Saints & Thinkers

Bizarro is brought to you by Zen Dudes.

This first cartoon is fun for me because it has that circuitous philosophical reasoning that I enjoy. Since thinking is what humans do best we have spent a lot of time thinking about things that don't have a lot of practical value. Like the famous question of whether any noise is made if a tree falls in the forest and there are no ears to hear it. Or, my favorite rewrite of that same query: If a man says something in a forest and there is no woman to correct him, is he still wrong?

Since I've posted less frequently in recent days, here are a couple more cartoons for your amusement.

Here I have written a cartoon from my own experience, more or less. CHNW and I are selling our place in Brooklyn in the fall and I'm worried about it. One thing I'm worried about is that there is a huge, noisy, filthy construction project across the street that makes most days here fairly miserable. Our real estate agent recommended we not put the place up for sale until the building is finished, which is scheduled to be later this summer. God, I hope so. The guy who owns that property and the one next door (which is now a four-story apartment building) both of which were vacant lots when we bought our place six years ago, has been building things for the past five years, non stop. (If that last sentence is confusing, it is because they've been jackhammering the street outside my window for the past two days.) Is there any legal precedent for compensation for noise and filth of this sort?

Our third cartoon today is just a bit of oddball fun for no particular reason. I named the character Cliff after a good friend. Though he looks nothing like this and does not to my knowledge stand directly in front of the sun, he does have a habit of appearing saintly. He's just a nice guy, though.

More About Smoking

I wrote about smoking laws a few days back and got a lot of comments, mostly angry ones. I answered many of these comments with my own comments but people typically don't read those and I keep getting the same accusations and derisions, so I thought I'd post my updated thoughts about smoking laws here.

1. Yes, I agree that second-hand smoke can be a health hazard. My argument is that occasionally passing a person on the street who is smoking will not give you cancer. (Note to asthma sufferers: I'm not talking about asthma here.)

2. I do NOT believe that ALL restaurants and bars should allow smoking. I hated those days, too. I'm saying that ALL restaurants and bars should not be REQUIRED to ban it. Most people do not like smoke and would choose smoke-free establishments so there would be plenty of them to choose from. Simple supply and demand. A small percentage would allow smoking, thus giving waitpersons and bartenders plenty of options for working in a smoke-free environment or one that allows smoking. (Note to anyone feeling indignation at this moment: I am NOT saying that you or your loved ones will have to work in a smoke-filled room. This is purely conjecture on my part. Just my opinion; life isn't perfect, neither am I.)

3. I do NOT deny that smoking is a health hazard. My point is only that it is a long-term hazard for some people, not a death sentence for anyone who smells it wafting by on a windy day.

4. Yes, smoke smells bad to non-smokers. That's reason enough to ban it in public buildings. You're right. I agree. We smokers are despicable.

I hope this decree is taken in the spirit of reconciliation in which it is intended. Yes, I smoke cigars, but I won't do it in your home, church or place of business unless you invite me to.

Thanks for reading and please don't hate me. Now check out the next post, which features a cartoon.

Happy 4th of July!

Okay people, according to the last poll, you felt sorry for...

that little cloud (74%)
Poo (25%)
...and tied for 3rd place...
Miss Sunshine (6%)
the mushrooms (6%)

Good response, that little cloud had it rough!

Weird and Wonderful

(Click on the cartoon for a larger, prettier version)

Bizarro is brought to you today by The Cast of "Wicked".

Every now and then a cartoon pops into my head and I instantly know it's good. I usually smile and jot it down quickly then take the rest of the day off drinking champagne on my yacht off the coast of Monaco. This was such a cartoon. The theme and caption are so ripe, so low-hanging that I still can't believe something like this one hasn't been done before. It probably has.

Someone wrote to me and asked if I was referring to a specific politician or circumstance, but of course I was not. This cartoon says a lot about most of the people who get into politics, especially at the upper levels. Not all, mind you, but the overwhelming majority (in my opinion). If you have a favorite politician that you really believe in, just tell yourself I'm not referring to him or her.

On another topic, yesterday I was driving through Manhattan and saw a woman crossing the street about a half block ahead. She was about 5' 3", thin, and was wearing a lime green, tight-fitting, sleeveless, short-shorts-jumpsuit sort of thing. Kind of like a one-piece swimsuit. She had a bright yellow, wide belt and was carrying a bright pink purse which matched her high heel shoes. The sides of her head were shaved bald with a patch of hair on top like a beret, which had been died the same bright yellow as her belt. She also had quite a few earrings. At first I thought, "There's an unusual looking young woman," but when I passed her I saw that she was likely in her 70s. (A glimpse of CHNW's future?)

