Mutant Pizza

PANEL ONE
DOG closes a book, sitting against the tree.
DOG: I don’t think I’m going to finish this book.

PANEL TWO
Laying down, CAT plays a video game on their handheld console.
CAT: Too intellectual for you?

PANEL THREE
Close up of DOG, explaining themself.
DOG: Quite the opposite. The story isn’t stimulating and it’s too predictable. It’s like they focus grouped the plot to tailor it to what they think readers want.

PANEL FOUR
CAT stops playing for a moment, too distracted by DOG’s nonsense.
CAT: Wait, so you’re mad that someone tried to write a book based on what you might like?

PANEL FIVE
CAT and DOG sit against opposite sides of the tree, CAT back at their video game.
DOG: Well, yeah, I don’t want marketing-driven content designed around what will sell more. I want unique, original stories from the minds of artists.
CAT: Oh, that reminds me, there’s a new sci-fi action movie coming out this week, you want to go see it?
DOG: Is it based on a book?
CAT: No.
DOG: So it’s a sequel film to something we’ve seen before?
CAT: No.

PANEL SIX
DOG dangles their book out in front of them, tongue out in disgust at its unpleasant literature.
DOG: Oh, then nah. I don’t want to spend the time and money on something I might not like.

PANEL SEVEN
Close up of CAT looking up from their console.
CAT: So much for wanting to be surprised.

PANEL EIGHT
The OAK TREE silently gazes at the animals chatting beneath it.
DOG (OFF PANEL): What?
CAT (OFF PANEL): Nothing.

THE END.