What is it that makes a bunch of pencil drawings so incredibly magical that everything from our pets to passwords is named after them? These characters are not real is the only reality we refuse to admit next to death itself. What started off in 1928 as a little cartoon mouse steering a steamboat opened up doors that a few generations ago did not even exist. Mickey Mouse was a household name not just in California, not just in USA but in the entire world. Such would be the popularity of this little fellow that his face which is synonymous with the word cartoons, can be found in every medium of mass communication to the lunch boxes and school bags to what a 6 year old would sketch on a math book.
Cartoons although popularized at the outset by Walt Disney soon got more and more creative when folks at MGM studios and Warner Bros showed interest and the little mouse snowballed into a multibillion dollar industry. My association with cartoons and animation has been a long one and it increases with every passing day. In this blog I list some of my favorite cartoon characters and cartoon shows- some of these characters were my best friends for the larger part of my school life while others are my alter ego.
Flintstones: The iconic car of Fred Flintstone and the way he applied the brakes has coined the term “Fred Flintstone style braking”. Undoubtedly the Flintstones was the first cartoon sitcom that took the small screen by storm. Back in its heyday this series would have been the modern equivalent of Friends or Everybody loves Raymond. The original series conceived by Hanna-Barbara ran for 6 continuous years during the 1960s raking up an astonishing 166 episodes. We are talking about a time when there were no computers and every frame was hand drawn. However the popularity of Flintstones was not just because of the animation, most of it was because of the wonderful script and the ground breaking concept of people living with dinosaurs – it is something that can only be achieved with cartoons.
Top cat: I am quite surprised when I find that most people, even those who love cartoons are not aware of Top Cat and I am surprised how this wonderful TV series did not make it as big as the Flintstones or the Jetsons. Top Cat is about the life of 6 homeless cats that are anthropomorphic. The leader of the clan is Top Cat – he wears a hat, is extremely clever and commands the rest of the gang which includes: Choo Choo, Benny, Fancy, Spook and Brain. Top Cat is obsessed with making million dollars by his quirky methods which most of the time drives him on a collision course with the neighborhood cop – office Dibble.
He Man: He Man was the first cartoon of which I have memories of, in the early 80s, the show was telecast on DD every Sunday. The extremely muscular body of He- Man, his beautiful sword and his pet tiger: Battle Cat made him my very first favorite Super Hero. The series was produced by Filmation and the title track still rings in my ears – now that I think of it, I might want to make that my new ringtone.
Bugs bunny: The annoying Wabbit.. I mean rabbit that drove Elmer and Yosemite Sam bonkers with his shenanigans is quite often voted as the world’s favorite cartoon character. Bugs bunny and the looney tunes show which included characters like: Daffy duck, Sylvester and Twee tee and host of others gave cartoons a very different role, they prepared the audience to appreciate dark humor coupled with slapstick comedy.
The Simpsons: This show is the modern answer to the Flintstones, the Simpsons also guided the way many other cartoons which followed the same genere. Although not as dysfunctional as the family in the Family Guy cartoons, the Simpsons does pack a good amount of laugh. The only thing I couldn't get my head around even after watching the show for many years is the yellow color used to depict the characters.
Continued in Part 2..
https://mouthshut.com/blog/haaglputnm/They-come-is-all-shapes-and-sizesCartoons-Part-2