Category Archives: Bears behaving badly

Resistance is Futile!

I can never resist a good joke…especially when it’s me making it! Inspector Panda is taking the day off while we continue the sordid tale of Hobbes’ kidnapping by the panda kindergarten.

Meanwhile, around the web, I am on a bit of a blog tour, in honor of the publication of Pandamorphosis, my wordless picture book about…um…pandas. This week I wrote about the journey to publication on Cordelia Calls it Quits, and then I headed over (virtually speaking, of course) to Cordelia’s Mom, Still to tell the tale of where all these pandas came from! I have a few more stops on the tour coming up in the next couple of weeks. If you would like to have the pandas come by for a visit, drop me a comment and we can set something up!

Meanwhile, here is the continuation of our story:

I love a good art forgery, don't you?

I love a good art forgery, don’t you?

As I mentioned on Sunday, this cartoon and the previous one were inspired by Pearls Before Swine’s creator, Stephan Pastis and his recent series in which he collaborated with Bill Watterson.  I see your “set my hair on fire,” and raise you, “I would rip my own liver out with my teeth.” Is that enough name dropping for one day?

OK, Mr. Watterson, I have your tiger. Come and get him.

A Salute to the Masters of the Medium

Every once in a while I mention how I’ve learned from artists of the past, whether we are talking about fine art ,or illustration, or comics. One of my major inspirations in drawing comics is Bill Watterson, creator of the brilliantly unsurpassable Calvin and Hobbes.

So imagine my delight and envy when I read the post by Stephan Pastis (of Pearls Before Swine fame) where he relates the story of a project he recently did with Bill Watterson, which was brought to my attention on Twitter from Liam F. Walsh, cartoonist for The New Yorker. (And yes, I realize I am name-dropping like hell. Get over it.)

Of course, I had to let the pandas have their way with this story.

Excuse me, Mr. Watterson, but....

Excuse me, Mr. Watterson, but….

I’m sure that the panda kindergarten will..um…take very good care of Hobbes.

Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda

More from NPR (National Pinky Radio)

All of you who are fans of NPR are well aware of the semi-annual pledge drives, when NPR stations raise money for their programming and operating expenses.  Of course, National Panda Pinky Radio is no exception!  This suggestion was made by one of the Panda Faithful, whose identity escapes me at the moment.  Speak up, if you want the blame credit.

Also, around the web, our very own Mehitabel got a shout-out on VSomething Speaks, in Vicky’s recent post about the musical Wicked. She made some great observations about what this musical, which re-tells the story from The Wizard of Oz from the point of view of the witch.

But meanwhile, back at the panda-ranch, Princess Pinky and the Mei-hem twins are having a pledge drive for National Panda Pinky Radio.

Pandas are standing by to take your calls!

Pandas are standing by to take your calls!

Be the Bear and Panda On!
Bob T. Panda

Enjoy these Rabble-Rousing Pandas…

…while I rack my brain for recollections of words that start with the letter “R”

While ragamuffin rabble rousing renegades run rampant raising hell around the panda kindergarten classroom, I request that you recall your favorite reads of childhood.  Do you remember rambling tales of ransomed rascals? Stories of rebels rebounding through rebirth and revelation? Recall recalcitrant renegades rebuffing requests to rebuild? Rah Rah!

The letter “R” rejoices for the panda kindergarten!

The panda kindergaten knows where you live.

The panda kindergaten knows where you live.

to repeat…

The panda kindergarten captures Mr Wu

Evilness is one thing, but there must be snacks! An episode of “The Wizard of Wu”

Look out Mehitabel!   here comes the panda kindergarten!

Look out Mehitabel! here comes the panda kindergarten!

But sometimes, there is redemption….

Today, you are a bear.

Today, you are a bear.

Thanks again to the A to Z blog challenge for hosting all of us and bringing new readers to our shores, even if it is mostly each other.  Huzzah!

Be the Bear, Right?

Bob T. Panda

Happy Easter from the Panda Chronicles!

Today is an off day from the A to Z, but I always  (okay, most of the time) post a cartoon (a new one, no less) on Sunday and Wednesday, and today is no exception.

I did leave a wedding party early JUST so I could get home to post this.  Oh wait, “M” day (for martyr) was last week.  Anyway, I did want to post my salute to Easter today, a holiday celebrating chocolate, and some other stuff as well, which, were I not a complete heathen, I would know about.

