I opened up today’s Toronto Star and saw the headline 50 glorious years of `kill da wabbit’. The anniversary almost slipped me by. This proves that I’ve been way too preoccupied about my podcast’s website to keep up with dates in animation history but luckily I came across this little reminder.

The article talks about how different the cartoon was compared to others of the time, how it was created practically without budget (well, the animators were crafty) but most of all– a fact dear to my heart– how the WB executives were not involved in any of the cartoons. Not the plots, not the music, not even the characters.

THAT, my friends, is why cartoons today don’t live up to the golden age of animation. The animators of Termite Terrace, for example, wrote for themselves. If they thought of something humourous, they added it to the cartoon. They weren’t concerned about ratings or if the cartoon would appeal to as much people as possible.

And when that happens, gold happens. Priceless humour happens. Things just work. Like Harry Potter– JK Rowling writes everything herself, for herself, and doesn’t have some underqualified executive telling her how to appeal to her readers.

And that’s why I looooove drawing up my own comic book.

“My spear and magic helmet!”

[tags]cartoons, animation, Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Looney Tunes[/tags]