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Michael Barrier
Topic Started: Feb 19 2007, 07:40 AM (7,730 Views)
mort bakaprevski
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Seems Michael is coming out with a new book in the latter part of this year. From the verbiage at the link below, it sounds like it focuses on Carl Barks & Walt Kelly:

http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Home%20Page/WhatsNewArchivesApril14.html#afunnybooksupdate
"Nov Shmoz Ka Pop."
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mort bakaprevski
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Michael Barrier has written a commentary on Thad Komorowski's book "Sick Little Monkeys: The Unauthorized Ren & Stimpy Story ." Thad, of course, used to be an active participant on these boards.

I've never seen the program, but Barrier's review indicates the background story of the man who was responsible for the initial episodes (John Kricfalusi) is an interesting tale, indeed. I don't have any plans to purchase the tome, but Barrier's article is certainly an interesting read:

http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Commentary/Sick_Little_Monkeys/Sick_Little_Monkeys.html
"Nov Shmoz Ka Pop."
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The Batman
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mort bakaprevski
May 6 2014, 06:14 AM
Michael Barrier has written a commentary on Thad Komorowski's book "Sick Little Monkeys: The Unauthorized Ren & Stimpy Story ." Thad, of course, used to be an active participant on these boards.

I've never seen the program, but Barrier's review indicates the background story of the man who was responsible for the initial episodes (John Kricfalusi) is an interesting tale, indeed. I don't have any plans to purchase the tome, but Barrier's article is certainly an interesting read:

http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Commentary/Sick_Little_Monkeys/Sick_Little_Monkeys.html

Well, Mr. Barrier didn't provide an encouraging review, starting with the lines:

My sense from reading Sick Little Monkeys: The Unauthorized Ren & Stimpy Story (Bear Manor) is that it was written under considerable stress. The writing is occasionally clumsy and even surprisingly unidiomatic.


To be fair, the creator of the show sounds like a real jerk, and from the sounds of it, he and his people were not very helpful in providing information to the book.

After he and his group were canned by Nickelodeon, following the first season, a new group took over and apparently did a horrible job. But, ironically, that group was very helpful in providing information.


This second last line from his review really dampens ones enthusiasm for the book:

Although Thad Komorowski does his best to sustain his enthusiasm for the Kricfalusi Ren & Stimpy in the face of daunting odds, the book ultimately documents how difficult and almost always impossible it is to make TV cartoons as rich and rewarding as even middling-good theatrical cartoons from the past.


I've never watched a minute of REN AND STIMPY, but after reading this review, I don't feel like I've missed anything. It's been quite a while since I was 8 years old.







Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman!
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rodney
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I don't agree with Barrier's assessment of Thad's writing style as being occasionally clumsy. I feel that the book is a surprisingly engaging read, even if you're not all that interested in the subject matter. If the show doesn't matter to you, it still comes across as a good cautionary tale of what can happen when someone has a nearly unlimited budged and a completely unrestrained ego.

Full disclosure though: I was involved in proofreading the manuscript before publication.
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The Batman
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rodney
May 6 2014, 09:42 AM
If the show doesn't matter to you, it still comes across as a good cautionary tale of what can happen when someone has a nearly unlimited budged and a completely unrestrained ego.

I do agree with you there, Rodney, I was intrigued by the behind the scenes shenanigans. For me, though, not being a fan of the show, I'll keep an eye out and see if the book ever appears in my local library. It's only a one-time read for me.



Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman!
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mort bakaprevski
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And, speaking of Thad, here's a link to his site:

http://www.whataboutthad.com/

If you scroll down a bit, Thad has posted a Betty Boop cartoon, MASK-A-RAID. Haven't seen this one before, but definitely in the category of "What the hell were they sniffing in the Fleischer studios anyway?"
"Nov Shmoz Ka Pop."
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The Batman
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mort bakaprevski
May 7 2014, 07:35 AM
And, speaking of Thad, here's a link to his site:

http://www.whataboutthad.com/

If you scroll down a bit, Thad has posted a Betty Boop cartoon, MASK-A-RAID. Haven't seen this one before, but definitely in the category of "What the hell were they sniffing in the Fleischer studios anyway?"

Thanks, Mort. Reading his review of the Olive Betty Boop releases makes me feel good that I passed on them. I only passed because of the high price (up here), not knowing they were stretched out, too.

Thanks, Thad, saved me over $60 on crap.



Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman!
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rodney
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Volume 3 is okay. The first two aren't.
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The Batman
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Yep, got that. But each volume is over $30, after tax, up here. So saved me at least $60. I won't even consider volumes 3 & 4, or future ones, until I hear they have remastered the first two volumes to the proper ratio.



Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman!
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mort bakaprevski
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Mike has an interesting article on Little Lulu which includes a picture of her creator, Marge (who produced single panel cartoons of Lulu's adventures for The Saturday Evening Post), an ad for the animated series from Famous Studios &, of course, info on John Stanley's great stories for the Dell/Western comic book run:

http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Home%20Page/WhatsNewArchivesMay14.html#luluscinematicdebut
"Nov Shmoz Ka Pop."
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rodney
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Unfortunately, he's wrong on this one. Mandy was only in 5 of the 26 entries, and the series ended because of budget issues paying Marge for the licensing, not because it wasn't popular, as Thad pointed out in the comments section.

He also claims that he could imagine John Stanley writing for Adventure Time, and I can't even touch that with a 10 foot pole, unless Adventure Time really is about a little girl and her fat, sailor hat clad friend (that happens to be hilarious).

The Spider spins again! - Tubby Tompkins

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The Batman
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Rodney, I keep hearing about this ADVENTURE TIME. Can you give some background? Is it something worth checking out?



Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman...then always be Batman!
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rodney
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All I know is that the art is ugly. I've never watched it.
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The Batman
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Thanks, bud. Yes, I've seen art from the show and it doesn't look esthetically pleasing.


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mort bakaprevski
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My grandson told me he hated Adventure Time. So, of course, I just had to see it. The art is definitely "different", but I thought the show was kinda charming. My favorite character is the Vampire Princess who seems to be more mischievous than evil. She's drawn with two small holes in her neck.
"Nov Shmoz Ka Pop."
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