I love that about New York. If I hadn't been riding my motorcycle, I would have whipped out my phone and grabbed a picture.

Have a dandy holiday weekend, American readers.

Happy Independence Day!

Yet Another Comics Blog joins Mickey Mouse & George Washington in wishing all of America a Happy Independence Day!

(Cover to Aventuras em Patópolis #45 courtesy of the GCD)

Poo for YOU

I have a special treat for you. Look at these little Poos, courtesy of Dessy Tab of zpiderdzigh. I think they're pretty hilarious. Dessy is an extremely talented creator of amigurumi (crochetted toys) and an animator. She's a loyal MYTHFITS reader and a fellow lover of anthropomorphized poo. After she created this based on my Poo character, I commissioned her to make more for me to sell, and they're currently on their way to America! Dessy lives in Bandung, Indonesia, so the little Poos are stuffed in a box traveling to Brooklyn, New York as I write this. I can't wait to open the package and see their six smiling faces looking up at me. ( '_' )

Until they arrive, I wanted to share these great photos she sent me. I love how she posed them and styled them to appear as if they're on a picnic (below). If you'd like to obtain your OWN lovable and squeezable amigurumi Poo, let me know in a comment, and we'll make a little deal.

Amazon Top 50

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


1 (+5). Scott Pilgrim Volume 6: Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour *
2 (+1). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
3 (+7). Cover Run: The DC Comics Art of Adam Hughes
4 (+3). Diary of a Wimpy Kid 5 *
5 (-). Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 3: Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness
6 (-5). Troublemaker Book 1: Alex Barnaby Series 3 *
7 (-3). Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
8 (-6). Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 2: Scott Pilgrim Versus The World
9 (+6). Blackest Night *
10 (-1). Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Volume 1
11 (+13). Green Lantern: Blackest Night *
12 (+13). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
13 (N). Irredeemable Vol 3 *
14 (-3). Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
15 (N). Batwoman: Elegy *
16 (-). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1
17 (-4). Watchmen
18 (N). The Last Airbender: Prequel: Zuko's Story
19 (-7). Kick-Ass
20 (+2). Walking Dead Volume 12 *
21 (+16). Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps *
22 (-8). Hellboy Volume 10: The Crooked Man and Others
23 (N). Jack of Fables Vol. 7: The New Adventures of Jack and Jack
24 (R). The Complete Far Side 1980-1994
25 (+19). Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
26 (+8). The Walking Dead Book 5
27 (+13). The Walking Dead Volume 11: Fear The Hunters
28 (N). Prince Valiant: 1939-1940 (Vol. 2) *
29 (-2). The Complete Calvin and Hobbes
30 (-12). Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season Eight Volume 6: Retreat
31 (R). Wilson
32 (-3). The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb
33 (-14). Wednesday Comics
34 (-13). Tales from a Not-So-Popular Party Girl (Dork Diaries)
35 (+8). Batman: The Killing Joke
36 (R). The Walking Dead, Vol. 10: What We Become
37 (-9). Instructions
38 (-21). Blacksad
39 (R). Wolves at the Gate (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume 3)
40 (R). No Future For You (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume 2)
41 (R). Wolverine: Old Man Logan
42 (-16). Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic Volume 9 - Demon *
43 (-23). Criminal, Vol. 5: The Sinners
44 (-36). Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
45 (-6). The Long Way Home (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 8, Vol. 1)
46 (R). Batman: Year One
47 (R). The Walking Dead, Vol. 9: Here We Remain
48 (R). Bloom County: The Complete Library, Vol. 2: 1982-1984
49 (N). The Boredom of Haruhi Suzumiya
50 (N). Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl Adventure!, Vol. 7 *


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:

* A lot of volatility in the chart this week, including the top 10, which sees its two halves going in different directions.

* The three Blackest Night pre-order hardcovers continue to move up the chart in anticipation of their release later this month.

* The highest debut belongs to the latest Irredeemable collection, followed closely by the Batwoman hardcover and a Last Airbender prequel. A couple of new mange squeak in at the bottom of the chart.