Constant Payne

*This article is about the spin-off tv pilot adaptation of the Mitchell Van Morgan franchise. For other uses, see Micah Wright.*

## Development staff

### Genre(s)

Anime-influenced Animation
Action-Adventure
Dramedy
Pilot

### Directed by

Eduardo Acousta
Tae Soo Kim

### Production company(s)

Madhouse Inc.
Tama Productions
MITCHELL Project
Nickelodeon Animation Studio

## Overview

### Theme songs

* Constant Payne theme song (Opening)
* Constant Payne industrial theme (Ending)

### Original run

March 29, 2001

***Constant Payne*** is an 11-minute animated pilot episode written by Micah Wright and produced in 2001 for Nickelodeon Animation. The series was planned to be an anime based, action oriented show, but due to the events of September 11th, 2001, the series was ultimately never released. It was also an animated pilot episode for a series that was never picked up due to union difficulties in the early 2000's. Though set in a futuristic setting, steampunk and **dieselpunk** elements, along with a design aesthetic of art deco, clearly show the influence of these genres on the creators.

## Overview

**Constant Payne** is actually a One-Episode Wonder because it wasn't picked up for various reasons from Nickelodeon. Mostly convinced by the MITCHELL Universe as a stand-off action-adventure tv pilot

## Summary

*"Throughout history when ordinary people find themselves under the shadow of evil, the Payne Family has answered the call of duty. A long line of knights, crusaders, monster hunters, police, scientists, archaeologists, and adventurers, there has always been a Payne protecting human civilization from every sinister force imaginable. Funded by an immense family fortune, the Paynes exist to protect us from the worst in ourselves and from elsewhere. Now Amanda Payne, the youngest of the next generation of the Payne Family is coming of age and preparing to inherit this awesome mantle of responsibility... but her father doesn't want her to follow in his footsteps!"*

## Voice Cast

* Aspen Miller - Amanda Payne, Anthony Nguyen
* David Keith - Doc Payne
* Fred Tatasciore - Welton Payne-Smythe, Skyjacker#2
* Scott Bullock - Skyjacker#1, Airsailor

## Controversy

After her retirement, controversy arose when Micah Wright, a former Nickelodeon employee and creator of the pilot "Constant Payne" published a document that described embezzlement, corruption & mismanagement within the company during Zarghami's tenure at Nick, Wright described Zarghami as having an extremely hostile personality and stated that she mistreated employees at Nick and stole revenue from them without compensation. Wright also stated that she illegally harassed, fired, & blacklisted staff who were members of the Writers Guild of America West. Hughes also said that the reason why his cartoon pilot "Constant Payne" was rejected was because Zarghami said that action shows "promoted terrorism".

## Trivia

* This dropped pilot is very related to it's companion series *Mitchell Van Morgan*, *Avatar: The Last Airbender* and *The Legend of Korra*.
* This dropped pilot is obligated as *Amanda Payne, The Constant fighter* by most of the anime fans and the one-and-only tv-pilot spin-off of the Mitchell Van Morgan series to feature a only one 11 minute episode.
* This would've been Nickelodeon's first action-adventure series, a title that's held by the pilot's sibling series Avatar: The Last Airbender. However, it wasn't picked up for various reasons, making it a One-Episode Wonder and a direct spinoff to the *Mitchell Van Morgan* franchise.

## Reference

1. ↑ https://mobile.twitter.com/RiseFallNick/status/1004069919384883200

## External Links

* Micah Wright on Wikipedia
* Constant Payne on Youtube
* Constant Payne on WBA Toonzone website

 ***Mitchell Van Morgan* in other media**