Tag Archives: Princess Pinky

Princess Pinky Bao Bao has a birthday…

Yes, we are heading into what we like to call “high birthday season” around here, which is the week of your actual birthday.  While Pinky Bao Bao’s ACTUAL birthday is not till next Saturday, you can excuse her (and us) for getting a little excited about it, and getting an early start.

So, to get you in the mood, here are some of her feature presentation cartoons from her first year of life in The Panda Chronicles.

Such a little darling!  How could her big brother resist spoiling her?

Such a little darling! How could her big brother resist spoiling her?

Pinky tests her powers....

Pinky tests her powers….

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….

Stay tuned for more Pinky next week (sort of a Pinky film festival, you know?)

Meanwhile back at the panda ranch, we were inspired by the upcoming Dot Day celebration on September 15th to create a new ‘Celebridot.” Don’t know what Dot Day is? International Dot Day is a celebration of creativity that was inspired by Peter H. Reynolds’ book “The Dot”. This site is filled with other authors, illustrators, and celebrities who share in the dream of a more creative world. (from the Celebridots website) You can learn more about Dot Day here.

There has been much on the news and in social media this week about depression, in the wake of Robin Williams’ death. Creative people are often prone to depression.  While engaging in creative pursuits cannot stop or eliminate depression and despair, having a creative outlet can help to  channel these feelings, and give a person a little breathing space till the blackness lifts. I am here today, partly because I had a creative outlet, and my creativity was encouraged to grow by some teachers and other adults in my life.  Do check out the Dot Day website, and then see if there is something you can contribute. Even encouraging one child you know makes a difference in the world.

My dot for 2014. What a great tradition!

My dot for 2014. What a great tradition!

Be the bear!
Bob T. Panda

Huzzah! The Meihem Twins Turn One Year Old!

Welcome to this special panda birthday season edition of The Panda Chronicles! In honor of Zoo Atlanta’s pride and joy, Mei Lun and Mei Huan turning one year old today, we have an extra ‘toon to celebrate!

Huzzah!

There must be cake!

There must be cake!

I bet the Meihem twins will be out of detention in time to go to Princess Pinky’s pawty in August!

Be the Bear,
Bob T. Panda

Fabulous Furry Friday Celebrates Panda Birthday Season

It is that most blessed time of year, panda birthday season!!!!! For the American born pandas, the season kicked off this week with America’s darling, Tai Shan, who has moved to his ancestral homeland a few years back.  He turned 9 on the 9th.  I’m sure that must be significant in some way, not that I know what. This week also marked the first birthday of Yuan Zai, better known as “Dumpling”, the great granddaughter of Bai Yun of Pandiego.

Coming up next week on the 15th, the Meihem twinkies, Mei Lun and Mai Huan (known here as their fictional counterparts Bert and Ernie) celebrate their first birthday.  I thought I would revisit some of their early feature cartoons to celebrate the occasion.

The first appearance of the twinkies on The Panda Chronicles

The first appearance of the twinkies on The Panda Chronicles

Atlanta twin panda cubs Mei Lun and Mei Huan and older prother Po

Huzzah! a guest appearance by little Po!

Of course this last episode took place before we knew that not only the twins, but big brother…um…sister, Po had been misidentified, gender wise! It is kind of hard to tell with pandas.

Bao bao changes panda cub gender

Of course, Princess Pinky took the credit for that one.

Atlanta Twins have a fight

Sweet dreams, little bears!

And lest we forget Mr Wu’s reaction to the announcement of twins:

Mr Wu speaks out!

Mr Wu speaks out!

Let there be cake!

Anticipation!

Huzzah for Panda Birthday season!

I hope you’ll hop over to read VSomethingSpeaks as Vicky relates her journey into the world of panda…um…obsession. So many people find pandas in answer to difficult times in their lives, and Vicky is no exception.

Have a great weekend, and don’t forget to have some cake!

Be the Bear,
Bob T. Panda

Tiny Bubbles….

…in the boo(tini)…

The other day, one of Princess Pinky’s official photo-chroniclers photographed some children blowing giant soap bubbles somewhere in the area, and this gave me an idea….Pinky as bubble girl….

Oh dear....are you going to leave her there?

Oh dear….are you going to leave her there?

I wonder where she’ll land?

Meanwhile, thanks to all who delved into their art history knowledge (or Google) to identify correctly, the painters who immortalized Minette (the panda formerly known as Mei Mei) in Paris in the late 1800’s.  Our winners are Cyndi A., Laura S., Sandra P., Sue D., and DoxieDad.  An only partially eaten cuppycake goes to Barb B. for making a valiant attempt at the correct answers. Welcome to the Roll of Honor!

Huzzah!

Stay tuned when we return next Wednesday for the newest Inspector Panda Episode.

Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda

The Panda Kindergarten Gets Some New Books.

Well, if I am going to live in my imagination, why shouldn’t I imagine that Bill Watterson had read of the panda kindergarten’s dastardly kidnapping deed, and took the appropriate measures for revenge.  Of course, I would expect no less than that the revenge would be perpetrated on the “grown-ups” (such as they are.)

He who laughs last, laughs...um...last.

He who laughs last, laughs…um…last.

Huzzah for the panda kindergarten.  (What…surely you don’t think that I am a grown-up…get real.)

Keep being the bear!

Panda On
Bob T. Panda

It All Falls Apart…

…especially when you have three girls, and two of them are twin sisters.  What? You thought they were all going to get along happily forever? You have obviously never been a pre-adolescent girl, if you thought that. Ah, the shifting loyalties, the tattling on each other…those were the days…

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

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

Sigh…I suppose after the cookie incident, they were waiting to get even.

Meanwhile, pandas are appearing around the interweb in celebration of Pandamorphosis. They have recently made a appearance on Kirby Larson’s blog, Kirby’s Lane. Huzzah!

On Wednesday, Inspector Panda will return to continue his tale of mystery and intrigue. ( Well, we hope so, anyway.)

Be the bear!
Bob T. Panda

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

From the Fabulous Furry Friday Archives….

Spring has come and gone in the Pacific Northwest, as we slosh toward the month here known as “June-uary”  and the (brief) visitation of balmy days in the 60’s and low 70’s become just a distant memory, just in time for Memorial Day weekend here in the US of A.

We need funny, we need pandas, and we need it now!

excessive photoshopping of celebrities

I’m ready for my close-up…um..I am, aren’t I?

Are we laughing yet?

Mei xiang and bao bao try to cover up highway-gate

Inspector Panda is on the job!

As we prepare for an Inspector Panda Mystery, let’s reacquaint ourselves with this superior sleuth….

"Hello, Bai Yun?  this is Lun Lun...about that detective you suggested..."

“Hello, Bai Yun? this is Lun Lun…about that detective you suggested…”

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

…of course Boo-mints are pretty good too.

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!

That’s it for Fabulous Furry Friday’s visit to The Institute of Contemporary Panda Satire archives!

By the way, Pandamorphosis is now available from Amazon. Check it out on our The Panda Chronicles: The Books page today!

Keep Being the Bear!
Bob T. Panda