A tiskitt a taskitt , a great big wheelie basket!

A tiskitt a taskitt , a great big wheelie basket!

I’ll be back tomorrow with more alphabetical atrocities.

Be the Bear,
Bob T. Panda

 

And now for the Sunday Special!

Special what? Oh, I don’t know…I was looking for a word to go with “Sunday”, and “special” popped into mind. Just ignore me. It’s OK.

Well, meanwhile on the Pandamorphosis front, preparations are proceeding apace to launch Pandamorphosis into the world.  Thanks to all of those who have offered their support, not only with my Kickstarter project, but also with the upcoming book launch, now scheduled for April 16th (yes, THIS April 16th) just in time for International Panda Day.  And no I am not making this up!

Meanwhile Friend to Pandas, Henry Nicholls posed the question, “which would the panda kindergarten prefer: Regular Pepsi or new Pepsi Max? ”

Whichever one has more sugar in it would be my guess. Afterall, scientists have now determined that pandas have a “sweet tooth.”  Hello? cuppycakes?  Just sayin’.

enquiring minds want to know....

enquiring minds want to know….

And a quick note, I’ll be participating in the A to Z challenge, where I will be posting daily for the month of April.  We are to use a letter theme for each day (A to Z, right?) Ah, if only every day could be the letter “P” but I’m sure somehow I’ll manage to make everything panda related.

Till Tuesday, then,
Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda

 

The plot thickens….

It looks like the twinkies have arrived at the National Zoo.

Cue the music for the last scene shootout in any spaghetti-O western you might care to name. The avengers have ridden in to town and they ain’t gonna leave till they get retribution.

Or, at least a cuppycake.

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

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

Will the girls join forces to take over the Pandy Kindy? Will Bert and Ernie remember to call their mom and let them know they arrived safely? Will the Pandy Kindy ever be the same?

Tune in next week as our story continues.

Be the Bear
Bob T. Panda

 

Uh Oh, Do I detect a cover-up?

Well, you have to admit, Washington DC and its denizens have a long and sordid history of cover-ups.  Oh, did I say “den”? Hmmm….wonder where there next cover-up will come from…bwahahaha!

Bao Bao, washington DC cover-up

Oh, Pinky…what have you done?

What’s a mother to do? I hope it doesn’t come to this:

I was framed!

But she’s just a baby!

Be the bear!
Bob T. Panda

 

Road from Cublanta…Go, Twinkies, Go!

What could be more exciting than a road trip, especially when you have an adorable yellow car and a good kerfuffle in store for you at the end of the road?

And, yes, Inspector Panda does have his very own Twitter account.  You can find him at @NoirPandas on Twitter.  He would really like it if you followed him.  Maybe you could help him with this case.

Inspector panda

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!

I want to give a quick shout out of thanks to all who have bought The Panda Chronicles Book 4: The Book of Wu since it’s release just a couple of weeks ago.  Huzzah! not to mention, shazaam! I’m also happy to see that there must be some newcomers to the world of The Institute for Contemporary Panda Satire, because you’ve bought the earlier books too. You are the bears!

And speaking of The Institute for Contemporary Panda Satire, we now have our own Facebook page.  Head on over if you are a facebookian, and give it a like. Or a cuppycake.  But don’t get frosting in your keyboard.  It is a bear (ha ha, get it?) to get out.

Till next time,
Be the Bear!

The Case of the Petulant Princess continues…

There was way too much fun going on here last week with our round robin film noir (and blanc) story.  If you missed it, be sure to check out the previous post for the whole story.  It was tons of fun.

But now, we must get back to the cartoon chronicle. While it had similar characters, the round robin did go off on a bit of a tangent.

Our story so far: Someone has closed highways around Zoo Atlanta, and diverted all traffic to The National Zoo in Washington D.C., some four states away to the north.  What mastermind computer hacker was able to complete this dastardly feat of pure evilness? Lun Lun hires Inspector Panda to get to the bottom of this mystery, but is he up to the task? And who will pay for the cookies?

...of course Boo-mints are pretty good too.

…of course Boo-mints are pretty good too.

If this cartoon was in color, you would recognize the yellow car, favorite of Po, Xi Lan and the Twinkies. Tune in on Wednesday as the story continues.

Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda