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Sticky Heat
I’m Dan Piraro, the creator of the Bizarro newspaper comic, and this is my weekly blog post. The large Sunday comic above is mine, as are all of the non-cartoon comments below.
Since 2018, the Monday-Saturday Bizarro comics have been written and drawn by my comics partner, Wayno. For more fun, check out Wayno’s weekly blog post.
And here’s this week’s ANSWER KEY to my Sunday comic’s Secret Symbols.
Hey, there Jazz Pickles. Welcome to this thing now.
Since the world at large can be a daunting horror show these days, I’ve got some amusing entertainment suggestions for you this week.
After a hard day of thinking, writing, drawing, and suppressing the urge to remember where we hid those cyanide pills, Olive Oyl and I watch a little TV at night to unwind.
Never the news, of course. That would be as relaxing as drinking monkey vomit and setting our hair on fire. No, we look for programs that express original, human creativity and remind us why our species is more magical and special than computerized word-guessing machines will ever be able to emulate.
Here are a few things we’ve loved lately:
Widow’s Bay—series on Apple TV. Matthew Rys, whom you’ve doubtless seen on numerous other great shows, plays the mayor of a quaint New England island town that hopes to become the next Martha’s Vineyard, but is beset by ludicrous legends of an encyclopedia of horror cliches. Rys brilliantly plays the straight man, trying to control every other absurdly eccentric character, all of which are perfectly played without going over the line. Viewers quickly realize the legends are true, and it becomes a horror story that is laugh-out-loud hilarious. Comedy-horror has been done before, but this is a cut above any that I’ve seen.
Big Mistakes—Netflix series. This is a dysfunctional family comedy starring and created by Dan Levy (Eugene Levy’s son and creator of Schitt’s Creek). It’s somewhat less original than Widow’s Bay, but still funnier by my reckoning than most modern sitcom fare. If the first episode makes you laugh, you’ll love it. If not, move on.
She Came to Me—(2023) movie, Netflix. This one hasn’t been as well-reviewed as the shows mentioned above, but I suspect that’s because it is odd and offbeat. I love unusual and surprising stories, and Olive Oyl and I found this one charming and fun. It’s a “romantic comedy,” but without the cliche recipes we’re used to, and it’s not remotely sticky-sweet. The casting is perfect, and the characters and storyline have depth. If you don’t like operatic love stories about tugboat captains, this one may not be for you.
Marty, Life is Short—documentary, Netflix. This overview of the life of comedian Martin Short is terrific, unless you hate him. I haven’t loved everything he’s done, but I have been in awe of many of the weird characters he’s created. Ed Grimley and Jiminy Glick are two that I still find laugh-out-loud funny. His energy and creativity fairly leap off the screen, and this documentary of his personal life and career is full of inspiring and heartbreaking surprises. He is a uniquely creative human being with admirable depth, and O2 and I just loved this film.
Finally, not coming to your TV but soon to your computer screen, is next Friday’s installment (22 May, 2026) of my subscription creative writing project, The Naked Cartoonist. It’s a non-political, humorous article about a handful of vintage Bizarro cartoons illustrating how a certain famous toy is a metaphor for all of our lives.
You’ll either love it or feel neutral about it, but I guarantee it won’t make your eyes sting or your face morph into a nightmarish mask resembling a humanoid weasel. Here’s how it starts:
The Most Terrifying Role Most of Us Never Play
Do You Have the Courage to Play it?
Can you guess what the first toy advertised on TV was? It sold over a million units in the first year, has appeared in numerous films, and is still in production after three-quarters of a century. No, it’s not the Barbie doll — though, like her, it is also devoid of genitals.
The toy I’m referring to is a covert metaphor for each of us, a mirror of humanity, which may explain its enduring allure. When we played with it, we were unwittingly practicing life.
Subscribe before next Friday to receive the gift of this article and my entire archive of other stories.
Join me now to find out what gifts of chucklementation Wayno’s Bizarro comics from the week shall bestow…
Don’t be surprised if this absurd suggestion becomes a reality in the near future, as the insatiable greed of Jeff Bezos continues to consume what’s left of his soul. (Oh, how I wish I were kidding.)
If she’s going to exercise “wristry” as well as palmistry, I think she should add it to her sign.
File this under “near puppet experiences.”
At least he fulfilled his calling to feed the hungry.
Haunting without moving your lips is harder than you’d think.
And, we hope, wearer of underpants.
That crack of comedy thunder marks the end of our rain of humor, Jazz Pickles. If you like this kind of crap and hope we keep doing it for free, please consider helping us keep it this way via the links below. We’ll love you for it.
The Naked Cartoonist…My every-other-week creative-writing subscription service.
Limited edition, signed & numbered prints of BIZARRO CARTOONS, and some ORIGINALS!
Bizarro TIP JAR …One-time or repeating. Your choice!
WAYNO’S TIP JAR …One-time or repeating. Your choice!
My (free) graphic novel in progress, PEYOTE COWBOY.
Watch my PITCH VIDEO and become a supporter of Peyote Cowboy here.
Super fun BIZARRO SWAG from ComicsKingdom, including our 2026 Bizarro wall calendar. (ALL the comics are still funny, no matter what month it is now!)
