Saturday Morning Cartoons!

As a medium purist (I believe in a very real difference between comic BOOKS and comic STRIPS, animation produced for THEATRICAL release differs grandly from animation produced for TELEVISION release) there is a weird generational crossover that I can get behind.

You see kiddoes, in the early days of television, it was still believed it was far too expensive to produce cartoons for TV.  They hadn't yet learned that all they need do is strip quality and costs and quality (I repeated myself there on purpose all you proofreaders out there) and so whatever cartoons were broadcast on television, were simply theatrical cartoons sold into he market.

Taking these, once thought to be "throw-away" films and giving them new life into perpetuity for whole new generations to enjoy.

You see, they didn't need hundreds of thousands of programming, kiddoes.  This was back in the days before entire networks devoted to cartoons and kids/family programming.  Cartoons were (for the most part) reserved for airing on Saturday mornings, not 24/7.  They were something special and bright and colorful (even in black and white) and a time when the kid of the household was in charge of the living room.  

I digress here, because nowadays the kids have control of the entire house no matter the time of day or night...back on track Jeffy.

My point is, Saturday morning should be for watching cartoons.

Good cartoons.

Cartoons that were once theatrically released, then housed on television and now we find right here on the Internet.

Give yourself over for a lousy 20 minutes.  Forget about that mortgage.  Forget about that fight with your wife/husband.  Forget about the home-pregnancy test you found in your daughter/wife/mothers bathroom trash.  Watch a few good cartoons.  THEN take on the week refreshed and replenished like when we were younguns.

Enjoy!

Don'tcha feel better now?

I do.

Talk to you soon.

Them Old Timey Poster Figures...and Maybe a Little More Thor - "Unca Jeffy's Toy Box"!

Last week I dug a Popeye PVC figure out of my toy box modeled after the bad drawing from an early 1930's one-sheet poster. This was a great idea for a toy series and I kind of wish they'd made more.

Here's the other 3 figures that they DID make!

A more portly Porky Pig than is remembered today from early Friz Freleng Merrie Melodies cartoons, usually as supporting character and as sidekick to Beans the Cat. Beans the Cat anyone?...no I didn't think so. The names Porky and Beans do ring together well though.

Here's the original poster version...


And here's the happy little fat figure.


In the first Might Mouse cartoon, he was originally named "Super Mouse". His yellow costume was even blue to match the man of steels. It didn't take long though before the litigious folks at National Periodical Publications (DC) called a cease and desist, and "Here he comes to save the day!", Mighty Mouse became what we all know.

Here's a relettered but still miscolored poster from the day...

...and here's the uber-cool figure that occupies a space in Unca Jeffy's toy box.

Our sweet little "everyman's girl friend" Betty Boop actually began as a dog and girlfriend to Fleischer's "Bimbo" character, but by the time she became a headliner and appeared on one-sheets, she'd basically taken on the form we all know. She did change a little from the early 30's to the late 30's as the Hayes office made her more matronly and less slutty, but from the days when she was still a little jazz strumpet, here she is on an early one-sheet...

...and here's my little sweetie in 3-D.

Her spinly legs (as opposed to her vivacious thighs) and tiny feet don't let this figure stand on her own, but my fingers in the photo also prevent those sick foot fetishists from enjoying this too much.

I'm all for an individuals expression of their desires, but you foot people are "F"ing sick!

Well, as long as yesterday was the official opening of Marvel's "Thor" movie, here's a cool figure made of pewter I got about 5 years ago, commemorating the 1962 debut of the character...

...with a replica of "Journey Into Mysery" issue 126 (the very first appearance of the character in Marvel Comics. The figure really has a lot of detail.

I didn't think the figure had enough of a Jack Kirby feeling to it, but the way he's seen burting out of a splayed open comic book (like the rest of the figures from this series) is pretty cool.

That's one hammer-weilding mutha' fer ya!

Ah, what the heck! Since we're on a super hero jag here (what with Mighty Mouse and Thor), this guy was hanging out right close to the top of the toy box as well. Where's my "Underdog" movie? Oh, yeah...a bunch of hacks that didn't get the point already made one...it sucks!

But one thing you can't deny...

"When criminals in the world appear
and break the laws that they should fear
and frighten all who see or hear
the cry goes up both far and near
for UNDERDOG!

Speed of lightning, roar of thunder
fighting all who rob or plunder
UNDERDOG!

UNDERDOG!

When in this world the headlines read
of those whose hearts are filled with greed
who rob and steal from those in need

to right this wrong with blinding speed
goes UNDERDOG!

UNDERDOG!!!!"

To watch this show now, the voice of Wally Cox is really it's only redeeming quality. The jokes aren't very funny and the other voices are lack-luster...but that song ROCKS!

Talk to you soon.