Thursday, April 22, 2010

Yes!! I can finally Blog about my Redesign of "The Looney Tunes Show"

A year and a half ago I got an email from Tony Cervone. He asked me if I would be interested in taking a stab at giving the Looney Tunes a face lift for a new series. I was like....um.....reallllly?.....YAAAAAA. I took a stab at it and they really liked it! Ive been working with the team out in Burbank, California since.



The classic Looney Tunes from the mid fourties to the early fifties have always been my favorite era. My favorite directors have always been Chuck Jones and Bob Clampett.In my opinion these were the directors that drew Bugs and Daffy the best,and created the most funny and smart cartoons. As a kid I used to study the crap out of these films.So to be asked to give these characters a new look has been an amazing honor,hard, and fun experience!

The original Bugs and Daffy are beautiful designs that have been streamlined through the decades at Warner Brothers.So that was a tough one for me to figure out. I wanted to keep all the spirit of the characters without changing them dramatically.

I gave them slightly different proprtions that emphasise things I always liked about the characters. An example is Bugs' feet. I streamlined them and made them bigger. I thought it would look awesome in a walk cycle and be really fun to animate in general.
I spent six months creating a show bible...new turnarounds,notes and drawings showing the new designs.Id love to post some off the show bible but Ill have to check with my producers.

I knew I'd piss people off by making Bugs mauve and giving Daffy purple outlines. But I like color and like to try new things. A purple rabbit......why not.

The funnest part of this is the stir it has made in the animation community! Check out cartoon brew.Check out how much people hate this still from one of the episodes.



www.cartoonbrew.com

Im having a great time reading these comments.

Im looking forward to working more with the crew on this show! It has been a great time so far for me!!!!!!!

XOXOX
Jesssy

204 Comments:

Blogger Kevin said...

People are just frightened of change, dont take it personal. I absolutely love the redesigns!

9:48 AM  
Blogger ~chi said...

I love this! Every day I walk by the WB studios and wonder what's happening with these guys, glad to know they're getting a fresh face and a new show. I don't know what CB is talking about, these designs are great.

10:13 AM  
Blogger RuinedJoke68 said...

I can't believe so many people disliked that press still. I personally was very pleasantly surprised to see the re-designs. In my opinion it is the best the looney tunes have looked in 30 years. Now, that i know you were behind the designs it makes perfect sense!

10:19 AM  
Blogger Todd Oman said...

You can't please everyone so don't sweat it. I have seen all the characters and liked some of them better than the original designs like Sylvester and Porky. Who gets this upset over a redesign of a cartoon character anyways.

10:33 AM  
Blogger sunfox33mb said...

Personal opinions aside, its not too bad. Things that seem bothersome to me though would be... having "music videos" ? I guess reminiscent of Tiny Toons? also why are the Coyote and Roadrunner shorts in 3D while everything else is like this???

The final point though... WB teased everyone with that really slick animated Bugs Bunny on the WB Logo before "Batman the Brave and the Bold" clearly showing they could still animate like the old days to an extent. So why choose to redesign something that has worked for generations?

To me its the actions, writing, gags, and the TIMING involved that will make or break this cartoon - take the "Thomas Timberwolf" webtoons for example. Great art and great flash animation (considering when it was made) but it was NOT Chuck's direction and was NOT his timing and it proceeded to fall flat on its face though I still love to watch it occasionally.

Anyways I think Ive said plenty and now I will wait patiently for the full-length results... with one last note

Thank you at the very least for helping to bring the Looney Tunes back to mainstream television!

10:48 AM  
Blogger Bill Robinson said...

It is GREAT to see the rest of the characters here other than just bugs and daffy. I think they look terrific. I am so glad WB is headed in this direction (and away from the Loonatics Unleashed show). I also have a lot more faith in all of this turning out ok knowing that you are involved. It must be incredibly hard to try to update such classic characters, and I find it interesting that they would. (Mickey Mouse has obviously changed a lot of the years, but you don't see them redesigning Snow White every ten years...) Anyway, great job, please don't lose your head over the CB comments.

10:58 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

holly F^%@$! That is awesome! Heard it was in development what a great match you are. Well done lady!

11:41 AM  
Blogger R.A. MacNeil said...

I think they look great!

11:59 AM  
Blogger Chris Kennett said...

Taking a screen grab out of context is pretty unfair. I like the cut out designs in your photo very much. Shame people are all too quick to judge. Clearly you're not taking it personally, so good for you.

12:03 PM  
Blogger dAnMaN said...

Very nice designs, Jessica. They look good as stills and I can't wait to see them in motion. Like others have said, those other twits at Cartoon Brew are just afraid of change. These designs are refreshing and MUCH better than the 80's Looney Tunes. Anyone else remember those awful shorts?

12:07 PM  
Blogger Michael said...

Your stuff in super appealing!!! Ignore the negativity. Keep on rockin'.

12:16 PM  
Blogger Rogelio T. said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

12:20 PM  
Blogger Rogelio T. said...

Don't listen to them, the characters are fine. Lots of people just have unrealistic expectations for this stuff because they love the old shorts and they've seen the Looney Tunes treated so badly through the years. I like the purple bugs color. Looking through the rest of the characters, they look great too. They're not overly complicated to the point where they're clunky and just distracting which is what I don't like about lots of modern designs. I'm sure my 7 year old nephew would watch it. He'd love those appealing characters.

12:39 PM  
Blogger Jessica said...

Sunshine Fox,
I think a redesign was done to create something fresh for todays kids. Its not that crazy of a change(visually) just enough to re brand it to create something a little different.Coyote and roadrunner shorts are in 3d simpily because why not.......u can get alot more outta these shorts if they are done in 3d....dynamic angles crazy animation etc.
Im excitied for the Music videos. I love creating cartoons to music, thats the most fun!

1:44 PM  
Blogger Amir Avni said...

Rock on Jess!

1:45 PM  
Blogger Rose said...

oh man, when I saw the clipping on another blog, I admit it shocked me at first, but totally grew on me. No to mention that I was looking at Bugs for a good while and thought "hey, that head looks really familiar", only to find I was right in guessing it was your doing! It all looks really great, so far, and I definitely cannot wait to see them in motion. I adore your Sylvester, all-in-all

1:53 PM  
Blogger Joseph Candelaria said...

i saw it on the brew, but didn't know it was you who did the re designs, although i saw a little influence of your art there, especially on Bugs, great job.

I think that people take it very seriously, i think these shows revamps core audience are children, not us fans, sadly...but either way i know everybody's gonna see it's premiere, because they look good,
I mean the colors look great, the textures on the BGs, the outlines of the characters, great!. Good luck to you and the entire crew who's responsible for this show!

2:38 PM  
Blogger Jeremy said...

I enjoy these as well! Very cute!

3:06 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

WOW!
It actually gives the design the nice twist it needed!
beautiful work!

3:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Man, forget those animation-fascists. Change is good, and this is some good, cute, super-appealing change.
I love your redesigns, and your choice of colors is awesome. I also like that Sylvester cut-out.

4:08 PM  
Blogger michaelamos said...

Hey Jess,
Great to see your latest work! I must admit when I saw it on Cartoon Brew I really liked the colours and style of it all, but I didn't really like the look of Bugs.

However, after seeing them in the cut outs in your photo I think it looks much cooler in that pose.

Writing off a whole show from one still is crazy and I hope it turns out great.

4:29 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Screw the haters! I think you did an excellent job. I'd love to see what all the armchair cartoonists would have come up with if they'd taken on this project. I doubt they'd turn out this good.

Keep kickin' ass!

B

4:37 PM  
Blogger PotatoFarmGirl said...

Your designs made me excited to see the show. No matter what anyone says, they are appealing and fun, and yes, I've actually seen them in motion and I think it looks pretty good. Have no idea as far as the story content goes, or what's happened to it in the past six months, but you shouldn't have to defend yourself. :)
Good job girl!

5:18 PM  
Blogger chrisallison said...

Art critics talk about art. Cartoonists make art. Keep doing your thing, Jess!

10:38 PM  
Blogger Billy... said...

As a hardcore fan of the original "Looney Tunes" I have despised every attempt to update the franchise with the exception of "Tiny Toon Adventures" (although, I've always felt that was more tangential than an update). That being said, looking at your character designs and the infamous single frame that seems to be 'brewing' so much controversy, I have to say I really love the new style. I think it could work great in a new amped up version of "Looney Tunes", but domesticating Bugs and Daffy would, I fear, put too many limits on where they can go with the story. I certainly hope I'm wrong, and I will definitely be checking it out. If it ultimately doesn't work, it will be due to the writing and not your designs. Great stuff.

-Oh, and, by the way, Amid's a bit of a jackass...

11:05 PM  
Blogger Will said...

=) awesome, congrats =D

11:17 PM  
Blogger Jeremy said...

Just remember, people hated Dylan when he went electric.

I think they look great!

11:56 PM  
Blogger pmaestro said...

these designs beg to be animated. nice work!

12:10 AM  
Blogger Jenanne said...

That's so amazing Jessica!! Lucky girl! But really it's because you're super talented and you deserve it! Don't listen to the over critical masses, just keep it real and have some wicked fun!

12:56 AM  
Blogger ZSL said...

sylvester is painfully adorable :)

1:09 AM  
Blogger sunfox33mb said...

@jessicaLynn

Just felt I should say thanks for taking my post out of context... I never said the designs were crazy... and I never said anything bad about the artwork or that I was agains this. Merely pointing out related factoids and posing questions. Also yes animating to music is fun... thats why I mentioned Tiny Toons... if they can pull off stuff like that again that would be wonderful.

The reason I mentioned the 3D shorts is because that would seem to break the style set by the rest of the show... or maybe we are overlooking what has happened to Garfield in recent years?

Anyways, once again Ill wait patiently to see the final results.

1:35 AM  
Blogger Neato! said...

Does blogger have a like or thumbs up button anywhere...Well, anyway, I'm excited.

I do like shows with story but if this brings back the gag focused cartoon, then i am totally on board.

2:44 AM  
Blogger Scotty A said...

Forget those poopy pants.
Get out of the 40s, people!
We can't do the Charleston and make jokes about Humphrey Bogart forever.

Knowing it's you behind this makes me like it even more!

Anyway, I like this 1000 times more than what they're doing with Mickey Mouse... turning him into a Teletubby an' all.

2:48 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

First off, congrats on working for Warner Bros! People are just jealous..

Second, I'm a fan of the original cartoons, not so much of "any" remakes but that's not a put down on your work. I just feel messing with original art, you're bound to get haters(*Besides, remakes are money-making squemes to lure a new generation of kids(and adults) to the "brand". And who can blame them)

What i'm trying to say is, you're basicly doing your job. You didn't decide to make this remake, "they" did. So because the haters can't complain to the people "up top", they get you instead. I'm sorry to hear that.

