Archive for the ‘cartoons’ category

Something Fishy Goin’ On?

July 25, 2009

Aquaman— Believe it or not, there appears to be a live-action Aquaman movie in the works, with the star yet undecided!  Aquaman has come a long way since his rather insipid portrayal as a whale-summoner in old ‘toon shows like SuperFriends; more recent incarnations have portrayed a superhero with an edge;  buff, wounded, and with some anger issues. The poor guy was one of the few without a secret identity; he was always Aquaman, 24/7!

Movies are also being planned for The Green Arrow, and even a Bizarro (Superman) flick! –And get this:  they’re trying to convince Cher to play Catwoman! She always did strike me as having feline qualities…

…it’s a great time to be alive, right?  😉

“Agent P” Rocks!

July 2, 2009

Perry the PlatypusDisney stuff is usually too mainstream and white breadish for me, but I have to love Perry the Platypus, pet of the title characters in the Disney Channel show, Phineas and Ferb. Unknown to his owners, Perry (aka “Agent P”) lives a parallel life as a secret agent for The Agency, a government organization of animal spies.  Pretending to be a mindless house pet, Perry is secretly a fedora-wearing secret agent who enjoys romance soap operas and potato chips.

While Perry’s exploits are secondary plots to those involving the human owners, it’s worth tuning in to see Perry thwart his evil nemesis, Dr. Doofenshmirtz.  This is usually fairly easy for Perry to do as his archenemy doesn’t even recognize the platypus unless he is wearing his trademark fedora; another stereotypic scientist portrayed as lacking rudimentary common sense <sighs>.

How many other platypus ‘toon characters can you name? — And perhaps the notion of leading a parallel life is all too familiar to those of us who are furry…

…I wonder if The Agency is hiring?

Eugene the Jeep

March 8, 2009

the-jeep–Eugene the Jeep is a bizarre cartoon animal living in our three-dimensional world who really belongs to a fourth-dimensional world.  He is loosely described as being “a magical dog (who) can disappear and things.”  His cells were forced through the dimensional barrier into our world, where they combined with free life cells of the African Hooey Hound.

The Jeep is a yellow creature about the size of a dog who walks on his hind legs, has a bear-like head and ears with a large nose, long tail, and protruding stomach.   Moreover, his diet consists only of orchids.  The Jeep has high intelligence and employs a limited form of teleportation as a function of his fourth dimensional genes and origin,  yet communicates largely through body language.  He can walk through and on walls and ceilings.

No, I haven’t been drinking or ingesting controlled substances.  And what is remarkable is that this far-out animal creation appeared in some Popeye the Sailor cartoons from the 1930’s!  Truly a creation decades ahead of his time…

“Tundra” a Winner!

February 3, 2009

tundra–Chad Carpenter’s comic strip Tundra has been around since late 1991, but has just recently found publication in newspapers in my area.  The comic usually deals with wildlife, nature, and outdoor life, and was named best newpaper panel of 2007 by the National Cartoonists Society, also receiving the Reuben Award in 2008.

One of the fastest growing comic strips on the planet, Tundra is written and drawn by Carpenter, who hails from Wasilla, Alaska.  Wolves,  bears, caribou, and snowmen may be seen in the strip, which has grown from publication in seven newspapers to around 200.  The strip’s humor is universal rather than specifically Alaskan, and its creator actually encourages readers to send in ideas, crediting them if the idea is used.

Check out Tundra if you haven’t already done so; you’ll be hooked!

“Skunk Fu” Worth A View!

January 19, 2009

skunk-fu-foxThe Cartoon Network tends to be a mixed bag, with some decent ‘toons and some better left forgotten.   A cute, funny, and very viewable series that didn’t originate there is Skunk Fu, featuring a panda kung fu master and a variety of martial-arts trained anthropomorphic animals.  Skunk is a likable, spunky title character given to laziness at times and seeking shortcuts.   Vulpines are well-represented by Fox, a vixen who is quite graceful and alluring and uses agility rather than strength to defeat her opponents;  Rabbit has a serious crush on her. Other animal characters include an ox, a snake, a turtle, a tiger, a bird, and a pig (among others that include insects).

Recurring enemies include a baboon with an Aussie accent, his legion of seldom-effective ninja monkies, and a dragon mastermind who was once a friend of Panda’s. The dragon had been assigned  to guard the animals of the valley, but grew arrogant and so was punished by Heaven with imprisonment; now he’s angry and bitter, and blames the animals for his situation.   Most of the other characters also have histories and at times, issues

Intended for children, Skunk Fu can be appreciated for a variety of things, including fight scenes uncommonly fluid for ‘toon characters…