Thundarr the Barbarian: The 1980 Cartoon That Beat He-Man
If you have ever looked at Thundarr the Barbarian and thought, “That looks a lot like He-Man,” there is one important detail…
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Stories by Kenny B
Tweety Bird’s Original Pink Design: Why He Turned Yellow
Tweety Bird did not begin as the sweet yellow canary most people recognize. He was pink, featherless and far more aggressive. The…
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Who Was Olive Oyl’s Original Boyfriend? Meet Ham Gravy
Olive Oyl’s original boyfriend was Harold Hamgravy, better known as Ham Gravy. He appeared beside Olive in the very first Thimble Theatre…
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Olive Oyl: Popeye’s Girlfriend Existed 9 Years Before Him
Olive Oyl is usually introduced as Popeye’s girlfriend, but that description gets the order of events completely backwards. She did not arrive…
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Why Does Popeye Eat Spinach? The Decimal-Point Myth
You know the scene without being told. Bluto has Popeye pinned. The situation looks hopeless. Then a can bursts open, the spinach…
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The Real Moral of Monsters University Is Mike Wazowski
The moral of Monsters University is not the one animated movies usually sell. Most family films promise that if you want something…
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Mike Wazowski: The Buzz Lightyear Regret That Created Him
Try to imagine Toy Story without Tim Allen’s Buzz Lightyear. Now try Monsters, Inc. without Billy Crystal as Mike Wazowski. Neither version…
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Hong Kong Phooey and the Great Rerun Illusion
If you grew up watching cartoons in the late 70s, 80s, or 90s, ask yourself a quick question: how many seasons of…
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Count Chocula and the Monster Cereals: The Full Story
Count Chocula has spent more than half a century selling chocolate cereal without ever starring in a conventional cartoon series. He did…
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16 Best Speedy Gonzales Tattoo Ideas
Looking for the best Speedy Gonzales tattoo ideas? This gallery includes colorful leg pieces, small forearm tattoos, matching designs and larger artwork…
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Slowpoke Rodriguez: The Slowest Mouse in Mexico
Slowpoke Rodriguez appeared in only two classic Looney Tunes shorts. Two. Bugs Bunny starred in more than 160. Speedy Gonzales appeared in…
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Why Was Speedy Gonzales Banned? The Real Story
Cartoon Network never held a press conference announcing a Speedy Gonzales ban. There was no formal cancellation notice, no press release, and…
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Flower From Bambi: Why He Was Mistaken for a Girl
Flower from Bambi is one of Disney’s most frequently misunderstood characters. He has a traditionally feminine name, long eyelashes, a soft voice…
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Skunk Cartoon Characters: 12 Designs That Reinvent the Trope
Skunk cartoon characters enter a scene with one major advantage: the audience already knows the joke. Before the character says a word,…
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Pepe Le Pew & Outdated Tropes: How Cartoons Age
Pepe Le Pew spent seventeen years chasing the same cat across movie screens, then another six decades hopping through reruns, VHS tapes,…
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Mickey Rat: The Underground Mickey Mouse Parody
Mickey Rat looks like the version of Mickey Mouse that Disney would never allow near one of its theme parks. He has…
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25 Skinny Cartoon Characters and Why Their Designs Work
In animation, a skinny body is rarely just a body type. A long neck can make a character look nervous before they…
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Tom Terrific: Captain Kangaroo’s Forgotten Cartoon Hero
One of early television’s most imaginative cartoon heroes looked as though somebody had drawn him during breakfast. Tom Terrific was little more…
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