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.

In celebration of pandas! (Because, duh!)

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It’s time for another day of Sunday Panda Fun, because what else do we have to live for? There will be new ‘toons coming down the web this week. Huzzah!

But what to share for our Sunday Funday ‘toons…Truth to tell, I can’t remember from one week to the next which ‘toons I shared last week (although it seems that maybe Pinky took over, last week..) As I have entered a new phase of felty panda making, it seems appropriate that this week’s Sunday ‘toons should celebrate that International Panda of Mystery…

Babette de Panda!!!!

Wanting to stretch my creative capabilities, I decided to make a felty Deluxe Babette, and feeling very pleased with the result, posted a picture of her on Twidder. A fan of felty pandas demanded that Babette come to live with her immediately. How could I say no?

Which leaves me in something of a quandary.

I plan on making more, as well as experimenting with some other of the as yet unrepresented pandas. I love the idea of making one of a kind pandas. It excites my muse, as it were. But how to let everyone who might want one see them… So here is what I am thinking. If people are interested, they can let me know via the contact form on the buy stuff with pandas page. I will make a list in the order people contact me.

This will not commit you to anything, other than receiving a photo of the next available panda, then saying “yes, I’d like that one”, at which time I’ll send an invoice and once it’s paid, I’ll ship within the week. Or you’ll say “no” and I’ll contact the next person on the list. I will also be posting them here, as well as on Twitter and Fezbook. (You can also contact me on Fezbook and Twidder, though I can’t guarantee I will see those messages before I see them here)

Here are the first two Babette, international Panda(s) of Mystery! Alas, these two are already spoken for!

Babette the first!

Babette, all dressed up for a costume ball!

This outfit really needed to be seen by more than one angle. 🙂

And with that in mind, let’s look at some of Babette’s early appearances!

All My Pandas……

Wheel…of…PANDAS!!!!!

Huzzah! More Wheel…of…PANDAS!!!

I'm not a doctor but I play one on television

I’m not a Doctor but a play one in a cartoon!

tournament of pandas parade

We call it “extra Fluffy Tuesday” around here.

Says Babette de Panda: “It’s all about MOI` “

Babette and Bee, the Bear have a “discussion”

Babette has ..um…toned her wardrobe down in honor of this important occasion.

“Madame Babette sees all!: I see cake in my…er…your future!”

Babette, in her leading lady role in Wagner’s Cuppycake cycle

As you might have gathered, Babette de Panda is quite a mentor of Pinky! Have a fun Sunday (or at least as fun as you can have during the days of Mitten’s reign of terror.) You can also have fun with cut out paper pandas, including Babette de Panda, on the Have Fun with Pandas page!

Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda

If You Think YOU’VE Been Roughing It, There Was Only ONE Olive in My Martini!

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While we try to distract ourselves from the latest crime spree in the White House, let’s re-join Frank and Mikey as they explore the wild frontier in Yosemite National Park! Due to the reduced services, they could not get room service at The Ahwahnee Hotel! Oh the deprivation! No wonder animals are going wild!

(For what it’s worth, when I visited Yosemite a few years ago, our budget did not extend to staying at the Ahwahnee, but we did enjoy a drink at the bar, then watched outside as the moon rose over Half Dome.)

Meanwhile, Frank and Mikey adjust to the harsh realities of the wilderness experience!

Wild thing, I think I love you!

Run wild, run free, Frank and Mikey!

Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda

The Call of the Wild

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Some of the (few) uplifting stories of the coronavirus lockdown have been about animals doing things that they don’t normally get to do, in places that they normally don’t get to do them. From penguins visiting other exhibits in the aquarium, to pandas going walkabout in Copenhagen, at long last, wild animals got to reclaim the territory that was rightfully theirs, before people came and messed up the place!

Join Frank and Mikey as they reclaim their wild heritage!

Be a wild thing!

There’s more than one way to be the bear!

Panda On!
Bob T Panda

Could we have some fun for once?

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No…we can no longer have Nice Things. The problems of racism and economic inequality have long been with us. Now, HWMNBN has given very explicit permission to the people who behave badly towards others, and to exercise that bad behavior unapologetically.

I know that much of what we see in videos and opinion pieces, are designed and edited to elicit our outrage and horror. We may never go back to the way things were but I hope we can think about if they were the way we want things to be. I know this isn’t how I want things to be.

The new slogan of the GOP seems to be” “Keep us in power, so we don’t go to jail.” Who needs a 58 page policy platform?

