Considerably More Than 8 Questions with Stephen Byrne

With his latest Animated Adventures trailer for Firefly sparking flames of rekindled love for the short-lived Joss Whedon sci-fi western, artist Stephen Byrne has gotten a bit of a pop culture visibility boost with a multitude of websites praising his work while demanding his trailer become a reality. He takes it well, though, celebrating the outpouring of love with his own earnest gratitude and humility. A man of many fandoms (aren’t we all), Byrne infuses heavy doses of joy and energy into his work, bringing smiles even to the grimdark worlds of some more notable characters we’ve seen grace the big and small screens. I reached out to Byrne recently and he was kind enough to answer some questions about his work, fandom, and the “infamous” kiss.

 

Maniacal Geek (MG):  For those out there who may not be familiar with your work (i.e. those living under rocks and in caves), could you explain a little bit of your background as an artist and animator?

Stephen Byrne (SB): Sure, I studied animation in Ireland at the Irish School of Animation. I’m from Dublin originally. I studied there for 5 years and then did some work in the animation industry, before falling into games and now moving more into the comics industry.

 

MG: What was the first fandom that inspired you to make fan art? Was it the world itself that inspired you? The characters? Both?

SB: Power Rangers!! I was drawing Power Rangers comics at age 8. I think my tiny brain wanted to draw things and tell stories but didn’t really have the capacity to come up with anything new at the time, so I would draw out Power Ranger comics, which I was obsessed with at the time. I made like 60 of them! Still have them somewhere…

 

MG: The Animated Adventures of Firefly has gotten a huge response from fans, media outlets, the original cast, etc. What has surprised you the most about this outpouring of love for the trailer?

SB: Maybe Nathan Fillion retweeting? Although I was hoping for that because I know he’s pretty active on social media. Actually more the fact that he sent me a tweet that indicated that he found the whole thing quite meaningful. I look at it as a bit of fun, but the amount of comments and messages I got from people having intensely emotional responses to it was surprising, but that’s down to what Joss Whedon did, not what I did.

MG: You’ve done a few Animated Adventures trailers (and a tease for Harry Potter), but what’s the most difficult aspect of distilling such expansive worlds into videos that last less than a minute? What do you try to focus on?

SB: Uhhhhh it’s kinda all over the shop. I usually have a basic outline of what I want to do overall. I want to put in a few time-consuming shots that will be challenging to do. But then it becomes more like ‘what can I do quickly that will look shiny?’. Because I work full-time, the whole thing is pulled off in evenings and weekends over a long period of time, so it’s easier to do a spaceship with some zoom lines flying past than it is to do River doing acrobatic insanity.

 

MG: Gushy statement: I love the way you use lighting and bold colors in your work! So much is captured in a page or a headshot with the moods and tones you create. Actual question: Do you like to challenge yourself with technique? Was there ever a project that pushed you to change how you approach your art? Or have your style and methods been pretty solid and steady?

SB: Thanks! Funnily enough, color used to be a trainwreck with me. I was like ‘grass is green, sky is blue’ and it all looked very garish. I was determined to figure it out but it developed over many years and is now probably the thing I get noticed most for. As for challenging myself with technique – always. Every thing I do is an attempt to improve on the last thing I did, in some small way. I’m always looking for improved approaches.

 

MG: Your fan art comics for Spider-Man, Star Wars, and the DC Trinity have caught a lot of attention as well, the Trinity comic especially for the “surprise” ending. Do you go in with the intention of subverting expectations or do these stories write themselves as you go along?

SB: The ending to Trinity changed halfway through. And it wasn’t even my idea. A friend in work said it would be funny if Batman was actually jealous of Wonder Woman. I was like ‘yep that’s way better’ and rejigged the story from that point, so it became a little longer, but better.

Star Wars Episode 7.5 was all built around the Jar-Jar reveal. That’s the whole reason I did it. I was thinking it would be fun to do something Star Wars-y. I had really enjoyed the new movie. And I was envisioning the story in my mind and I got to the moment when Kylo Ren turns around and I was like ‘wouldn’t it be interesting if it was some else?’. That was the moment I actually decided to go ahead and draw the thing. I have lots of ideas flying through my brain at any given time, but only a limited amount of hours to do them, so yeah, I do pick things that I think will get a reaction.

