Amazon Top 50

Here are the Top 50 Graphic Novels on Amazon this morning. All the previous caveats apply.


1 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
2 (+3). The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb
3 (-1). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
4 (-1). Diary of a Wimpy Kid
5 (-1). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
6 (+1). The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks
7 (-1). Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth
8 (-). Predators and Prey (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Vol. 5)
9 (+1). Watchmen
10 (+2). Stitches: A Memoir
11 (-2). Bloom County Complete Library Volume 1
12 (N). R. Crumb's Heroes of Blues, Jazz, & Country
13 (+17). 14 Years of Loyal Service in a Fabric-Covered Box: A Dilbert Book
14 (+12). Batman: Arkham Asylum (15th Anniversary Edition)
15 (+29). Masterpiece Comics
16 (-). V for Vendetta
17 (+4). Dilbert: 2010 Day-to-Day Calendar
18 (+11). Absolute Death
19 (+1). Mercy Thompson Homecoming
20 (R). The TOON Treasury of Classic Children's Comics
21 (+17). The Complete Calvin and Hobbes
22 (N). Simon's Cat
23 (+9). Batman: The Killing Joke
24 (-6). Asterios Polyp
25 (-3). The Walking Dead, Vol. 10: What We Become
26 (-11). Naruto, Volume 46
27 (N). Jack of Fables Vol. 6: The Big Book of War
28 (-5). The Cartoon History of the Modern World, Part 2: From the Bastille to Baghdad
29 (R). The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes
30 (+3). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
31 (N). Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds HC *
32 (+5). The Best American Comics 2009
33 (-6). Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
34 (-6). Batman: Year One
35 (-21). The Complete Peanuts 1971-1974 Box Set
36 (-17). Tumor Chapter 1 (kindle)
37 (R). Astonishing X-Men Omnibus
38 (R) Parker: The Hunter
39 (N). The Wolverton Bible
40 (+7). Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
41 (-6). Marvel Encyclopedia
42 (-11). The Complete Persepolis
43 (+5). The Arrival
44 (-2). The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz HC
45 (N). Captain America: Road to Reborn *
46 (N). Maximum Ride: The Manga, Vol. 2 *
47 (N). B.P.R.D. Volume 11: The Black Goddess *
48 (N). Scientific Progress Goes 'Boink': A Calvin and Hobbes Collection
49 (-9). The Umbrella Academy: Dallas
50 (-14). Stephen King's Dark Tower: Treachery


Items with asterisks (*) are pre-order items.

N = New listing appearing on list for first time
R = Item returning to the list after having been off for 1 or more weeks


Commentary:

* Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days fell to #4 on the overall bestsellers list (due in some part to the Amazon-Walmart book price war which is pushing some hardcovers down to just $9) but that's still plenty enough to keep it at #1 on the Comics & Grpahic Novels chart. The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb is at #16 on the overall chart, while the other Wimpy Kid volumes check in at #43, #51 & #64.

* Following on the heels of his Bible adaptation, R. Crumb's Heroes of Blues, Jazz, & Country is the highest debut at #12. The Wolverton Bible pops in at #39, no doubt also riding the underground-cartoonist's-bible-adaptation zeitgeist.

* Simon's Cat, apparently a cartoon book based on a series of YouTube videos, debuts at #22; the latest Jack of Fables debuts at #27 & Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds debuts at #31. Four more collections peek in with debuts near the bottom of the list.

WINNER of CONTEST #9!!!!

This week's contest was won at 10 minutes after the hour and all three of our winning contestants are new. (Last week I think the second or third place winner had won first place the week before.)

Congrats to Ilibbus for first place and Debbie and Maddy at second and third.

Here is a list of the correct answers:
1. Missing gun on white-hat cowboy
2. Added gun on black-hat cowboy
3. Bunny picture changed
4. Drink becomes camera
5. Shoe in picture reverses
6. Sideburn is missing
7. Cigarette is gone
8. Different neck tie
9. Eyeball on floor moves
10. Belt buckle changes
11. S in Saloon is reversed
12. Cowboy's eye is facing us
13. Dynamite becomes hot dog
14. Woman is cyclops
15. Woman has bird toes

One common mistake that people made was to cite the eyeball on the floor as two changes instead of one: eyeball on left, missing eyeball on right. The correct interpretation was just that it had moved, so it only counted as one difference. In case you're wondering, objects don't have to be interpreted correctly to qualify as a correct answer, as long as you spot them as a difference. For instance, one entry mentioned that the woman outside had carrots for toes, not realizing they were supposed to be bird toes. No biggy, still counts as correct.

