June Bugs

Ah, who doesn't remember Cartoon Network's annual June Bugs marathons? The time of year when CN would devote an entire weekend of their schedule to nothing but Bugs Bunny cartoons. I think June Bugs goes back as far as CN itself (correct me if I'm wrong). The ultimate June Bugs was, of course, the one held in 2001 which showcased every single Bugs short in chronological order (with the exception of 11 that were pulled at the last minute for content reasons --- the original plan was to run these "un-PC" shorts in the dead of night with disclaimers, but the CN folks got cold feet and it resulted in a lot of media attention).

Below are some of the bumpers for what turned out to be the final June Bugs marathon on Cartoon Network. It had an "A to Z" theme and the shorts were played in alphabetical order. Porky Pig narrated the marathon (not sure who voiced Porky, it doesn't sound like our friend Bob Bergen).

June Bugs 2002 "A to Z" Bumpers

These same bumpers were recycled by Boomerang the following two years when they aired their own version of June Bugs... before they pulled the plug, too.

Daffy Duck meets Hippety Hopper

This isn't anything official, but I did think it would be fun to post. When I was in college, I drew a really rough storyboard of a Looney Tune, a sort of "what-if" crossover between Daffy Duck, Sylvester & Son, and Hippety Hopper. I suppose I could have gone back and done a final, nicely inked and colored version, but that would take, well, time and effort! Still, I think the story turned out funny, and the rough drawings had some personality. Even looking back on it 4 or 5 years later, I am still pleased with the result. Paging Earl Kress...you are welcome to steal this idea for a comic book if you want. It looks like they need you over at DC, anyway!




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Bugs Bunny "Shoprite" Ad

I have no idea what (or where) "Shoprite" is. But I do know that this recent spot may be the worst animation I've ever seen of Bugs Bunny in a tv commercial. Advice to those illustrating and animating Looney Tunes: Put...the airbrush tools....DOWN! Also, use the model sheets and clipart poses as a GUIDE, not a CRUTCH.

Prince Violent - Original Titles

Here's something I am sure not many people have seen. Below is the original title sequence to the 1961 Bugs Bunny/Yosemite Sam cartoon "Prince Violent". Why is it so rare? Well, at some point during the late 1970s, the cartoon was retitled "Prince Varmint" by CBS when the cartoon broadcast on The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show (no doubt to avoid using the word "violent" in the title). The alternate title stuck ever since and WB continued to distribute the CBS-titled copy of this cartoon for a number of years. A new modern set of titles (above), still calling the cartoon "Prince Varmint", were created in 1992 for the Fox Network's version of Merrie Melodies Starring Bugs Bunny & Friends (this was the version of the cartoon that was aired on Cartoon Network and Boomerang a few years back). The cartoon has never got an official release on ANY home video format either.

(On a sidenote - CBS also retitled the Porky Pig cartoon "Curtain Razor" as "Show Stopper" around the same time (late 70s)... luckily that alternate title didn't stick!)

Anyway, here it is!

Worst Looney Tunes comic story, EVER

I had high hopes for DC's 163rd issue of Looney Tunes, especially after last month's great Bugs/Sam issue. Boy, was I wrong! It features two worse-than-usual Sylvester and Tweety stories, and...this one. A Bugs/daffy/Rocky/Mugsy/Porky story drawn by Scott Gross, the same guy who's been doing the covers lately (and once drew Rocky as the boss of Hanna-Barbera's Anthill mob!) It features 3 different misspellings of Rocky's name, terrible perspective drawing, and possibly the worst art of Bugs, Daffy and Porky ever commited to paper. And if you can make sense of the story, you're smarter than I am! I just had to scan it and share it here, it's THAT bad!

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Excuse me while I go find a paper shredder.

Healthy Looney Tunes

If you do your grocery shopping at Safeway stores it sounds like you will be seeing more of the Looney Tunes characters soon. Variety reports that Warner Bros. and the grocery chain have teamed up to have the LT characters appear on a new Eating Right Kids line of food and beverages, rolling out on store shelves this summer. The product line covers more than 100 items across 30 categories including breakfast foods, portable meals, dairy, snacks and beverages.

As part of the deal, Warner Bros. said it will no longer feature its Looney Tunes characters on unhealthy food packaging, other than certain ice cream products or birthday cakes.

Tom and Speedy

Here's a recent commercial for Cartoon Network Latin America teaming Tom with the fastest mouse in Mexico.



Other odd team-ups from this same ad campaign include Dexter and the Road Runner and Batman and the Inch High Private Eye.