Favorite Cartoon Characters?

[heyes]

I know, we have a lot of more mature members that are "above" the animation world and its doings. But I also know we have a lot of people who are not afraid to embrace their inner child! I've always been a follower of the cartoon world and have taken several animation classes over the years. It's a big part of who I am. So I ask you, got any cartoon characters that you remember from childhood (or now ;D ) that had a special impact on you?

[Dragavan]

Well... I work part time in a comic shop, so I have (and will) never outgrow or be "above" it. Nearly every day I am wearing a shirt with one of the Batman Animated Series (from the 90's into the 00's) girls on it. Mostly Harley Quinn and Batgirl, but I do have a few with others like Poison Ivey, Cat Woman, and even Supergirl. Sometime with them "together" *wink*... okay, not really that way, but I can dream.

I would also have to say the PowePuff Girls have had an effect on me because my art style (as you can see below and at the accompanying link). I tend to draw "puffs" all the time now, even though I am not a huge fan of the PPG. My Alex from A Clockwork Orange puff is my favorite right now (A Puffwork Orange).

I also happen to be a fan of several cartoons over the years, but Batman: The Animated Series, Simpsons, Futurarama, Family Guy, The Maxx, and Animaniacs were always my favorites.

[Redsox]

i like cartoons i dont know whats my faveret

[heyes]

Man, gotta love Animaniacs. That's the closest Spielberg ever came to recapturing classic Warner Bros. humor.

Oh, and may I compliment you on your skill at the "puff" style. I know a few people who dismiss that particular design because of it's "simple" structure, but I have tried it and know for a fact how hard it is. Kudos.

Alright, I suppose I should do my thing now. Hmm, there are so many I don't know how to start. It really was my whole life for a while.

When it comes to traditionally animated films, such as Disney, I'm a little aprehensive. Many of their works are a bit to much for me to enjoy, but they are almost always beautiful to look at. So I'll usually watch one of them at least once, to see the quality of it and then, if I like it, I may watch it again. But so far it's not a very long list. Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King. Call me against the grain but I can't stomach most of the "Disney princesses".

TV animation is a bit more of a grab bag. It has deadlines and can suck when done on the cheap. But there are occasional glimmers of hope on TV these days. Generally, I'll give anything innovative a try. Animaniacs had something good going. But the best animation anywhere on the tube right now would have to be Spongebob Squarepants. While not a regular watcher myself, I have seen it several times and the blending they do between cel animation and still paintings is seemless. And of course you have the wonderful "for adults" animation during primetime and on Cartoon Networks Adult Swim. The animation usually isn't anything fancy, but it's still better than most. Not to mention it's funny ;D .I was also a fan of Angry Beavers for a while before it got cancelled...about 100 years ago. I don't think they even syndicate that show anymore.

Internet animation is a pretty broad catagory. Personally, I think the most well drawn and run website is homestarrunner.com, simply because of their professionalism, clean style and memorable characters. It's much more of a TV show than an internet cartoon because it's created it's own world outside of our own, but still makes use of the interactivity the internet provides.

Good comic strips are a dying breed. I took a lot of cartooning classes at one point, and to this day I find myself longing for a coherent plotline and decent drawing. I don't think I'll have much dispute when I say Calvin and Hobbes was the best comic strip ever (maybe some FoxTrot fans, but not very many others). I don't think that the comics are beyond saving, I just don't think the cramped space and limited design options newspapers are offering will tempt anyone to try.

I know, I take cartoons really REALLY seriously. Feel free to mock. It's just how I am. ;D

[charliefan92489]

Oh I love Looney Toons, its a clasic!!! I also gota give props to Gummey Bears it was Canceled like 10 years ago But it was one of my favorites

[Davor Rimac]

props to the Looney Tunes, Family Guy, and Gummi Bears references. All great cartoons. South Park and the Simpsons (which I am watching right now) are also on my favorites list.

