ANIMATED SHORTS: VENTURE BROTHERS, POPEYE, & MORE

[MattBrady]

JACKSON GOES PUBLICK ABOUT THE VENTURES’ 2ND SEASON
Plus Warners Gets Popeye, Cars & More!

by Steve Fritz

When we last checked in on the Venture Bros., Hank and Dean were doing their Easy Rider bit…right down to both being killed.

So, how do you do a second season when your leads are last year’s pressed possum?

“What?” series creator Jackson Publick laughs back. “Are you, nuts? You think I’m going to give that one away?”

But some gentle persuasion from guys Brock Samson would respect managed to get the man also known as Christopher McCulloch to open up.

“Well, they did die in the last episode,” he admits. “Suffice there are a lot of stories about them coming back. I like to encourage all of them.”

Then again, one never really knows what to expect from this Brooklyn-born iconoclast. That’s what makes The Venture Brothers so darn good. Just what he did to action hero icons like Race Bannon and Steve Austin alone earns Publick consideration for a guest suite at Bellevue.

“Be ready, there’s worse coming,” he warns. “There’s one hero from the past who’s going to have something worse happen to him. He’s kind of obscure, but if you really know your stuff you’ll recognize the diving bell.”

The truth is Publick is part of an elite group of writers who’ve managed to produce wonderfully satiric TV over the last decade-plus. This elite list includes Ben Edlund (who Publick worked with, under the name his mama gave him, on both the animated and live action version of The Tick), Michael Urbaniak, Doc Hammer and a few others. It also usually gives TV execs fits. No surprise all the above work on The Venture Brothers, even Edlund.

“Ben worked with us a little bit in the first season,” says Publick. “Basically, we just threw ideas back and forth at each other. He actually came up with the story for one episode, but I actually had to write it after he outlined it. This season he had a little more time than he did last one, so he’s actually handed in a completed script. He also gave us a couple more ideas from over the phone.”

But, truth be told, we should truly be grateful that there is a second season. Publick is the first to admit Adult Swim sat on the fence for a bit before giving an additional 13 episodes the green light.

“We had a slightly longer production schedule this season because we learned we needed a little more time than most shows on Adult Swim,” says Publick. “The gap was also because the network didn’t decide to green light the second season until nine months after the first season ended. Of course, from there it takes time to get a budget, sign a contract and get started.

“I think one of the reasons why it took so long for them to renew us was because we weren’t a breakout hit like some of their other shows, but we weren’t a failure either. We were just kind of right on the line where you couldn’t be sure. We also cost a little bit more to produce and that made them think twice.”

Publick feels what really made Adult Swim buckle under the pressure was the fans, who helped insure there was a second season.

“One thing that did help was the fans flooded the web site,” Publick adds. “There is this group that is really viral. What they do is force three friends of theirs to watch the show, and it gets contagious. Those three force more of their friends to watch it and off it goes. Now that the DVD is out I’m getting a lot of email saying how someone got it and forced his brother or someone similar to watch. In fact, they usually say it takes about three episodes, but they all end up liking it.”

The fact is what truly makes The Venture Brothers must-see TV is its ability to dig up the most obscure reference and go to town with it. A classic case is the opening of the “Ghosts of the Sargasso” episode. For those who know their rock’n roll, the dialogue of the first few minutes is not only a word-for-word reading of David Bowie’s song “Space Oddity,” but also its sequel, “Ashes To Ashes.” Hell, one of Dr. Venture’s college buds, the guy with the Human League haircut, is named James White. That reference should have music historians contorting over just who White is.

Hell, you truly have to know your music to know who the guy who did the theme song, J.G. Thirlwell (aka Foetus), is.

“We love music over here,” says Publick. “A lot of that is Doc’s influence, as he’s also a musician. Music actually influenced some of the creation of the show. There was one song by Jim Foetus, the theme song, that once I heard it, it put the characters into motion. To me it harkened back to old Jonny Quest and crime shows. We actually tried to get a hold of a lot of that stuff and get it to Jim for sampling, but that didn’t work out as Cartoon Network doesn’t own that stuff. I guess that composer [Hoyt Curtain] was smart enough to keep his rights away from the hands of Hanna-Barbera.

“Besides Jonny Quest, I wanted to harken back to shows that were a main influence to me. It was really that whole kind of jet age, super spy stuff effected the show. Another big influence was the 1964 Worlds Fair, which we stole a lot for architecture and stuff. James Bond movies, obviously. That was pre- my childhood, which was actually in the 70s. From there, I drew all this other crap. For instance the logo was taken from the original Space 1999.