 

MG: And because I’m morbidly curious, what was the overall response to the SuperBat kiss? Did you experience backlash from the dark side of fandom? How does that aspect of fandom push you creatively?

SB: Naw it wasn’t too bad. There were some commenters that were like ‘WTF? GAY.’ Very astute people. There were only a couple of vitriolic hateful comments, which I will delete or block or whatever. But I enjoy negative responses generally, because they are either rooted in some sort of fan outrage, which means they care about what I’ve done, or they are constructive criticism (less often) which means you can learn from them.

 

MG: You seem to live and breathe superhero and sci-fi genres with a good portion of your work, but is there a genre you haven’t really tackled that you’d like to?

SB: I’m a superhero comic nerd. That’s my jam. I could see myself doing an indie ‘real world’ comic but I think you can say more about the world and speak more honestly through a genre filter. I may get tired of it but it hasn’t let up in the last 20 years.

 

MG: Your first of two Green Arrow issues came out last week, so congratulations! What challenges and triumphs do you find working on mainstream books vs indie or creator owned projects? Any other DC characters you’ve always wanted to tackle?

SB: Challenges and triumphs: With mainstream books the schedule is tighter and the money is… Existent. Which is great. Lots of DC characters I would love to draw yes. Watch this space 🙂

 

MG: You’re also working on a creator-owned sci-fi book with Dan Slott. Any information you can give about it or is it still a bit hush-hush?

SB: Nope I can’t say anything about that at all! Sorry! Except that it is gonna be AWESOME.

 

I’d just like to say thank you, again, to Stephen Byrne for being gracious with his time despite his busy schedule.

Links to Stephen Byrne:

@StephenByrne86

Artwork of Stephen Byrne

That Girl with the Curls – Episode 68 – Sanford Greene

 

 

Check out Sanford’s Instagram and Animation Studio!

Intro and Outro: “Power Man & Iron Fist” by Phill Most Chill

 

Hamilton Animatics Take Us Beyond the Room Where it Happens

This has been the week of announcements surrounding Hamilton creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda. Not only will he be co-starring in Disney’s Mary Poppins sequel/continuation/re-imagining alongside Emily Blunt, but his first Broadway hit In The Heights will be coming to the silver screen courtesy of the Weinstein Company. Sadly, this means he’ll be leaving his Pulitzer Prize and assuredly Tony award winning musical when his contract expires in July in order to pursue said projects as well as a other creative ventures. Miranda isn’t going anywhere if our collective fandoms are concerned, so I wanted to focus on one of many avenues in which Hamilton has inspired people creatively: animatics.

If, like me, you watched a lot of behind the scenes or making of featurettes for animated movies, then you’re probably aware of what an animatic is. For those who don’t know, animatics are basically animated storyboards that can be utilized for anything from pre-visualization to timing out musical sequences. Thanks to the internet, a lot of people experimenting with animation, whether for school projects or as part of their career, put their work on YouTube, which means I end up spending a lot of time going down the animatic rabbit hole.

Unsurprisingly, Hamilton has inspired quite a few artists to storyboard and animate snippets and/or full songs from the musical. The contemporary vibe of Hamilton’s hip-hop origins lends itself to animation, but what makes these animatics stand out are the variety of visual translations. It isn’t hard to find video of Hamilton performances, so the aesthetics of the costumes and the performers’ faces are used at the discretion of the artist, but the animation adds a distinctive layer of scope and scale that the musical can’t achieve. Live performers and a stage present physical limitations on what the actors can do and how the story can be told, but with animatics artists can blend the music with dynamic shots that match its energy or reinterpret how aspects of the song can be visualized.

I’m certain that there will come a point where all of Hamilton’s 46 songs will have some animated flair attached to them, but for now here are the pieces that caught my eye during my latest rabbit hole session. Some are rougher than others in terms of animation, but I think they find the essence of the song while remaining visually captivating.