Good luck with this new gig!

4:17 AM  
Blogger Chris Signore said...

Personally, I stopped reading comments on CB a good while back - because they're more or less the same with stuff like this. I just chase it up for news in the animation woild ;)

That said, though, while a little surprised at seeing these, I'll only pass judgement by the content the show has to offer - ie; how much it'll make me laugh. NO show will ever float unless the writing and characters are both orsum.
Besides, the less said about "Lunatics", the better..... :P

However, hearing your say on this when revamping the characters, I'm rather in awe at your style and research behind them. Sam, Pete and Sylvester do look super here, and it seems Petunia is finally getting some airtime after a lifetime spent as a merchandising/comic book character ;)

In a nutshell, I say well done for showing us these and having your say. It's artists like you that are worth keeping an eye on. Some of us younger artists need some further inspiration, ya'know ^^

4:31 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Cartoon Brew is the fox news of the industry.

Haters gonna hate.

As for you designs, jess, you know I'm a huge fan. In fact I love these new renditions. My concern is but one. Trying to find an animation team that can follow your lead.

Tough roles to fill.

All the best,

Gene

4:40 AM  
Blogger Jessica said...

Thanks guys! The thing is I knew ALOt of people would really dislike my deisgns.....which IS TOTALLY cool I get it.Taking a job like this you have to have a thick skin and when it comes down to it its just a show taking iconic characters and re releasign them as a fresh new package...so who cares realllyyy.....I just thought Amid was really mean about it. But i has been a dramatic fun time

5:18 AM  
Blogger SquirrelyWrath said...

I gotta say...You could have done a better job on Bugs. The others aren't to bad, you even stayed mostly on model for Sam. But Bugs is so far off he is hardly recognizable. Whenever someone does anything with this franchise, understand that they hold stewardship of more than just a cartoon. It is American cultural identity. These characters are just as beloved by those that remember them as Mickey Mouse, or Goofy. They have been with us through economic depression, war, and turmoil. The whole time trying to make us laugh when we would all rather just crawl into a hole. So when you change their personalities or appearance to much people will get upset. I am glad WB has gotten off it's butt and decided to do something with the franchise again, don't get me wrong. But in this current design I think you are torpedoing yourselves for what could be a very good show. I hope I'm wrong. I hope it is a raving success. But my gut feeling is that turning Looney Tunes into Johnny Test isn't going to earn them any new fans. I'm not saying this to piss you off. I'm just being brutally honest. This is more than a cartoon. I think both the studio and yourself understand that on some level.

5:29 AM  
Blogger Jessica said...

No Im not pissed off at all (:
Ya I agree people love Bugs Bunny he is iconic I grew up obsessed with Looney Tunes. Just wanted to play with the design and have fun with it, and luckily my producers liked it.Its probably the most fun show I have had as a professional artist.

5:38 AM  
Blogger Mitchel Kennedy said...

I think they look totally awesome, man!

6:02 AM  
Blogger Lauren Andersson said...

These turned out fantastic! I can't wait to see the shows!!

7:58 AM  
Blogger Mr.Christie said...

These designs looks amazing. I was reading through the cartoon brew comments just now and clearly the people there don't know what they are talking about. You did a fantastic job and they look amazing. I can't wait to see what you do next! Great job.

8:32 AM  
Blogger Kt Shy said...

Congrats on a dream come true! I've always loved your style and postings on this blog and am really happy you've landed such a fun project! I'm also glad you don't let the sillyness on CB get you down, rock on Jessica!!!!

10:40 AM  
Blogger David Germain said...

As long as the original cartoons are available to everyone, especially on TV, I'm fine with these new designs.
I'm glad an artist like you got this gig. I'm sure it could have been alot worse in someone else's hands.

11:34 AM  
Blogger Alex Deligiannis said...

Was blown away by the hate on the 'brew (but why, I don't know - it's the norm over there, these days).

Just wanted to chime in to tell you that I'm really diggin' these designs. Totally took me back to being 12 and anticipating the debut of Tiny Toons (I'm sure people will hate on that, too, but I remember that show very fondly). Very much looking forward to this (and bookmarking your blog based of these too, BTW).

11:52 AM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

I must admit that photo you are in looks SO much better !

12:50 PM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

...Though I still have my reservations on Bugs' body.

12:55 PM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

"But my gut feeling is that turning Looney Tunes into Johnny Test isn't going to earn them any new fans"

Johnny Test ? Even I didn't go that far in my hatred.

I will swallow my pride and admit that the other photo looks a lot better. I still have many personal reservations though.

1:04 PM  
Blogger Andrew Lueck said...

These are excellent updates. Contemporary with a little twist. Nice! Can't wait to see them in motion. Nice work.

1:45 PM  
Blogger Eric Bauza said...

Hey... uh, are you like famous or something???

3:36 PM  
Blogger Jessica said...

whats Johnny Test??

5:07 PM  
Blogger Jessica said...

Im attracted to Bugs' body.We are in a relationship.Its on Facebook check my status (:

5:10 PM  
Blogger ca60gregory said...

Im guilty of knee jerk outrage myself, though I think it may just have been a slightly unfortunate screengrab. To me the cutout designs in the photo look very appealing although Bug's proportions kind of throw me off it may just be a matter of getting used to something new. For what my opinion is worth I like them! I am just hoping they wont attempt this in flash, these characters need the traditional treatment for their real potential to come through.

6:10 PM  
Blogger ca60gregory said...

I KNEW I recognized your name from somewhere, you made that Panda cartoon? I must have watched that at least a hundred times. Good stuff!

6:14 PM  
Blogger Mike Geiger said...

you know what my favorite part of your designs are?

that they are awesome!

7:43 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Not too bad. personally i like the original better. most of the designs aren't too bad but i wouldn't have made Bugs purple. but i guess it all depends on how the actual show turns out. as long as it's as good as the old shows were it shouldn't be too bad.

3:19 AM  
Blogger Jessica said...

@ca60gregory It will be anaimated traditionallly not in Flash.

3:46 AM  
Blogger Roberto González said...

What I find distracting is that some of them look like they have their original age and others seem to be 'teenager' versions of them. That said, I think they are expressive, well-drawn and fun to watch.

I think Pete Puma and Petunia look especially cute. I also like Yosemite Sam.

I'm not against redesign, but I think maybe it should have been a little more subtle in some characters, not a fan of Bugs' shor body either, UNLESS every character were a teenager version of the original characters, then it would made a little more sense.

Anyway, it's fresh and different to the merchandising stuff and it shows some personality, just like Friz, Jones or Clampett had all their own model sheets.

I'm very interested on seeing the show, keep on the good work!

3:56 AM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

jessicaLynn:

Johnny Test is a really crappy Cartoon Network show with "broken glass" character designs and ugly animation. There is no way this LT artwork is as bad.

3:57 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

your so amazing Jess, i can't wait to see more :):) <3

7:02 AM  
Blogger Uncle Phil said...

Awesome! This is pretty much as tough a design job as they get. I totally commend your bravery and risk taking on these designs. Hell yeah!

7:53 AM  
Blogger Craig Something said...

“taking a stab”
A stab indeed, but where?

“face lift”
Ok, so you stabbed Looney Tunes in the face.

“The classic Looney Tunes from the mid fourties to the early fifties have always been my favorite era.”
Naturally! Why else would you agree to help a group of people making a half-hour Looney Tunes show where all the characters are living in a suburb with a main story, music videos and CG Road Runner shorts? It’s obvious that all those things are “within the spirit” of the original seven minute hand drawn shorts and not just another attempt to milk Looney Tune characters for money!

“I gave them slightly different proprtions that emphasise things I always liked about the characters. An example is Bugs' feet. I streamlined them and made them bigger. I thought it would look awesome in a walk cycle and be really fun to animate in general.”
Right, because a short stubby “shoe” of a foot is more versatile than a longer foot with toes.
And these pictures make the characters look flat. It astounds me that they would waste money on traditional animation when the show won’t utilize it. Honestly I wouldn’t be surprised if this turns out to be as cancerously bad a Loonatics Unleashed was. After seeing the news and pictures my first urge is to call you a c--- and punch you in the face if I ever see you in person. I won’t, but believe me the urge will be there.

10:15 AM  
Blogger RAWLS said...

Holy comments Jess. Did you ever think you'd be getting this much love/hate mail?!? I don't envy you my friend... I probably would have turned that job down.
Whether I like the designs or not, you've done a fantastic job at remaining composed and mature. A lot of people in our industry claim to be professional but when it comes to supporting someones creative decisions that they don't agree with they often turn into crying babies with a bad attitude. The reveal their true immature and unprofessional selves. Kudos to you for being artistically mature and brave enough to take a stab at it.

1:21 PM  
Blogger ca60gregory said...

Craig Something, you are going nuts for no reason, calm down and apologize.

2:31 PM  
Blogger Elliot Cowan said...

Your redesigns are stellar.
You should celebrate the naysaying by waving a big wad of cash around and doing a tooshy dance.

2:33 PM  
Blogger Jessica said...

WOOOW!!! (:

8:07 PM  
Blogger Roberto González said...

>>Naturally! Why else would you agree to help a group of people making a half-hour Looney Tunes show where all the characters are living in a suburb with a main story, music videos and CG Road Runner shorts? It’s obvious that all those things are “within the spirit” of the original seven minute hand drawn shorts and not just another attempt to milk Looney Tune characters for money!>>

I also have my reservations about some of these things, but even if it were another attempt to milk the characters for money it still looks a lot better than half of the series they have done with them, and the artists are just doing their jobs. You didn't watch the show yet, so you don't know how good or bad it is, but these designs already a lot cuter than anything in Loonatics.

And even in a bad show like that one, I wouldn't blame the artists either for the quality of it. I'm sure there were good artists working on that, maybe some big fans of the Looney Tunes too.

So calm down, I'm sure this will turn out quite better and it will be worth a watch at the very least.

11:26 PM  
Blogger michael valiquette said...

Craig Something, you're outta line. You don't like it, fine. You want to give criticism, this is the internet, go for it. You start talking about punching someone in the face, or the urge to, keep it to yourself. Jess is a talented and skilled artist making a living for herself in a very comepetive field. Be thankful that someone like her was given this task, we've had far worse. Her respect for the job and the characters is obvious, her interpretation is now there for all to see. If you don't like it, don't watch it. Your classic Looney Tunes are available on DVD.
This type of bashing was, sadly, not unexpected, but seriously Craig, bad form. You awe the lady an apology.
Cheers Jess. Good on you for taking a tough job and handling the fallout with real class.

