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.

Pandas in the news

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There have been rumors that this day was coming. The pandas in the news today are none other than the Cublanta twinkles (version 1.0) Mei Lun and Mei Huan, collectively known to those who love them, as the Meihems. They are also known here in The Panda Chronicles as Bert and Ernie, Panda Scouts extraordinaire! The deal with our rental pandas is that cubs that are born in the US (and other countries that host pandas) are sent to China sometime after they turn 2. Mostly, we have been able to keep them till they are four, and in some cases (like Xi Lan, also of Cublanta) till they were five. It was officially announced last week that the Meihems would be going to China this fall, most likely in November.

I don’t like it any more than you do, but that’s the deal we made, so that’s the deal we have. Fortunately for panda satire, I can keep them here as long as I want. Like most long running comics, characters come and go, or recede into the back ground. That is not my intention here, but as a dedicated pantser, I can’t tell you from one day to the next where my stories are going.

Meanwhile, Let’s Celebrate the Meihems!!!

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

This was before Pinky pooled them all and turned them into girls.

Bears will be bears!

Pinky is always butting in on the Meihem’s ‘toons!

Fast furry friends…for now…what could possibly go wrong!

Pandas are standing by to take your calls!

Want more from Pinky and the Meihems? You DO have The Panda Chronicles Book 5: Pandapocalypse NOW! don’t you? You don’t? Why the heck not? Take care of that right away, ‘kay?

And if you have a chance to get down to Cublanta before the Meihems leave (and I hope you do) say hi for me, and tell them Bob sent you!

Be the Bear,
Bob T Panda

Bubba Has a Cunning Plan

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Oh Pinky! You have taught your baby brother well! He has come up with a cunning plan to help you raise money for your campaign and maybe it will take you all the way to the Pink House! And what luck! You already have a video you can use!

Pinky’s campaign video!

A few weeks ago, I thought of a great idea for a Kickstarter campaign: Build a wall around Donald Trump! I thought it had great potential, but then realized, while it would be fun, I have far too much other work to do and Kickstarter campaigns are a lot of work. So instead, I thought that Pinky and Bubba would enjoy the experience!

Pinky has taught you well, Bubba!

Stay tuned as Pinky and Bubba team up to defeat Mittens the Cat!

Be the Bear,
Bob T Panda

What Do You Have To Lose?

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We’ve been hearing this phrase quite often lately: What do you have to lose? Throughout my life, I’ve experienced ups and downs, good times and bad. But as a white, middle class American who has had the privilege of a good education, I know that even in hard times, those times were not as hard as they could have been. As a female in America, I also know that I have had to work harder for the things I have than males in the same circumstances.

The world is a scary place these days. I get that. But I think it can be made less scary by trying to work together, rather than trying to drive people apart. Ask yourself, based on what you actually see and hear directly from the candidates, as opposed to what “some people are saying,” which candidate will lead the country to a better place. We are not going to agree what that better place is unilaterally. But I’m holding out hope for a kinder world. One where our leader does not discriminate, belittle, or mock those who are different or disadvantaged.

Could we just take a deep breath and embrace our inner panda?

Mittens is really back.

Nah…I didn’t think so either.

Stay tuned for our next episode, when we learn that Bubba has a cunning plan! Pinky has taught him well!

Be the Bear,

Bob T Panda

HighwayGate Revisited

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Snort…..Okay, okay, I’ll use any excuse to rerun this series of ‘toons about how Pinky closed the highway to Zoo Cublanta right during the Panda Scout cookie sale, in what has become known as the HighwayGate scandal! And now that the Sainted Governor of New Jersey, (the “What Exit” state,) is back in the news about the BridgeGate scandal...well! Seems like the perfect opportunity to me!

What did they know, and when did they know it?

Heh!

George Washington Bridge lane closure satire.

Princess Pinky Bao Bao…what have you done now?

Time to call in …Inspector panda!

Mei xiang and bao bao try to cover up highway-gate

Inspector Panda is on the job!

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

…of course Boo-mints are pretty good too.

Will the twins get a merit badge for their road trip? will Lun Lun fess up to where the girls are? will Inspector Panda get a clue, or at least more twitter followers. Stay tuned!

Oh, Pinky…what have you done?

Howdy, Mr Kitty, kindly tell us where a tired old cowpoke can get a boo beer and a cuppycake.

Of course, you could read this story anytime you wanted, if you had Book 5 of The Panda Chronicles: Pandapocalypse Now! Just saying.

Hope this has helped make your Friday Fabulously Furry!
Be the Bear,
Bob T Panda

The Cat Came Back

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Oh, it was bound to happen. We know from past experience, that Pinky’s magical wand has a limited effect (well, except for the pooling of the Meihem twins and Po, which changed them into girls forever.) But this is terrible news! We were hoping Mittens would be gone for good but the cat came back and we are NOT glad to see him!

While this is being written in advance of the first real presidential debate, we can only say that we are waiting with baited breath (What DOES that mean anyway? Surely not with a piece of cheese or something on my tongue, does it?) for the credits to roll and the mud slinging to begin. But now, let’s not wait a moment longer to see what happens when …

The Cat Came Back …..