“Satisfied” Animatic by Jade Butler

It starts around the middle of the song, but I dig the Disney-esque style. I especially love the vision Angelica has in her champagne of the scenario in which she and Hamilton are together and Eliza steps aside.

“Non-Stop” Animatic by lifewhatisthat

One of many vignettes in the song, I think the lighting effect with the purple coloring is great. I’m also a sucker for great expressions and this video has some great ones for both Hamilton and Burr.

“Burn” Animatic by Xena Achilleos

It’s a gut punch of a song that breaks my heart every time thanks to Phillipa Soo’s amazing voice. The video really captures Eliza’s emotional status with the large, gloomy, and empty room emphasizing her betrayal and heartache.

“Farmer Refuted” Animatic by Von Muren

This has some great crowd art and camera angles. I love the opening shot melding into the crowd. Where this video really shines is in Hamilton’s interaction with the crowd and Samuel Seabury, circling the man like a predator as they debate.

“Congratulations” Animatic by coma

This is actually a cut song from the musical, though a few pieces were cannibalized for “The Reynold’s Pamphlet.” It’s a shame because Angelica really lays into Hamilton about how he’s monumentally screwed up and Renée Elise Goldsberry kills it. The animation is fantastic with the character expressions selling the moment of confrontation and the conflicting emotions of Angelica and Hamilton.

“Your Obedient Servant” Animatic by Soleildiddle

This artist has a whole bunch of Hamilton animatics, which I recommend watching, but this one is my favorite because it turns the letters of Hamilton and Burr building up to their duel as a dance with each man taking the lead when it’s his turn to respond.

“Aaron Burr, Sir” Animatic by Erin Shin

The style of this piece reminds me of Saturday morning cartoons, in a good way. It’s fitting since this is the song right after the opening number, so Hamilton is still full of optimism and delusions of grandeur when he encounter Burr for the first time. I love the contrasting expressions as well; Burr is calm and amused while Hamilton is frenetic and intense.

“The World Was Wide Enough” Animatic by NMS Video

I love, love, LOVE this animatic because it perfectly encapsulates how storytelling changes based on the medium. Hamilton is seeing his life flash before his eyes and, via the stirring and frantic singing of Lin-Manuel Miranda, the animation pulls us through each moment and interaction significant to him. My favorite transition is young Hamilton laying in his mother’s lap only for his young hand to grip the soil as he rises up into his days as a soldier. It works so seamlessly.

These are only a small sample of what’s out there and hopefully there will be more to share in the future. Until that time, I want to thank Lin-Manuel Miranda and the cast of Hamilton for being so inspirational that people are bringing more amazing art into the world everyday.

That Girl with the Curls – Bonus Episode – Darwyn Cooke Remembered

 

 

Enter the Lists: Some of Batman and Superman’s Best Animated Moments

So, as you may have guessed, I was a bit…let’s go for disappointed with Batman v Superman. While there were kernels of a good movie in there, the main characters that I as an audience member was supposed to root for felt wrong in how they were presented. In my search for a palate cleanser, I turned to the one corner of the DC Universe that rarely fails me – animation. With a few series and a smattering of movies to choose from, I compiled some of my favorite Batman and Superman moments.

Feel free to add your own as well!

 

The Batman/Superman Movie or “World’s Finest Parts 1, 2, & 3”, October 1997

Still the best “meet-cute” between Bats and Supes.

Justice League: Doom, February 2012

Batman trusts the Justice League to take him down and Superman trusts Batman with the one thing that could truly kill him

Justice League “The Savage Time, Part 3”, November 2002

Look how happy Clark is to see the real Batman!

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, September 2009

If it isn’t fighting Metallo, then it’s surgery in an open grave!

Superman/Batman: Supergirl, September 2010

I think Clark still owes Bruce $50,000 plus interest.

Justice League: The New Frontier, February 2008

Hanging out in the batcave like they do!

Young Justice, “Schooled”, February 2011

Parenting! Also their choice in deserts is spot on!

Batman Back In: LEGO Batman Trailer is Delightful

At least somebody understands that just because you’re a billionaire playboy who inspires fear in the hearts of criminals as a means to avenge the death of your parents when you were a kid doesn’t mean you can’t smile every once and a while.

