Indie Surgeons

A Complicated Fear Of Heights

A few months ago The Washington Post ran a cartoonist contest. We submitted a few new ones and did not win. I’ll post a few of them here over the next few days.

The Baggers: Week Eleven

Week eleven has the store employees wrap up their adventures with a Christmas special that attempts to cash in with cheap merchandise, poorly adapts a seasonal classic and spreads unsubstantiated rumors of a beloved holiday figure.

The Baggers: Week Ten

Week ten has the employees giddy with excitement as their wacky neighbor comes into the store to shop—only to find out that things don’t turn out near as wackily as years of watching Three’s Company and Charles In Charge have led them to expect.

The Baggers: Week Nine

Week nine has the employees forced to take shelter in Abe’s office when a torch wielding mob goes on the rampage after the store runs out of the latest tabloids. The day is saved when Nathan recounts memories of the time that he was abducted by UFOs when playing with the Crocodile boy and Bigfoot.

There are only four cartoons for this week and I can’t remember if the paper had a short week or if I forgot to clip one of the cartoons out. There could be a hilarious climax to the tabloid story arc, but we may never know.

The Baggers: Week Eight

Week eight has the store employees finding a talking avocado that can predict the future, although it is eaten before there is time to do too much predicting. A quickly organized religious cult shows up in time to witness the prophetic fruit’s return.

Headlice of the Gods Interlude

We interrupt this cartoon strip to present some fake memorabilia for the band Headlice of the Gods featured in the last two weeks of comic strips. The first is artwork from the t-shirt from their region tour in 1993.

The other are glamor shots of band members Chigger, Murray Funderbunk and Earl Hipposteele. These were taken as part of their failed attempt to create a sitcom based around band mates living together. This poorly executed Monkees knock-off never made it past the initial pilot episode, I’m A Headbanger.

The Baggers: Week Seven

Week seven has Headlice of the Gods singing suggestive songs in the produce section and the two band members who survive the experience make gratuitous comparisons to The Beatles and eagerly make plans for their solo careers.

The Baggers: Week Six

Week six has the employees conducting extensive market research and then booking Headlice of the Gods as a live music act in the hope that they will help drum up sales at the store (dismissive things are also said about The Rolling Stones).

The Baggers: Week Five

Week five has the store employees brainstorming ways to increase sales. Will a second hand grocery store or donuts with the creamy filling on the outside be the idea that saves the store? Would either of those even be possible?