Category Archives: the essential pandaness of being

How Can We Miss You If You Won’t Go Away?

Here we are, almost two years into Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s 1st term in office, and the news is still Mittens Mittens Mittens. I can only hope that indictments are on the horizon, but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

But meanwhile, here is a little good NooZ!

The book illustrated by yours truly, and written by author Beth Bacon officially hits the stands next week! One of the things that helps get books seen and read (besides buying it) is requesting that your local library buy it.

Most library websites have a page where you can request them to purchase a book for their collection. Here is the information you need to make a request:

Title: The Panda Cub Swap
Author: Beth Bacon
Illustrator: Anne Belov
Publication Date: September 6, 2022
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1592111645
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1592111640
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Histria Kids

And here is a handy short link:

https://amzn.to/3L8t0Rb

And in additional exciting nooz, the book has already won one of the numerous minor awards that are a regular thing in the children’s book world. The book has won the Mom’s Choice Award, which means we get to display the nifty little badge on the upper right corner (looks nice with the blue, don’t you think?)

You can also request that your favorite book store order it, if you don’t want to give more $$ to Amazon. Always buy the book with the cheerful baby panda on the cover saying “hi hi hi hi!”

Here’s today’s ‘toon. I promise I’ll get back to our favorite pandas next week!

This Saturday is the birthday of Six and Sebben, so I guess we’ll have to let them on the set of the Panda Chronicles for the Sunday Funday Archive ‘toon episode. Hold onto your wallets and your cuppycakes. and mebbee tell them the Panda Swap book is about them.

Be the Bear
Bob T my floor usually does look like an FBI crime photo Panda

The Exciting Conclusion of Our Story

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Or is it?

Stories have a way of regenerating as new s**t comes to light! But for now, we are going to call this story done, with this episode.

So Let’s get to it!

It looks like Bikkie made a new friend! Call the building contractor, Tian! We might need to make an addition on to Bikkie’s room. And who does this cub belong to? I guess we’ll find out eventually.

A Little Bit About My Process:

Some stories start with an idea that is floating around on the internet. These nooz stories enter my brain, slosh around a bit, colliding with existing characters, melding with preconceived ideas, and finally plooping out onto the page.

For instance: Where did Frank and Mikey come from?

In the fall of 2018, when it became apparent the the current SCOTUS nominee was even more awful than we thought he was, the thought crossed my mind, wouldn’t it be funny if he was eaten by bears on the steps of the Supreme Court?

Naturally, Mehitabel (being the savvy journalist that she is,) invited the bears for an interview on ZooNooZ. To be completely candid, their personalities emerged with little intervention from me. Honestly, sometimes I think I am merely a conduit through which the various cats, pandas, and other animals that appear in these pages, and speak their own thoughts.

Once here, I could not get the bears to leave, despite very pointed glares coming from Mei Xiang as she dealt with her ever expanding household.

And so it is with all the other characters. Sometimes, they don’t have much to say to me, so I let them just wander around in the background, until they have pressing business with me.

Process:

For those who might be interested, here is how my ‘toons come into being:

Idea > scribbled post it note > write script, seeing if I can fit the action/dialog/cast into a 4 panel strip > rough pencil sketch in my sketchbook to figure out layout > light editing of placement, text > redraw the toon on smooth Bristol paper > ink in panel lines > ink in text> ink in all characters > erase pencil lines when dry > Scan > clean up scan in photo editing program > post on The Panda Chronicles

Whew!

Be the Bear
Bob T I have no classified documents Panda

Panda Birthday Season

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It’s the high season of Panda Birthdays. This week we celebrate the birthdays of the great Mr. Wu, the triplets (aka Pinky’s minions) and PPJ, Pinky’s real life daughter and supernatural apparition within The Panda Chronicles.

Let’s get this panda party started!

Remember when Mr Wu got a present from da panda kindy?

Will the panda kindergarten get it put together before Bai Yun gets home?

Mr Wu finds out that the Meihems were born in Pandalanta

What are Pinky and her minions getting up to?

And then, of course, there is Princess Pinky Junior, aka PPJ. Here, to celebrate her birthday, is the entire story of her arrival in the Panda Chronicles, “Someday you’ll have a cub just like YOU” aka Pinky’s nightmare.