Still, it’s what Publick’s crew does with the material that truly makes it good.

“We terrorize what we love most,” Publick archly concedes. “That’s why we have fun with Depeche Mode and the Human League, too.”

So just what is going to be happening for the next season? Publick finally does lay some clues. While Dean and Hank are good and dead, you can expect to see a lot more of their dad, the miserable Dr. Thaddeus Venture, his short-fused bodyguard Brock, as well as many of the other recurring the characters from the first season. This includes Professor Impossible, Dr. White, Master Billy Quizboy, Baron Underbheit and Dr. Girlfriend. Dr. Venture’s main nemesis, The Monarch, does look resplended in his prison oranges, too.

“There will be some new villains,” says Publick. “Some are just talked about and maybe they’ll show up in the third season. The Phantom Limb takes on a bigger role. And don’t forget Jonas, Jr. He becomes a major part of the second season, particularly as he’s another Venture Brother.”

So could this be the clue of how the show retains its title? Publick refuses to be pinned down on that one.

For this and many more answers, we are all going to have to wait for Sunday, June 25th. But from the looks of things while Hank and Dean Venture are probably good and very, very dead, this series is quite alive and kicking.

WELL BLOW ME DOWN! WB HOME VIDEO GETS RIGHTS TO A TREASURE TROVE OF POPEYE!!!

This press release was just so cool I left it pretty much alone. No, I’m not being lazy…I did make one small note to it.

Warner Home Video (WHV), Hearst Entertainment and King Features Syndicate have reached an agreement for the exclusive worldwide home entertainment distribution of both the classic Popeye theatrical animated shorts and the Popeye made-for-TV animated shorts. The announcement was jointly made by Jeff Brown, WHV Senior Vice President and General Manager TV and Franchise, and T.R. (“Rocky”) Shepard III, President of King Features Syndicate.

WHV will be the exclusive worldwide home entertainment distributor for all classic Popeye theatrical and television properties. The new agreement has cleared Warner’s home video distribution rights for the original 231 Popeye animated shorts released theatrically by Paramount Pictures between 1933 and 1957. In addition, WHV licensed the exclusive rights to 220 Popeye made-for-TV animated shorts produced from 1960 to 1962, 65 episodes of The Continuing Adventures of Popeye, produced from 1978 to 1981 (consisting of 161 animated shorts) and 26 Popeye & Son shorts produced in 1987. Warner’s first Popeye DVD release is expected to street in 2007. [From the sounds of things, about the only thing WHV didn’t get the rights to was a made-for-TV Popeye movie produced by Mainframe Entertainment a few years back—Steve].

The theatrical library consists of 120 black & white shorts (106 of these were produced by Fleischer Studios, the remaining 14 were produced by Famous Studios) and 111 Technicolor cartoons (three produced by Fleischer Studios and 108 produced by Famous Studios). Warner Home Video plans to commence preservation and restoration activities immediately.

Regarding the announcement, Brown remarked, “We are extremely excited to bring fans one of the most recognized, iconic characters who has spanned seven decades. Popeye is the only major theatrical franchise in film history that never received a legitimate home video release. For years Warner Bros. had been inundated by consumer letters demanding the release of Popeye, an underdog, a hero, a character who always represents good, and WHV is proud to bring this illustrious collection to DVD.”

King Features and Popeye go back 77 years, from the minute he walked into Elzie Segar's Thimble Theater comic strip and muttered his famous "D'ja think I'm a cowboy?" line, to his recent primetime CGI special, Popeye has captured the hearts of millions of fans around the world.

Shepard said “In all my years at King Features and with the Hearst Corporation, I have yet to experience the enthusiastic outpour of support and love for a dynamic character as I have witnessed with Popeye. That’s why I’m thrilled to be able to give the fans a chance to relive some of their favorite Popeye, Bluto, Olive Oyl, Wimpy and Swee’ Pea moments on a soon to be released Warner Home Video DVD. Fans can now own, enjoy and share Popeye with many spinach-loving generations to come.”

CARS TAKES 1ST IN WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
It should come as no surprise, but Disney/Pixar’s Cars virtually ran away with last weekend’s box office receipts with a whopping $60.1 million. In fact, one could say the film left all its competition in the dust. The #2 slot was filled by The Break-Up, which grossed a healthy, but considerably smaller, $20 million over the same time.