5:35 AM  
Blogger Bobby Pontillas said...

I'll be honest and say that I wasn't to keen on the single CB image. Hearing that you designed them, I had to come here and check it out, and I gotta say that I love the way they're looking in those promo cut-outs! Bugs being my favorite. His proportions, the fact that he's purple, and that I can see a bit of that crazy bunny from a few posts down in him. Actually if I were calling the shots, I'd have you push them even more like your personal work.

I'm glad they approached you.

6:19 AM  
Blogger Kyle said...

I hope I'm not labeled as a hater, because I really was looking forward to these new designs. I'm not afraid of change perse, after all they were constantly evolving even in their prime.

I have no issues with the new colors. what I don't like is how angled they are now. they look so flat now. and not intentionally either.

I actually like your work, Ive been lurking your blog for a while, but I have to be honest that I'm disappointed with the new look. I haven't written it off completely though, and I hope it does well. It just isn't as well drawn as I was expecting.

8:47 AM  
Blogger Elliot Cowan said...

Kyle - are you saying that you don't like the drawings or you don't happen to like the designs?
There's a distinct difference here.

8:51 AM  
Blogger Craig Something said...

@michael valiquette
Why should I be thankful? She did just as bad a job as any other talentless nobody they could've picked to do these cookie cutter designs. I do not owe anyone an apology.

9:22 AM  
Blogger Mukpuddy said...

We love your designs Jess... fuck the haters! They picked you for a reason... COZ YOU'RE AWESOME!!

10:07 AM  
Blogger Jessica said...

Hey everyone!!
Thanks for all the comments. I really enjoy reading your opinions and thoughts positive and negative. I like to hear it all.Im glad if you like them cause I like drawing them alot. (:

10:26 AM  
Blogger Elizabeth said...

I want to commend you on being such a lady about this, there are some serious douches out there that cant let go of the past and that sucks because I think you did a fine job doing the redesigns, the are very contemporary and very you. I always enjoy your work and am glad that they approached you for the job, keep your chin up :)!

10:47 AM  
Blogger Roberto González said...

Incidentally, when does the show air?

I think I haven't read any indication yet.

11:33 AM  
Blogger Kyle said...

Elliot, Both actually. The cardboard cutouts do seem notably better than than the still, but its a combination of both design and quality of the drawing. the perspective seems all over the place, and it suffers from the same problems in most flash toons these days, despite apparantly being traditionally animated.

The proportions dont sit right with me, with Bugg's feet looking like shoes,tiny arms, he has this puny body we're expected to believe can support the weight of his head. They all have arms that are far too short, I cant see that working well.

11:57 AM  
Blogger Elliot Cowan said...

Kyle.
Just to clarify.
You're saying that not only do you not like the designs, but you think they're bad drawings, yeah?

Are they worse than this, for example?:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v177/gmcube/designbrainstorm.jpg

12:35 PM  
Blogger Yeldarb86 said...

The funnest part of this is the stir it has made in the animation community! Check out cartoon brew.Check out how much people hate this still from one of the episodes.

A lot of your "true" cartoon fans actually HATE cartoons. Nothing pleases them. Once you accept that, you'll live a much happier life.

This new series sounds a lot more hopeful than their last few Looney Tunes revivals. My main hope is that they erase the bitter Daffy persona that people seem too familiar with. Remind everyone who the REAL Daffy Duck is. :)

12:48 PM  
Blogger Eric Bauza said...

Wow... 80 comments and still goin... people just aren't gonna let this one go eh???

Bauza

3:01 PM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

Looking back I think my anger was mis-placed. Any attempt to revive these characters would never work, the potential has been reached and there no need to go back. Like I said on Spumboard, bringing back Bugs Bunny is just digging up a corpse. It's just like "resurrecting" James Cagney in CGI. I think super talented artists like Jessica and Eric should be allowed to create something original for Warners and not paint corpses; That's all from me.

4:16 PM  
Blogger Kyle said...

Elliot, that was kinda uncalled for don't you think? I never made any claims I could do better. I have a Lot to work on when it comes to my own skill, and I freely admit that. putting down my own work, one I myself am not proud of in the first place seems out of line. those were doodles and nothing more.

4:18 PM  
Blogger podgypanda said...

Loving the Redesigns!

4:34 PM  
Blogger John Dorian said...

Is there any way I can see Petunia's design? Her face is covered by the flash from the camera.

10:49 PM  
Blogger Elliot Cowan said...

Kyle.
Here's the point.
It's really, really easy to waltz around the internet slagging off other people's work, but it's not so nice when someone does it to you, is it?

Imagine instead of offering your unqualified opinion you'd have said "Hi Jessica. We've never met but I'm interested to know how a young person living in Canada was lucky enough to be asked to redesign a collection of American animation icons. I'm not sure I love them, but how did you get to do them?".

Then, everyone who reads your comment (friends, fans, potential employers, your peers) might think, "Very worthwhile question. I like this guy. He says what he means without sounding like a dick. Maybe he's someone we should know".

It might spark some conversation on the blog and you may have learned some valuable information, the names of some important people, some tips on working with a big network etc etc.

Instead, your comment inspires people to think, "What's the point of this comment. He sounds like a dick. Avoid him".

11:57 PM  
Blogger Roberto González said...

>>Wow... 80 comments and still goin... people just aren't gonna let this one go eh???>>

Well, there is a positive commentary for every negative opinion now, so I'd take all the fuzz as interest in disguise.

I guess most of us are really intrigued and interested on watching the show. At least I am.

At the same time I openly recognize that Jessica draws a lot better than I'll probably ever do and I think her work is spectacular...but I'm not sure about how some of the redesigns would work. I really like the drawings, it's just that the design seems to change the personality a little bit, but we didn't see them with the movement and voices yet. And I must admit it actually makes it a little more interesting to see it when you don't know how they are going to move.

About the videoclip parts if they are half as great as the "I like Pandas" video, then it will be great stuff.

12:12 AM  
Blogger Jessica said...

WOW 86 comments! Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts people!! (: Im osrry about the flash in Petunia's face!! I would like to post more of her she is one of my favorites but I dont have the authority to start posting alot of images. Maybe soon! Ill keep you updated everyone! But only if nobody else threatens to punch me in the face or call me a c&*t ! (: xo

1:04 AM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

Jessica, question here. Did you just decide to leave Yosemite Sam alone ? He seems relatively un-touched with the exception of his eyes.

1:57 AM  
Blogger Kyle said...

Elliot, my work isnt off limits, I welcome constructive comments on my blog itself. By all means have at it over there, I just didnt think it was relavant to point out here to somehow invalidate my opinions when I dont make claims I could do better.

I think Ive been pretty tame about all this. some people wont even give this show a chance, while Im still very much wait and see. And I pointed out that I like her work.

8:12 AM  
Blogger Kyle said...

Meant to add this to my last comment, but I was thinking the same thing,Ricardo. Yosemite Sam does look to be the less changed out of all of them.

8:22 AM  
Blogger Elliot Cowan said...

Kyle - It's relevant in that you are providing critical feedback about the subtleties of character design, seemingly with little qualification.

8:26 AM  
Blogger Jeff Harris said...

Digging the redesigns. They're a breath of fresh air considering we've been seeing the same almost stock versions of the characters for almost two decades.

I think a lot of people have forgotten, including my friends over at the Brew, that until recently, there wasn't a definitive version of each Looney Tunes character. Bob Clampett's Tweety looks remarkably different from Friz Freleng's Tweety. Same with Tex Avery's Bugs Bunny and Bob McKimson's Bugs Bunny. I'm actually glad that we're not getting the same old same old with the new series.

People just fear change. But as a wise acre once said, "Change is good, but dollars are better." Can't wait to see more Jessica.

5:25 PM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

"People just fear change"

Strawman's argument. I won't reinstate my position once again but it's silly to say "people just fear change" if others don't agree on said change.

6:27 PM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

Also stating that the golden age cartoonists had their own conceptions of the looney tunes is a moot point. They created the characters so ergo they knew what was best for them. Or some cases like Bob Clampett, fleshing out their personalities and fulfilling potential that had not yet been realized. Daffy was a great improvement under Clampett, he became more than a screw ball duck and more like a witty comedian who sang and dance.

6:32 PM  
Blogger Jeff Harris said...

I'll bite. But here's where that argument treads water.

Characters evolve. Yes, Daffy Duck was a darn-fool duck who just didn't give a darn who became a song and dance comedian as you said Ricardo, but he also became, in his later years, a greedy, arrogant, selfish character who became more involved in protecting his own skin than looking out for others before, at least in recent years, finally taking center stage as a star that combined all of those elements. Bugs Bunny was largely Daffy Duck in a rabbit suit who evolved into a Grouchoesque wise-acre and tempered into a calm, refined, unenergetic husk before retiring into the role of a mute mascot.

The creators worked on these characters for about 50 years. A few did it a little longer, like Mr. Jones and Mr. Freleng.

Yes, they knew what they were doing because they created the character, but I doubt they wanted to be the only ones working on the characters. Certainly they had no idea that those characters would live beyond their lifetimes, let alone find places on television or the internet. If they did, I doubt they'd want to be the only ones to tell stories of the characters they created.

Look at another medium, comic books, for example. Would you argue that the Superman comics from Siegel and Shuster and the Batman comics from Kane and Finger be the only Batman and Superman stories in existence? Should the Marvel titles from Lee and Kirby be the only ones out there? Or would you agree that those characters should continue even without their original creators behind the pens and pencils?

And don't you dare say there's a difference because there isn't. I couldn't imagine Batman without the contributions of Sprang, Toth, Adams, O'Neil, Miller, Morrison, Dini, Timm, and others. Why shouldn't others get a chance to put their own mark on the Looney Tunes characters?

What are you afraid of, that the new productions would wipe out the existence of the original shorts? They won't. We survived Tiny Toons, Taz-Mania, Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries, Space Jam, Back in Action, Duck Dodgers, Baby Looney Tunes, Loonatics, and Bah Humduck. Yeah, it's not going to be everybody's cup of tea, especially John K. acolytes, but I'm going to give the show a chance. If you don't like it, hey, nobody's forcing you to watch it.

6:26 AM  
Blogger Oldaccount-Ignore said...

Perhaps before redesigning the greatest and most beloved cartoon characters of all time you should be able to draw?

6:39 AM  
Blogger Oldaccount-Ignore said...

Elliot, considering that your own work is only slightly better, perhaps you shouldn't play that game.

P.S. Could you be any more transparent?

