WHAT THE HECK IS THAT THING--A CHRYSALIS?
IT CAN'T BE. THERE ARE NO CATERPILLARS THAT BIG.
I'M TRYING TO BECOME A BUTTERFLY.
THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE.
THIS SEEMED EASIER.
WHAT THE HECK IS THAT THING--A CHRYSALIS?
IT CAN'T BE. THERE ARE NO CATERPILLARS THAT BIG.
I'M TRYING TO BECOME A BUTTERFLY.
THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE.
THIS SEEMED EASIER.
CAN I HELP YOU?
Hullo. We is wid group trying end world hunger. Our group called UNICEF.
UNICEF... I'VE HEARD OF THAT. WHAT'S IT STAND FOR?
Uh...
U Not Important. Crocs Eet Face.
Mebbe next time no ad lib, Bob.
HEY, GOAT, WANNA COME CELEBRATE WITH ME?
SURE. WHAT ARE WE CELEBRATING?
JUST GETTING THROUGH ANOTHER DAY.
ONE NEEDS TO SAVOR LIFE'S TRIUMPHS.
CAN I HELP YOU?
HELLO, GOOD CITIZEN, I'M SAM THE FLAG AND I'M RUNNING TO REPRESENT YOU AS YOUR SENATOR. IN THIS ROLE, I'LL WORK TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE THE ENVY OF ALL THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, IN ORDER TO RUN, I HAVE TO TAKE PRACTICALLY UNLIMITED SUMS OF CASH FROM VARIOUS SUPER PACS REPRESENTING ALL SORTS OF PRETTY MUCH ANYONE YOU CAN THINK OF.
SO NATURALLY, MY TOP PRIORITY WILL HAVE TO BE REPRESENTING THEM. I MEAN, I COULD PRIORITIZE YOU A LITTLE BIT, BUT THEN I LOSE THEM AND IF I LOSE THEIR SUPPORT, THEN THEIR MONEY, THEN MY POWER, AND I LOVE POWER.
BUT TO MAKE ALL THIS HAPPEN, I TECHNICALLY NEED YOUR SUPPORT, SO YADA YADA YADA BLAH BLAH VOTE FOR ME. I PROMISE TO FIGHT FOR YOU, AND BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH.
SLAM
SOME PEOPLE JUST DON'T WANT TO DO THEIR PART IN A DEMOCRACY.
HEY, RAT, THIS IS MY FRIEND AL, THE PHYSICS PROFESSOR. HE WANTED TO COME TO THIS CAFÉ TO TRY THEIR WORLD-FAMOUS PECAN PIE.
WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT.
WHATEVER FLOATS ONE'S BOAT IS NOT RANDOM OR SPECIFIC TO ANY ONE PERSON. IT OCCURS WHENEVER THE BOAT'S DOWNWARD GRAVITATIONAL FORCE IS LESS THAN THE UPWARD BUOYANCY FORCE OF THE WATER.
PHYSICS PROFESSORS SHOULD NEVER LEAVE HOME.
WHAT ARE YOU READING, FATHER GUS?
THE BEATITUDES.
'BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT, FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. BLESSED ARE THE MEEK, FOR THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH.'
WHAT DO THE RUDE AND IMPATIENT GET? 'CAUSE I'M HOPING IT'S SOMETHING GOOD.
GOD WROTE ME OUT OF HIS WILL.
DO YOU THINK I'M TOO SUSPICIOUS OF OTHERS?
NO, I THINK YOU'RE GREAT JUST AS YOU ARE.
WHY IS HE PLOTTING TO KILL ME?
COME OVER HERE, GOAT. YOU GOTTA HEAR THE MUSIC FROM THIS BASS.
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MUSIC, EVEN THOUGH THE WORD IS SPELLED "B-A-S-S," IT'S PRONOUNCED "BASE."
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
THEN COME LISTEN TO THIS "BASE."
I WANT OUT OF THIS COMIC STRIP.
