Pearls Before Swine | Search

WHAT’S
ALL
THIS?
MY FIRST-EVER INTERACTIVE STRIP.
GLOBAL WARMING COAL MINES
THIS EARTH WIND TURBINES
OCEAN OF PLASTIC WASTE STRIP
MINING SOLAR POWER IS TIME
RUNNING OUT BIG OIL NUCLEAR
PLANTS A LONG TERM SOLUTION
HOW’S
IT
WORK?
WELL, IT’S GONNA BE
ABOUT THE ENVIRON-
MENT BUT IT’S UP TO
THE READER TO CHOOSE
THE WORDS THAT MAKE
UP THE STRIP.
LIKE
THAT?
TAKE IT
DOWN.
THIS STRIP
IS A BIG
WASTE
OF
TIME

WHAT ARE YOU READING, GOAT?
THIS BOOK ON THESE TRIALS IN SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.
WHICH TRIALS?
YES.
YES WHAT?
WITCH.
YOU'D MAKE A TERRIBLE HISTORY TEACHER.

I HEAR YOU INVENTED A NEW CAR HORN.
YEAH. BECAUSE CARS CURRENTLY ONLY OFFER ONE FLAVOR OF HONK—LOUD. AND SOMETIMES YOU JUST WANT TO GIVE SOMEONE A GENTLE REMINDER.
CAN I TRY IT?
SURE. JUST PUSH THE LITTLE BUTTON.
*CLICK*
HIYA, FRIEND. THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, WHICH PERHAPS YOU DIDN'T NOTICE BECAUSE YOU'RE TOO CONSUMED BY LIFE'S MANY WORRIES. HOPE THINGS IMPROVE!
A TAD LONG.
WE BELIEVE KINDNESS TAKES TIME.
DO YOU OFFER A "MOVE, G@#@#*%!?

Ever driving behind a car that doesn't go when the light turns green?
YOU WANT TO HONK, BUT YOUR CAR ONLY HAS ONE FLAVOR OF HONK - LOUD.
HONK
INTRODUCING...
LITTLE TOOTS
A QUIETER HONK FOR WHEN YOU JUST NEED A GENTLE REMINDER...
TOOT
MAYBE CHANGE THE NAME.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH LITTLE TOOTS?
IT STINKS.

EVER NOTICE HOW IF SOMEONE TALKS FOR TOO LONG AT THE ACADEMY AWARDS, THEY START PLAYING MUSIC TO GET THEM TO SHUT UP?
YEAH, BUT I’VE ALWAYS FOUND THAT RUDE BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE PERSON IS SOMEONE WHO—
YOU’RE GONNA START DOING IT TO FRIENDS?
YOU DO DRONE ON A BIT.

Dear Uncle Sam,
I understand our taxes are due soon.
As I have not liked how you've been spending my money, I will not be paying my taxes this year. Sort of like how you deprive a bad kid of their allowance.
Now go to your room.
SOMETIMES YOU NEED A TOUGH LOVE APPROACH.

THE THINGS STEPHAN PASTIS HAS TO DO WHEN HE WRITES... A TRUE TALE ABOUT THE CREATOR OF PEARLS BEFORE SWINE. HIM.
IF THE TISSUE IS STICKING OUT OF THE TISSUE BOX (AS IT NORMALLY IS)... STEPHAN WILL FIXATE ON IT.
SO BEFORE HE CAN START WRITING, HE HAS TO DUCK IT BACK INTO THE BOX SO IT LOOKS LIKE THIS. (WEIRD, HUH?)
IF HE CAN SEE THE SHINY METAL DOORKNOB ON HIS STUDIO DOOR... IT WILL DISTRACT HIM.
SO BEFORE HE BEGINS WORKING, HE HAS TO TAPE A PIECE OF PAPER OVER THE DOORKNOB. LIKE SO. (TOLD YOU HE WAS WEIRD)
IF ANY LAMP IS ON IN THE ROOM... HE BELIEVES THE IDEAS (THE MUSE?) WILL NOT COME.
SO HE TURNS OFF THE LAMPS AND USES ONLY THE SUNLIGHT THAT COMES IN AROUND THE CLOSED WINDOW SHADE.
BUT WAIT. IT GETS WEIRDER.
WHEN ONE OF HIS PENS RUNS OUT OF INK, HE HOLDS IT OUT IN FRONT OF HIS OTHER PENS AS A FORM OF TRIBUTE...
...FOR HE BELIEVES IF HE DOES NOT DO THIS, IT WILL ACT AS A JINX ON HIS CAREER AND
DID I SAY YOU COULD DISCUSS THIS?
NO. WHICH IS WHY IT'S FUN.
HE HAS MORE ISSUES THAN ME!