"Then, everyone who reads your comment (friends, fans, potential employers, your peers) might think, "Very worthwhile question. I like this guy. He says what he means without sounding like a dick. Maybe he's someone we should know".

It might spark some conversation on the blog and you may have learned some valuable information, the names of some important people, some tips on working with a big network etc etc."

Some people believe cartoons and art are more than your job and personal relationships, you know.

6:54 AM  
Blogger Elliot Cowan said...

1) Tell me what I could be more transparent about, please? I don't understand what you're getting at.

2) Thanks for your feedback about my work. I need more commentary about my stuff from professionals such as yourself.

3) Also thanks for the career advice. I was wondering what I've been doing wrong all these years.

7:06 AM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

"Yes, they knew what they were doing because they created the character, but I doubt they wanted to be the only ones working on the characters. Certainly they had no
Yes, Daffy Duck was a darn-fool duck who just didn't give a darn who became a song and dance comedian as you said Ricardo, but he also became, in his later years, a greedy, arrogant, selfish character who became more involved in protecting his own skin than looking out for others before, at least in recent years, finally taking center stage as a star that combined all of those elements. Bugs Bunny was largely Daffy Duck in a rabbit suit who evolved into a Grouchoesque wise-acre and tempered into a calm, refined, unenergetic husk before retiring into the role of a mute mascot."

That is definitely a downward spiral in the characters which unfortunately did occur under the creators. Bugs and Daffy in the 50's and 60's were not nearly as strong characters as they were in the 1940's. They still had their charisma but not nearly as fun.


"Look at another medium, comic books, for example."

It's sad you limit comic books to super heroes; The most superficial characters in the medium. I really don't think they are worth dissecting. Not to say I don't enjoy them, like the 1970's Batman comics before it became dull and lifeless dreck it is today. What about Carl Barks or Al Taliaferro ?



"but I doubt they wanted to be the only ones working on the characters. Certainly they had no idea that those characters would live beyond their lifetimes, let alone find places on television or the internet. If they did, I doubt they'd want to be the only ones to tell stories of the characters they created. "

I don't know why you would possibly assume that. A lot of them spent their final years making sure people knew they created the characters and originated their personalities; Chuck Jones most of all who bashed all those dumb revivals and bastardizations anyway.


"What are you afraid of, that the new productions would wipe out the existence of the original shorts?"

Ignorance. My point is there is no point of going back to do things with these characters that has already been accomplished. Like I said in a previous post, these artists should be allowed to create new characters. These characters are not just old suits people can dust off and take over; People like you fail to realize this.

7:14 AM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

Sorry, I kind of fudged the first part of your comment there Jeff.

7:18 AM  
Blogger Craig Something said...

Ok, I'd really like to know what Bugs' feet are all about. I don't understand why someone would take something they specifically like about the character and change it. It's like really liking Bullwinkle's antlers and so specifically turning them into tiny bulbs. Why turn his feet into what look like upside down bowls and how is that suppose to "look awesome in a walk cycle and be really fun to animate"? Did you mean to say EASIER to animate? Because that would make far more sense.

8:35 AM  
Blogger Jeff Harris said...

"That is definitely a downward spiral in the characters which unfortunately did occur under the creators. Bugs & Daffy in the 50's and 60's were not nearly as strong characters as they were in the 1940's. They still had their charisma but not nearly as fun."

You said they knew what they were doing. But, as in life, the creators matured, and their characters aged with them. The manic spirit that existed in the '30s and '40s eased up a bit in the '50s and a lot in the '60s. The creators weren't young anymore. They were now old men, and that listlessness showed in their later works.

"It's sad you limit comic books to super heroes; The most superficial characters in the medium."

Wow. You just marginalized an entire industry, one I'm proud to be a part of, with that asinine, myopic, moronic comment.

I used superheroes as an example. Surely I could have talked about Bloom & Montana's Archie titles, which also had similar, yet slower evolutions, but if it wasn't for DeCarlo's contributions, Archie would still look & feel like their 1940s counterparts. Even the Sabrina comics by del Rio, which deviated from DeCarlo's standards, were warmly appreciated by the fans.

"I really don't think they are worth dissecting."

Why not? Because you don't feel as passionately about them as you do about the golden age shorts? OK

"What about Carl Barks or Al Taliaferro ?"

What about David Álvarez & Scott Shaw!?

"I don't know why you would possibly assume that."

I don't know why you wouldn't possibly assume that.

"A lot of them spent their final years making sure people knew they created the characters and originated their personalities"

But they also acknowledged that the future generation were going to handle those characters, and by the 1990s, the atmosphere was changing, and people that actually gave a damn about the characters were coming into WBA, rebuilding the once-dormant company from the ground up and the blessings of the creators before them.

"Chuck Jones most of all who bashed all those dumb revivals and bastardizations anyway."

And yet, he participated in the revival of the theatrical shorts department. Superior Duck was terrible.

"Ignorance."

Perhaps, but that's how a lot of you people are reacting to the new series, as if its very existence is going to ruin your view on Looney Tunes altogether. That's a bit thin-skinned.

9:29 AM  
Blogger Jeff Harris said...

"My point is there is no point of going back to do things with these characters that has already been accomplished."

Nobody's reinventing the wheel. Nobody's trying to take away what those characters have already accomplished, and it's foolish to think otherwise.

"Like I said in a previous post, these artists should be allowed to create new characters."

Who said they won't? Animaniacs happened because of Tiny Toons. Who's to say something new won't come after The Looney Tunes Show? You have to make a small step before you make a big leap, and this is a small step. But the thing is even if those artists do create new characters, people like you will STILL complain about them, calling them Looney Tunes wannabes and such, degrading them based on a promo pic alone without even seeing those characters in action. The creators are damned in the eyes of acolytes like you that will hate whatever they make.

And don't say you won't, because THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW! You're damning the show, and yet you've only seen one pic from it.

"These characters are not just old suits people can dust off and take over; People like you fail to realize this."

And people like you fail to realize this.

The Looney Tunes have been here longer than you've been alive & they're going to be here long after you draw your final breath. People are going put their own spin on the characters, whether you like it or not. But they're not going to replace the original classics. The sooner you'll realize newer interpretations of characters created over 70 years ago can co-exist with the original theatrical shorts, the saner you & others that just fear change will be.

9:30 AM  
Blogger nickramer said...

While I,m still not sure of the design, Jessica, I admit you can draw better than me. I can't even do a frontal pose of Daffy because of his beak. I just hope they get the right writers for this project like Earl Kress.

Also, I wouldn't mind if you would work on a new Yogi Bear show. It would be a better revsion than a live-action film that is obviously going to flop. You could use Ed Benidict style designs and I wouldn't even mind if you don't want to do a model sheet for Ranger Smith.

And don't mind Ricardo. He likes to stretch his opinion too much and thinks animation dosen't work anymore.

9:44 AM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

"You said they knew what they were doing. But, as in life, the creators matured, and their characters aged with them. The manic spirit that existed in the '30s and '40s eased up a bit in the '50s and a lot in the '60s. The creators weren't young anymore. They were now old men, and that listlessness showed in their later works."

Nobody on their game forever. It's like me saying James Cagney was just as great in Yankee Doodle Dandle as he was confined to a wheel chair in his final years in last film, The Terrible Joe Moran. I also don't think Humphrey Bogart would have been all too great if he managed live till 90.

"And yet, he participated in the revival of the theatrical shorts department. Superior Duck was terrible."

Again, no is on top of their game forever. I don't excuse anyone from falling from grace. Bob Clampett after he left Warners could never reach what he did before. Yeah, you could probably blame the downfall of the medium but still, it was a rather steep decline.

"Wow. You just marginalized an entire industry, one I'm proud to be a part of, with that asinine, myopic, moronic comment."

"Why not? Because you don't feel as passionately about them as you do about the golden age shorts? OK"

Sorry you feel offended but that's how I feel, they are all very gimmicky. An un-ending list of drawn out story-arcs with their relevance wiped out about every year or so, very simple stories that mostly rely on "super powers" of said character", and of course the non-stop brooding and whining from every single character which has gotten even worse these days. There isn't a single super comic story or character that could surpass the men I mentioned. Now get me wrong, does that mean I don't appreciate the actually artwork ? No. However, these "super heros" are merely empty shells; Those are the empty suits, not Bugs and Daffy.


"But they also acknowledged that the future generation were going to handle those characters, and by the 1990s, the atmosphere was changing, and people that actually gave a damn about the characters were coming into WBA, rebuilding the once-dormant company from the ground up and the blessings of the creators before them."

There is a huge difference between acknowledging the inevitable and encouraging it.

"What about David Álvarez & Scott Shaw!?"

I don't understand your point here.

9:56 AM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

9:56 AM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

"Nobody's reinventing the wheel. Nobody's trying to take away what those characters have already accomplished, and it's foolish to think otherwise."

You once again misinterpret me. I am not saying things will be taken away or replaced. I am saying a potential has already been reached that does not be explored any further. Also that these characters were not empty shells or suits that could just be filled by anyone. I again cite an equal absurdity of bringing back a classic actor in the form of CGI or rotoscope; It's the same thing.


"Who said they won't? Animaniacs happened because of Tiny Toons."

I find it hilarious you think those insipid characters were created by honest to goodness cartoonists. Cow and Chicken, Courage The Cowardly Dog, and Ren and Stimpy were created by cartoonists; not by writers who don't know anything about cartoons or board room executives. Or I should say in the case those shows you mentioned; egotistical directors who want make a mark on a medium they have no business in.


"The Looney Tunes have been here longer than you've been alive & they're going to be here long after you draw your final breath. People are going put their own spin on the characters, whether you like it or not. But they're not going to replace the original classics. The sooner you'll realize newer interpretations of characters created over 70 years ago can co-exist with the original theatrical shorts, the saner you & others that just fear change will be."

For a so called "Genius" you consistently fail to interpret what I say. You are putting your own spin on what I say. Ever considered a career in political talk radio ? I recommend W-ABC.

10:06 AM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

"And don't mind Ricardo. He likes to stretch his opinion too much and thinks animation dosen't work anymore."

Why don't you just address me directly coward ?

10:11 AM  
Blogger nickramer said...

"Why don't you just address me directly coward ?"

See, now you attitude is the reason why you got in trouble in some of the forms.

Heck, you stressed your opinion so much that it offends people like me.

11:08 AM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

"See, now you attitude is the reason why you got in trouble in some of the forms."

How do you want to react when you make a backhanded comment like the one you just did ? Did you want me to thank you for insulting me ?

11:10 AM  
Blogger nickramer said...

Oops, I meant fourms.

11:10 AM  
Blogger nickramer said...