Hope you'll join me again next week for more another contest and each day for unpredictable shenanigans and mayhem.

CONTEST #9

Click on the cartoon contest image below to enlarge.

RULES, ETC:
As usual, the top image is the original cartoon, the warped image beneath it has been changed. Your mission, if you are a groovy dude or chick, is to find those differences.

1. There are 15 differences between the two cartoons.
2. NONE of the differences have to do with the warped nature of the second image.
3. ALL of the differences are something missing, added, or moved, not just "bent" from the distortion. The differences will not be too subtle, so once you spot one you should be relatively certain you've found it. (As opposed to something like, "I think that guy has one extra whisker. Hmmm.")
4. FIRST PERSON to correctly list the 15 differences in the comments section of the contest post wins 5 packs of Bizarro Trading Cards, mailed by me personally from Bizarro International Headquarters in Brooklyn. I'll even lick the stamp, unless it's self adhesive. SECOND AND THIRD persons with correct answers will each get 2 packs of Bizarro Trading Cards!
5. Put your email address on your comment so I can contact you if you win. I won't post it or keep it or file it or sell it or mount a Broadway musical about it.

Enjoy and good luck! Click on the image to enlarge...

Deconstructing Death

Bizarro is brought to you today by this guy.

I've often thought I'd rather die than go to prison, especially for a very long time, and super especially if I was old and there was no real chance of getting out before I died.

But then, when actually faced with the moment of truth, I'm guessing I'd just go to prison and deal with it like most people do, rather than offing myself. Unless you've got a special set of chemical and emotional conditions in your head, suicide is pretty much the hardest thing in the world to do. Millions of years of evolution have designed us to think that staying alive is the single most important objective, next to reproducing. Intellectually, it is easy for me to talk myself out of both of those premises, recognizing them as biological features that have singular goals which I do not necessarily share.

Even though I reproduced a couple of times (long ago), I'm not one to think that it makes any difference whatsoever whether my bloodline or my name or my genes carry on. I don't care one way or the other, it's all a speck of dust in the universe. Nor do I honestly believe that it makes any difference if I live for another 45 years or die this afternoon. (Although if I do die this afternoon after having written this blog, it will give birth to volumes of conspiracy theories and false assumptions. I, for one, still believe Andy Kaufman's death was a hoax and he's going to make a grand comeback any day now.)

I can feel sorry for those who love me having to endure my loss, but it won't matter to me or to the world, in any meaningful way. (Nor will I even know I'm dead, much as I didn't know I hadn't been born yet 500 years ago) My readers will lament the loss of my cartoons for a short while, then move on. Whatever.

I'm not trying to solicit sympathy or be depressing, I'm not depressed at all, in fact. I'm just explaining my take on death. In an intellectual sense, it just doesn't bother me. That's not to say I want to die, of course, I don't. At least not while life is still relatively enjoyable. If Sarah Palin is ever elected president, however, that may change.

On a side note, I didn't do this on purpose but I think the lawyer in this cartoon looks a lot like Craig Crawford of Congressional Quarterly, a regular guest on the Keith Olbermann show.

Don't miss today's contest, posted at 4pm, NYC time. Ciao, baby.

CONTEST LATER TODAY!!!!!!!

Today, at four (4) o'clock (of the clock) p.m. (prementsrual) NYC time (New York City time) this week's contest will be posted.

Tell your friends, tell your family, call your favorite news channel, wear it on your T-shirt. It's ON, suckers.

For previous contest rules, to which today's will be similar if not identical, click the bunny. (Bunny)

Not Nuts

My madre unt padre are in NYC visiting, leaving later today, so again I find myself short of time for a lengthy blog.

Their submarine leaves from the Brooklyn Navy Yard this afternoon, so I'll catch up later today or tomorrow. Promise.

You're so sweet for understanding.

Delicious Dog

Bizarro is brought to you today by TBA.

I'm on deadline today, but I've been out of town all weekend and haven't posted anything new, so here's a quick cartoon for you.

I'll post comments and funny ha ha big yucks and links later this afternoon or evening.

Ciao, baby.