From: klein@kira.egr.msu.edu (Jeffrey Klein)
Newsgroups: alt.tv.tiny-toon
Subject: Yet more StarToons comments
Date: 12 Apr 92 02:51:51 GMT
Organization: Michigan State University Coffee Fiends

I saw "Stand Up and Deliver" again Friday, didn't catch the rest coz 
I had homework, so here's a few comments.

I actually like this episode now.  I don't see why everything has to
have a dark cynical ending - I somehow get the picture that certain
toonsters would rather have a cartoon end with Babs getting hit by a
truck (or Robin) >:).  I like a show with a little heart!

[LITTLE HEART:  Thank you!]  Stop that.

On to Robert's observations on character design - Yes, the bunnies were
rather "off", the cheeks especially.  Then again, most other studios
screw up here too - Wang tends to draw them as if they were filled with
cotton balls.

Plucky is noticeably different from his standard design, but thankfully
doesn't vary from they design that they do use. (If you're gonna do 
something different, stick with it!)  It's pretty easy to pick out 
StarToons' Plucky - he's lanky, tall, has a round head and a short bill.
This is what makes me feel that they did the 'pep rally' scene in
THE ACME BOWL and much of "The Return of the Toxic Revenger" (the one
with the donut holes).  I actually like this design 'coz Plucky looks
more like a teenager.  I also think he should wear his Acme team jacket
more often; heck, they all should!  I should!  I want one! :)

I have to disagree with Rob on their drawing of Hamton, though.  I saw
HISMV Friday night, and the similarity of the character design kept
jumping out at me.  Flopped over ears, wide spaced eyes slanting in
a bit downwars, and something about the spacing of his nose, mouth and
cheeks that I can't clearly describe.  Look for yourself!  (Means you'll
have to watch the video again - poor you! :) )  It would seem that WB
redesigned Hamton for the movie and second season.  Oh yeah, Hamton
had four fingers per hand throughout HISMV, instead of his usual three -
does this happen in HYD or the rest of the second season?  I don't have
my own VCR :(

I didn't see enough of Gogo to tell if he was off.  Oh yeah, I also want
to say that if Wang did the Elmyra tag they could have done Byron too -
I suppose they turn out slick work when they're not rushed.

More comments:  Yeah, Babs stands on here toes a lot.  Also, she sometimes
adopts a 'prancing' gait - what does she think she is, a ballerina? :)
This walk usually ends up with her on tiptoes.  Fifi does this in the
'pep rally' scene in THE ACME BOWL, too.

I think ST does some of the best takes, eyes and expression of the 
studios.  Their lines may not be as perfect as Tokyo's, but their work
is more expressive.  And speaking of lines, here's my analysis of a few
of the studios' line work:

Tokyo:     Accurate line 
StarToons: Expressive line
Wang:      Thick sketchy line
Akom:      Dead line [a little joke there son]
Kennedy:   What's My Line?

And finally, the big reason why I like StarToons so much:

If all American cartoons get done in Japan, I'll never get a job!
(Ok, so it's a pipe dream - my art skills are a bit below par, and
 it takes me a while to get one dinky drawing done.  I still support
 American animation, tho :^) )
-- 
Jeff Klein                  | "One of you is a Charlie Brown mutant,
                            |  and the other has a hand growing out  
klein@kira.egr.msu.edu      |  of his(?) head!" - Blue Bunny