Posted on 04/30/2005 1:43:41 PM PDT by Nasty McPhilthy
TULSA, Oklahoma (AP) -- Eleven-year-old Thomas Adams thought Warner Bros. had gone daffy when he saw the company's plans for a new cartoon called "Loonatics," based on Bugs Bunny and his Looney Tunes pals.
The grimacing, hollow-eyed, power-fisted prototypes of a futuristic Bugs, Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner struck the boy as dark and scary. In the words of Daffy Duck, he found them "dethh-picable."
Now, nearly two months after starting an Internet petition drive against the TV series' fall debut, Thomas has gotten the company's attention.
Warner Bros. Entertainment spokesman Scott Rowe said his company wants the thousands of fans upset by the made-over characters unveiled in February to know "that's NOT all, folks." (Warner Bros. is a division of Time Warner, as is CNN.)
Those "early drawings" have been revised into characters that are softer and less menacing, he said.
"We heard the outcry from fans, including Thomas," Rowe said.
That's enough to draw an emphatic "YESSS!" from the lanky fifth-grader who started the stir with fewer than 20 signatures on a piece of paper at his private school.
Thomas couldn't figure out what was up with the plans to turn the old Looney Tunes gang into their Japanese anime-styled descendants. The prototypes depicted sword-eared superheroes, such as "Buzz Bunny," battling evil in the year 2772.
"Those weren't the Looney Tunes I know," said the boy, whose favorite classic character is the Tasmanian Devil "besides Bugs, of course."
Thomas' parents, Rachel and John Adams, suggested he might have more success by taking his drive to the Web. A family friend who runs an Internet design business was willing to help.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
How ridiculous! children love scairy stuff...Hansel & Gretal? They like the black & white of good vs evil. Why don't these parents leave this kid alone? Petitions? Internet? Yeesh, what jerks.
If it isn't broken, don't fix it. Period.
Struck me as bizarre, too. Bunch of skateboarder doofuses with backward hats who think they can animate.
I'm just waiting for the classic Bugs cartoons to morph into that lazy Japanese-animation style as well. That'll finally signal the end.
Gotta agree with you on that one, the Looney Tunes, the real ones, are classics. Leave Bugs and his pals alone!
They all got wussified during the 50s and 60s.
SO9
This isn't from some kid. It's some stupid looney left parents with connections. They think it's "quaint" to have their kid credited for their neuroses.
If I understood you correctly, and I hope I didn’t, anybody who likes the present cartoon characters is neurotic, stupid, looney, and a leftist?
Yes, I'd like to know if you're saying that, too. I did not entirely understand your post.
I only read what was posted, as I refuse to go to CNN to read the rest, but what I saw was that the kid did not want them to change the characters and keep the originals. If his parents put him up to it, so what?
"How ridiculous! children love scairy stuff..."
You better hope these kids don't do a google search for this new "Buzz Bunny" and click on the first thing that comes up! Check it out and see if Disney should have done it first before renaming good loe Bugs.
Gotta admit, the satire is great. I see a few people having a hissy fit when they hear it, though.
You know, the ignorance is bliss crowd?
Oh! I was paraphrasing Murphy’s Law: If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. In other words, if the present cartoon characters are popular as is, don’t “fix” it by changing them.
That is to say, if one tries to fix something that isn’t broken, one will end up breaking it. In this case, they may end up losing money with something that is already a winner as is.
You're right. Bugs had sharper teeth and a much more menacing way about him than the more loveable wiseguy who emerged later. Likewise, Elmer Fudd was an even fatter slob with none of the cuddly aspects he would later have attributed to him. Same with Porky Pig, who was much more like a barnyard hog before they softened him. Yes, early Woody Woodpecker was quite nasty too. Cartoon characters evolve over time.
Oops, meant my reply to go to Luke21, I totally understood your post! I hit reply to you because I, too, was wondering what Luke21 meant by what was posted to me.
Sorry.
No need to apologize. I was just worried that I had been misunderstood.
It sounds like Luke21 may have had a confusing day.
My best regards to you.
What a bunch of maroons.
I wonder if the Acme Corporation will still be in business in the year 2772?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.