If I had to jump in the Way Back machine, I'd have to say that the best animated shows I watched were Chip N' Dales Rescue Rangers, Tale Spin, Duck Tales, and Tom and Jerry.

[heyes]

Oh my goodness, Chip N' Dale! I think I have cassettes of that laying around somewhere...

[charliefan92489]

OMG Chip N' Dale, I forgot about that show, I think "Fat Cat" is one of the best villans ever lol. am I a Nerd or What?

[Davor Rimac]

That's right!!! Everbody bow down to Chip N' Dale. Ahh, I loved coming home from school and watching that show every single day. ANother show that I watched back in the day was Captain Planet. I used to think that show was great until I recently tivoed an episode and watched it. OMG was i retarded for watching that show. Anywho, all this cartoon talk has reminded me of one of my favorite drinking games.

**note David Palmer does not condone the consumption of alcohol, nor does the Presidency, or the government of the United States**

Now that that is out of the way... When we were in college, I downloaded every tv show theme that any of us ever watched (150+), randomized the order of the songs, and turned the monitor off to play "Name that Song". We had so much fun playing that game - but then again, we normally didn't play that game until the wee hours of the morning and by that point everything was fun.

[heyes]

Now THAT would be fun!

Oh, and Captian Planet makes me gag. Honestly, how does 'heart' fit in with earth, water, wind, etc. And the bad guys in that show had the most overt names! I seriously think one of them was named Lou Dolphinkill

[Cody]

I was all about the Thunder Cats when I was a kid



This picture here pretty much sums up my cartoon watching, Gummy Bears, Tale Spin, Darkwing Duck, Chip and Dales Rescue Rangers, and Duck Tales



Now I watch Family Guy, Futurama, South Park, and sometimes King of the HIll

[Annie]

Cartoons that I esp. liked as a kid - Looney Tunes, Scooby Doo.

My brother loved Speed Racer and Johnny Sako and that big robot, although that one was not animated.

Now, it's SpongeBob.

[mutt]

I remember I used to get the biggest kick outta Tom and Jerry......
Buggs, Daffy, Tweety
rumbly in my tummily Pooh

Pink Panther
Underdog & Mighty Mouse
Rocky and Bullwinkle

and whats christmas without the Charlie Brown Christmas special.....

but I guess my all time favorite cartoon movie character is Tinkerbelle
what a minx

just think how boring our lives would be without our cartoon character friends
a little silliness is good for the soul

[Cliff]

The undisputed king of cartoons to me will always be Looney Tunes. Chuck Jones, Friz Freleng, Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Frank Tashlin, Mel Blanc for the voices and Carl Stalling for all that fantastic music.

I used to love Speed Racer as a kid too, and I grew up watching Thundarr the Barbarian, Scooby-Doo, Superfriends, Tarzan, etc.

I love the Simpsons - especially the earlier years - but it's still pretty good. Batman: The Animated Series was fantastic, and I really like the new Justice League ones too (which have sadly just been cancelled).

Strangely, I can't tolerate Genndy Tartakovsky's stuff (and indeed, most of the rest of everything) from the Cartoon Network; all that stuff seems frenetic yet soulless. That said, I have enjoyed Dexter's Laboratory on occasion.

I just don't get that Aqua Team Hunger Force, though - every time I watch it I just blankly stare at it and ask the TV - What the hell is going on?

As for comics, well, I have thousands of comic books - all superhero stuff from Marvel and DC (mostly DC - they were always my favorites). I haven't gotten any for years though. A whole other thread though!

There is one comic strip that I'd challenge Calvin and Hobbes for the best comic strip ever, though, Emma - and that would be the positively sublime and wonderful Bloom County. Opus, Bill the Cat, Portnoy and the rest..great, great stuff. Berkeley Breathed, where are you? Special kudos also has to go for Charles Schulz and Peanuts.

And let's not forget, for sheer one-panel genius, Gary Larson's The Far Side.

[addboy]

I used to love all those shows, Tale Spin and Darkwing duck!!!! I also loved Dexter's Lab!