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.

POOF!

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I know you have been waiting for this. Guess who found her magical wand and brought it with her to the debate? If you guessed Pinky, you should give yourself a gold star on your calendar today. POOF!

Poof!

And isn’t it sweet of Bob to defend Pinky? You can almost hear him say, “Nobody cares about your darned birth certificate, Pinky.” Hard to say whether Mei is going to be mad at Pinky for bringing her wand to the debate or not.

and now, for a small rant…

The other day, as I was romping around on Facebook, I came across an ad for t-shirts and coffee mugs that had a familiar (and one of my favorite) comics characters on them. But as I looked more closely at the website, it didn’t look quite right to me. For one thing, there was a slight, but significant discrepancy in way the name of the comic was spelled, and it was not from the website that I know and love.

I decided to contact the real website and say, hey…I saw this and it didn’t look right. Apologies, if this really is one of your sales portals, but I thought you should know about it and here’s the link. Today I got an email back from the website and they thanked me for contacting them and that I was correct, these were NOT authorized products. They are going after these guys and I hope they nail their asses to the wall.

It is hard enough to make a living in any of the arts without someone siphoning dollars of the fruits of my creative labors. The more famous you get, the more likely you are to have copyright infringement. And at least currently, you don’t have to register copyright to own it. All you need to do is create it. There are legal and financial benefits to registering your copyright, but for your rank and file artist who is just scrapping by, the cost of registering each piece is prohibitive. Yes, you can register collections, but that does not have the same clout as registering individual pieces. Copyright must be transferred in writing. If you buy a painting from me, I still own the copyright, unless I specifically transfer it to you. So I can still make reproductions of something that I have sold and you can’t. (At least you shouldn’t)

So if you see stuff for sale from The Panda Chronicles and it didn’t come from here or here or here, the money is not going into my pocket. and you do want me to be able to keep doing these ‘toons, don’t you? Remember, I post all my ‘toons on line for the low, low price of absolutely nothing, because I know what it’s like to have a limited budget. But I appreciate book and swag purchases a lot! (Not to mention sales of original art and original cartoons.) I appreciate everyone who reads my stuff and shares it with their friends. Huzzah! Keep on…

Being the Bears!
Bob T. Panda

It’s a Beautiful Tail!

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You knew it would come to this. Following the scripts of the various debates that we have been bludgeoned with, politicians trading insults…Liars lying about previous lies, BEARS BEHAVING BADLY!!!!! Is this the panda kindergarten? A Beautiful Tail? Looks a little short to me.

“This is not a loser tail!!!!!”

Are Bob and Pinky reaching a new consensus? Could Bob be inspired to concede and get behind Pinky’s candidacy? Stay tuned! anything can happen where pandas are involved.

Daddy Panda News for Father’s Day

Meanwhile among real pandas and the people who love them, we have just learned sad news from San Diego Zoo. The rock star, stud muffin wild guy panda with one short ear and extra furry feet, father of five fabulous cubbies here at SDZ, Gao Gao, has been diagnosed with a very bad heart condition. They think he is around 26. Being wild born, they don’t know his exact age. He has been in somewhat compromised health for a few years now and they have been monitoring his heart condition carefully. We don’t know how long he has left, but I can assure you that the veterinary staff at SDZ is doing everything they can do for him.

Gao Gao has an interesting story of how he came to live at the San Diego Zoo. As a two year old, he was found injured and brought to one of the panda research centers to be treated. After he healed, he was released. But finding that being fed and waited upon was far superior to having to fight for territory and scarce resources, he returned to the center and asked to be readmitted. Eventually, he went to live in San Diego with the Beautiful Bai Yun and together they had five cubs, the last of which is Xiao Liwu, known to his friends and fans as Mr. Wu.

A panda fun fact about Gao Gao is that he has one short ear, most likely the result of a fight when he was a wild cub fending for himself. It is the reason my cartoon version of Mr. Wu always has his left ear taped down! It is a tribute to his dad!

I know many people who have not been to a zoo in over 30 years have an antiquated and unfortunate preconception about zoos. yes, there are still some of those horrible zoos with too small cages and depressed animals, but most zoos in North America, Japan, and Europe have taken huge strides in providing comfort and engagement for their animals, and San Diego Zoo is one of the best. Yes, it would be wonderful if panda’s traditional roaming areas were still intact, but the virgin forested areas where they once roamed are reduced to a tiny percentage of what they once were. But the pandas that live in these well staffed and well appointed zoos live the life of Riley (whoever he is) and generally live 10 to 15 years longer than their wild counterparts.