WHAT ARE YOU DOING, RAT?
LOOKING AT THIS BOOK I JUST FINISHED WRITING. HAVE A LOOK IF YOU WANT.
Why Do Good People Do Bad Things
It’s fun.
THAT'S THE WHOLE BOOK.
SOME BOOKS ARE EASIER TO WRITE THAN OTHERS.

HI, THERE...JUST WONDERING
IF YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN US AT
ST. ARNOLD CHURCH FOR
SUNDAY SERVICES.
OH, PLEASE...THE LAST THING
I NEED IS SOME GUY INTER-
RUPTING MY DAY TO PROMOTE
HIS FAITH.
DID YOU KNOW ST. ARNOLD
IS THE PATRON SAINT OF
BEER?
I'VE GIVEN MY LIFE TO
GOD.

OH, GREAT WISE ASS, YEARS AGO, A FRIEND INVITED ME TO A BIG STEAK DINNER TO DISCUSS A BUSINESS PROPOSITION.
DID YOU SAY YES?
NO, DIDN'T HAVE THE TIME. BUT THEN HIS BUSINESS WENT ON TO MAKE BILLIONS.
SO YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN ONE BIG MISSED STEAK.
HIS ADVICE IS GETTING LESS AND LESS VALUABLE.

HOW MANY NEWSPAPERS RUN YOUR COMIC STRIP?
AROUND 900 OR SO.
WOW. SO THAT'S 900 OR SO EDITORS WHO'VE CHOSEN TO RUN YOUR WORK. IMPRESSIVE.
THANK YOU.
AND THIS IS BECAUSE YOU'VE THREATENED THEM WITH BODILY HARM?
BECAUSE OF THE QUALITY OF THE WORK.
NO, BUT SERIOUSLY, DO YOU HAVE MOB SUPPORT?

I'M OFF TO DRIVE THROUGH THE SOUTH.
THAT'S GREAT. WHY ARE YOU GOING?
FOR THE FOOD?
FOR THE MUSIC?
CIVIL WAR STUFF?
BECAUSE THE WOMEN THERE CALL ME "BABY."
SOME GUYS DON'T NEED MUCH.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING, RAT?
HELPING TO MAKE THIS SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANY A LITTLE MORE PROFITABLE.
OH, DID YOU GET A CONSULTING JOB WITH THEM?
NO. I THROW AWAY MY LIFE SCROLLING THROUGH VIDEOS SO THEY CAN MAKE MORE MONEY.
ALMOST MAKES ME MISS THE DAYS WHEN WE HAD LIVES.
AT LEAST NOW WE'RE COGS IN THE MACHINE!

I JUST WANT TO BE HAPPY...
SAFE.
NO MORE WARS.
EVERYBODY GETS A FAIR SHAKE.
AND OUR KIDS GET A CHANCE TO HAVE A BETTER LIFE THAN US.
I SEE. DO YOU BELIEVE IN A LOT OF PETTINESS, NAME-CALLING, AND FINGER-POINTING?
NO.
OH.
I'M AFRAID YOU DON'T FIT INTO ANY OF OUR CURRENT POLITICAL PARTIES.
I MUST HAVE SOME VERY RADICAL VIEWS.

WELL, CONGRATULATE ME.
FOR WHAT?
I. THE ANTI-SOCIAL RAT. WENT TO A PARTY FILLED WITH PEOPLE.
HOW'D YOU DO IT?
I WORE HEADPHONES.
GOOD FOR YOU.
SO YOU COULDN'T HEAR ANYONE SPEAK.
I FOUND THEM QUITE PLEASANT.