Truly one of the standout characters from the LEGO Movie, Batman (voiced brilliantly by Will Arnett) is back in his own solo flick which still promises to give us plenty of action, DARKNESS!, and a few cameos from some of those other heroes Bats likes to pal around with. The teaser trailer released today may be Warner Bros. riding on the premiere of Batman v Superman, but if early reviews are any indication as to how audiences may react then perhaps the studio is trying to balance the grimdark of the Justice League prelude with a Batman who loves what he does and has a sweet bat-cave! If anything the movie promises to keep nerds like me busy looking for all of the Bat-references and Bat-Easter eggs.

So here ya go, the LEGO Batman teaser:

Wishful Thinking – Saga: The Animated Series

While the topic of R-ratings and comic books is currently circulating, I thought I’d throw in something that should actually be rated R and animated. And that comic book, my friends and frenemies, is Saga. From the wildly imaginative and filthy minds of writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Fiona Staples, Saga is about as cinematic as you can get and I for one think it would make an incredible limited-episode animated property suitable for the likes of Netflix, HBO, or any digital distribution platform.

When I talked with Fiona recently, I mentioned the rumor that Brian K. Vaughan purposefully writes Saga in such a way that would make it impossible to adapt. There was definitely some debunking of the rumor, but what it really boils down to is Saga’s story with its sweeping alien landscapes, wide swath of fantastical and sci-fi characters, and its tendency to “go big or go home” doesn’t make it an ideal property for live-action adaptation. Animation, however, would definitely keep the visual elements necessary for crafting those essential pieces. Where the series could potentially run into trouble is its unapologetic approach to sex and “on screen” nudity. Given HBO’s love of full-frontal (at least where women are concerned), there would probably be less push-back, but a digital platform like Netflix might require some strategic planning and omissions.

And before you say, “But animation argle flargle bargle think of the children,” Netflix has a big hit already under its belt with BoJack Horseman about the tragic yet humorous life of the eponymous character voiced by Will Arnett. And though they have yet to announce a second season, Netflix took a chance on F is For Family based somewhat on comedian Bill Burr’s family and childhood experiences during the 1970s. I’m just saying, you see Frank Murphy’s (voice of Burr) balls swinging as he has sex with his wife. It’s from the perspective of their youngest son, but if they’re willing to lump that into a mature content animated series, then I’m pretty sure an animated version of Saga could get away with a naked troll-like monster. You know the one I’m talking about.

But we all know what makes or breaks and animated feature or series is the voice cast. The characters of Saga are fully realized people in the hearts and minds of its devoted fan base and they deserve some pretty stellar voices to bring them to life. I know voice director Andrea Romano would probably choose differently, but I’m gonna save her the trouble and cast the series for all of you lovely people. So, here’s my Saga voice cast.

 

Marko – Ian Anthony Dale

 

 

Marko wants to maintain that he’s a lover, not a fighter, but push him too far or threaten his family and he will tear you apart. Dale has spent a lot of his career playing well-meaning yet flawed characters and his time spent playing cops and the occasional criminal would help him find the balance in a conflicted character like Marko.

Alana – Janina Gavankar

 

 

Alana is an all-kinds-of-kickass person, but her hot-headed, shoot first attitude is tempered by her romantic side and a fierce love of her husband and daughter. She also swears like a sailor and has a fantastic wit. Janina Gavankar has played plenty of badasses in procedurals and genre television, so I’m confident she’d knock this one out of the park. She’s also a huge geek, so I’m certain she’d jump at the chance to play someone as complex as Alana.

 

Hazel – Melanie Chandra

 

 

Acting as narrator for the Saga comic, I could see an animated adaptation using the same framing device with an older Hazel providing context and her own special brand of humor. Though we’re not sure how old the Hazel in the book is, my thought is to pick an actress somewhere in the middle who could provide the maturity of the narrator but also provide dialogue for Hazel as she grows in the story. Melanie Chandra has a very youthful quality to her acting and voice, which gives her a lot of range to play Hazel through the many stages of life.