But it should also be noted that Cars debuts didn’t do as well as past Pixar outings. The record is actually held by The Incredibles, which did $70.5 million its first weekend in 2004, followed by Finding Nemo, which did $70.3 million in 2003.

While there appears to be no official press release from Disney about this, we aren’t hearing any complaints about the results either.

NICK’S NOGGIN CELEBRATING FATHER’S DAY

OK guys, admit it.

A bunch of you reading (and editing) this have spawned. You are now “child-proofing” your houses from the knee biters, especially the comic book collection. Can’t have Junior or Princess putting chocolate handprints and what looks like pea soup on those autographed copies of Infinite Crisis or something equally valuable (at least to you), now can we?

Well, whether you like it or not, this weekend is Father’s Day, and Nickelodeon’s sister channel Noggin is putting on a series of themed shows to help you forget the finishing touches Snookums put on your Romita original. Here’s the rundown (all times eastern):

6:30 a.m. - CONNIE THE COW “Connie & Her Father”

Connie's mummy tells her that they’re going to have a surprise party for her daddy’s birthday. With help from her friends, Connie gets everything ready to make her daddy's celebration a very special one.

7:30 a.m. - MIFFY AND FRIENDS “Little Bunny”

Spring is on its way and Miffy has to come up with a very special present for Father Bunny on Father’s Day. But the most special event of all is the arrival of Miffy’s new sibling, Baby Bun. Miffy is so
excited to be a big sister that she creates a very special picture to celebrate the occasion.

9:00 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. - LITTLE BEAR “Father’s Day”

Little Bear and Father Bear are planning to go fishing on Father’s Day--just the two of them. But soon Hen joins them, followed by Owl, Duck and Cat! Two fishermen quickly turn into six, but everyone has a great time.

11:00 a.m. & 5:00 p.m. - FRANKLIN “Franklin’s Father”

Franklin has a string of misadventures at the train station while waiting for his mom to return from a weekend trip. When Mr. Mole passes by, Franklin hears that his father's childhood was full of mishaps, too.

4:00 p.m. - OOBI “Grampu Day”

Oobi, Uma and Kako create a holiday just for Grampu called ‘Grampu Day.’ They want to show him just how special he is!

And remember, that cute little tyke cuddling next to you while you watch these shows will soon grow up into extremely horrible teenagers, just like you and the spouse were. Also remember, your parents really ARE laughing at you.

GET READY TO PHONE UP FUNIMATION CHANNEL

FUNimation Entertainment announced it signed an agreement with Verizon for distribution of the FUNimation Channel as part of the Verizon FiOS TV service.

“We are proud to be one of the channel offered through Verizon’s FiOS TV service,” explained Gen Fukunaga, president and CEO of FUNimation Entertainment. “This is another step in FUNimation’s broadcast strategy to bring the best anime to North America. We hope to grow with Verizon’s FiOS TV initiative and expand awareness of high quality anime series throughout the United States.”

The FUNimation Channel is a 24-hour digital network featuring programming from top anime brands in the United States. It will be added to the FiOS TV Premier package in summer 2006. It will also be seen through DishNet.

Verizon FiOS TV offers a broad collection of all-digital programming including more than 20 high-definition channels. It is now available in parts of north Texas, Florida, California, Virginia, Massachusetts, Maryland and New York, - and will expand to other markets in 2006.

NEXT COLUMN: Just completed a monster interview with one of the true living legends of animation… and he’s got plenty to say. Who, you ask? Find out next week.

[EmeraldGuy32]

Venture Bros. is by far my favorite Adult Swim show. Can't wait for the second season to start...even tho I've been waiting like a year!

[Thaddy-boy]

Venture Bros RULE!!!!! I can't wait until the second season starts!
Go Team Venture!

[KenButler3]

Awesome, can't wait to see Season 2. I'm sure Dr. Venture just made himself some new sons out of the cloning vat.

[Impulse2k1]

You do realize I have every intent on making this thread a favorite quote thread GO VENTURE

Hank Venture: Brock, I've thought a lot about it, and if we can't get the antidote in time, and it comes down to it, I - well, I want you to be the one to kill me
Brock Samson: Don't talk like that, Hank. We're gonna fi...
Hank Venture: Promise me, Brock!
Brock Samson: OK.
Hank Venture: Promise?
Brock Samson: Yes, I promise.
Hank Venture: Super swear?
Brock Samson: Yes, Hank!
Hank Venture: Hey, Brock?
Brock Samson: [sighs] Yeah?
Hank Venture: How would you do it?
Brock Samson: You're asleep, quick jerk of the neck, never feel a thing.
Hank Venture: You've thought about this.
Brock Samson: Yes, I have.

