For the first time in its infamous 25 year history, Spike & Mike is launching a consumer facing site www.spikeandmike.com as part of the Mondo Mini Shows Network. Spike and Mike, the legendary animation producer duo, gained worldwide acclaim through their festival, Spike & Mike's Sick and Twisted Animation Festival, which has been touring in more than 50 cities throughout the U.S. and Canada since its inception.
The Spike and Mike Sick and Twisted Animation Festival has been the launch pad for some of the world's most well known animation talent including the first shorts of John Lasseter, Tim Burton, Andrew Stanton, Bill Plympton, Danny Anonucci, Eric Fogel, Breehn Burns, Brad Bird, Pete Docter, Chris Wedge, Kenn Navaro, Marv Newland and Mike Judge.
Over the years, Spike and Mike have theatrically premiered BEAVIS AND BUTTHEAD, THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS from SOUTH PARK creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the first shorts featuring, HAPPY TREE FRIENDS from Mondo Media and CREATURE COMFORTS and WALLACE & GROMIT from Aardman Animations.
Co-founder Spike said, "A generation of Spike and Mike fans grew up watching the Spike and Mike Film Festivals at midnight screenings at their local theaters. Today, our theatrical tour continues to be a natural magnet for up and coming animators that want to reach a wide audience so we're often the first to secure and promote the best cutting edge animation from around the world. With the addition of our web site we can now present the best material from our archives and showcase the hottest new animation."
John Evershed co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mondo Media said, "There's pent up demand for high quality professionally produced animation on the Internet. Pew Internet and American Life concluded that animation is the third most sought after genre of content on the Internet (after music and comedy) for male 18-34 audiences. The addition of Spike's site to our network will be attractive to advertisers trying to reach this audience. We're honored to include Spike's library in our network."
Spike and Mike screenings are perennial favorites at the Sundance Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, and the Annecy International Festival of Animation. At the Sundance Film Festival, Robin Williams captured the spirit of Spike's shows when he observed that, "Spike and Mike are like Disney with tits!"
John Lasseter, quoted in Jerry Beck's book OUTLAW ANIMATION: CUTTING-EDGE CARTOONS FROM THE SPIKE AND MIKE FESTIVALS, said of Spike and Mike "Spike & Mike have the incredible ability to recognize talent and films that entertain and they put on an amazing show."
Andrew Stanton, director and screenwriter of the Pixar's most recent release WALL-E, said in OUTLAW ANIMATION, "Spike and Mike were really the match makers directly for John Lasseter and I finding out about one another."
For more information on Spike and Mike, or to see some of their featured animated shorts, visit www.spikeandmike.com.
