Note-a-bear

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FILED UNDER: cartoons

I would like:

Articles about Gendy Tartakovsky (Powerpuff Girls, Dexter’s Lab, Samurai Jack).

Specifically I am interested in Samurai Jack. I want to know more about the intersection of immigrant identity (Tartakovsky is a Russian Jew who’s family migrated to the US when he was young), Japanese mythology/history/art, and Blackness in cartoons.

Jack (among other characters) is voiced by Phil LaMarr, a Black actor from a bunch of things, but probably most well-known for his stint on MadTV. He’s also a prodigious voice actor. Also the theme song to Samurai Jack is pretty clearly hip-hop influenced.

Add to that both the obvious and less-obvious influences from Japanese storytelling (both cinematic and oral), as well as other cultural motifs (there’s a few other distinct motifs that come into play).

But yeah, I’m intrigued by the cross-cultural influences in Samurai Jack.

This is on my magical wishlist of articles that probably will never exist.

Samurai Jack   Gendy Tartakovsky   art   animation   cartoons   need moar articles  
11/28/2011
BWAH! Okay, so I keep meaning to look for this semi-rant I wrote about this cartoon ages ago. The main thing is: This is a cartoon in blackface, seriously By which I mean, it’s based on Al Jolson, famed jazz singer and blackface performer from the 30s (this character is named Owl Jolson) More specifically this cartoon is based on his film The Jazz Singer, in which his climactic reconciliation of his background as a Hasidic Jew and jazz/blackface performer comes about with him in blackface This whole narrative plays into a dual role of Jews as the “new Blacks” or the “N——- of Europe” at the turn of the last century (though European anti-Semitism has a long history) and their role in US minstrelsy/proliferation of white jazz performance in the first part of the 20th century. Don’t get me wrong, I love this cartoon, and I used to watch it all the time on the Tex Avery show and Toon Heads back when Cartoon Network played old cartoons all the time. It’s not a bad cartoon, and it’s one of the top examples of the role cartoons had in expanding the listenership of jazz. But it is a very interesting example of just how insidious blackface was and on how many levels it was applied.

BWAH!

Okay, so I keep meaning to look for this semi-rant I wrote about this cartoon ages ago.

The main thing is:

  1. This is a cartoon in blackface, seriously
  2. By which I mean, it’s based on Al Jolson, famed jazz singer and blackface performer from the 30s (this character is named Owl Jolson)
  3. More specifically this cartoon is based on his film The Jazz Singer, in which his climactic reconciliation of his background as a Hasidic Jew and jazz/blackface performer comes about with him in blackface
  4. This whole narrative plays into a dual role of Jews as the “new Blacks” or the “N——- of Europe” at the turn of the last century (though European anti-Semitism has a long history) and their role in US minstrelsy/proliferation of white jazz performance in the first part of the 20th century.

Don’t get me wrong, I love this cartoon, and I used to watch it all the time on the Tex Avery show and Toon Heads back when Cartoon Network played old cartoons all the time. It’s not a bad cartoon, and it’s one of the top examples of the role cartoons had in expanding the listenership of jazz. But it is a very interesting example of just how insidious blackface was and on how many levels it was applied.

(via roropcoldchain)

jazz   cartoons   al jolson   owl jolson  
08/31/2011 2,630 notes

blackamazon:

blackgirlphresh:

shampainwishes:

bachelorsbrand:

Here’s the pilot episode for @adultswim’s newest show, “Black Dynamite”

blackdynamite.com - its official. from the website:  ”Adult Swim and Ars Nova present BLACK DYNAMITE: THE ANIMATED SERIES.

Under the direction of Carl Jones (The Boondocks, Freaknik:The Musical), the series further chronicles the exploits of BLACK DYNAMITE and his crew, and features the voice talent of original cast members Michael Jai White, Tommy Davidson, Kym Whitley, Byron Minns andCedric Yarbrough.

The series is currently in production in Los Angeles and is slated to air on Adult Swim in July 2012.”

Y’all my black hippy higherlevel shit along

I LOVED THE SHIT OUT OF THIS THING

Pardon me while I run in circles and squeal from joy.

(Source: mhmgrams)

Black Dynamite   Adult Swim   Cartoons  
08/17/2011 55 notes
For all it’s issues, Samurai Jack will always be one of my favorite cartoons. Graphically, it is inspiring. One of the first (possibly the first) cartoons to be produced using a lines-free style, it was solemn, art-driven and masterfully cinematic.* What is most profound about the series, though, is the storytelling and the frequency with which there are episodes with virtually no voice work. A typical show contains little voice work in general, relying more on the animation and the characters’ facial and body expressions to demonstrate the events of the narrative. Though highly stylized, the artwork of the series was influenced greatly by traditional Japanese screen-paintings as well as more modern interpretations of classical Japanese artwork. *Lines-free, here, means that if you watch the show, no character is drawn with a black outline. The ubiquitous outline is present in almost all cartoons and has become a stylized element for different shows. Some shows use thick line work, i.e. Daria, some use finer work, i.e. old-fashioned WB cartoons. The lack of line work lends a more fluid look to the movements of the cartoons. It is more reflective of cinematic animation.

For all it’s issues, Samurai Jack will always be one of my favorite cartoons.

Graphically, it is inspiring. One of the first (possibly the first) cartoons to be produced using a lines-free style, it was solemn, art-driven and masterfully cinematic.* What is most profound about the series, though, is the storytelling and the frequency with which there are episodes with virtually no voice work. A typical show contains little voice work in general, relying more on the animation and the characters’ facial and body expressions to demonstrate the events of the narrative.

Though highly stylized, the artwork of the series was influenced greatly by traditional Japanese screen-paintings as well as more modern interpretations of classical Japanese artwork.

*Lines-free, here, means that if you watch the show, no character is drawn with a black outline. The ubiquitous outline is present in almost all cartoons and has become a stylized element for different shows. Some shows use thick line work, i.e. Daria, some use finer work, i.e. old-fashioned WB cartoons. The lack of line work lends a more fluid look to the movements of the cartoons. It is more reflective of cinematic animation.

(Source: geekerygirl.blogspot.com)

comics   cartoons   animation  
02/23/2011 2 notes

o.O

I…I don’t know what just happened.

(via facebook/somethingiamdoing)

cartoons   bear v bunny  
11/22/2010

Your Mind Blown: Funny, Random, Interesting facts: In 1980, the coyote finally caught the road runner. He then asks the audience "Now what do I do?"

yourmindblown:

funny random facts:

random factsIn 1980, in an episode titled “Soup or Sonic”, thirty-one years after the Road Runner cartoons debuted, Wile E. Coyote finally catches the Road Runner. He then holds up a sign saying, “Okay, wise guys, you always wanted me to catch him. Now what do I do?”

This…

cartoons   looney tunes   wile e coyote  
11/17/2010 178 notes
agentmlovestacos: The Hulk and a puppy. Your argument is invalid. From episode 5 of the Incredible Hulk animated series, which you can watch for free on Marvel.com right now. Oh man, I actually kind of loved that series. I think it was one of the better adaptations of the 90s(?)

agentmlovestacos:

The Hulk and a puppy. Your argument is invalid. From episode 5 of the Incredible Hulk animated series, which you can watch for free on Marvel.com right now.

Oh man, I actually kind of loved that series. I think it was one of the better adaptations of the 90s(?)

hulk   puppy   cartoons   adaptations  
11/10/2010 34 notes
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