Wild Cartoon Kingdom
Encyclopedia
Wild Cartoon Kingdom was an animation
magazine published from 1993-1994 by Larry Flynt Publications
.
founder Chris Gore
. It was edited by a number of people during its run, including Kevin Burke, Andrew J. Lederer
and Sheryl Farber.
For the duration of its run, John Kricfalusi
wrote many articles for the magazine, and heavily influenced its content. For example, his Spümcø
animation company was heavily featured in the magazine and favorably reviewed.
Five issues of the magazine were published in all. Film Threat considered reviving the magazine through its website in 1998; nothing came of it.
was featured in the March 1994 issue of the magazine. It was ghostwritten by John Kricfalusi, who assumed the name "Tom Paine" for the article.
Here is the article in its entirety:
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
magazine published from 1993-1994 by Larry Flynt Publications
Larry Flynt Publications
Larry Flynt Publications, or LFP, Inc., runs the adult entertainment empire founded by Larry Flynt. Founded in 1976, two years after Flynt began publishing Hustler magazine, LFP was originally to serve as the parent company of this magazine....
.
History
The magazine was created by Film ThreatFilm Threat
Film Threat is a former print magazine and, now, webzine which focuses primarily on independent film, although it also reviews DVDs of mainstream films and Hollywood movies in theaters. It first appeared as a photocopied zine in 1985, created by Wayne State University students Chris Gore and André...
founder Chris Gore
Chris Gore
Christopher Patrick "Chris" Gore is an acclaimed speaker and writer on the topic of independent film.Gore was born September 5, 1965 in Big Rapids, Michigan. He is the main writer and the founder of Film Threat, a project dedicated to covering independent and underground movies which he started in...
. It was edited by a number of people during its run, including Kevin Burke, Andrew J. Lederer
Andrew J. Lederer
Andrew J. Lederer is a New York-based comedian who has also starred in low-budget movies and worked in writing and production.-Early life:Growing up in New York City, Andrew appeared as a vocal soloist with the Brooklyn Borough-Wide Chorus, both in live performance and on CBS-TV...
and Sheryl Farber.
For the duration of its run, John Kricfalusi
John Kricfalusi
Michael John Kricfalusi , better known as John K., is a Canadian animator. He is creator of The Ren & Stimpy Show, its adults-only spin-off Ren & Stimpy "Adult Party Cartoon", The Ripping Friends animated series, and Weekend Pussy Hunt, which was billed as "the world's first interactive web-based...
wrote many articles for the magazine, and heavily influenced its content. For example, his Spümcø
Spümcø
Spümcø, Inc. was an American animation production company based in Los Angeles, California. The studio produced three traditionally animated series, two Flash-animated cartoon series, two music videos, five animated shorts, and a comic book. The company also went on to produce content for a few...
animation company was heavily featured in the magazine and favorably reviewed.
Five issues of the magazine were published in all. Film Threat considered reviving the magazine through its website in 1998; nothing came of it.
Controversy
An unfavorable review of the debuting television series AnimaniacsAnimaniacs
Steven Spielberg Presents Animaniacs, usually referred to as simply Animaniacs, is an American animated series, distributed by Warner Bros. Television and produced by Amblin Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation. The cartoon was the second animated series produced by the collaboration of Steven...
was featured in the March 1994 issue of the magazine. It was ghostwritten by John Kricfalusi, who assumed the name "Tom Paine" for the article.
Here is the article in its entirety:
- Animaniacs (not worth even one crown)
- Although we at Wild Cartoon Kingdom have not actually seen this cartoon, we felt that it was important to review it anyway. This is a godawful piece of trash. Don't watch this.
- In true moron fashion, this cartoon is obviously written by scriptwriters who can't draw. More old jokes done badly...pies in the face...seltzer bottles...long outdated bits of vaudevilleVaudevilleVaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
- this is the absolute worst use of animation. It just makes you sick.
- I did accidentally hear the voices in a promo one saturday morning. More from the "Babs Bunny" school of disgusting, wretched voices. You know the kind - obnoxious, grating...the kind of voices that make your neck-skin crawl crawl and shiver. They're so bad you actually feel embarrassed for the actors. It's the same feeling you get watching your dad beat up by a neighbor. If you have to watch it, turn the sound off.
- Where does this stuff come from? Who else?...Steven SpielbergSteven SpielbergSteven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
. The guy thinks he is doing a homage to old cartoons, but he's just ruining our memories of the good stuff. We've got to get this guy out of cartoons. Like Bob CampBob CampBob Camp is a cartoonist, comic book artist, director, and producer. Camp has been nominated for two Emmys, a CableACE Award, and an Annie Award for his work on The Ren & Stimpy Show.-Career:...
says, "Spielberg is not a funny guy...he wants to be Walt DisneyWalt DisneyWalter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
, but he doesn't know how to make cartoons."
- And why does this guy put his name on everything? Have you seen the billboards for the dinosaur cartoonWe're Back! A Dinosaur's Story (film)We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story is a 1993 American animated film, produced by Steven Spielberg's Amblimation animation studio, distributed by Universal Pictures, and originally released to theaters on November 24, 1993 for the United States. It was rated G by the MPAA...
? Aaaaaargh!!! Gimme a break! Pretty soon we'll be seeing billboards that say "Coming soon...a bucket of puke from Steven Spielberg!" or, "Don't miss the latest dried-out bloody-nose boogers from the man who gave you ETE.T. the Extra-TerrestrialE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 American science fiction film co-produced and directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Melissa Mathison and starring Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore, and Peter Coyote...
!" Better hide your dog's butt before "Steven" signs his name on it.
- So we've heard that Warner Brothers is starting their own TV network...rumor has it that they might be taking their cartoons away from Fox to run on their own network...big loss.
- Actually, we've a confession to make. After writing this review, we broke down and actually watched these cartoons to see if we were accurate. We were.
- -Tom Paine, animator and film historian
Issue guide
- 1 - June 1993 - Cover: Ren and Stimpy
- 2 - December 1993 - Cover: Batman: Mask of the PhantasmBatman: Mask of the PhantasmBatman: Mask of the Phantasm is a 1993 animated superhero film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman, and is a spin-off of the Emmy Award-winning Batman: The Animated Series...
- 3 - March 1994 - Cover: Beavis and Butt-HeadBeavis and Butt-HeadBeavis and Butt-head is an American animated television series created by Mike Judge. The series originated from Frog Baseball, a 1992 short film by Judge. After seeing the short, MTV signed Judge to develop the concept. Beavis and Butt-head originally aired from March 8, 1993 to November 28, 1997...
- 4 - June 1994 - Cover: The FlintstonesThe Flintstones (film)The Flintstones is a 1994 American live-action comedy film based on the Hanna-Barbera cartoon television series of the same name about a Stone-Age man, his family and his best friend. The film was directed by Brian Levant, written by Tom S. Parker, Jim Jennewein and Steven E...
- 5 - October 1994 - Cover: Spider-Man: The Animated SeriesSpider-Man (1994 TV series)Spider-Man, also known as Spider-Man: The Animated Series, is an American animated series starring the Marvel Comics superhero, Spider-Man. The show ran on Fox Kids from November 19, 1994, to January 31, 1998. The producer/story editor was John Semper, Jr. and production company was Marvel Films...