HEY, RAT, DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS THIS YEAR?
YES. TO AVOID ANYONE
WHO, THROUGH THEIR STUPIDITY OR POOR JUDGMENT, CAUSES ME HARM. RIGHT NOW I'M IN THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING THEM.
THAT'S GREAT.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE SO FAR?
AVOID SELF.
THIS MAY BE HARDER THAN I THOUGHT.
HEY, RAT, ANY HOPES FOR THE NEW YEAR?
THAT MORONS SOMEHOW STOP ACTING LIKE MORONS.
GEE, THAT'S A BIT CYNICAL. CAN'T YOU AT LEAST BE A LITTLE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT PEOPLE AT THE START OF A NEW YEAR?
AT THE START OF A NEW YEAR, MANY PEOPLE CELEBRATE BY FIRING GUNS INTO THE AIR, SOMEHOW THINKING THAT BULLETS DON'T COME BACK DOWN.
MAYBE WE CAN START BEING OPTIMISTIC ON JANUARY 2ND.
MORONS ARE YEAR-ROUND.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING PIG?
HEY FRANCIS. I'M WAITING TO GET SOME STUFF FOR MY FOOD STAND FROM MY RESTAURANT SUPPLIER, SYSCO.
I WAS WORRIED I MIGHT HAVE MISSED THEM, BUT THE DELIVERY GUY ALWAYS ANNOUNCES HIMSELF WHEN HE ARRIVES. I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO PASS THE TIME WHILE YOU WAIT?
I DRAW ART IN THE SAND. IT'S A REAL PASSION OF MINE.
WHERE IS IT?
I TURNED MY BACK FOR JUST A SECOND AND A WAVE ERASED IT.
NOW IT'S GONE?
YES, FRAN. IT'S GONE.
BUT HOW CAN THAT BE?
I LEFT MY ART IN THE SAND, FRAN.
SYSCO!
I WISH YOUR ART DISAPPEARED THAT FAST.
HERE'S TO A GREAT UPCOMING NEW YEAR.
YEAH, HERE'S TO OUR HEALTH AND HAPPINESS!
HERE'S TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY!
HERE'S TO MY THIGHS AND BEING BETTER THAN EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM.
NEVER INVITE A CYCLIST TO A NEW YEAR'S PARTY.
DID HE JUST TOAST US WITH A KALE SMOOTHIE?
HEY, RAT, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF LIFE?
YOU COME INTO THIS WORLD ALONE. AND YOU LEAVE THIS WORLD ALONE.
ACTUALLY, I'M A TWIN, SO I CAME INTO THIS WORLD WITH MY BROTHER.
NOW I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO BELIEVE.
WISE ASS ON THE HILL
OH, GREAT WISE ASS. WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF ALL OUR UNHAPPINESS?
PARANOIA.
TOO MUCH, HUH?
TOO LITTLE.
I'M MORE SCARED THAN EVER.
Dear Hand Soap Manufacturer...
Your bottle says, 'How to use:
Wet hands and apply soap.'
May I suggest that
anyone who needs that
instruction has more
problems than soap
can solve.
I'M A VOICE OF SANITY
IN A LAND OF LUNACY.
WELL, THE RATINGS ARE IN.
WHAT RATINGS?
FRIEND RATINGS. PIG, YOU SCORED 60 OUT OF 100. AND GOAT, YOU CAME IN AT A PALTRY 26.
PICK IT UP, GOAT, OR I'LL RELEGATE YOU TO ACQUAINTANCE STATUS.
I THINK I'D BE OKAY WITH THAT.
WHOA. THAT WILL NOT HELP YOUR RATING.
HAPPY CHRISTMAS, PIG!
MERRY CHRISTMAS, RAT!
FOUR WEEKS EARLIER...
THIS YEAR, FOR REAL. NO GIFTS.
NO GIFTS.
WHY DO WE EVEN BOTHER PROMISING?
