“Check your zipper, buddy.” © D. Barstow, 2009, All Rights Reserved.

…or are you just happy to see me?

I did a lot of pet store cartoons when I started out cartooning. Since I was so interested in pets, wouldn’t other people be? Well, Petco and Petsmart would agree with you, but grown-up magazines maybe not so much.

But I’ve sold a lot of bird cartoons! I do know my birds. I drew this one as a sort of crossover for the men’s magazines, Bird Talk and anyone who thought it was funny. This would be a great one for Playboy. They have a variety of work, some of them funny.

Oh, I have a great Playboy joke for you.

Q. How many women cartoonists have sold cartoons there?

A. Just one. Only they never published it!

And it wasn’t me, it was a friend. I have been in some big men’s magazines, but I won’t name them here. And they don’t use cartoons now anymore. :(

This is kind of loose, nay, even a sloppy drawing. And yet, it works! It’s for Illustration Friday, the subject: rambunctious. And if you don’t think big loud birds are rambunctious, you don’t have one. Even my parakeet is driving me crazy lately. He’s fallen in love with a pink pencil, and calls for it all the time.

This is the last Friday before Christmas, so Happy Pink Pencil day to everyone!