Tag Archives: Bubba

I’m back! I’m back!!!

I really hate technical difficulties. Was it Mercury in retrograde? Sun spots? Six and Sebben messing with my internet provider? Mittens stealing the entire internet? But for some reason I couldn’t get this website to even open, let alone log in. Fortunately my web guru was able to wave a magical wand or maybe it fixed itself. Who knows?

Anyway, here we are, a day late and a dollar short!

In other NooZ…

Several of you might have noticed that on Twidder I had posted some enigmatic comments about waiting for something. What I was waiting for was to hear whether I had been selected for a short residency retreat for women who write/draw humorous comics.

I know RIGHT?!?!?!?!?!

Well, I finally heard, and to cut to the chase, I was not accepted, but I had a lovely bit of communication with the person in charge, a cartoonist I have long admired and have a lot of respect for. (Am I sucking up if she is reading this? Um…mebbee?) A long time ago, I took an artist’s business practices class, and while I may forget what I went upstairs for five minutes ago, I still remember what the instructor said about applying for things: Apply for everything you are remotely qualified for. While you might not get the thing, you never know who is going to see your work, what connections you will make for the future.

While it would have been really great to go someplace that isn’t home, have the opportunity to work and talk with others who are on the same path, it was great to be validated as being “the real deal.”

and in OTHER Nooz…

The Panda Cub Swap has been released into the world! Written by Beth Bacon and illustrated by moi, it’s the story of Lun Lun and the first surviving set of twins born at Zoo Atlanta.

You can order it from your local book store, your library, or Amazon using this link:

https://amzn.to/3L8t0Rb

If you enjoy it and are so inclined, writing a short review on Amazon helps other people discover the book. I am so proud of the illustrations I did for the book. BTW, at some point this fall I will be offering the original illustrations for sale, so if you have a favorite one in the book, let me know if you are interested in having it.

Don’t tell Six and Sebben this book is not about them!!!

Be the Bear
Bob T hoping the Democrats can hold on to Congress Panda

There’s a New Bear in Town!

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There might be too many bears in the panda house, that aren’t strictly speaking…um…pandas.

Some of you might be wondering who Josie is. Josie is Frank and Mikey’s sister, and she does not approve of their career choices. She is the bear who stayed home to look after Mom and their youngest brother Scooter. (See last summer’s road trip to Alaska with Frank and Mikey as they searched for their family reunion.

Josie and Scooter’s names (and existence) are owed to Amy of Panda Twitter, who came up with names for the cubs that appeared in one of the numerous videos of bears behaving badly that circulate on the internet. The exploits of Frank and Mikey owe much to these videos and Nooz stories of bears doing things they shouldn’t.

I guess we’ll find out on Thursday whether or not Josie tracked her clueless brothers down, along with her missing cub.

Meanwhile, today is the “Book Birthday” for The Panda Cub Swap, the real life story of the birth of the Meihems. I threw a little party in it’s honor!

Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda

Stay tooned on Thursday to meet Felty Pookie!

Hold on to your Bootini! It’s Six and Sebben’s BIRTHDAY!!!

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Technically speaking, Saturday September 3rd is their birthday and believe it or don’t, they are turning 6! How is this possible? (Lun Lun: Tell me about it, bless their hearts!)

So, without further ado (or any thoughts about just where the documents that went in those empty top secret folders are…) let’s dive into the archives for the Best (ha ha) of Six and Sebben!

Hey! What are you two doing up on top of the ski jump?

I don’t think this crew of minions is going to be quite as devoted as her last ones.

Who will win? Six and Sebben battle it out on the track!

What WAS that stuff Six dumped in front of Sebben’s car?

I bet this was the last time it was Aunty Mei’s idea for Six and Sebben to visit the DC panda house!

I hope you enjoyed this round up of ‘toons featuring Six and Sebben! we are lucky to still have them in Pandalanta this long. Or maybe China kept saying, “Um, the number you have reached is not in service…please send different pandas if you think you have reached this number in error.”

Be the Bear
Bob T I definitely did not take those classified documents out of those folders Panda

#ClapLouder for Pinky!

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Let’s have one more round of celebration for the DC Panda Kids!

Taxes — Uh oh…it’s the Pinky Revenue Service!

Well, it WAS a good messaging opportunity…

Is there anything more fun than watching Bike play wit Mommee or even just roll around in the den by himself?

I hope you enjoyed these ‘toons from the archives, as we celebrate the birthdays of Pinky, Bubba, and Bikkie!

‘Toon in next week for more fun with pandas, and mebbee a little bit of current events!

Be the Bear
Bob T I have definitely not been in the secret tunnel under Purr-a-Lago Panda

The Exciting Conclusion of Our Story

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Or is it?

Stories have a way of regenerating as new s**t comes to light! But for now, we are going to call this story done, with this episode.

So Let’s get to it!

It looks like Bikkie made a new friend! Call the building contractor, Tian! We might need to make an addition on to Bikkie’s room. And who does this cub belong to? I guess we’ll find out eventually.

A Little Bit About My Process:

Some stories start with an idea that is floating around on the internet. These nooz stories enter my brain, slosh around a bit, colliding with existing characters, melding with preconceived ideas, and finally plooping out onto the page.