"How do you want to react when you make a backhanded comment like the one you just did ? Did you want me to thank you for insulting me ?"

Well, you just insulted another member.

11:12 AM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

11:16 AM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

Actually never mind just leave me alone you idiot.

11:19 AM  
Blogger Jeff Harris said...

"Nobody on their game forever."

So, do you feel that when they realized they weren't on their game, they should have just ended everything right on the spot?

"Sorry you feel offended but that's how I feel, they are all very gimmicky."

Again, your opinion, not fact. One could argue that many of the great cartoons of the golden age are also very gimmicky. What's Opera Doc? is an overrated, very gimmicky short, but the animation community would bury me alive if I said it out loud.

"There isn't a single super comic story or character that could surpass the men I mentioned."

Probably not. At least, not in your eyes. I could give you a list of stand-alone titles, but there's a 4096-character limit. I do want you to check out a Superman story called "For The Man Who Has Everything" by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons,

"Now get me wrong..."

Sarcasm is not the rapier of wit its wielders seem to believe it to be. Rex Stout.

"However, these "super heros" are merely empty shells; Those are the empty suits, not Bugs and Daffy."

You're stating these opinions as if they're facts. But looking at how the characters were treated in the last decade of the original WBA, weren't Daffy and Bugs treated as empty suits by Freleng and Jones, the two so-called masters of the craft?

"There is a huge difference between acknowledging the inevitable and encouraging it."

So, if you had your way, they would just stop producing anything featuring the Looney Tunes characters. But here's the thing. Should only one group of people be the only ones to present those characters? And if they aren't, does it really take away from the greatness of the originals?

"I don't understand your point here."

When I named Mr. Álvarez and Mr. Shaw!, I used them in parallel to Mr. Banks and Mr. Taliaferro. Your Disney comic artists of yore to my Looney Tunes comic artists of today. That's the point.

12:38 PM  
Blogger nickramer said...

Ignoring that last remark.

I have one more question for Jessica, did you design Tweety as a boy or a girl? I'm asking that because the marketing group keeps thinking the bird is a girl when he's really a boy (See "Bad Ol' Puddy Tat" (1949) as evidence).

12:59 PM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

"So, do you feel that when they realized they weren't on their game, they should have just ended everything right on the spot?"

I can't blame them not to go on.

"Again, your opinion, not fact. One could argue that many of the great cartoons of the golden age are also very gimmicky. What's Opera Doc? is an overrated, very gimmicky short, but the animation community would bury me alive if I said it out loud."

Yes like everything you say is your opinion as well. Anyway believe or not, I don't really care for What's Opera Doc ? either.

"I do want you to check out a Superman story called "For The Man Who Has Everything" by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons"

I actually did read that one. It's one of those rare super hero comic book stories with some actual substance.

"You're stating these opinions as if they're facts.But looking at how the characters were treated in the last decade of the original WBA, weren't Daffy and Bugs treated as empty suits by Freleng and Jones, the two so-called masters of the craft?"


I am sorry but I have read a lot super hero comics and their personalities don't amount to much. The personal angst varies and the costumes are different but that dosen't amount to character. If you disagree with me, fine. Now as to your another remark, no I don't they were empty suits at that point. I said they devolved but they still retained some of their charisma. They made sort of a comeback in the 60's with the Bugs Bunny show and those great commercials.

"Sarcasm is not the rapier of wit its wielders seem to believe it to be. Rex Stout."

I wasn't being sarcastic.


"So, if you had your way, they would just stop producing anything featuring the Looney Tunes characters."

Your finally getting it. Just release the classics on the home video market.

"But here's the thing. Should only one group of people be the only ones to present those characters? And if they aren't, does it really take away from the greatness of the originals?"

Yes and for the billionth time, that is not what I am saying.

"When I named Mr. Álvarez and Mr. Shaw!, I used them in parallel to Mr. Banks and Mr. Taliaferro. Your Disney comic artists of yore to my Looney Tunes comic artists of today. That's the point."


I suggest making a better comparison. I really can't believe you are comparing modern day Looney tunes comics to Carl BARKS or Al Taliaferro. In general, Looney Tunes comics have been pretty terrible since day one. They were very boring stories with very flaccid, but well drawn, counterparts of the cartoon stars.

12:59 PM  
Blogger Jeff Harris said...

"You once again misinterpret me. I am not saying things will be taken away or replaced. I am saying a potential has already been reached that does not be explored any further."

Forgive me if I'm seeing that arrogant opinion on your part. You want no one else to even try to tell a story featuring characters created over 70 years ago. The world has remained the same, and those shorts remain on top of society and pop cultural trends that remained unchanged for 70 years. There are no more stories to tell.

I don't have to like it, but I could use sarcasm too.

"I again cite an equal absurdity of bringing back a classic actor in the form of CGI or rotoscope; It's the same thing."

No it's not. The fact is people want to adapt the characters to today's society, and it's easier to do so because they're not flesh and blood. They don't age. They're cartoons. They aren't a relic from a lost civilization nor should they be deitified. They're not people. They're characters owned by Warner Bros. Dr. Hugo Z. Hackenbush is a character. Groucho Marx is a person. WB is free to do whatever they want to with the characters they own.

"I find it hilarious you think those insipid characters were created by honest to goodness cartoonists. Or I should say in the case those shows you mentioned; egotistical directors who want make a mark on a medium they have no business in."

Tell me, what flavor does John K. Kool-Aid taste like? I must know.

And also, egotistical directors? Like John Kricfalusi?

"For a so called "Genius" you consistently fail to interpret what I say. You are putting your own spin on what I say."

As do you. You've painted me as some kind of novice who doesn't have the acumen to appreciate animation, the knowledge of the medium as a whole, and all but called me an idiot for at least trying to give a new production featuring characters I've grown up with a chance.

But you're the one who's responding to me instead of just letting well enough alone when you really didn't have to.

Genius is nothing else than a great aptitude for patience. George-Louis du Buffon. I could do this all day.

1:06 PM  
Blogger Jeff Harris said...

"I can't blame them not to go on."

Okay. Why?

"Yes like everything you say is your opinion as well."

I know. I'm willing to admit that these are opinions. Nobody's going to agree with everything I say, nor do I expect them to.

"Anyway believe or not, I don't really care for What's Opera Doc ? either."

See, common ground. Perhaps there could be peace in the Middle East after all.

"I actually did read that one. It's one of those rare super hero comic book stories with some actual substance."

More common ground. It's a Christmas miracle.

"I am sorry but I have read a lot super hero comics and their personalities don't amount to much. The personal angst varies and the costumes are different but that doesn't amount to character. If you disagree with me, fine."

I don't disagree with you entirely. I just find it kind of odd that you've pretty much written off ALL superhero comics as a whole of being nothing more than whiny brats with parent issues playing dress-up. Batman and Spider-Man certainly fall into that category. But not all comics fall under that category. I don't know if you've ever read any of the Milestone titles, Frank Miller's run on Daredevil or his Sin City titles, Jack Cole's original Plastic Man run, Kyle Baker's recent Plastic Man run, or Neil Gaiman's Sandman. The mainstream stuff is pretty pedestrian, but superheroics are a lot more than what the media still thinks it is.

"I don't they were empty suits at that point. I said they devolved but they still retained some of their charisma. They made sort of a comeback in the 60's with the Bugs Bunny show and those great commercials."

Yeah, they were good pitchmen, but they weren't characters anymore. The shorts themselves were lacking to say the least in the final years. The less said about the Daffy-Speedy shorts, the better. They were, to use Greg Ford's term, pale stereotypes of themselves in the 60s and 70s.

"I wasn't being sarcastic."

Again, forgive for thinking otherwise. That "now get me wrong" comment struck me as a bit sarcastic, cynical, and a wee bit condescending.

"Your finally getting it. Just release the classics on the home video market."

You may think I'm crazy, but I agree with that too. You what else I'd love to see? The classics actually on television. As much as I am looking forward to the new shorts, I would rather see the originals back on American television in multiple timeslots where more people could watch them, not just the late morning weekday slot in their last broadcast life on Cartoon Network. Perhaps if people actually watched the newer stuff, both WB and Cartoon Network would see a reason to bring the classics back to the airwaves.

1:27 PM  
Blogger Jeff Harris said...

"I suggest making a better comparison. I really can't believe you are comparing modern day Looney tunes comics to Carl BARKS or Al Taliaferro. "

First of all, you're knocking me for misspelling Barks as Banks when you typed "Now as to your another remark" It's an honest mistake, and I meant no disrespect. Read those Gladstone Comics when I was a kid and enjoyed them, though to be honest, I was more of a WB fan than a Disney fan.

Second, alright, bad examples. I could have easily named Tintin's Hergé, Pogo's Walt Kelly or Bone's Jeff Smith, the latter of which has created a wonderful world out with nods to Hergé, Kelly, and Barks, over Alvarez and Shaw.

1:41 PM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

"No it's not. The fact is people want to adapt the characters to today's society, and it's easier to do so because they're not flesh and blood. They don't age. They're cartoons. They aren't a relic from a lost civilization nor should they be deitified. They're not people. They're characters owned by Warner Bros. Dr. Hugo Z. Hackenbush is a character. Groucho Marx is a person. WB is free to do whatever they want to with the characters they own."

"Forgive me if I'm seeing that arrogant opinion on your part. You want no one else to even try to tell a story featuring characters created over 70 years ago. The world has remained the same, and those shorts remain on top of society and pop cultural trends that remained unchanged for 70 years. There are no more stories to tell. "

Let me just answer these two statements with the following:

Bugs Bunny existed in the hearts in minds among the numerous people who worked on those cartoons. Bugs Bunny slowed down because the people who created him slowed down, they fell off their peak. Just like any actor. Bugs Bunny is dead and he is not coming back. Sure anyone can teach anyone how to draw and animate but to anticipate what their move would be in an entirely original scenario is a whole different story. I think all characters, live action or animated, need to be retired at some point. I don't want to see new Bugs Bunny anymore then I want to see a new Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot mystery.


"As do you. You've painted me as some kind of novice who doesn't have the acumen to appreciate animation"

I think you just need listen what I have to say just as I am listening to you. The line of communication is improving.


"Okay. Why?"

Because they are human. They wouldn't roll down their sleeves and say "I am done" even if they knew they no longer were at their zeniths; And I am pretty sure they did.

"Tell me, what flavor does John K. Kool-Aid taste like? I must know.

And also, egotistical directors? Like John Kricfalusi?"