Whuh you have dere, Junior?
VOCAB QUIZ.
Define the word “nomad”
Even when mom do stoopid things
-AND SHE DO LOTS
STOOPID THINGS-
me no mad.
I DON'T THINK I'LL HAVE MOM CHECK MY HOMEWORK TONIGHT.
No need. Carry get answer correct.

WE HAVE AN ADDICTION PROB-
LEM IN THIS COUNTRY. DRUGS
SO POWERFUL THEY CAUSE
PEOPLE TO THROW AWAY THEIR
ENTIRE LIVES.
YEAH, THAT'S WHY THE GOVERN-
MENT IS TRYING SO HARD TO
PREVENT THEM FROM GETTING
SMUGGLED IN THROUGH THE
BORDER.
SOCIAL MEDIA GETS SMUGGLED
IN THROUGH THE BORDER?
LET'S
START
OVER.
CAN THEY
TRAIN DOGS
TO SNIFF
FOR THAT?

WELL, SINCE I'VE NOW BEEN DOING 'PEARLS BEFORE SWINE' FOR TWENTY-FIVE YEARS, I THINK IT'S FINALLY TIME TO RETIRE.
APRIL FOOLS!
LIFE IS CRUEL.

HAPPY, YOU LITTLE G#@!?
THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT BY A FLIGHT OF BEERS.
OH, GREAT. NOW THEY'VE CRASHED.

SO I’M READING THIS BOOK ON BUGS... DID YOU KNOW THAT “BEETLE” IS SPELLED B-E-E-T-L-E’?
YEAH.
SO WHY DID THE ROCK GROUP THE BEATLES’ MISSPELL IT?
IT’S A REFERENCE TO THE BEAT OF THE MUSIC.
KABOOM
THE ‘HOW DID I GO A LIFE-TIME WITHOUT KNOWING THAT’ EFFECT.
IT HAPPENS.

MY REMINDER NOTES FROM YEARS AGO...
PICK UP DRY CLEANING
Buy anniversary card.
9:00 am Meeting w/ HR
Dentist Appointment Tomorrow Morn
Get birthday gift for Bob
Grocery list:
1 Eggs
2 Milk
3 Bananas
MY REMINDER NOTES NOW...
AVOID THE NEWS.
Turn off the phone.
TAKE A DEEP BREATH.
ONE DAY AT A TIME.
This too shall pass.
DON'T PUNCH ANYONE
SORRY THAT LAST ONE'S MINE.
WHATEVER HELPS.

HEY BOB, HOW GOES IT?
BOB’S DOING WONDERFUL, DEAR PIG. AND A BLESSED GOOD DAY TO YOU.
BOB SURE HAS A GOOD HEAD ON HIS SHOULDERS.

I HEARD IT SAID OF SOME ARTIST THAT HER WORK AGES LIKE FINE WINE.
YEAH, THAT MEANS IT GETS BETTER AND BETTER OVER TIME.
DO YOU THINK ANYONE WILL EVER SAY THAT ABOUT YOUR WORK?
THAT'S FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO SAY.
I THINK YOUR WORK WILL AGE LIKE MILK PAST ITS EXPIRATION DATE.
PEOPLE OTHER THAN YOU.
THE SMELL WILL DEFINITELY LINGER.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU MEET SOMEONE FOR THE FIRST TIME?
I TRY TO DETERMINE IF THEY'RE A GOOD PERSON OR A BAD PERSON.
AND HOW IN THE WORLD DO YOU DO THAT?
A ONE-QUESTION EXAM.
DO YOU RECLINE YOUR AIRPLANE SEAT WHEN THERE'S SOMEONE SEATED BEHIND YOU?
I'M DISTURBED BY HOW MUCH I AGREE WITH THAT.
IT'S THE ONLY INDICATOR YOU NEED.

HEY, CEO CHARLIE...WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING AT YOUR CORPORATION?
WELL, I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF BAD THINGS FOR PROFIT THAT I ATONE FOR WHEN I DIE BY GIVING MY MONEY TO CHARITY AND GETTING MY NAME PUT ON BUILDINGS.
IS IT POSSIBLE HUMANITY WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF IF YOU JUST HADN'T DONE THE BAD THINGS IN THE FIRST PLACE?
OH, YES. BUT THEN I WOULDN'T GET MY NAME ON BUILDINGS.
I HAVE A LOT TO LEARN.