August 25th, 2013

Baa Zzz

by Wayno & Piraro

Bizarro is brought to you today by Stoners.

Has science ever seriously looked into the mysterious sleep-inducing powers of sheep? If all domesticated animals had this power, it would be one thing, but it’s only sheep. I’ve counted goats, cattle, chickens, horses, pigs, but nothing else works. I wondered if it might be something in the wool so I’ve counted sweaters a few times but nothing. It’s funny that sleep study clinics always have herds of sheep around to help put their human subjects to sleep but nobody has thought to study the sheep to find out how they work. I’m not a scientist but it sure seems like a no-brainer to me.

PREHISTARROS: I got an email from a Jazz Pickle yesterday (Sean K.) asking if I would publish his favorite Bizarro cartoon from the last century. It is so old that I don’t have digital files of it (I kept all files on an abacus back then) so I had to scan it out of my first book, from 1986. I offer it here with some reservation because it was from my first year of cartooning and I personally think my drawing style was hideous. For an unknown but definitely moronic reason, I was drawing them with a tiny-tipped Rapidograph on tracing paper, of all things. I knew I should be using bristol board but tracing paper was around 90% cheaper and I was on a tight budget then. And what’s with the clumsy, fat black border and the clunky font at the bottom? Even my signature is revolting. The whole thing makes me cringe.

I still think the gag is fun, though it is very different than the sort of things I do now.  Oh well, I’m glad I got better and I hope you enjoy this glimpse from my cartoon fossil drawer.