Happy Fathers Day to those who celebrate their relationship with their dads as something wonderful and nurturing. and for those who don’t…well…go have a cuppycake or two and think about someone who loved you.

Be the Bear
Bob T. panda

Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?

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I love Roz Chast’s memoir Can’t We talk About Something More Pleasant?, and while she was recounting the story of her aging parents, I think the phrase is particularly appropriate today. Today, we are not going to talk about any of the appalling news that has happened in several parts of the world, or about political candidates and the stupid, insensitive things that they may or may not have said.

We are going panda panda panda with some of the cutest panda cartoons of all times.

Like this one from the way back files…

This cartoon appeared in Henry Nicholls’ book The Way of the Panda

You can’t just DO stuff. You need instruction from an expert!

How IS this different from Pinky’s normal bossiness?

What the well dressed panda cub is wearing this season!

When I first started drawing panda satire, I went through this intensive period of what I called, “Learning From the Masters” and immersed myself in books of collected cartoons by Bill Watterson, (Calvin and Hobbes) Garry Trudeau (Doonesbury) Steven Pastis (Pearls Before Swine) and Darby Conley (Get Fuzzy) among others. recently, I received the exhibition catalog from a 2014 show of Bill Watterson’s original cartoons at Ohio State University’s Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum. I’m in the middle of reading an interview with Watterson and it is full of Calvin-ish wisdom. Have I mentioned Calvin and Hobbes is my favorite cartoon series ever?

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

Anyway, although I was making notes on some of the most significant points in the interview, I seem to have misplaced the paper I wrote them on. (this happens a lot around here) but if I may paraphrase some of the statements I loved best:

On the difference between editorial cartooning and comic strips: You get to make stuff up.

What characters say: When you are really in tune with your characters, it’s not so much writing dialog, but listening to the characters own voices.

Yeah, see? it IS Pinky saying all that stuff! I think I need to go on a road trip to all the cartoon museums in this country.

And because this will always be one of my favorite Wu-toons,

Dis. Will. Not. Stand!

Mittens will return on Sunday. Stay tuned.

Be the Bear,
Bob T Panda

Can He Say That?

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Oh my ears and whiskers! The world continues to prove it’s madness. We weep for the recent events, which apparently are the 133rd such event this year, only distinguished by being the worst shooting in US history. Can he say that? Can he have really have said what he said after this week’s tragedy? Are we all just tragic figures, stumbling towards the exits in the dark, smoke filled room, hoping not to get caught in the crossfire??

Oh heck. Let’s just watch some panda videos.
Pandas are LOVE
Mittens…not so much.

Pinky is beginning to look positively presidential!

Meanwhile, back at the (panda) ranch, I have received several communications, one form the Toronto Twinkies, and more recently from the Meihems. All are concerned that perhaps Pinky is not a good role model for the Toronto cubbies. Fortunately, the Meihems have offered to mentor the Toronto Duo, after all, they know a lot about being twins! I think we need some kinder, pandy-ish story lines here, to compensate for the horrors of the real world.

Be the Bear, and let’s stay sane out there, okay?
Bob T Panda

Here Comes Mittens

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Oh yeah. Mittens the Cat is back and as I previously might have mentioned, once or twice, it is really hard to make stuff up when the stuff you read on the news is already so absurd. As the Nihilists said in The Big Leibowski, “It’s just not fair!” Oh, yeah, here comes Mittens the Cat!

The disappearance of Mr. Bun has taken a back seat to the debate between Princess Pinky, Bob T. Panda, and Mittens the Cat. Tell me when it’s all over…I don’t think I can bear to watch!

“You are all Losers!” – Mittens the Cat

What’s that you say? Mittens bears some resemblance to one of this year’s Presidential candidates? Imagine that! well, if all of this year’s political shenanigans has got you down, get yourself a beer, some cuppycakes, and sit a spell and watch this video by my pal Doxiemom made of Bubba and his mom! I hear panda videos are very relaxing and we are going to need all the relaxing we can get this summer and fall!

Be the Bear,
Bob T Panda

Sharing is caring! Share this post with all your friends!

What a World We Live In

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It’s no wonder some people (such as myself) have a little bit of a hard time separating fact from fiction. As you will see in next week’s ‘toons, when Mittens takes to the stage, there was so much of his dialog that I could pull from actual news items, that I really didn’t have to make much up. In some ways, it makes my life easier, but in other ways… I’d like the world we live in to be kind and fair and…um…have so many pandas that they become a pest: invasive rather than endangered. They could go into neighborhoods where people have foolishly planted bamboo, which has now gotten out of control, and take care of it, providing fertilizer in addition to pesky plant removal. The Putting Pandas to Work program could go global!