Much better to keep the bad behavior to bears!

Oh, Bob, you didn’t really say that, did you?

And look who Bob’s suspension replacement is! Huzzah!

Mehitabel did NOT approve this cartoon.

Archie, is that you?

We KNEW that was you!

I was really afraid this was going to happen.

Now where did that cat go?

Despite the fact that Bob is still wearing his vacation outfit, he’s back and ready to report!

But maybe you should be careful what you admit to, Pinky.

Mehitabel! Can you take a meeting?

Economics and privilege shouldn’t be a zero sum game, that in order for one person to do well, another person has to suffer; how can someone think that one couple’s marriage lessens the validity of another? Maybe we can all work toward making EVERYONE’S life better.

Keep the dialog open, folks! Um…maybe not like this:

This was way too much fun. :o)

Keep panda-ing on, folks
Bob T Panda

I Knew the Absence of You Know Who in the Tuesday ‘Toon was Too Good To Be True

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I don’t know about you, but Tuesday’s absence of mentions about You Know Who’s reign of terror was just what the doctor ordered. I mean…who would think anything could be worse than a global pandemic with over 112,000 Americans now dead?

Funny you should ask.

Pinky: but Mommee! I didn’t send people IN to da tiger’s cage!!!!

I really wish I had not read all those YA dystopian post apocalypse novels. really, I do. The storm troopers have arrived. I thought we all needed a little break, where the worst thing that happened was Pinky being rude to her departing guests! Break time is now over.

Wands up, everyone!

Buh buh buh buh BYEEEEEEEE!

It seems only natural that Pinky would deliver this line to the departing Cublanta twins!

Buh BYEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

Of course the Meihems just ignore her!

Real Life Panda Alert!

Xing Er, lately of Copenhagen Zoo, decided that his enclosure was just way too boring, and he went walkabout in the zoo. He climbed a metal pole to make his escape (I spit on your tree guards!!!!). While there have been numerous red pandas that have managed at least a temporary scamper to freedom, this is the first time that I have heard of a giant panda making an escape. (Other than Pinky, but she had a secret tunnel!) You go, Xing Er!!!

We are all getting tired of staying at home!

Be the Bear
Bob T Panda

I should have known things would get worse

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The news gets worse every day. You Know Who and his chief henchman, Disbarr, have called out the military on the pretext that violent extremists were infiltrating the mostly peaceful protesters who are demonstrating against police violence and murder. Now it appears that Mittens demanded that he be allowed to deploy military across the country. The actual military leaders declined, for now. Kind of makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

Why was his response to armed white guys showing up at state Capitols, “maybe you should talk with them,” to the governors, but peaceful protestors? Call out the militia. Am I paranoid to think that the deployment of unregulated white guys with guns is a dress rehearsal?

Man…I need to detox with some adorable pandas. I bet you do too.

Pinky never misses a trick!

That Pinky is too clever for her own good!

What’s that blinking red light over there?

I has no sekrets!!!!

Huzzah! Pandas save the day!

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

Beware of Sockpuppet Accounts on Twidder!

But they’re so cute!

And how about a really early ‘toon (and the inspiration for the name!)

7) your brain on pandas

Be the bear!
Bob T Panda

“Hey Lun Lun, would you pick up if you’re there…”

Let’s look in, shall we?

Pinky: six an’ sebben make even ME look good!

Nooz from Felty Panda Central:

I’m starting some experimenting with some new pandas! Pictures to come soon, and also some fun swag with every order while supplies last. More on this later!

Stay safe everyone!

Panda ON!
Wands UP!
Bob T Panda

And now, live from the Bunker….

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So…a global pandemic wasn’t enough for you?

The daily Hate (George Orwell got it right)

Black Lives Matter
Bob T Panda

It’s going to be a long, hot summer…

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…and probably not in a good way.

I have to admit, the last couple days have been very hard. More than 100,000 people have died in the US from COVID19. Protests have turned into riots, which seem to be fueled by HWMNBN pouring gasoline on the flames, as well as the very real possibility that those white supremacist groups that showed up at state Capitols with not so much as a slap on the wrist, are showing up, to increase the violence and use the (mostly) peaceful protesters as cover.

HWMNBN’s Liar General is claiming that these are “radical left extremists.” I’m pretty sure this is a lie. Audible violence is mere blocks away from the homes of people I care about. I am safe (for the moment) in my forest hideaway and feel very fortunate that this is so.

There is not much I can do from here, besides send adorable, funny pandas out into the world.