[Titan Slade]

Originally Posted by EmeraldGuy32

Venture Bros. is by far my favorite Adult Swim show.

It's my fave to. They have spoofed the F4, Doc Strange, the 6-million dollar man, Bigfoot, and Doctor Doom. And the ghost pirate episode has the best Brock kill scene of all. I mean, whats cooler than ripping a guys arm off with your a$$-cheeks and beating him to death with his own arm after? .

[Nate28]

This is the best show ever!

Gonna pick up the DVD this weekend!!!!

[ejulp]

the reason why (in my opinion)
the venture brothers didn't catch on right away
was the first few episodes really weren't that funny
kinda easy jokes

then for some reason, months later
i caught an episode
and was addicted after that
very very funny stuff
they got their formula down perfect

can't wait till the new season

[Neuromancer]

Venture Bros. turned me off with one kinda disgusting joke in its "Christmas Special," and I'm not exactly a prude. VERY poor taste.

Now the Popeye news, on the other hand...

[ejulp]

now if we all could drum up some support
for new episodes of home movies
i'd be a happy camper

[xdemon]

Hell, one of Dr. Venture’s college buds, the guy with the Human League haircut, is named James White.

The character on the show is PETER White, not James.

Favorite VB Quotes:

But see, that's what I'm talking about. Now Venture'll send Samson after the rest of us, and he'll go sickhouse on our asses. I like my ass, gentlemen.
- Monarch, Dia de los Dangerous, The Venture Brothers

Why is it every time I need to get somewhere we get waylaid by jackassery?
- Dr. Venture, Past Tense, The Venture Brothers

Oh come on! You're going to kill me because I had fake sex on graph paper with a girl who barely spoke to you in real life?!?
- Dr. Venture, Past Tense, The Venture Brothers

Apparently this is the reward I get for years of screwing with super-science. In short, I pissed in God's eye . . . and he blinked.
- Dr. Venture, Midlife Chrysalis, The Venture Brothers

My good looks are going down the toilet faster than an unwanted pregnancy on prom night.
- Dr. Venture, Midlife Chrysalis, The Venture Brothers

[Jeffbot]

The Monarch is a great villain. I'm eagerly awaiting the second season of Venture Bros....but I do hope that Hank and Dean aren't gone for good.

[Hobowatcher]

Venture Bros. and Kogarth of Barbaria are the two best shows on TV, animated or otherwise.

Family Guy can suck it.

The funniest thing ever was Hank's Aquaman underroos.

[Book of GOB]

My God, I love the Venture Bros.

Anybody who hasn't seen it should be hooked by the time they get to this classic scene from "Tag Sale - You're It!"

Dr. Girlfriend: Sweetie, isn't that the guy from Depeche Mode?
Monarch: Oh, no way! Where? Holy crap, he's with a girl!
Dr. Girlfriend: Oh yeah, that guy is totally straight. I saw a whole thing about him on the VH1.
Monarch: But he's the guy from Depeche Mode! It's impossible!
Dr. Girlfriend: Straight.
Monarch: Come on! He's in Depeche Mode!

Thank God Jackson Publik and Doc Hammer found each other.

[KyleCowstar]

I hope Hank and Dean are back somehow. The show wouldn't be the same without their dumb asses.

[gokujam]

Originally Posted by Neuromancer

Venture Bros. turned me off with one kinda disgusting joke in its "Christmas Special," and I'm not exactly a prude. VERY poor taste.

Now the Popeye news, on the other hand...

Can anyone tell me what the joke was?? I didnt see this episode

[jlaking]

In season two, I think that we will see Dr. Orpheus' nemesis since The Phantom Limb tell him he will get in 'The Trail of the Monarch'.

Originally Posted by xdemon

Oh come on! You're going to kill me because I had fake sex on graph paper with a girl who barely spoke to you in real life?!?
- Dr. Venture, Past Tense, The Venture Brothers

That is the best line ever spoken on [adult swim].

[PrimeOp]

The Venture Brothers is easily one of my favorite new cartoons, period. As much as I love Family Guy's left-field pop references, the VB crew weaves them into the plot. They don't just stick a Hajime Sorayama joke into the show, but they make it part of the plot. I bought the DVD set the same week it came out and I rarely ever do that. Now I have the Mecha Shiva chant stuck in my head again. If CN hadn't green-lit another season but made some horrible new show instead, they'd have looked just as stupid Fox for cancelling Futurama and Family Guy. You know, I kinda shudder to think what they're going to do this season if they said that some more heroes are going to get it worse than Race Bannon did. As a comic fan, you'd think that I'd be used to watching horrible crap (no pun intended) to my favorite characters.