I hope you enjoyed our encore presentation of this segment of panda birthday season! Tune in next Sunday when we start our monthlong celebration of the most famous pandas anywhere (Pinky made me write that) Bikkie, Bubba, and of course…um…what was her name? Oh yeah! Pinky!

Be the Bear
Bob T Panda

BTW, I made a felty cake to celebrate Mr. Wu’s 10th birthday. It’s one of a kind and includes Mr. Wu atop his cake. The whole thing stands about 5 inches tall with Wu. It is available for $98 + shipping. Send a message via the Contact Us page.

The Saga Continues!

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Oh my, TFG’s multi-shirted cretin is fresh from his contempt of congress conviction and still is promoting additional insurrectionist activities. Will we ever get any relief from this mob?

Let’s step into the Panda House for a little relief from reality!

Pinky is full of surprises!

I hope everyone is getting their cakes made and presents bought, because as I was reminded the other day, not only is it Mr. Wu’s birthday this Friday, it is also PPJ’s birthday and Pinky’s minions! (aka the triplets!)

Thanks a lot, Leslie. I think you gave Pinky this idea.

Party at the Panda House!

Be the Bear
Bob T Panda

No Selfies with Wildlife: Our Annual PSA

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I can’t believe we need to remind people not to do this. There is more and more information that invading the personal space of a wild animal is a really bad idea. It can endanger the wild animals, not to mention, they might decide to eat you.

Frank and Mikey have generously agreed to deliver this year’s warning about this dangerous practice.

Do as we say, not as we do!

More to come from our exclusive ZooNooz coverage of the hearings about Mittens Coup attempt! Be there or be the bear!

Panda On
Bob T Panda

And now, a Poem from your Preferred Panda, Ping

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Pandas like the letter “P”

Sorry for the late posting. I’ve been burning the midnight oil, the dawn coffee, and all the hours in between as I get ready for my painting show in July. where oh where did the time go?

Panda on!
Bob T Panda

Time to spin the Wayback Wheel and see what turns up!

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Some weeks I have a time to expound upon, and then I look for archived ‘toons that illuminate that theme. Other weeks I have no idea what I’m thinking of and then I just have to spin the wheel and see what pops up.

One thing you can be sure of, it’s likely that Pinky will be involved!

On my honor, I will try…to eat as many cookies as I possibly can….

Well…no Pinky in that one! let’s try again!

Mei should not be getting all excited like this in her condition!

And what better talk show is there, than Mehitabel Tonite!?

I really had no idea what she was up to.

Make sure Pinky doesn’t try to steal Bubba and Ping’s candy!

Well as Pinky all says, you can never have enough ‘toons about Pinky!

#ClapLouder

Till next time,

Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda

As the 50th Pandaversary at the National Zoo Scampers to a Close…

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I thought I’d share some of my favorite ‘toons from the Panda House over the years since I started following the pandas…

But First, A Word from our Sponsor!: Buy stuff with Pandas!

Our newest design over on Redbubble features none other than her most Royal Pandaness, Princess Pinky!

Available on a whole bunch of stuff on Redbubble!

And now, for some of our favorite Panda House ‘toons which might all feature Pinky. we don’t know. Moods, you know?

National Zoo cub makes mom Mei Xiang disappear — oops.

Princess Pinky is fooled by Mei Xiang at the National Zoo — Oh Princess Pinky, mom has a trick or two up her paw, I think…

Princess Pinky helps with new years resolutions — You say you want a resolution, well, you know, it is hard to change a bear….

deleted footage from press conference — Pinky answers difficult questions from the press in her own way.

Okay, Okay… I guess there are a couple OTHER pandas living at the DC Panda House!

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

The Mommee Security Agency is always watching

I think Biscuit and Beary Poppins are forming a real bond!

I hope you enjoyed our celebration of the 50th Pandaversary of Pandas at The National Zoo! Keep watching the panda cams and don’t forget us at The Institute for Contemporary Panda Satire!

Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda

The Moods of Pinky

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The 50th Pandaversary celebration of all things PANDA would hardly be complete without an examination of every thought that has ever passed through the magnificent brain of the most important panda that ever resided at the Smifsonian National Zoo!

Oh sure, you might think Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing were those most important pandas, since they were the first to reside in Washington DC. Or maybe you might think that the well loved Tai Shan (aka #1 son), being the miracle cubby who arrived in 2005, is that most important panda.