It's been a long while since I talked about animation in depth. It's surprising, as it is one of my first loves, but developments over the years (and it frightening that I can use the word "years" in descriptions of my life on the internet and of my time writing here, even if in the latter it is more of a description of the length of time between posts) lead me to less actively seek out information, history and community from the resources that exist here on the internet. Part of the reason is that I can avoid controversies that almost inevitably spin out from something written by John Kricfalusi.
For those who haven't heard of him, John K. is a Canadian-born animator best (and for most people, only) known for creating Ren and Stimpy. He is also something of a bomb-throwing animation iconoclast, in much the same way that Christopher Hitchens is on every subject he writes about. He has opinions about what he feels is wrong with American animation, (summarized partly that it is all the fault of the cabal of writers and executives who conspire to keep the lowly animator subservient) and he will gladly tell you in ways deftly designed to inflame the passions of his acolytes and to drive those who disagree into apoplectic fits. Again, much like Hitchens.
A spot on parody of this, and other animation-web lunacy was written by Bob Mackey for Something Awful. Page two contains a barely indistinguishable from reality parody of John K.
That said, I was honestly surprised and delighted by a bit of animation he did for the first episode of Class of 3000, which I'm not much of a fan of. Of course, Class of 3000 is unabashedly a kids-only show, and it wasn't hoping to suck me in as a fan.
Comments