For instance: Where did Frank and Mikey come from?

In the fall of 2018, when it became apparent the the current SCOTUS nominee was even more awful than we thought he was, the thought crossed my mind, wouldn’t it be funny if he was eaten by bears on the steps of the Supreme Court?

Naturally, Mehitabel (being the savvy journalist that she is,) invited the bears for an interview on ZooNooZ. To be completely candid, their personalities emerged with little intervention from me. Honestly, sometimes I think I am merely a conduit through which the various cats, pandas, and other animals that appear in these pages, and speak their own thoughts.

Once here, I could not get the bears to leave, despite very pointed glares coming from Mei Xiang as she dealt with her ever expanding household.

And so it is with all the other characters. Sometimes, they don’t have much to say to me, so I let them just wander around in the background, until they have pressing business with me.

Process:

For those who might be interested, here is how my ‘toons come into being:

Idea > scribbled post it note > write script, seeing if I can fit the action/dialog/cast into a 4 panel strip > rough pencil sketch in my sketchbook to figure out layout > light editing of placement, text > redraw the toon on smooth Bristol paper > ink in panel lines > ink in text> ink in all characters > erase pencil lines when dry > Scan > clean up scan in photo editing program > post on The Panda Chronicles

Whew!

Be the Bear
Bob T I have no classified documents Panda

When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough go POOF!!!

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Several people had expressed their concern about Bikkie arriving home in time for his birthday. I can only say, time is a very elastic thing in ‘toon world, so it is STILL Bikkie’s birthday as we arrive in today’s ‘toon!

Also, a little POOF can account for many elaborately drawn scenes!

Who could that be?!?!?!?!?!

‘Toon in Thursday for the next exciting episode!

Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda

This is it! The BIG Weekend! Three Birthdays in a Row!

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CAKE CAKE CAKE CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKKKKE!

Let the fun begin! LOTS of ‘toons for today!

“If Pinky is grounded, can I have her dessert?”

31 days — Oh come on…hasn’t that ever happened to you? One minute there are two dozen cuppycakes just sitting there, and the next minute they’re gone?

Remember Bubba’s first birthday when he flunked cake?

He was determined not to let that happen on his 2nd Birthday!

It does not pay to be late! You don’t want to flunk cake again, do you, Boo Boo?

2020 was the year we thought we were all going to lose our minds, or die from the plague, or be faced with four more years of you know who. But in August, something wonderful happened. And then there were Three!(or 4 counting Ping!)

A new cubby! The possibilities are endless!

Later in the year, we will rerun the whole Beary Poppins story, but for now, here is one of my favorite panels…

And to wrap up our Birthday Celebration Weekend…

I hope you are enjoying Bikkie’s cake at the zoo! Stay ‘tooned till “toonsday!”

Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda

It’s full on Birthday Season at the SNZ!

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Next weekend is the big trifecta, the birthdays of Bikkie (our own miracle cubbie) Bubba, and of course, Princess Pinky (#ClapLouder) Rather than try to sort out the ‘toons, this week and next (and probably the week after) I’m just gonna feature all of them.

Hopefully, it will distract us from the even worse clusterf*ck that is happening around TFG and his collection of purloined classified documents that he secreted away at Purr-a-Lago.

But first, I was looking in my computer files for some art business stuff, and I came across this thing I wrote. I’m not sure what I wrote it for, but I thought I would share it here. The file was called “100 words to my younger self”

Take chances.
Listen to the voice in your head that says “YES! …What if…”
Don’t listen to voices that say what you want is impossible.
Don’t wait for permission.

The cost of a trip to Italy is the same whether or not you worry about the cost.
Walk away from toxic people; you won’t change them, but they’ll try to change you,
and not for the better.

Hang out with people who appreciate you.
Pay attention to what and who makes you happy.
Stay connected to those you love.

Watch panda videos.

Take chances.

Now, here are some of my favorite ‘toons about my favorite pandas!

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…

He’s small for now, but Bubba Bei Bei is shaping up to be a whole lot of panda!

Really, Pinky….It’s not nice to tease your little brother.

What a great excuse to run some of my most favorite ‘toons!

Be the bear
Bob T Panda

More ‘toons to come next week!

You Would Think There Might Be More Important Things Going On, But You Would Be Wrong

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I’m sure Zoonooz will be covering current events soon, but just right now there are more important issues to cope with…

#WhereIsBikkie?

No one is above the law. More on this shocking idea later.

Be the Bear
Bob T Panda

Viva La France! (French Pandas, that is!)

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This past week, we celebrated the birthdays of Bebe Maurice and Fleur and Snowy! Here is a selection of ‘toons about them before we get down next week, to the serious business of celebrating the DC panda cubs!

#ClapLouder!

What grace! What form! Bebe Maurice is a painter to be reckoned with!

Gee, I guess I don’t have very many ‘toons with Fleur and Snowy! I’ll have to work on that! Also I never finished the story when Babette came to be their governess. Oopsie!

Well, Hopefully this will hold you till I start the Pinky-stravaganza next week!

Till then, Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda