Foliage Fall Out

When I was a kid growing up in Wisconsin, there were plenty of leaves to rake, and bag up each Fall. I didn't mind doing it most of the time, but I often thought that there had to be a better way somehow. We humans seem to have a strong desire to seek out ways to make things easier for ourselves, and we've gotten pretty good at it.

Fall is my favorite time of year, and as much as I love living in Texas I miss the beauty of Wisconsin in the Fall. Note the squirrel in today's cartoon. His winter food gathering effort just became more complicated. The squirrels in Wisconsin are huge compared to the ones here in Texas. Some squirrels are close to the size of your average house cat! It's the Darwin Effect at work -- only the strong survive the winters up North. My family did our part to help, and we put out food for the squirrels each Fall. We named all the "regulars" and could hand feed some of them.  

Humor & Pain

Pain is not the only source of humor, for there are many other factors to consider, but it brings up an interesting point. It has been said that behind the painted face of a clown, you'll find a sad person. Most comedians grew up in dysfunctional or unusual circumstances. It is that experience that gives them a different perspective on life. When they creatively share their perspective with an audience, it is perceived as humor by most us. So, comedy and humor are largely based on one's perspective, and the source of that perspective could very well be pain related.

You will notice a little rat peeking out of the cave. I have a great fondness for rodents (except for mice and hamsters), and they have been a traditional element in cartooning and animation from the beginning. When I was in my teens and early 20's I had a good number of pet rats. They are wonderful, smart, clean, affectionate, critters that are not properly appreciated by the public at large. Anyway, The Wise One's yet-to-be-named companion is there to provide an additional wordless commentary.

While we're on the subject of wise people wearing robes on mountaintops-- let me recommend one of my all time favorite movies; Frank Capra's Lost Horizon (1937). Like most Capra films, there is a message of hope, and an expression of higher values.
 

Skywriting Fail

I want to greet our new readers in the Dominican Republic, Qatar, and my ancestral home of Ireland. Welcome aboard! BuckToonz is now read in 54 countries and on six of the seven continents, with Antarctica being the only hold out. Soon I will unveil my outreach plan for the South Pole and whoever might be down there besides penguins.  

Cut & Run

Continuing onward with last week's "no caption required" theme.

I know the procedure suggested in today's cartoon has become increasingly more common, safe, effective, and affordable. I'm all in favor of convenience but....sometimes our society can take convenience and availability a little too far. Let's hope this procedure doesn't get quite this convenient.

Join me on Facebook  (Hurry before they make too many stupid changes!) Or drop me a line here:  buckdawson62@gmail.com

Entrepreneur

I had written a caption for this cartoon, but realized that it works just fine without one. On top of that, the caption I wrote did not add anything of value, and it sounded a little too "Far Side-ish". I'm not opposed to employing what cartoonists call "The Velvet 2x4" to get my point across. But this cartoon invites the viewer to engage a bit more, and spend some time looking at the scene, and making a deduction about what is to happen next. And what happens next depends entirely upon having some sort of familiality with the old "Frankenstein" movies.

Crisis Plan

We all need a place to go when the sh*t -hits-the-fan. Where do you go? Do you go to physical place, or do you go to a mental "place" for refuge and re-grouping? Post your comments here or on my Facebook page page. And yes, you can remain anonymous...if you must.

Three Things to Remember

Another re-occurring character from the original "BuckShot" series makes his debut today on BuckToonz. "The Wise One" is a philosopher who sits upon his mountaintop dispensing his words of wisdom and humor. The sign outside the cave entrance is a nod to the "Peanuts" comic strip and to Lucy's sidewalk psychiatrist stand.