 

Izabel – America Ferrera

 

 

If you’re seen How to Train Your Dragon and its sequel, then you’re aware of how America Ferrera’s voice sounds coming out of an awesome character like Astrid. Playing Izabel would be no different. Izabel is a goof and as sarcastic as they come but she’s also the result of the ongoing war between Marko’s and Alana’s homeworlds of Wreath and Landfall respectively. She needs to be fun yet capable of gravitas, which Ferrera has already proven adept at handling.

 

The Will – Brian Bloom

 

 

I really enjoy Brian Bloom as a live-action actor, but he’s also one of the bigger names in the voice over industry where military-type games are concerned, which I think makes him perfect to play the jaded, heart-broken, yet well-intentioned freelancer The Will. Bloom could easily rely on the natural gravel of his voice or change it up and maintain a lighter tone to contrast with the morally ambiguous actions of a man thrown into the middle of a growing conspiracy. And is it just me or do Bloom and The Will share the same eyes?

 

Lying Cat/Sweet Boy – James Arnold Taylor

 

If you’ve never seen the movie I Know That Voice, go watch it and marvel at the vocal gymnastics of one James Arnold Taylor. He and Frank Welker are two of the most reliable creature voices in the industry. I’m giving the role to Taylor, however, because I think his ability to do aliens creatures is needed more in this instance. Though Lying Cat and Sweet Boy are, for all intents and purposes, a cat and a dog, they’re still aliens and Taylor could definitely add layers to his vocals that would make these creatures shine.

The Stalk – Nika Futterman

 

 

In her role as Asajj Ventress on The Clone Wars, Nika Futterman brought pathos to the servant of the Sith who could have easily been a one-note villain for the showrunners to throw at Ahsoka Tano on occasion. Thankfully, she made the character dark and lively, a trait she’s brought to many characters like Catwoman, Gamora, Lady Jaye, and Smellerbee. Who better to bring the wildly wicked The Stalk to life?

 

Prince Robot IV – Neal McDonough

 

 

The thing about Prince Robot IV is the actual voice behind him could literally be anyone since some digital manipulation is required to make him sound suitably robotic. That doesn’t mean, however, that you have to lose the actor in the process. Neal McDonough is a brilliant character actor who can just as easily play the hero as he can the villain. And though Prince Robot IV is ostensibly the villain for the first two volumes of Saga, there’s no arguing that his motivations are based on his desire to return to his wife and son. He’s as complex as Marko and Alana and he deserves nothing less than a great actor to provide his voice.

 

Klara – Tamlyn Tomita

 

 

Marko’s warrior mother is one tough nut to crack. She’s been hardened by the ongoing war and she’s only ever tried to prepare her son for the cruelty of the world around them and the suffering of their people. Her softer side is buried deep, but if you stick around long enough it will still take you a while to see it peek through. Tamlyn Tomika has had a long career of playing authoritative women and it would be exciting to hear her tackle such a robust character like Klara.

 

Barr – Sab Shimono

 

 

Sab Shimono is a well-respected character actor who is always a welcome sight no matter what he shows up in. He can be authoritative but there’s a gentle quality to him that’s perfect for Marko’s father, Barr. The counterbalance to Klara’s more militant style of parenting, Barr is a warrior but his strength lies in his ability to craft the armor necessary for battle. Or baby clothes. Ya know, whatever comes first.

 

Gwendolyn – Regina King

 

 

A member of Wreath’s High Command and Marko’s ex-fiance, Gwendolyn made herself known with one of the best splash pages in the early issues of the comic. There’s a Pam Grier-ness about her that immediately brings to mind a strong, powerful woman only interested in one thing: getting what she wants. I’m confident in the fact that Regina King could not only bring the forceful, no-nonsense attitude but her superb skills as a dramatic actress would be instrumental in peeling back the many layers of Gwen’s personality. And have you seen Boondocks? Girl’s got chops!

 

Slave Girl/Sophie – Amandla Stenberg

 

 

Like Hazel, Sophie grows up in the eyes of the reader, so having an actress who can still capture the innocence of a young girl and the haunted maturity of a child forced into an atrocious situation is a must have. Amandla Stenberg found her Hollywood footing as Rue in the first Hunger Games movie, so she’s definitely capable of channeling that type of wise-beyond-her-years tone that’s essential for Sophie. Similarly, her recurring role as Macey Irving on Sleepy Hollow gave her a character dealing with circumstances outside her control. So really, Amandla has been prepared for this role for a while.

 

The Brand – Vanessa Marshall

 

 

After listening to her voice strong, capable characters like Hera Syndulla on Star Wars: Rebels and Gamora on Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, Vanessa Marshall is primed and ready to play freelancer The Brand. There’s a pragmatism and very Hellblazer-esque quality to The Brand, who also happens to be The Will’s sister, that makes her cool, calm, and collected no matter what the situation be it poisoning journalists or going after dragon splooge.

 

D. Oswald Heist – Keith David

 

 

Guys, do I even have to justify this one? It’s the freakin’ voice of Goliath. Keith David could read the phone book and I’d find it compelling, so him reciting Brian K. Vaughan’s dialogue would be icing on the cake.

 

Yuma – Susan Eisenberg

 

 

I may be biased, but that doesn’t change the fact that Susan Eisenberg has a wonderfully rich voice that would lend itself nicely to Yuma. One of Heist’s ex-wives, Yuma comes along a bit later in the book but she’s a visually striking creature and an artist to boot. And, yeah, she’s big on dealing drugs (metaphorically and in real life), but that doesn’t seem to stop her from being the hero when she’s needed most. I’ve always imagined Yuma with a very empathic voice and Susan, voice of the Justice League‘s Wonder Woman, just springs to mind where sympathy and empathy are concerned.

 

Ghüs – Yuri Lowenthal

 

 

An adorable little seal who wields a giant ax, Ghüs was basically a drawing in Fiona Staples’s sketchbook who became an example of what makes Saga such a visual feast for the eyes. It’s the contrast that works so well and quickly pushed Ghüs up there with wonderfully memorable characters from the book. So, how does one capture the cuteness and the potential for sweet, sweet ax-swinging glory? Simple: get Yuri Lowenthal. And that’s all the context I’m going to give you.

 

Upsher – Carlos Alazraqui

 

 

The writer of the dynamic duo of journalism, Upsher knows a story when he sees one and isn’t afraid to pursue it to the very end – even if that puts him and his partner (in career and life) in mortal danger. There’s definitely a desire to do good, but it’s countered by the love of being the one to break the story, which would make Upsher the fish-man version of Lois Lane. Carlos Alazraqui, I think, could bring out the sincerity and the ambition that drives the character.

 

Doff – Diedrich Bader

 

 

Upsher’s better half – or is it the other way around? – Doff is more concerned with keeping out of trouble, but when given the choice to help himself or serve the greater good he’s a fairly selfless person. Diedrich Bader has such a deep, rich voice that sounds pleasantly kind even when he’s swearing up a storm. There’s something gentle about Doff that Bader could capture. Plus it would be kind of fun to hear him and Alazraqui riff like and old married couple.

 

So those Are my picks. Obviously not everyone is going to agree with my choices, so feel free to tell me who you’d cast if you got to play Voice Director for the day.

So You’re Still Obsessed With Hamilton…

That’s right, you. You’re the one who’s still obsessed with the greatest musical that ever musicaled. Not me. You. You’re the one who goes to bed singing “The Schuyler Sisters”. You’re the one who wakes up with Washington’s rap from “Right Hand Man” bouncing around your skull. You’re the one who uses the Aaron Burr, Sir rhyming scheme nonstop. You’re the one who referenced another Hamilton song within a sentence about your obsessive need to incorporate the previous song into your daily life.

Okay, that escalated quickly.

But fear not, readers, for I have come here to curate a sampling of Founding Fathers/American Revolution themed media that’s sure to continue enabling my obsession. I mean your obsession.

#Ham4Ham

Let’s start with an easy one. Perhaps this obsession has also become entwined with your love of Broadway and musicals in general. Well, never fear, you can fall down the rabbit hole of Ham4Ham videos on YouTube where the cast and crew, under the direction of Lin-Manuel Miranda, perform for an audience of hundreds participating in a lottery for tickets to the show. A mere ten dollars gets you a five minute performance from the stars of Hamilton or from some of the many familiar faces from Broadway’s past and present.

Drunk History

The one that started it all. Need I say more?

Histeria

As I mentioned in the latest podcast, Histeria was a show created by the same teams responsible for Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain. It was a show designed to – get this – make history entertaining for kids and pre-teens. Weird, right? It only aired for two years and it has yet to be released on DVD, but you can watch the episodes on YouTube for free! Best of all, they have several episodes devoted to the American Revolution featuring a very Bob Hope-esque George Washington.

Schoolhouse Rock!

It was a simpler time…

Founding Fathers Rapping

Need more Revolution Era rap? Looks like JibJab might have beat Lin-Manuel Miranda by a few years…

1776

In need of more Founding Fathers singing that isn’t rap? Okay, I guess that’s cool. Well look no further than 1776, a musical about the creation, ratification, and signing of the Declaration of Independence. You won’t find any signs of Hamilton here, but John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin sure now how to…sing about eggs.

HBO’s John Adams Mini-Series

Wondering why Alexander Hamilton had such a problem with John Adams? Well maybe watching a bunch of clips from the miniseries will make clear what’s only glossed over in the musical. Adapted from David McCullough’s biography of John Adams, we see the Revolution and the Early Republic through the eyes of one of the less popular presidents. Paul Giamatti carries the miniseries deftly upon his shoulders, but he’s also surrounded by an impressive cast of amazing actors, including Rufu Sewell as Hamilton.

 

That Time George Washington Totally Fought Robin, the Boy Wonder

You heard me.

Well, hopefully that keeps me you satisfied for the time being. Lord knows it’s hard to say no to this craving for more Hamilton oriented media, but I’ll you’ll just have to hunker down and wait for it to calm down. Then, maybe, we can get some work done around here, people!

Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton

Happy 75th Bugs Bunny!

Today marks the 75th anniversary of Bugs Bunny’s first “official” appearance – according to film historians – in the Tex Avery/Merrie Melodies short “A Wild Hare” (July 27, 1940) that featured both Bugs and his long-time arch-nemesis with a speech impediment, Elmer Fudd. The cartoon is notable for a couple of reasons, one being it’s “officialness” stems from Bugs and Elmer appearing in their now classic roles with their voices and one-liners set in place. Their designs would be refined over the years, but this is where the Looney Tunes essentially begins.

I grew up watching reruns of the Looney Tunes as a kid, which I’m certain many of my generation did, and though I always had a greater affinity for Daffy Duck, Bugs is the ring leader for the cast of characters voiced by the masterful Mel Blanc with some wonderful assists from June Foray and Arthur Q. Bryan. The cartoons, however, wouldn’t be anything without the amazing talent of animation directors like Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, and Chuck Jones.

While I may have grown up with The Simpsons as a major influence on my sense of humor, Looney Tunes was the spark of it all and remains an integral part of my family and how we interact with each other. Bugs and company span three generations of appreciative viewers from my grandfather’s quiet chuckling at Foghorn Leghorn to my mother’s wild laughter at an exchange of “Rabbit Season!” “Duck Season” to my squeals of delight over the hair pins left behind in Witch Hazel’s haste to serve up some rabbit stew. And I suppose, if I play my cards right, when I have children they’ll be able to enjoy watching the antics of Bugs Bunny as he consistently makes the wrong turns at Albuquerque.

So it is with sincere gratitude that I wish Bugs Bunny a Happy 75th Anniversary!

If you happen to be in the Seattle area, there’s a great exhibit at the EMP devoted to Spokane native, Chuck Jones and his contributions to Looney Tunes and animation. Worth checking out!

That Girl with the Curls – Episode 42 – DC Comics All Access Ramblings

James Rowe of Roman on the Rocks joins Sam for a session mostly dedicated to all things DC Comics and their properties including Batman: Arkham Knight, Batman v Superman, Arrow, The Flash, and Batgirl.