The Upside Down

Bienvenidos, Jazz Pickles. Happy Día de los Muertos.

Before we talk about the Day of the Dead, a few thoughts about my Sunday comic above. It’s a real favorite of mine because of its simple illustration of what cartooning is all about: Seeing things from a different perspective. Turn a guy on his head, flip the image, and he’s wearing an actual-size replica of the Earth hat. Encouraging an audience to see common things a little differently is what comedy is made of.

If you want to dig deeper, you may also spot a political metaphor. The red hat, the crown on the T-shirt, and the upside-down orientation of what is normally considered reality all point in a certain direction. 

Enough said. On to today’s holiday in Mexico.

Día de los Muertos is the holiday that the US’s Halloween grew from, more or less, though here in Mexico, it is traditionally a much more serious occasion. Today, Mexicans remember their deceased loved ones with traditions that recall their lives, personalities, and preferences. With roots in the pre-Hispanic religion of the Aztecs, it is today mixed with the Catholicism mandated by the Spanish over the past 500 years. 

Signs of it begin to appear at the end of October, as people erect in their homes and on sidewalks in front of their houses and businesses, small altars—ofrendas—to their deceased friends and relatives. They typically include photos, bouquets and garlands of large, bright orange marigolds, and examples of their favorite food, drink, music, hobbies, etc.

On November 2nd, the cemeteries are crowded with people, and the music of mariachi bands hired by individuals or families can be heard coming from all corners. Olive Oyl and I will be visiting our town’s largest cemetery to pay our respects later today, as we do almost every year.

People visit the graves of their friends and family, and decorate the gravesite with bright flowers and various elements from the departed’s life. It is common to bring blankets and chairs to sit on while they share a meal around the grave, play music, and generally hang out for anywhere from an hour to all day. The atmosphere is respectful but also joyous, and not at all like a funeral. This is not an occasion to mourn as much as a celebration and remembrance of their lives.

As darkness descends, throngs of people will join a procession through the streets to the town square in front of the main cathedral. Most are costumed, but these aren’t the sort of outfits Americans are used to seeing at Halloween. There are no ghouls, monsters, superheroes, witches, fantasy, or comedy costumes. Instead, people traditionally dress as skeletons wearing clothing from the past, to represent the dead who have on. Below are a few photos from previous years.

That concludes our Day of the Comics for now. If you appreciate that we offer these yucks for free, please consider helping us keep it that way via the links below. We’ll send you our heartfelt appreciation via more funny pictures and words in the future.

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My (free) graphic novel in progress, PEYOTE COWBOY

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A bunch of fun Bizarro swag from ComicsKingdom. (If you’re outside the US, don’t even bother browsing. Because greedy capitalist assholes have taken over the world, international shipping costs are absurd.)