Putting Pandas to Work goes global!

Along with all the political news of the week, I’ve also seen a few references to “sock puppet” accounts on various social media outlets. I don’t know what the big deal is. I’ve always loved puppets.

But they’re so cute!

And as various politicians toot their horns about their popularity, as opposed to that of their opponents…

See? I told you it was broken!

(Ha ha! That one has become one of my all time favorites!)

But as we head into the home stretch of this very long campaign season, let me leave you with a ‘toon that reminds us, that the most important positions in the world should not be awarded through stoking the fears of some, but because of what we can bring to a table where there is room for all.

Consider this my Werld Peez Pandifesto

Be the Bear
Bob T Panda

And now for a word from our sponsor! If you enjoy these cartoons and want to support *me* the creator of the aforementioned cartoons, consider visiting my Book Page and buying my books for yourself or for friends! A portion of my sales also goes to support our friends at Pandas International, who support actual pandas!

Daddee Knows Best

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Dadde will fix everything, because, Daddee knows best. But has he really thought that he can keep Pinky from her desire for world domination? I think Daddee has not thought this through well. Not well at all.

Pinky is just so sensitive….

It all comes back to politics, doesn’t it? Be sure to tune in again on Sunday (Not to mention fabulous Furry Friday) when Mittens the Cat makes his first reappearance on the panda debate stage. Both Bob and Pinky will be there with Mehitabel as your moderator, trying to keep things from getting nasty. Good luck with that!

Stay tuned and Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda

Oh Where Has My Little Bun Gone?

24 Replies

Oh where, of where has my little bun gone, oh where, oh where can he be? The disappearance of Mr. Bun is such big news that it is the lead story on today’s episode of ZooNooZ! This has all the hallmarks of an international incident of crisis proportions! Will the Toronto Twinkies send Mr. Bun Home? Maybe, but not just yet, I don’t think.

Is that a ransom note I see?

And the demand is that Pinky be nice to Bubba????? Hmmm…this seems kind of suspicious if you ask me. I’m afraid there could be political concussions ahead!

And on a completely unrelated note, This video may replace pandas on a slide as my new favorite panda video! Just part of the Putting Pandas to work program! Nothing here to see…let’s move along, please.

Wednesday’s ‘toon will have more from the missing Mr. Bun controversy and then Mittens the Cat makes his reappearance next week. Be very afraid. This cat is not qualified to hold office!

Be the Bear

Bob T Panda

An Embarrassment Of Pandas

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Recently, it was brought to my attention, that the collective noun for a group of pandas is an embarrassment of pandas. I find this highly suspect, not to mention somewhat demeaning to pandas. Is this a ploy by certain political factions to imply that pandas are not fit for office? The Hmmmph! factor for this little piece of so called news is extremely high. What’s so embarrassing about being a panda, I’d like to know! well, yes, we are kind of messy eaters, and not much to brag about in the romance department, but we are awfully cute, don’t you think?

Meanwhile happy happy happy news from Belgium yesterday, where Hao Hao and Xing Hui are the proud parents of a bouncing baby cub! Fingers and paws are being crossed that the little pink bundle of joy survives its first days and weeks. Panda cubs weigh about four ounces at birth and have no fur!

So to celebrate this blessed event in Belgium, I thought I would share some ‘toons about….baby pandas! Huzzah! Let’s start with my first baby panda, the ineffable Wu Self!

“Howdy do! I’m Mr. Wu! Who are you?”

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

Moving on, we have the early days of her pink (but slightly dangerous) self, Princess Pinky!

Pinky tests her powers….

And who could forget the early days of Meihem?

The first appearance of the Meihems!

And how happy we were when Bubba arrived in DC…

These paws are made for walking….eventually.

Feed me, Mama!

Don’t forget to tune in Sunday when we continue with our coverage of the Mr. Bun Disappearance!

Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda

The Ransom of Mr. Bun

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Oh dear. It seems that Mr. Bun is missing. What is Pinky to do? Mr. Bun has been a comfort to Pinky and even though she has “allowed” Bubba to sometimes play with Mr. Bun (NOT a bribe! No!) But where has he gone? Has he left of his own accord? (Pinky does seem to have a number of magical possessions, after all) Will Pinky hold Bubba responsible for his safe return? Will there be a ransom note?

Will he even return at all?

And meanwhile at an undisclosed location in Canada….

I thought maybe it would be a good thing to have some cartoons about adorable but mischievous panda cubbies before we unleash Mittens the Cat on all of you. Enjoy the reprieve. You’re welcome.

Be the Bear,
Bob T Panda