Classic low-blow. John K. hates animaniacs and tiny toons so I must be some sort of Kricfalusi sycophant. Can you honestly tell me who created any those awful characters ? No. Tiny Toons were simply kiddy 90's counterparts of the originals and The Warner Bros. and Sister were just cliches. All those characters were created by writers who don't know jack about cartoons or idiotic executives. Notice how I said writers who don't know cartoons as opposed to writers who can't draw, BTW. Huge difference.

Anyway I think John K. is an egotist as well as Steven Speilberg who always makes sure his name is mentioned first in the credits of cartoons or films he served as producer.

3:10 PM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

Continued:

"Yeah, they were good pitchmen, but they weren't characters anymore. The shorts themselves were lacking to say the least in the final years. The less said about the Daffy-Speedy shorts, the better. They were, to use Greg Ford's term, pale stereotypes of themselves in the 60s and 70s."

Oh god, I hate those Daffy and Speedy shorts. You are right they were reduced pitchmen but you do have to have a personality in order to be a good one. The magic still remained but it was a lot more conservative.

"I just find it kind of odd that you've pretty much written off ALL superhero comics as a whole of being nothing more than whiny brats with parent issues playing dress-up."

Yes well that is how I feel. Though I have not read the comics you stated I can't help but think I would still be somewhat justified in my own opinion if I did. I read Batman, Spider-Man, Green Hornet, etc. and I think they are just so black and white. Read Carl Barks' The Golden Helmet sometime, that to me illustrates why those comics are so superior. The protagonist, Donald, truly has nothing but his will to aid him to save North America and almost are corrupted by the temptation to own the country.

"First of all, you're knocking me for misspelling Barks as Banks when you typed "Now as to your another remark" It's an honest mistake, and I meant no disrespect."

Fair enough.

3:10 PM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

One last thing, does Sin City fall in line in that category of superheroes ?

3:17 PM  
Blogger logic said...

You're such an amazing artist...I'm in love.
I grew up watching the old Looney Tunes and look forward to your newer versions. When is it gonna happen?

11:34 PM  
Blogger Chris Graf said...

i find it funny that 95% of the people who have a problem with your designs have little to no artistic leg to stand on. I think they look great. I love the slight changes.
Besides, a few different proportions now aren't going to ruin my childhood love for the original cartoon.
Great job Jess :)
(speaking of proportions...how blown out of proportion is this?? seriously)

5:21 AM  
Blogger Jessica said...

Tweety is a boy in the new show.

8:22 AM  
Blogger Jessica said...

nickramer and Ricardo play nice! No name calling on my blog wall! (:

8:30 AM  
Blogger Jessica said...

@Chris Graf, I totally agree!!!!! I thought It would get a few people talking ,,,,,but WOW I never thought people would get personally offfended and outraged.Crazy world this intrenet is.

8:33 AM  
Blogger Jeff Harris said...

"Bugs Bunny existed in the hearts in minds among the numerous people who worked on those cartoons. Bugs Bunny slowed down because the people who created him slowed down, they fell off their peak. Just like any actor. Bugs Bunny is dead and he is not coming back. I think all characters, live action or animated, need to be retired at some point. I don't want to see new Bugs Bunny anymore then I want to see a new Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot mystery."

I understand that viewpoint. I do. One of the things I'm not too thrilled about the whole Hollywood machine is that they put a halt on original ideas for some odd reason. They recycle, remake, and alter preexisting characters and situations. Sometimes it works, most times it doesn't. I wasn't a fan of the previous two retreads of the Looney Tunes characters (Baby Looney Tunes and Loonatics) because they deviated the formula way too much by making them something they weren't. Sure, three other shows (Taz-Mania, Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries, and Duck Dodgers) did likewise, but somehow, they were successful and fun. Somehow, the creators of the latter three were inspired to create something at least in the spirit of the original shorts that caused folks to become drawn to them while those others bombed because they weren't good.

I think the whole reason for the segments in The Bugs Bunny Show was to show that the creators acknowledged that a newer generation was beginning to find the shorts they made, so they made the segments as bridging elements for the original shorts, a role I wouldn't mind them being today. That's an idea, but one, sadly, Warner Bros. never considered. Would be nice though.

"Because they are human. They wouldn't roll down their sleeves and say "I am done" even if they knew they no longer were at their zeniths; And I am pretty sure they did."

I think Clampett did. Avery, Freleng, and Jones worked until their deaths for the most part.

9:32 AM  
Blogger Jeff Harris said...

"Classic low-blow. John K. hates animaniacs and tiny toons so I must be some sort of Kricfalusi sycophant. Can you honestly tell me who created any those awful characters ? "

Sorry if I see you as such and you feel offended by that, but you are echoing a lot of the spiel he's putting out there in the open. I wouldn't classify the Animaniacs characters awful. Derivative, maybe, but not awful. But I'll agree that Tiny Toons is awful. It put the familiar characters in an awkward role of educators to a group of pint-sized Technicolor dopplegangers that tried too hard to be cool and yet failed at actually being funny. There were a few chuckles, but they, and Animaniacs, are too Hollywood-centric with too many in-jokes the industry wags will laugh at but the average viewer won't get/like.

"Anyway I think John K. is an egotist as well as Steven Speilberg who always makes sure his name is mentioned first in the credits of cartoons or films he served as producer."

I didn't say John K. is the only egotist out there. As much as I like most of Spielberg's works, he was mostly a floating head that did nothing at all but pay part of the check for the series he didn't create.

"Yes well that is how I feel."

That's how I feel too. I write and draw my own comics because, largely, I'm sick of the whole paradigm save a few standouts. I do like the fact that people can create their own characters, I also enjoy how they put their own spin of the familiar, iconic characters created over 70 years ago. I'd just wish some characters would break out of their "daddy issues" and such. That's just as grating.

"Read Carl Barks' The Golden Helmet sometime."

I will. And check out Daredevil: Born Again or the Bone Omnibus. The former is a tale about what happens when a hero's life is taken apart one piece at a time while the latter, which is probably more up your alley, is a Tolkenesque tale of fantasy, humor, and heroism.

"One last thing, does Sin City fall in line in that category of superheroes?"

Yeah, it would. Read The Hard Goodbye. Marv is a superhero in the truest sense without the costume. He's a bigger, crazier Wolverine, without the claws and costume.

9:33 AM  
Blogger Roberto González said...

You know, I kinda agree with Ricardo's point about the Looney Tunes being attached to their creators, and not being really necessary to bring them back. But this is Warner Bros' flaw, if anything, I don't believe bringing these characters back had been Jessica's decision or any other artists' for that matter. Thing is they are going to do it anyway, there had been a lot of series already, so the point is " Is this gonna be one of the worst?". It doesn't look like that. Very few people complained about "Duck Dodgers", cause it was pretty respectful with the characters. It wasn't fantastic but it portrayed the same characters and most of the episodes of that series were better than, say, "Superior Duck" or the Daffy-Speedy Gonzales cartoons.

I actually liked "Tiny Toons" too. Terrible concept, yes, but pretty good execution because the artists involved were good. "Animaniacs" was highly irregular and some characters were not very interesting, but others were pretty good. "Pinky and The Brain" was a brilliant concept, the execution wasn't always the best, but the concept of two laboratory mices trying to take over the world is pure genius.

I feel stronger about Looney Tunes than I feel about other cartoons, cause I believe they have the most defined personalities. But I don't have any reservation about most of what Disney has done with Mickey, Donald and Goofy. I believe they have done mostly decent things with them. "Mickey's Runaway Brain" short was brilliant and I don't regret they did it at all.

I also find Spike Brandt's and Tony Cervone's rendition of Tom and Jerry pretty respectful and entertaining.

Like I said, I think it's more difficult to do it with Looney Tunes, cause the direction was more evident. You knew who the directors were when you were watching the cartoons. There was a Jones' Bugs, and a Clampett's Bugs, yet at the same time he kept some simmilarities. Now it's difficult to do a "new" Bugs cause he's always a strange mixture of different things their creators did. I think it's easier with Mickey Mouse since the personality of the directors wasn't so clear.

I also believe it's easier to reinvent a superhero character than a comic one. Changing scenarios or dynamics in a comedy is usually more risky, cause the personalities, the relationship between the characters and the dynamics is what makes the comedy work. It doesn't happen only in cartoons. "Get Smart" new movie doesn't quite work. Steve Carell is a good comic actor, but he's not Don Adams, he doesn't play the same character, and the script change the dynamic too much.

But, anyway, this is all theory. If something is entertaining on its own then it deserves a watch, no matter how great it's the material they're adapting.

10:19 AM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

10:44 AM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

Jeff: I found them awful because they all loud, annoying, and rude. The constant breaking of the fourth wall with the bad writer talk/90's pop culture references and the ear bleeding voices; Rob Paulsen's Yakko especially. The same goes for all the awful characters on that show. I think the only half way decent characters that emerged from that entire era of WBA TV was Pinky and The Brain; Mostly for The Brain.

10:50 AM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

"I think Clampett did. Avery, Freleng, and Jones worked until their deaths for the most part."

Well Tex admitted he burned himself out after he was done with his theatrical career. Though he did work at H-B for the remainder of his life. Clampett I think was more interested in driving the legacy of Beany and Cecil a tad more since he owned the characters; He actually died while on tour to promote the B&C video collection. Though of course Bob always took time making lectures and interviews about the old days.

10:56 AM  
Blogger Jessica said...

I hate to say but when Animaniacs came out in the 1990's I was soooooo excitied!!! I was a kid that was huge in ot classic animaiton but I also liked new WB stuff. I also loved Tiny Toons! YAAAA thats right LOVED THAT SHOW.(:As an artist I can obviously recongize the animation quality and overall feel are below in quality but as a kid I LOVED these shows!

3:38 PM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

"I hate to say but when Animaniacs came out in the 1990's I was soooooo excitied!!!"

QUISLING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:P

Seriously though, I did love all those shows when I was kid. When you are a kid you rarely discriminate your tastes.

4:26 PM  
Blogger Roberto González said...

I actually loved Tiny Toons and Animaniacs too. Now I'm a little more critic about them, but I still think they were good shows. Maybe John K. is right in that they weren't "real cartoons" or "creators driven" but they were entertaining shows for kids, more creative than almost everything else in tv, except for Ren and Stimpy. Perhaps they would have been better if the artists were in charge, but it seems that the executives didn't ruin the product too much. They are not classics, but they are entertaining shows and some of the episodes still stand pretty well nowadays.

I haven't watched a lot of Ralph Bakshi's Mighty Mouse but I fail to see why that cartoon is suposed to be brilliant and Tiny Toons so bad. Both are reinventions of classic cartoons and, apart from the theoretical fact that one show was more "creators driven", I don't think there is such an abysmal difference in the entertainment or quality of the overall product, which is what counts at the end. Of course the original Ren and Stimpy was a lot better than Tiny Toons, but that doesn't make TT or Animaniacs garbage either.