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

Of course, by the time you read today’s post, the first debate will (thankfully) be over. I’m hoping to round up a few friends to watch, maybe with a bottle of scotch or bourbon to help the whole thing go down a little smoother. Maybe a drinking game or two…

Stay tuned folks.

Be the Bear,
Bob T Panda

People are Saying He’s Back

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Oh no! I thought he was gone for good! But now…now people are saying he’s back! I think maybe Pinky should get a new, more powerful magical wand. This one is just not permanent!

Has the cat, in fact, come back?

Pay us enough money and we’ll say just about anything! Cash only please. Upfront.

Hey! I bet you think we forgot about our drawing fro the really cool Toby stuff! We did not! We had Mehitabel the cat choose the winner and….drum roll please….

and The Winner is….

Lisa G. of the grand state of Ohio! Not only is it the Buckeye State, but it is also the home of The Billy Ireland Cartoon Museum at Ohio State University! Huzzah! (In case you were thinking that comics and cartoons are not worthy of a whole stinking museum!) Thank you so much for joining us to welcome Toby and his book into the world!

Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda

Fabulous Furry Friday

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Friday is one of those days. I can’t seem to wrap my head around a week being over so fast. I mean it seems like it was just Monday, and now I have to figure out what ‘toons to share to send you into the weekend. I know what I’m doing later in October, because who doesn’t want to have a re-run of A Halloween Carol, which was Bubba’s first starting role in a feature length ‘toon here at The Panda Chronicles!

And then there is the election…

DON’T TALK ABOUT THE ELECTION!!!!!!!

NO….I just can’t bear it. Let’s have something more fun like maybe this:

I think we’ll call this little debacle: Open Late Gate

…or as Bubba says, “dis. not. stan!”

And remember Bubba getting ready for his big debut?

And then there was the day he had to figure out what to wear for his debut…

I’m ready for my close up!

I didn’t THINK that Pinky knew the “share” word.

And I know I re-ran this next ‘toon recently, but I just love it so much. Truly Pinky being Pinky.

See? I told you it was broken!

Be sure to check in on Sunday, when I announce the WINNER of Toby’s book and swag bag! I used the highly scientific and accurate method of writing everyone’s name on little slips of paper and put them in a bag. I am then going to shake it up, and dump it on the bed and let Mehitabel choose the winning name! Ha! we don’t need no internet goobery automated contest thingies here! we do things the old fashioned way! Kind of like the cute-o-meter (now broken)

Be the (indecisive) Bear
Bob T. panda

The Field Narrows

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You were dreading this moment. The moment when there was no longer any momentum, no longer any hope that your candidate could possibly win. The field has narrowed and we are left only with….Pinky.

Oh…and Mittens the Cat.

Poor Bob. The paw writing was on the wall….

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

Sigh….Pinky may never let us forget this.

Meanwhile, you still have until tonight to comment on Pinky’s Interview with Toby and be eligible to win Toby’s new book and a whole bunch of really cool swag!!!!! Be sure to comment on this post by following the link-dinky!

What will Pinky get up to now that way is clear…oh…but is she still grounded?

Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda

A Very Merry Birthday

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One* downside of only doing 2 cartoons a week, is that sometimes events slip through the cracks and I don’t get to them in a timely manner. All of the panda birthday events happen in a very short period of time (not quite as short as the panda season of love, but, you know, those events are connected.) But recent news of the upcoming birthdays of two much loved Pandarazzi of The National Zoo gives me the perfect excuse to post this new ‘toon now!

I am particularly indebted to those regular zoo visitor panda photographers that chronicle the real pandas that fuel my panda satire obsession. I am far from pandas and my opportunities to visit them are limited, so to all who share their photos and videos on Fezbook and Twidder, this one is for you too!

Happy Birthday, Merry and Allen R. I hope your birthday celebration is everything you hope it will be!

Bubba flunks “cake”

Up and away…..

Have a panful day out there, and for goodness sakes, have some CAKE!!!!!

Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda

Thanks to @houseofcubs and @Marcelopachecop @gisela_smith @pinkypanda0823 @BaoBaoPanda @MommyMei98 @tiantianpanda97 @BooBooPanduh my twitter pals that alerted me to Merry and Allen’s birthday! Hope you guys enjoy this birthday surprise!

The other downside are the wails of despair when folks realize they have to wait another 4 days for a new ‘toon.

Fabulous Furry Friday… Arrr!

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There are TWO important “days” coming up. No, it’s not Pinky’s birthday again, or even mine for that matter. Saturday, September 17th is International Red Panda Day, and Monday, September 19th is Talk Like a Pirate Day! Arrr! In honor of these days, Fabulous Furry Friday brings you encore presentation ‘toons of Red Pandas and Pirate adventures! Huzzah! I mean… Arrr!

And every day around here is Talk Like a Panda Day!

“They’ll never catch me!”

Oh those red pandas! They are such characters!

And who can forget Mr. Wu’s Pirate adventure?

Yo ho ho and a bottle of BooBeer!

21) Rusty the scuppers, pirate crew…

uh oh!

The penguins save the day!

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

Yes, It is the official banner of International Talk Like a Pirate Day!!!!

Have a great weekend! Don’t forget, there is still time to enter the drawing to win Toby’s book and swag! But you must visit and comment on THIS POST to have a chance to win! (US addresses only)

Be the Bear,
Bob T. Panda