Inside the Wonderfully Weird World of Bizarro: A Conversation with Wayno
For nearly 40 years, Bizarro has been a daily invitation into the surreal — a single-panel glimpse into an alternate universe where deadpan absurdity, visual puzzles, and hidden symbols all coexist in perfect harmony. In our latest episode of Inside the Kingdom, we sat down with Wayno, the artist behind the Monday–Saturday strip, to explore process, partnership, creativity, and what it means to carry forward one of the most distinctive voices in comics
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Deadlines, Discipline, and the Art of Staying Ahead
While many cartoonists live slightly behind schedule, Wayno lives months ahead. Literally.
When asked how he manages the grind of six strips per week, he revealed that he keeps himself precisely — and proudly — about 12 weeks ahead of publication, tracked down to the decimal on an intensely detailed spreadsheet. “I’m like 11.8 weeks ahead,” he laughed. “If anybody else sees this stuff, it looks insane.”
He treats cartooning like brushing teeth: one day at a time, one panel at a time.
“You don’t wake up thinking you need to brush your teeth 14 times this week. You just do it once, and then you do it again later.” – Wayno
A Chance Meeting, a Big Ask, and the Birth of a Collaboration
The story of how Wayno joined Bizarro is pure serendipity — and very Bizarro-esque.
In 2009, Dan Piraro visited Pittsburgh for a Pi Day drink-and-draw event. Wayno, filling in as a last-minute DJ, introduced himself and boldly said, “Next time you go on vacation, you should hire me.”
It was uncharacteristically forward — but it worked. Dan invited him to send gag ideas. The collaboration clicked instantly.
That first published gag appeared in early 2010, launching a partnership that grew from writing to coloring to eventually taking over the daily strip in 2018.
Carrying the Symbols Forward — And Adding One of His Own
The hidden symbols are among Bizarro’s most beloved traditions. Fans hunt for them. New readers get hooked by them. And yes, there’s actual lore.
The first symbol? An upside-down bird Dan once slipped under a chair “to amuse himself.”
Reader reaction turned an inside joke into a signature.
Wayno now maintains a handwritten reminder sheet to ensure the symbol mix stays fresh across the year. There are 13 symbols in rotation — and Wayno added the most recent: the Pipe of Ambiguity. Inspired by René Magritte, it’s a perfect nod to Bizarro’s surreal lineage.
When asked whether symbol #14 is coming, his answer was firm:
“I don’t want to add any more. There are too many to keep track of right now!”
Inside the Craft: Sketchbooks, Scribbles, and Organized Chaos
Wayno’s creative process is surprisingly analog for such a digital-first era:
- He always carries a sketchbook full of indecipherable notes (“It looks like hieroglyphics”).
- Each week begins by writing/sketching at least 6–12 rough gag ideas.
- He sends them to Dan, who provides notes and gut reactions.
- He prints the selected sketches, lays them on the floor, and physically shuffles them to determine weekday order — with the strongest gag always going on Friday.
- He hand-inks every element separately, then assembles the final composition digitally.
The originals look nothing like a completed panel.
“When someone asks for my original art, they think it looks like puzzle pieces that haven’t been assembled yet.” – Wayno
Behind him sit 17 boxes of original Bizarro art — and counting.
The Quiet Gags Are the Hardest
While Bizarro is known for its bold surrealism, Wayno shared that the subtle jokes often require the most finesse.
He frequently sets aside drafts for a day to “add another layer” — a habit learned directly from Dan.
Sometimes the final gag is built not around a punchline, but an object, theme, or concept.
Connecting With Readers — The Good, The Weird, and the Grammatically Correct
Online publishing gives immediate feedback, and Bizarro’s readers do not hold back.
Wayno has received everything from heartfelt praise to highly specific apostrophe corrections — and he answers when he can.
“If somebody contacts you directly, they’ve taken some time to get in touch. They deserve a reply.”
He and Dan engage with fans across platforms, something readers truly appreciate.
A Strip for Every Generation
One of Bizarro’s unique strengths is its cross-generational fanbase:
- Older readers bring newspaper nostalgia.
- Younger readers bring rapid-fire digital commentary.
- Everyone brings their own interpretation.
“I like everyone who’s reading the comic — even if they hate-read it every day.” – Wayno inside-the-kingdom-bizarro-wway…
The flexibility of Bizarro — its lack of fixed characters and its evergreen sense of the absurd — keeps it alive and relevant.
Why Bizarro Never Gets Old
For Wayno, the secret is simple:
“The world is constantly changing — so there’s always something new to draw from.”
No cast, no formula, no limits — just a blank slate every single day. Terrifying, liberating, and endlessly fun.
Rapid-Fire Highlights
A few gems from our lightning round:
Favorite symbol?
The Pipe of Ambiguity, his own addition — and a philosophical one at that.
The flying saucer:
Often reimagined — including a recent “potato-head alien” version.
Most Bizarro real-life moment?
Accidentally complaining to his wife that his new doctor “asks too many personal questions.” The strip practically wrote itself.
New symbols coming?
Probably not… but never say never.
Join the Hunt
During the episode, Wayno issued a challenge to fans:
Find the first-ever Bizarro panel that included a number next to the signature, marking how many hidden symbols appeared that day.
He’s only offering one clue:
It appeared before 2018.
Good luck, symbol hunters.
Read Bizarro Daily
You can dive into decades of Bizarro — symbols, surrealism, and mind-bending humor — right now on ComicsKingdom.com/Bizarro.
Follow Wayno on Instagram: @WaynoCartoons
Subscribe to his newsletter: WaynoCartoons on Substack
And check out the full episode of Inside the Kingdom wherever you listen.