Penguins Behind Bars

From 1989 onward, NBM Publishing brought the deadpan humor of Derek Lamb and Janet Perlman's animated short to the comics page. In a single issue, this series imagines a prison populated entirely by penguins, where the inmates' absurdly mundane routines and dead-eyed stares turn incarceration into a droll comedy of manners. Perlman's clean, expressive linework perfectly captures the contrast between the grim setting and the birds' inherent silliness. It's a cult oddity that proves a great gag can thrive in any medium.