But who WOULDN’T want a picture with a panda?

I love my readers.

They send me links to stories about pandas, or about bears, or about totally unrelated things that might need to be addressed by panda satire. For instance, the woman who was stopped going through airport security because the frosting on her cuppycake weighed more than 3 ounces. I mean…wasn’t I OBLIGATED to write a cartoon about that?

well, if I can't carry it through security, can I eat it now?

well, if I can’t carry it through security, can I eat it now?

The other day, my friend and partner in cuppycake obsession, Vicky Vladic, sent me this story about tourism in Australia.  The funny thing is, the TV spot was generated in China. You know I had to do this cartoon:

Is this a film of the pandy kindy?

Is this a film of the pandy kindy?

:o)

Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda

Fabulous Furry Friday is Back!

Oh yeah…I can’t figure it out…just a week and a half ago I was ahead on my cartoon schedule, and now I am behind and playing catch-up. or is that Ketchup?

Whatever.

Well, as I am now starting to prepare for This year’s 31 Days of Pandas in December, I may…um…have to post a few encore presentations in the meantime, so I can get ahead again. If that makes any sense.  It’s no wonder we are endangered.

Never fear, however! This Sunday will have a brand new cartoon, about a news story that was first brought to my attention by astute reader and noted cuppycake baker, Vicky Vladic. Several others have sent me the link as well, for which I  thank you. It is always appropriate to bring any such news stories to my attention, as one never knows if someone already did or not, and this one would have been a shame to miss. And just to whet your appetite for The Panda Chronicles take on this story, here is the link to the actual story. Stay tuned for a ZooNooz exclusive on Sunday!

But now, of course it’s time for our fabulous Furry Friday Encore presentations!

another cartoon inspired by real news!

another cartoon inspired by real news!

Much better to take a selfie with pandas!

Much better to take a selfie with pandas! (as was this!)

not to mention…

Who says real life can't be funny?

Who says real life can’t be funny?

Have a happy Fabulous Furry Friday!
Be the Bear
Bob T. Panda

The Plot Thickens….

This is a very brief installment of Inspector Panda’s mystery, which I hope you will forgive. I write in fits and starts, but his morning I had a breakthrough in the story line, which will be coming along…um…shortly. Princess Pinky and the Meihems have finally figured out how to get into the story, and we anxiously await the reappearance of Babette de Panda.

Meanwhile, Friend to Bears Vicky Vladic sent me a link to a very funny story, which Bob and Mehitabel have chosen to comment on, in sunday’s cartoon. (OK, it was all Mehitabel’s idea…she thought it was really funny, Bob, not so much.)

Meanwhile, here is a little snippet of the Inspector Panda saga….

Inspector Panda is hot on Babette's trail....

Inspector Panda is hot on Babette’s trail….

And if you don’t already know, Book 5 of The Panda Chronicles has hit the stands! Check out Pandapocalypse NOW!…um…now. ok?

Be the Bear
Bob T. panda

It IS all about Pinky, Isn’t It?

Oh yes, Princess Pinky’s new book Pandapocalypse Now! is now out in the world, and it has got me thinking about all things bookish, as these events tend to do. I recently read a book by one of my favorite bloggers, Allie Brosh, whose book, Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happenedwas one I have been wanting to read. As you can tell from the title, this is a person whose life does not run especially smoothly.

She turns emotional insecurity and mental distress into an art form, and while I wish her a life with a lot less pain than she has had, we wouldn’t get to read her outrageously funny take on life, her dogs, and…um…cake.  Especially the story about cake. Check it out! “Darkly comic” is an understatement. Her drawings are simple and a little funky, but they perfectly capture the emotional angst of her existence. She hooks you in from the first story, and doesn’t let go.

But meanwhile, Princess Pinky has a few things to say about HER book…oh yeah, and there might be one or two other pandas in it.

"Oh yeah...dere MIGHT be one or two other pandas in it, but I can't remember who."

“Oh yeah…dere MIGHT be one or two other pandas in it, but I can’t remember who.”

Pandapocalypse Now! Is here! Tell your friends!

It's Pink, but still kinda, um...dangerous!

It’s Pink, but still kinda, um…dangerous!

Just in case you weren’t paying attention!

Stay tuned for the return of Inspector Panda this week.

Be the Bear,
Bob T. Panda

 

The Pandapocalypse has arrived!

…and just in time for Fabulous Furry Friday, no less! Actually, someone has already snuck into the Pandapocalypse Now! stronghold over at Amazon and procured the first copy! Fess up! Who did that????

What’s that, you say? Is there a new Panda Chronicles Compendium perhaps? Why, yes, as a matter of fact there is, and it stars Princess Pinky and the Meihem twins!!! and the cover looks something like (OK, exactly like) this:

It's Pink, but still kinda, um...dangerous!

It’s Pink, but still kinda, um…dangerous!

From the very beginning of Pinky’s reign of terror in our nation’s capitol, until her very first birthday party, this volume celebrates all things Pinky and Meihem in a three ring circus pandapalooza. Like for instance….

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

Oh, those little scamps! “How does you spell ‘hostage’?”

Or how about the first appearance of the Meihems when they were teeny tiny little pandas?

The first appearance of the twinkies on The Panda Chronicles

The first appearance of the twinkies on The Panda Chronicles

I’m sure you will want your very own copy (hint, hint, wink, wink, nudge, nudge) so hop on over to the Pandapocalypse Now! page and scurry on over to Amazon  and get your own copy of The Panda Chronicles Book 5: Pandapocalypse Now!