10:38 PM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

For starters, Mighty Mouse didn't rely a on string of cartoon cliches. Seriously, how many times did you see anvils, dynamite, and the word Acme on an average episode of Tiny Toons ? Too many to count probably. Same with most WBA TV cartoons.

Also a bit of hilarious irony, When Tiny Toons mocked Ren and Stimpy, what happened ? The Ren character hit the Stimpy character with a mallet; It just further emphasizes the biggest criticism of the show.

3:35 AM  
Blogger Roberto González said...

>>How many times did you see anvils, dynamite, and the word Acme on an average episode of Tiny Toons ? >>

I don't know why that is such a bad thing. Sometimes it was, but generally anvils and dynamite are fun.

I'd agree that Tiny Toons and Animaniacs were contrived concepts, while Mighty Mouse is just a reinvention of the character that changes some things. Tiny Toons and the Warner Bros segments in Animaniacs (not so much the other characters) were maybe too labored premises. "Kid versions of adult classic cartoons that happen to be their alumns in the Looniversity" and just look like them, or "cartoons that were considered too crazy in the 30s are locked in the studio water tower until today" are a little too desperate concepts to make a wink to the classic era of cartoons.

Similarly, there were very talkative episodes that over explained the jokes, and others based on simple concepts that worked well. The bad Tiny Toons or Animaniacs episodes revolved around overexplanations of cartoons cliches, the best ones were just about the characters in a situation. When the Warner characters visited Hell or a famous historical figure they were fun, when the whole concept was deliberately trying to be too smart by mocking cartoon censorship or something like that, they often became too talkative and very hit and miss.

Both TT and Animaniacs were well animated shows, not all the episodes, but some of them were very fluid and well drawn, especially those animated in TMS entertainment.

On the other hand, Mighty Mouse is generally amusing but it doesn't always work in terms of humor , with the comedy often being more weird than actually funny. And I love weird things, but they are not inherently comic. It's generally amusing show but I won't say the result is as polished as it is in Ren and Stimpy.

So, Animaniacs and TT had flawed premises, probably decided by comittee, but the artists AND writers generaly made a decent work with the individual episodes. The quality of animation changed from one episode to another but it was sometimes very good.

Migthy Mouse had a decent concept that just tried to reinvent a classic character adding some new secondaries and it had some good visual ideas but it was pretty hit and miss in terms of humor and the quality of the animation was good but not spectacular. In fact there are episodes of Tiny Toons that have similar animation to those of MM and some people, like Eddie Fitzgerald, wotked in both shows.

4:48 AM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

"I don't know why that is such a bad thing. Sometimes it was, but generally anvils and dynamite are fun."

Those are tired cartoon cliches and all those WBA shows used them as a crutch.

"Both TT and Animaniacs were well animated shows, not all the episodes, but some of them were very fluid and well drawn, especially those animated in TMS entertainment."

The TMS animation was very stiff and formulaic TV animation and far less inspired then their domestic work.Mighty Mouse's animation was not always great but it had a ton of funny drawings; A rarity in any of those shows you mentioned.

"On the other hand, Mighty Mouse is generally amusing but it doesn't always work in terms of humor , with the comedy often being more weird than actually funny. And I love weird things, but they are not inherently comic. It's generally amusing show but I won't say the result is as polished as it is in Ren and Stimpy."

Really ? I thought it worked a lot of time. The weirdness made it fun and unqiue. Tiny Toons and Animaniacs were very conservative writer cartoons that had to stick to bad Tex Avery.

"So, Animaniacs and TT had flawed premises, probably decided by comittee, but the artists AND writers generaly made a decent work with the individual episodes"

Writers clearly dominated both shows. They came up with the characters and the artists had to listen to them. Bob Camp couldn't stand it along with many other Spumco alumni and just had to leave.

5:40 AM  
Blogger John Dorian said...

Hey Jess, will the show have traditional 2D animation similar to Tiny Toons/Animaniacs and the new Scooby-Doo series, or will it have the same stiff animation like Duck Dodgers and the regular shows?

I'd love for the show to be beautifully animated.

9:08 AM  
Blogger Roberto González said...

Ricardo, I'm not really that informed about the relationship between writers and artists in TTA and Animaniacs, but I've never seen them so dependent to the writing.

Take this episodefor example. It's not worse to Mighty Mouse in animation, and it's even close thematically. The short is equally or more entertaining than a bunch of Migthy Mouse episodes I've seen and the credits tell me the story was created by Bruce Timm and Art Vitello, two artists.

Probably Mighty Mouse's Night Of The Bat-Bat came first, but that doesn't really matter. It's still a well animated and entertaining short apparently written by artists.

This and this are maybe signed by writers but they are fun cartoons with simple premises and good use of characters.

My point is, when watching the show does it really matter if an episode is writen by an artist or a writer? I would qualify those three as good TTA episodes, and I don't really mind who wrote them.

I had read Bruce Timm's interviews that doesn't reflect that he was too unhappy while working on those shows. He recognized that they didn't do their best, but I've never read anyone complaining about being exploited by the writers or the executives.

To me a writer driven show turns out bad when the artists don't contribute at all to the result of the episode and they are condemned that follow the script. I don't think that happens in that examples, most of the gags are dependent of visual humor that still needs an artist that draws funny poses.

It does happen in other episodes of TTA and Animaniacs, and it's especially evident in Freakazoid and obviously in The Simpsons and Family Guy (I do enjoy The Simpsons but it's clearly not "a cartoon").

Well, even though I'll read the answers I will probably end the discussion here...It's too much off topic when this should be about Jessica's work. But at least in this blog is not sacrilege to talk about those shows.

10:35 AM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

"Ricardo, I'm not really that informed about the relationship between writers and artists in TTA and Animaniacs, but I've never seen them so dependent to the writing."

Yes they have. I have watched the extras on that first Animaniacs DVD and it was all writers who had the control; They created the characters and artists had to draw their stupid ideas. I again cite the artists who left to join Spumco; they finally had a place to express their ideas.


"This and this are maybe signed by writers but they are fun cartoons with simple premises and good use of characters."

Those were boring and annoying. What visuals can you analyze from that ? What acting and emotional depth ? Nothing.


"To me a writer driven show turns out bad when the artists don't contribute at all to the result of the episode and they are condemned that follow the script."

Tiny Toons and Animaniacs all over.

11:23 AM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

"But at least in this blog is not sacrilege to talk about those shows."

There are millions of them out there. There is almost no where Golden age cartoons are analyzed and appreciated.

11:25 AM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

"The short is equally or more entertaining than a bunch of Migthy Mouse episodes I've seen and the credits tell me the story was created by Bruce Timm and Art Vitello, two artists."

Then I seriously suggest watching Mighty Mouse again because that short had no funny drawings (minus the great background painting of the villians), gags, and an overall lack of wit. Why was that junk entertaining exactly ? It was a poor man's Great Piggy Bank Robbery.

Mighty's Benefit Plan for example with it's brilliant parody of Alvin and The Chimpmunks with an unhinged Dave; A comedic exploration of pathos about one desperate man who wants his own family. Or the one with Gandy Goose when he couldn't adjust to life after being frozen for 40 years. The show was constant assault of funny gags, drawings, and characters.

11:33 AM  
Blogger Roberto González said...

>>There are millions of them out there. There is almost no where Golden age cartoons are analyzed and appreciated.>>

Maybe there are, but I was talking about John K's blog, which is one of the few I visit.

Anyway, I'm breaking my promise but I'll just say that the fact that me or other people think these shows are entertaining doesn't have anything to do with not appreciating classic cartoons. I have watched tons of classic cartoons and I really appreciate them, yet still fail to see what's so utterly unwatchable in those shows. It may surprise you that someone could enjoy both the classic cartoons and those tv series, but it's possible.

It isn't nostalgia either, there are shows I loved as a kid like Scooby Doo or Flinstones kids that I would find nearly impossible to watch today.

11:47 AM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

"It may surprise you that someone could enjoy both the classic cartoons and those tv series, but it's possible. "

I am sure they can enjoy both but I don't understand the defense of these cartoons. There is stuff I like that I admit I really can't defend: Death Wish III for starters.

"It isn't nostalgia either"

Everyone is blinded by nostalgia to some degree; It's natural.

11:54 AM  
Blogger Roberto González said...

>>Mighty's Benefit Plan for example with it's brilliant parody of Alvin and The Chimpmunks with an unhinged Dave; A comedic exploration of pathos about one desperate man who wants his own family. Or the one with Gandy Goose when he couldn't adjust to life after being frozen for 40 years. The show was constant assault of funny gags, drawings, and characters.>>

I watched both but I should rewatch them. I liked the first one and I think I didn't find the second one too spectacular, but I'm not sure. I remember thinking that the second one had actually a similar concept to those in TTA and Animaniacs (classic character being frozen, locked or retired that has to deal with modern world).:D

11:58 AM  
Blogger Jessica said...

@Eek! Stravaganza
I saw some of the animation from over seas and it was really nice and fluid...didnt seem stiff to me at all! SO we shall see.

12:55 PM  
Blogger Iron maiden said...

hey jesse

I really like the designs of the characters all except bugs bunny,and I want you to know Im a big fan of your work I also want to tell you when your doing the new looney tunes try putting some gag humor cartoons these days rarely ever have gags In it which puzzles me?
also have you ever seen twisted tales of felix If you havent you should really check it out It has alot of funny gags In it

5:00 AM  
Blogger Joe Corrao 4 Eyed Animation said...

Wow just read the comments over at cartoon Brew...amazing! Your stuff is top notch...ya like you needed me to tell you that...keep at it, and as always look forward to seeing more of your work.

8:09 AM  
Blogger Evan Ramsay said...

Good work, lucky you having a crack at this opportunity. I think you're the most qualified and few are as knowledgeable. I like you're characteristic thick lines on the characters.

6:39 PM  
Blogger Craig Something said...

I'd like to hear an answer to my last comment.

3:54 PM  
Blogger Jessica said...

@craigsomething sorry what wwas it???

5:14 PM  
Blogger Craig Something said...

"Ok, I'd really like to know what Bugs' feet are all about. I don't understand why someone would take something they specifically like about the character and change it. It's like really liking Bullwinkle's antlers and so specifically turning them into tiny bulbs. Why turn his feet into what look like upside down bowls and how is that suppose to "look awesome in a walk cycle and be really fun to animate"? Did you mean to say EASIER to animate? Because that would make far more sense."

6:44 PM  
Blogger Joe Corrao 4 Eyed Animation said...

