pinky and the Meihems! They are fearless!

Be the Bear
Bob T Panda

And be sure to tune in on Friday when we give a farewell salute to the Meihems! Oh yeah…and don’t forget to VOTE!!!!

Where IS Pinky anyway?

6 Replies

Bubba feels so bad about falling for another one of Pinky’s schemes. he’s such a good little panda and Pinky, well, Pinky has a lot of influence on him. Mommee Mei tries to explain to Bubba that the world is not a safe place for pandas out on their own.

And just who is Pinky with?

Well, who did you THINK she would enlist in her final attempt to stop Mittens the cat?

So we are getting very close to election day, and whatever views you hold, it’s important to take part and vote. And if you’re having a hard time making up your mind…

Watch Pinky’s video one more time!

Be the Bear,
Bob T Panda

A Halloween Carol part 2

6 Replies

OOO! Here we are all again, ready for the exciting conclusion of the seasonal classic (I told you it was going to be, didn’t I?) A Halloween Carol part the second! Huzzah! Join Pinky, Bubba, Wu and the Meihems as they teach (well, try to, anyway) Pinky that it’s not all about her!

Pinky: Now that’s just crazy talk!

One of Pinky’s misdeeds has come back to haunt her… can her campaign survive this?

Hmmm… Pinky still does not seem impressed. Perhaps the ghost of Halloween present will have more influence over her.

Uh oh, the ghost of halloween present just caught up with Pinky…

Was that list in small type, single spaced?

The Spirit of Halloweens yet to come is not a spirit to be messed with, right? Actually, this prediction turned out to be very accurate.

Surely you didn’t think she would totally reform, did you?

I must admit to some actual laughing out loud as I re-read this series. I don’t think I’ve looked at it since last year. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did! and share your Halloween candy with your little brother or sister, okay? Have a Fabulous Furry Friday!

And if YOU don’t want the ghosts of Halloween to disturb your sleep, a sure fire way to keep the ghosts at bay is to have a pile of all the Panda Chronicles Books on your bedside table! You can get them HERE!

Be the Bear,
Bob T Panda