Distraction Friday

Because I love all of you so much.

Anyway, this week I’d like to tell you about a Tumblr account called Daily Animation (although you should note that it’s not always every day…the guy who runs it does have a life). It’s filled with awesome bits of animation, some recent, some old (and I mean old; like older than all of us), some just little bits of cartoons, some from other countries. Not just straight animation, either. They also have the more 3D-esque types.

Besides displaying the funny, bizarre and the touching, there is also the just plain wrong. The guy who runs this put up the “censored eleven,” old Disney cartoons from the era of incredible insensitivity. He puts them up in a historical context, reminding everyone that as wrong as they are, they were made in a time when people thought these stereotypes were okay. No, it’s not something I’d like my nonexistent children to see, but I’ve watched them and shook my head in disbelief that these were ever thought to be funny. But they were. And that’s the point of putting them up. Looking at them put my grandparents' generation in a new light. Raised with stuff like this as the norm, I understood (although still be disgusted by) why they freaked out because my mom went to her senior prom with a black guy.

Really, the historical context of any of the cartoons is interesting. It’s not just the racist ones that make me go “What were they thinking?” (although that voice seems to be the loudest). Looking at this old Betty Boop design makes me suck in my gut to uncomfortable levels. In fact, most of the old female designs do. Did women in the fifties all have seventeen inch waists or something?

Finally, I leave you all with this one. Make of it what you will. I sure don’t know what to do with it.

Animation Domination

I’m a huge fan of cartoons and comics. I’ve always wanted to draw but unfortunately, my skills with a pen are poor at best. Those of you who follow me on Twitter—have you seen my current avatar? I made it in Microsoft Paint. It is the closest I will ever come to drawing. And so, I admire cartoonists and animators, because not only can they write, they can draw. Makes me feel useless.

Last week, I informed you about Newgrounds. This week, I’ll tell you about a cartoon series I found there called College University, about Mike and Parks, two college freshman at the aforementioned university (which has such classes as Witch Hunting and Monkey Physics) and their wacky adventures with Bigfoot, an alien no one seems to care is an alien, Optimus Prime, Macho Man Randy Savage (really), and a colorful leprechaun named Studystilskin.

Sadly, they’re not putting out any new episodes as the creators, brothers named Mike and Andy Parker, have moved on. Mike is still animating and doing voices a variety of pieces, including shorts for College Humor, Funny or Die, and Comedy Central (he animated Duperman for Important Things with Demetri Martin).

After looking at CU, I suggest you check out his Tumblr for more hilarity. His Clock Suckers series is another great one, about three twenty year old slackers who inherit a time machine and do their best to screw up both the past and the future. He also has some great one-offs, like F1rst, The Dark Knight Meets Superman (highly recommended), and Harry Potter and the Douchebag Magicians.

In all, he has some great stuff if you like to laugh as much as I do. Also, since Mike Parker is a guy who is making a living off his animations, it makes me think I might be able to do the same with my stories. At least, some day.