BTW: the Monarch is the best new villain in years. Seriously.

On the Popeye front, I just hope they put a lot of effort into the restoration of those cartoons. I'll gladly buy a set if it has the cartoons with the crazy 3-D backgrounds like the Sinbad one. Those are some cartoons that you just have to see to believe.

edit: named wrong Popeye cartoon

[Toneloak]

Originally Posted by PrimeOp

The Venture Brothers is easily one of my favorite new cartoons, period. As much as I love Family Guy's left-field pop references, the VB crew weaves them into the plot. They don't just stick a Hajime Sorayama joke into the show, but they make it part of the plot. I bought the DVD set the same week it came out and I rarely ever do that. Now I have the Mecha Shiva chant stuck in my head again. If CN hadn't green-lit another season but made some horrible new show instead, they'd have looked just as stupid Fox for cancelling Futurama and Family Guy. You know, I kinda shudder to think what they're going to do this season if they said that some more heroes are going to get it worse than Race Bannon did. As a comic fan, you'd think that I'd be used to watching horrible crap (no pun intended) to my favorite characters.

BTW: the Monarch is the best new villain in years. Seriously.

On the Popeye front, I just hope they put a lot of effort into the restoration of those cartoons. I'll gladly buy a set if it has the cartoons with the crazy 3-D backgrounds like the Sinbad one. Those are some cartoons that you just have to see to believe.

edit: named wrong Popeye cartoon

Damn dude F....U stop speaking my heart's song. i love those beautiful crazy 3-D backgrounded popeye episodes and i've been waiting since i saw clips on the popeeye show on CN

About VB you are dead on on everything i could ever want to say Yes, its f'ing back and nobody will survive. Well cept my man Brock.

Keep the pain coming

[sfritz]

Originally Posted by PrimeOp

BTW: the Monarch is the best new villain in years. Seriously.

On the Popeye front, I just hope they put a lot of effort into the restoration of those cartoons. I'll gladly buy a set if it has the cartoons with the crazy 3-D backgrounds like the Sinbad one. Those are some cartoons that you just have to see to believe.

edit: named wrong Popeye cartoon

Personal favorite character: Dr. Girlfriend.

Oh yeah...what Popeye cartoon? This is direct from the press release with very little editing( just trimming out the extreme hype). So I'm truly curious as to how Warners screwed a title up. -s

[cleazer]

Wow, what a combo!

First, VB is without a doubt one of the coolest shows to come along in a long time! As someone above mentioned, the first 2 episodes are a little on the weak side, but still not bad. I think it just takes a little while to get used to this somewhat unusual show. After that, though, everything is nice and set up and the show really kicks some serious butt. I love just about everything about that show.

As for Popeye, those old theatrical shorts are the best cartoons ever made, bar none. Someone above mentioned the "3-d background" Sinbad episode. Simply brilliant. I remember the first time I saw some of those old episodes on CN, and I was simply blown away. I can't believe how well-made some of those things were, and how well they still stand up today.

[saintstryfe]

"Doc, you have a table over there that has a sign on it saying 'Laser Death Ray BARGIN BIN!'"

I've never heard the term "Bargin bin" used with so much anger sence my brother's wedding.

Anyway, very cool to know there's new product coming down the tubes

[sfritz]

Originally Posted by KyleCowstar

I hope Hank and Dean are back somehow. The show wouldn't be the same without their dumb asses.

Well...without giving TOO much away, let's say there's still a way for the show to remain being called the Venture Bros, even if Hank & Dean remain dead.

Read the article carefully.

-s

[beta-ray]

Enjoy Venture Bros a lot... best of the "newer" generation of Adult Swim toons.

Also enjoyed Cars a lot (not a NASCAR fan at all), people seem a bit harsh on that one though...

[PrimeOp]

Originally Posted by sfritz

Oh yeah...what Popeye cartoon? This is direct from the press release with very little editing( just trimming out the extreme hype). So I'm truly curious as to how Warners screwed a title up. -s

Nah, I messed up my own post by saying it was the 40 thieves short instead of the Sinbad one. Too many cartoon memories and not enough brain to keep them straight.

As for the show title, if they do what some of us think they're going to do, the show name will still work in a sneaky way. Of course, they could just come out left field with something even crazier. Hell, I'm just glad that it's coming back!