Not since The Book of Wu have so many pandas behaved so badly. Huzzah!

Pandas are standing by to take your order. (And if you would like to support Pandas International with your purchase, I’ve been told that there is a program called Amazon Smile: just type “Amazon smile” in the search box and then you get to pick your non-profit, if I remember correctly. Once you’ve made that choice, Amazon remembers for future purchases.)

 

Inspector Panda Returns

Well, actually, we haven’t actually seen Inspector Panda, his very own self, since Mr. Wu went roaring off with the panda kindergarten. I’m sure he’s around here somewhere…he’s probably hot on Babette’s trail, with the purloined tape in his sights…yeah…that’s it!

Meanwhile, Mr Wu is learning more about the scholarly activities of the panda kindergarten. Art Historians! Who knew????

I didn't get a decoder watch when I graduated from art school!

I didn’t get a decoder watch when I graduated from art school!

Why that Babette is nothing but a scoundrel!

Why that Babette is nothing but a scoundrel!

And, not to belabor the point, but this Friday marks the release of Book 5 of the Panda Chronicles: Pandapocalypse Now! Huzzah! Inspector Panda would like to point out that he has a cameo appearance or two in Book 5, just in case you were interested!

Be the Bear,
Bob T Panda

Give Pinky all Your Money Now!

Yes, it’s that time of year, when your favorite public radio station starts whining and pleading to get you to support them, and National Pinky Radio is no exception.

I must admit, that I feel a little bad about making fun of a worthy cause, but that’s never stopped me before. I am a big public radio fan, and when I actually have income, I support them with my meager pledge of support. After all, I get some of my best ideas of other things to make fun of from listening to Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me.

Pinky needs stuff and she needs it now!

Pinky needs stuff and she needs it now!

And speaking of Princess Pinky (we were speaking of the Princess, weren’t we?)  Newsletter subscribers (at least those who opened their email) have gotten to see a sneak peak of the cover of the next exciting volume collected cartoons,  The Panda Chronicles Book 5: Pandapocalypse NOW! And having done my duty to my most faithful followers, I’m going to show you guys as well!

 

Are you ready?

It's Pink, but still kinda, um...dangerous!

It’s Pink, but still kinda, um…dangerous!

Pinky whining and pouting all the while graciously agreed to share the book with the Meihem twins of Zoo Atlanta, because…well, she really didn’t have much choice. Actually, so many of their stories are so intertwined that I could hardly separate them out if I wanted to.

There’s more coming up from Inspector Panda this week, as well as a few announcements about Pandamorphosis. Stay tuned, Panda fans!

Be the Beart,
Bob T Panda

Fabulous Furry Friday Salutes NPR

…and by that we mean National Panda Radio, of course.  Princess Pinky has taken over the station, as you will see if you tune in on Sunday, but we thought you might enjoy a glimpse of the early days of National Panda Radio!  (Starring Bob as a very young panda!)

One of Bob's earliest appearances on our show!

One of Bob’s earliest appearances on our show!

Panda Talk! My favorite show!

Panda Talk! My favorite show!

Don’t forget to come back on Sunday….Pinky Promise, okay?

Be the Bear
Bob T Panda

Panda Art History…Who Knew?

I would hate to think that all those years of sleeping through paying rapt attention in Art History classes had gone to waste. Inspector Panda’s current case has therefore taken an extremely art historical turn, as if it hadn’t been traveling those roads already.

The panda kindergarten has more facets than a dodecahedron, and it turns out that they all have degrees in panda art history. Who knew? And if you are just tuning in, don’t forget to check out all the previous episodes here:

What you don't know about your favorite art museum....

What you don’t know about your favorite art museum….

And look at those stacks of paintings! Did you realize there were so many fine art pandas in existence?

And look at those stacks of paintings! Did you realize there were so many fine art pandas in existence?

Next time you are at the National Gallery, go and ask at the information desk if you can be taken to see the secret stash of paintings of pandas by all the greats of the 16th through 20th centuries. The National Gallery has a lovely Mary Cassatt that Minette modeled for. And the “Little Panda Dancer” by Edgar Degas is exquisite! Just ask at the front desk, and don’t take ‘no’ for an answer. They’re just being modest.

Be the Bear,
Bob T. Panda

Our Story so Far: Inspector Panda…

…has an omniscient narrator! If you are just tuning in to our story, you can see links to all the earlier episodes here. Of course certain pandas who shall not be named here were a little bit (just the tiniest bit, you understand) miffed that they had not been included in the story, so we had to make someone the omniscient narrator.

And who gave Pinky her wand back?

And who gave Pinky her wand back?

Does Pinky know too much?

Does Pinky know too much?

As you can well imagine, we are pretty excited over here at the International Headquarters for The Institute of Contemporary Panda Satire, as we anticipate publication of The Panda Chronicles Book 5: Pandapocalypse NOW! starring none other than Princess Pinky and the Meihem twins! We are awaiting our proof copies, to make sure that the pictures aren’t put in sideways or anything like that. And because enquiring minds want to know, we will reveal the cover FIRST to my long suffering newsletter subscribers, so if you want to be the first on your block to know what the cover will look like, do sign up for the newsletter!

Read on, MacDuff, and Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda