Jon and Liz?

Well, after over four years of bad writing presented in the comic strip of Garfield, with no real plots, or character development, the writers of the strip finally decided to make a very noticeable shift.

If you haven't been following the strip lately, you've missed out. It all started when Jon Arbuckle decided to get a date with a woman named Ellen.

Ellen, leaves to use the ladies room, and Jon sees Liz out with another dude. Jon disguises himself like a waiter to investigate, but Liz sees through the disguise, and then the plot thickens.

So, Liz ditches the dope for Jon, and THIS is what occurs:

BTW, today, really is Jim Davis' birthday. Hoo-ray. But, I'm sayin' hoo-ray to Jim Davis and his writers for doing this! I know it hasn't ended yet, there's still tomorrow. And who knows is if this is even real. It could just be an "it was all a dream" storyline, as other Garfield fans have already mentioned. But, then again, even if it is, it's still the most interesting thing done in the strip since the 1978 Garfield meets current Garfield a few years ago.

-Brandon "my only thought is to entertain you" Pierce (feed me)

Chuck Jones on Bugs Bunny

July 27, marks the 66th birthday of the greatest cartoon character ever, Bugs Bunny! 1940 was the year, the wascawwy wabby first outsmarted the dim-witted hunter Elmer Fudd, and questioned audiences, "What's up, Doc?" Chuck Jones knew the character very well, and wrote about the history of the character in his autobiography book "Chuck Amuck" in 1989, published by Farrar Straus Giroux in New York. Here are some excerps from the "Rabbit Transit" passage:

"In Bugs's case, there appeared in a few cartoons a sort of unfertilized half-cel of creativity, wandering wanly around our films, searching for its better-or-bitter-half. A crude crrature, half-or perhaps only a quarter-completed, but within it was a tiny spark of creativity.

The development of a major character such as Bugs, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, etc.-unlike most forms of life-was a hop-scotch affair, moving from director to director to director, picking up and dropping comic turns and comedic characteristics of possible use to the mature character. But none of this was deliberate. We not only didn't know that there was a comic genius brewing in our group, we didn't even know we were pregnant. For me, certainly, the idea that any film of mine would contribute any useful trait to an immortal cartoon character like Bugs or Daffy would have carried pretentiousness to absolute absurdity.

A Wild Hare (July 1940), directed by Tex Avery. In this film, through the brilliant, wild, and stimulating mind of Tex Avery, we catch a remarkable first glimpse of the possibilities implicit in the personality of Warner Bros. Cartoons' first true star. A Wild Hare had certainly won all filmic baby contests so far, but he was still a baby, still incomplete. It was up to us to find out, during the painful growth period-babyhood through childhood-so nervously recognizable to all parents. Wh had to find out who Bugs was. We already knew what he was.

Bugs Bunny was the wise guy that comes out on top over his enemy in "A Wild Hare", but his next appearence in "Elmer's Pet Rabbit", he is grouchy and irritable. This film was directed by Chuck Jones, unsure of what the personality should be. This character is almost what Robert McKimson would use for his early shorts. Tex Avery had Bugs be the loser in Tortise Beats Hare, and Friz Freleng had the wabbit be a troublemaker, who only gets his just-desserts in the end. But, then Tex Avery dished out "The Heckling Hare", which has the rabbit over his dog nemisis from start to finish. This is the Bugs Bunny we know and love, and have recognized this persona in 98% of his cartoons throughout his career. And it hwas Tex Avery, Chuck Jones, and Friz Freleng, who were the three early "parents" raising their "child", with Bob Clampett and McKimson doing weekend babysitting, and rubbing off their own traits onto the character. Bugs really is the best cartoon character ever. Well, that's what TVGuide said.

-Brandon "Falling Hare" Pierce

Happy Birthday to me!

Well, okay. My birthday ain't until July 27. I shall be 19, and with plans on hitting college once September rolls around.

Wow. 19 years. Has it really been that long? Seems like yesterday, I was 4 and living in a bee-invested environment. Okay, no it doesn't, and the "bee" thing was a 2-day thing, due to poor apartment management (what, you've never had bee problems at your house?).

What do I want on my birthday? Hm. I could think of a few things.

* Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume 9. I want it because there's a bloomin' season 1 episode! I also want Volume 10, which hits stores in August. Episode 212-Godzilla Vs. Magalon will be on the set! WAHOO!

* Hm. Oh, yeah, and for YouTube to be allowed to air classic animation again. Asking too much? Hm. Maybe I should lower my standards to avoid dissapoinment.

A week ago I also wrote a fan letter to Denny Siegel, from Whose Line is it Anyway?. Here's a pic of her, if you've never seen her:

As of yet, no response. But, who knows, maybe it'll come on my birthday. That would be sweet. Anyway, the reason I'm making a post now, is because I'm saving up a post dedicated to the cartoon Bugs Bunny. We share the same birthday. Different years, though. He first appeared in 1940. Well, gotta run.

-Brandon "A Wild Hare" Pierce

YouTube Blows!

If you're a classic animation fan like I am, you are probably aware of the fact that now YouTube has turned chickenshit on us and have removed all of the classic animation clips from Looney Tunes, to Disney, MGM, Columbia and everything inbetween. Apparently they are fearful of any lawsuits from the bigname companies like WB. There is no logic in this. First of all, YouTube was not making any money off of the cartoons, nor were the people posting them. Posting cartoons on YouTube was no different then regualr cartoon sharing that fans do together at home, or on the net. What is the DEAL?

Another reason we're all pissed off, is because these classic cartoons are NOT getting any exposure of any kind on network television anywhere (well, they are shown on Boomerang.... occasionally, but really, how many people get Boomerang?). While yes, WB and Disney have been releasing they're old cartoons to DVD, other studios like Columbia have been sitting like bumps on logs on their cartoon library. YouTube was practically HELPING people see these wonderful works of art, which NOBODY can see today! If the head studios are so worried about copyright infringement, then they need to go the other direction. Forget about the lawsuits, and release the damn cartoons YOURSELVES! Don't give us that fake excuse that there is no market for classic aniamtion fans, because YES THERE IS!!!!!!!!

Go to goldenagecartoons.com and you'll find hundreds of them! They're all waiting for DVD releases! They'll pay good money! Many of today's cartoonists are fans themselves! john Kricfalusi, matt Groening, all of them are! They've been buying all the Disney Treasure DVDs, as well as the Looney Tunes DVDs! They're making lots of money, and are selling well! MGM, Columbia, WHY AREN'T YOU DOING THIS AS WELL!!! MGM, yes you've released the Pink Panther cartoons on DVD as well as Tom & Jerry, and that I am happy, but you still have so much more! The great Tex Avery! his MGM cartoons have not been appropriately released yet! What's up with that?

And Columbia? What's your story? Where are the "Fox & the Crow" shorts? Where are the Screen Gems? Where's "The Little Match Girl"? We want to see these cartoons! They are all an important part to the history of animation! We can't be stuck with such crap like Family Guy and Simpsons, or South Park. These shows suck! They hold nothing to the classics!

This is another reason I'm pissed at YouTube. They removed all the classics, but kept all of the non-classic cartoons up. THAT'S ANIMATION DISCRIMINATION! It makes no sense!

YouTube, if you're reading this, you've officially lost my respect. And all of you head honchos at WB, Disney, MGM, Columbia, etc. Get with the program. Let's see these cartoons back on TV, on a CHANNEL that everyone has! Sheesh!

-Brandon "still wants to see The Little Match Girl" Pierce