When does this air, and are there clips and teasers anywhere to be seen?

12:25 AM  
Blogger Joe Corrao 4 Eyed Animation said...

I bet there was the same type and level of outrage when they started drawing Jesus as a white guy...

12:35 AM  
Blogger Jessica said...

@craig someting
Oh...wait your the guy that was really rude.I don't really want to talk to someone who threatened to punch me and called me a sick name.Talk like a big boy please.Plus a sorry would be appreciated
(:

2:34 AM  
Blogger Craig said...

Craig Something...

Really? What kind of a man threatens a female with violence over a cartoon? You're pathetic.

To all the Ricardo's...honestly, don't you have something better to do? If you put as much time into your drawings as you do re-posting quotes...you'd be a design ninja I'm certain.

Jess, I've always loved your work. You're a great talent, and I'm certain kids will love the new series.

2:21 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have mixed feelings about this, but not on your end, more so on the other people's.

The re-designs range from decent to good, the one good thing about Looney Tunes as a friend of mine pointed out is that the series kept changing in style which always made it something new. And I don't care what the style is, could be scribbly or anime, as long as it captures the essence of the character that's what matters. Btw, I always disliked Sylvester but you made him look quite interesting here!

I think the true essence of any character comes down to story and how they react within it. Which is why I like Tiny Tunes as it's different but respectful take on LT, but dislike Loonatics and and Toon Babies or whatever it's called. They took the essence out of the characters.

I'll give this show a chance, just because I believe in anything being good if done right. But we shall see!

2:22 PM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

"To all the Ricardo's...honestly, don't you have something better to do? If you put as much time into your drawings as you do re-posting quotes...you'd be a design ninja I'm certain."

Let me understand your "logic" here. Are you saying re-posting quotes consumes a lot of time ? Especially when you can just copy and paste like I with yours?

11:22 AM  
Blogger Ricardo Cantoral said...

There are alot of very unfortunates posting here, especially Craig who seems to think he can just make snaps at people and pleased to get away with it.

12:37 PM  
Blogger Richie said...

Jessica, I'm a 18 years old guy from Mexico who, while knowing more about classic cartoons than your average teenager, is kind of a casual viewer on ocassion. I really don't see a problem with your designs; you put your own spin on them, just as the directors did back on the day.

Your blog really lets me feel how much fun you're having on this series, how much passion you're feeling for this project. I think having fun while one's working can make a big difference on the product's quality...So I expect good things to come here!

Also, you have my eternal respect for the way you have handled the criticism, be it constructive or just trolling in disguise. You go, Jessica Lynn! =D

1:34 PM  
Blogger Corey said...

The designs are great. They are not the old designs, which are also great, but I think they gave the job to a capable artist!

Good job handling the 'blog-swarmers' as I call them; people with too many opinions and no skill!

Look forward to seeing more designs.

4:34 AM  
Blogger aok said...

Holy cats! Amazing, and congrats Jess!

2:53 AM  
Blogger R.Law said...

Why is Bugs Bunny magenta?

4:06 PM  
Blogger John Dorian said...

Hey Jess, what animation studio(s) are providing the animation?


And, are Petunia's eyes blue in the picture?

12:17 PM  
Blogger MikeBelanger said...

Its a helluva lot better than those weird angular versions that came out just a few years ago.

Waaay better./

2:40 PM  
Blogger ozwalled said...

What I don't like about that still most of all is the water droplet type texture being WAY overused. Just looks lazy to me. :/

3:32 AM  
Blogger JayhawkKim said...

Working in animation in LA, I've seen all too often all the venomous cynicism and jealousy ferment this industry. Especially on CB and the Animation Union comment section where people can hide behind an Anonymous mask. People here will take any way to make themselves feel better by putting other people down. I hope their comments will not discourage you from becoming the you full artist you can be.

8:45 PM  
Blogger Carlos Del Pino said...

I love what you did with them! people need to get a life....i honestly think everyone who is criticizing this is doing it out of envy...i'd kill for that job! ha! i mean who wouldn't??

4:25 PM  
Blogger H2O589 said...

Why exactly does Bugs look so much older now?

11:06 AM  
Blogger Rootay said...

I think it's great that you're getting to do something that you loved as a kid! I love hearing stories of how, say, an actor would end up playing the role of a character that he or she loved as a child and inspired them to act.
Surely this must be a dream come true for you? I think the characters look great, and if YOU think they look great, then they'll BE great!
As a lot of people have already said, many people don't like change, but I think it's refreshing!

Well done!!

9:42 PM  
Blogger Jessica said...

@Rootay
Thanks for your kind words!It has been a dream come true for me! Im so honored to work withthese icons
JEss

2:28 AM  
Blogger WillWright said...

like the designs! its always fun reading negative feedback too. Hardcore animation fans are the whiniest babies of when they don't get their way.

11:02 PM  
Blogger Matt Shepherd said...

holy crap 176 comments, thats bananas. YOu should come out with an " art of book " or something. With this kind of traffic I'm sure you could turn a small profit, if not, make a cool art of book.

Sort of like that fragments book, team up with another wicked artist that complements your style and hash out a book....Just sayin'

4:54 AM  
Blogger Maria Tal said...

As a kid, I totally love "The Looney Tunes Show". I enjoyed its humor. What you did is simply amazing! It is good to see a fresh new look with my favorite characters. Personally, I think product redesign is a great move for companies. It will give people something to talk about, which is good in marketing. I don't know why a lot of business people are afraid of change. I see businesses, having a small production, running to manufacturers or advertising firm for redesign consultation. It certainly boost their sales. Most definitely, redesigning a product is a great decision for companies wanting a fresh new look and at the same time, publicity.

2:27 PM  
Blogger Sildargod said...

Those that count the least scream the loudest. I'm all for the change, and I love the direction you're taking the looney toons in.
I wish you luck with this and I know the new designs will come to be loved.

2:33 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I really like what you've done. It's a great resurrection the old toons we loved. Nay-sayers who are too attached to their old things never move forward. How can we go anywhere if we're always stuck in the past?

12:48 PM  
Blogger Boomstone said...

I had heard about you doing the redesign but not seen it until today. Nice work. Love the character enhancements Jessica.

Lee Williams
boomstone.com
twitter: @boomstone

7:44 AM  
Blogger you go girl! said...

it looks like there chilin nice work you go girl :)

7:34 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

You did a great job Jessica! I'm sorry you're getting so much flack from assholes on the web :(

6:10 AM  
Blogger mr.poem said...

I love the designs of the characters. Ignore those haters! your doing great!

1:23 PM  
Blogger Clayton said...

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6:57 AM  
Blogger Clayton said...

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6:57 AM  
Blogger Clayton said...

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7:12 AM  
Blogger Clayton said...

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7:21 AM  
Blogger Clayton said...

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7:37 AM  
Blogger Clayton said...

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7:40 AM  
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7:49 AM  
Blogger Clayton said...

i think your job of re disigne the looneey tunes show was great and thanks if it was your idea to introduce the female charectres like lola tina and petunia i liked the fact thatthe girls do not have semi closed eyes but full open that makes them more ''human''

i think your job of re disigne the looneey tunes show was great and thanks if it was your idea to introduce the female charectres like lola tina and petunia i liked the fact thatthe girls do not have semi closed eyes but full open that makes them more ''human''

i wold like to see more disignes of all the looney tunes espesilly tina bugs lola granny and petunia because the only imige i saw was a really small one and in the episodes intro petunia isn't the most charecter that is seen keep going on like this and ignore people who say your digsines arenot good or they are ugly etc because they are a levil grater than than good better and best o my i am dooing like lola i can't stop talking lol

sorry for taling you about your mistake but tweety was allways a boy and he got a girl friend called ahooga in tweety high fliying adventure but i surly agree 100% with u when you replied to crag somthing and replide politly your great in all aspects

hope you will reply and sorry if i take any mistakes in my english

7:50 AM  
Blogger Clayton said...

oh and i aunderstand if you cant say when will tina russo duck will appere but i would realy want to see any of the origiinal digsines of the looney tunes thanks ,and a question is tina ''copied'' from melissa duck or she is a hole new invention

8:11 AM  
Blogger Clayton said...

oh and i aunderstand if you cant say when will tina russo duck will appere but i would realy want to see any of the origiinal digsines of the looney tunes thanks ,and a question is tina ''copied'' from melissa duck or she is a hole new invention

8:12 AM  
Blogger Clayton said...

just a question i think yes the show will be animated traditinally but the tail of the computer will surly be in because i think the program used is flipbook and it is very easy to cange out lines with this program + somthing telling me this is the fact that tina was coloured white with purple hair than in few days every thing changes and i think animaters didn't start re coloring i thing they just changed the colour down in the colour bar and ALL the animation were tina was in changed isn't it true do not lie

8:27 AM  
Blogger Clayton said...

can you tell me witch charecter of all the looney tunes do you like best a girl and a boy

8:36 AM  
Blogger Clayton said...

why was tina russo duck name changed from marisol to tina and is her name tina russo duck or tina russo or it is the same

6:14 PM  
Blogger Clayton said...

please reply to me
too all my questions:'
thanks and sorry for make you bored but i rially want to have an ans:) and when you say traditianally animation wath do you mean?:. and i read that you don't like making animation i think because you have to repeat the sma thing 1000 of those times but try flip book and see how you go with it ,it is pretty good and easy to use even the coloures are easyr to change and to find because they are in the bar billow and you don't have top change colour every time you just let it there untill you do want to re use it;)

7:11 PM  
Blogger Clayton said...

is witch lezah witch hazel because ("Lezah" is "Hazel" spelled backwards)was it an other of your invenions to make her a mother of a hairy monster gossomer he is so grat he is a kid and i liked too the way yopu dressed emma /granny and her hair it is more rialistis with the highlightes i think if you are going to make an other season that will probably happen introduse ahooga bird and all looney tunes will appear i am glad that now all the looney tunes are in the show girls and boys

7:29 PM  
Blogger Clayton said...

when you said this wnen you were talking with Mike Valiquette you said''YAAAAA. Huge. If I didn’t have it I would feel like I didn’t get to say something important. Like I didn’t get to show people “this is what’s going on in my brain……what do you think?”''i agree 100 % i also try to make animation but when i come to the end of it i become so excited of what will come out that i start to draw in a way that is not my way i start to cut the line etc and then i don't know why i stop making that animation because i finde i can't express my selfe well and start an other new animation do you think thats right

7:29 AM  
Blogger Adele K. Thomas said...

I like the new design, well done on taking on a hard task and making it your own and staying true to the original designs. Better than what i could do :D

10:13 PM  

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