AND I GOT YOU A FEW MORE.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE THERE, PIG?
MY NEW INVENTION, THE "PEACE AND LOVE GRILL"
IT'S DESIGNED TO HELP PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE GRILL, EAT AND TALK TOGETHER AT A COMMON TABLE, THEREBY HELPING TO IMPROVE THE WORLD.
EXCUSE ME, BUT WHAT'S THAT LITTLE SYMBOL ON THE SIDE OF YOUR GRILL? ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU'RE A GIRL WHO ARE--
SYMBOL? IT'S JUST A GIRL. THAT--
WOULD YOU LIKE US TO BOYCOTT YOUR MODEL B? BECAUSE IF SO, WE MIGHT HAVE TO--
WAIT WAIT. I CAN JUST LEAVE IT AS
(LEAVE IT AS IS? FOR SHAME... FOR SHAAAAAME!!)
DESTROY HIS ENTIRE BUSINESS!!
DESTROY HIS ENTIRE BUSINESS!!
I'M GONNA LET THE WORLD SAVE ITSELF.
ARE YOU ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO, NEAR THE END OF THE TOOTHPASTE TUBE, HAS TO SQUEEZE OUT EVERY LAST BIT OF TOOTHPASTE BEFORE YOU CAN THROW IT OUT?
HAHA, NO. I'M FINE WITH JUST BUYING A NEW TUBE OF TOOTHPASTE.
WE CAN'T ASSOCIATE.
DATING IS SO HARD.
Look, Bob, me got big mug for Chreesmus.
Dat nice. You son get for you?
No. He get me dis.
Son closer to truth.
You below-average friend, Bob.
HAS KEN BURNS DONE A DOCUMENTARY ON BASEBALL, AN AMERICAN CREATION?
YEAH, HE HAS.
HAS KEN BURNS DONE A DOCUMENTARY ON JAZZ, AN AMERICAN CREATION?
YEAH, HE DID THAT TOO.
SO WHY HASN'T HE DONE A DOCUMENTARY ON THE COMIC STRIP, AN AMERICAN CREATION?!?
YOU MIGHT BE TOO LOUD FOR P.B.S.
MAYBE WE SHOULD THREATEN HIM WITH BODILY HARM.
HOW CAN I HELP YOU?
YEAH, WHAT ARE YOUR HOLIDAY DRINK FLAVORS THIS YEAR?
LET'S SEE, WE HAVE: 'THIS IS THE LAST YEAR WE'RE VISITING YOUR FAMILY'; 'THE OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY IS THE MOST AWKWARD TWO HOURS OF THE YEAR'; AND 'WHO KNOWS WHAT THE @#$% TO GET FOR DAD?'
I WENT WITH, 'WHY AM I SO DEPRESSED THIS TIME OF YEAR?'
Dear Santa Claus, I'm afraid I'm broken beyond fixing.
So for Christmas this year, please send a new me.
I THINK SANTA ONLY DEALS IN TOYS.
A choo-choo train might help.
BALLOON TO FLY AWAY FROM ALL YOUR TROUBLES
BUT ONLY FOR A WHILE.
POP!
SOME SOLUTIONS COME WITH THEIR OWN PROBLEMS.
HELLO?
HIYA, GOAT...IT'S ME, PIG, CALLING TO SEE HOW YOUR TRIP TO FRANCE IS GOING.
PIG. IT'S TWO A.M.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? IT'S SIX O'CLOCK.
FRANCE IS EIGHT HOURS AHEAD.
HOW CAN THAT BE?
WE'RE NOT ON THE SAME TIME. IT'S TOMORROW HERE. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
YEAH. NOW THAT YOU EXPLAIN IT I'M NOT STUPID.
I KNOW, PIG. I'M NOT CALLING YOU STUPID.
SO WHAT DOES THE STOCK MARKET DO TOMORROW?
GOAT CAN BE VERY UNPLEASANT.