CGI will not kill drawn animation for the simple reason that it is only another style of animation. In the same way plasticine (Chiken Run) Cut-outs (South Park), paint on glass (Old Man and the Sea). It has to do more with the script, guest voices and the quality of the artists who work on the film.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! The contents of your article have been in dire need of public digestion for the past decade. In our society of new trends and movements that must be classified and given a catchy name,each new advance ends up being cast as the mortal enemy of its immediate predecessor. As artists we should acknowledge and respect all of the tools at our disposal, and be aware that they are here for us to be creative with- traditional or digital.....

Very well written article. Logical and reasoned arguments. Nice to see this type of thinking come to the fore.

Another good piece, Dr. I might add that another reason for the success of Shrek, Toy Story, Antz, Monsters Inc, might be in small part because of its vocal actors. How much of Shrek's success was owing the star presense of Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy? The same goes with Toy Story (Tim Allen and Tom Hanks). I don't believe it's a major reason behind their success, but I wonder if Shrek, for example, would have reached the same success with minor voice actors.

Yep...I agree with Melissa. And I know I'll be working with Pixar! C ya guys soon!

I love Mr. Vasquez sooo much! (I thought I was the only person out there who hated Scooby Doo...) I feel good to know that there are other minds churning with the same twisted humor that mine does. =) And he should be not only prez, but conquerer of the known universe! Or is he already? Anywho, great interview. Really. Do it again when the MOVIES come out. =P Vasquez is destined for greatness. Or he's really insane. Or both.

Now that the Butt Ugly Martian show has aired some genuine episodes in the USA, any follow-up comments from the original reviewer Mr. Beck? I am a parent of young children, and I have heard of rave reviews and lots of excitement from their friends and their classmates. Boys 2 Martians??? That is just too funny!!!! (I might have the spelling wrong). As posted here earlier, the kids will be the ultimate reviewers........and their voices are beginning to be heard.

hello, awn i am the student of heart animation academy, and studying basic animation course, we are on the major or the basic animation of first exercise of the rolling ball on the punched paper. it's 2d actually, you can know that, i am keenly and very much interested in 3d animation, i have done 3d studio max, but i left it 2 years back, i want to know more about the maya software, and where is is the training available in india ?? i heard about you in the discovery channel splat program that i never never miss it.

Though I enjoyed Monsters, Inc. I do not think it is as good a movie as Pixar's previous films. I was impressed with the "look" of the film more than I was engaged in the story, where in Toy Story II for example I was totally immersed in that world for 90 minutes.

Jhonen is squishy. He goes *squish squish* when you squeeze him. Heh heh.. squishy Jhonen. -Sara

Is it just my browser, or is this page formatted for Japanese? I get 6 columns of 5 letters per column which makes for a highly unreadable article. Does anyone proof read this site? After perusing the html source code, I would advise removing the br tags after every 5 spaces. btw here is the page link in case you can't find it: http://mag.awn.com/index.php3?ltype=comments&article_no=781

Jhonen Vasquez should run for President. I really think he should. Then the friggin terrorists would be too confused and frightened to screw with the US. JV for Pres. in 2004! Foo! Yay! That's what I think. I leave now. ----Me.

That cartoon has got to be one of my absolute favorites (gotta love GIR! ^-^). I love reading interviews. I laughed my head off at this one. A hearty "HELLO!" to all, and "Lookit' me, Mommy! I'm on the Internet!" Keep up the Nicktoons!

In response to pulled "Bugs" It is clear to me that the exclusion of the "Bugs" episodes was an appropriate decision. It wasn't all that long ago that folks claimed television, or movies, did not stir viewers to unacceptable views and behaviors, eventhough, Malcolm McClaren had writen and spoken about it throughout the sixties. It is now generally accepted to be so. It is an apparently complex subject, but the argument that suggests we should view these animated works now, in the context of "their times" could quite easily be used to endorse the continued use of the Confederate flag (an interesting design), or even multiple wives for men (a biologically driven behavior). "See you later Mister Arab" is a bit much don't you think?

Hello, I am a really big fan of the cartoon invador zim. I think it is extremley funny I really like the robot dib I collect the zim cards on nick.com. My dad liked (Rise of zitboy)I think.

Wow! What great advice! I'm going to print this out and hang it on the wall for inspiration. Your really doing your fellow animators a favor by writing this.

I felt compelled to respond to Rich Harbert posting. Our colleagues at DCDC have recently appointed Mr. Harbert as their publicist. Most people in the animation industry would have understood my comments and differentiated between a show completely produced overseas and a US based production. Butt Ugly Martians was pre-produced in the USA. This included all CGI designs, models, all set’s, props, major lighting states, (all designed by Matt Macdonald at VSI), main title animation together with other inspirational animation. My comments were in no way meant to overlook co-production partner DCDC’s, input to the show. This has been well documented many many times before. At the time I composed my posting it was just after reading Jerry Beck’s swinging criticism of the animation quality of the show. This was also before I had found out who the hell had supplied an unfinished episode for criticism. I therefore felt it best not to mention our co-production partner’s names and was taking the cutting edge of the criticism myself. For the record, DCDC’s studio is a state of the art delight. It is probably, in terms of working conditions, the best I have ever worked with overseas. How many studios can claim a full sized skating rink on their ground floor. The staff there are also a delight, all being English speakers thus they get the gags first hand! Mr. Harbert, you should read Butt Ugly Martian creator Gary Selvaggio’s measured posting on the subject of the production. In no way would we claim that the show contains “superb animation”. It is professional, competent, produced squarely aimed at its intended audience and made for a budget similar to the one Pixar sets aside for tea and coffee expenses. Luckily children and many adults, (including many great professionals in the business) watch and love animated shows, less for esoteric or animation values, but more for entertainment. The Butt Ugly Martians provides this in abundance, look at the ratings overseas and in the coming months on Nickelodeon. At the opposite end of the animation spectrum there have been many examples recently (and over the years), of magnificently animated productions that leave their audiences stone cold. Back on the subject of production. We in the US have entered the worst recession in this regard since Bill Hanna and Joseph Barbera were let go from MGM several decades ago. Many of the slots on US television are used up by productions wholly produced overseas. Often the business playing fields there are not remotely even for US producers with Government imposed quotas, tax breaks, grants, subsidies, working practices and conditions all legislating against US productions. My independent studio can count itself lucky to have ongoing work at this time as many others do not. Obviously we would have preferred the recent criticism to be based on a finished episode rather than the one mysteriously sent to the Animation World Magazine critic, but enough on that subject, as I am content to let the kids out there have the last word. Mike Young.

Gene, I love your book! I watched Sidney, Tom and Jerry, and Krazy Kat cartoons you did...When I got the Krazy Kat tape last week, I was kinda dissapointed...I think Ignatz sometime should scare Officer Pupp...I was hoping (maybe there was, wasn't in the tape) there was a episode where Ignatz was chased in a small house, and Mrs. Quack Quack and Kelly cheering Officer Pupp to get in, than suddley, inside, Ignatz spots a beaker with strange liquid...thinking it as a soda, Ignatz drinks it...than...he becomes 12 feet "moonster" and scares Officer pupp, and shows it to the gangs, but Ignatz keep turning back to normal and when the two isn't looking, he becoms the monster again! but sadly, it was used in most of the cartoons....

I am curious how Dreamworks came up with the name DuLoc for the Castle in Shrek. Amd when did they come up with the name.

Gene,

I just finished your book online today! It's great. I've seen your Tom & Jerry cartoons and they really are some of the best. I'm actually an animator myself. "TV Drama," is my first animated short. It's on www.atomfilms.com

I also wrote "Everyone's Against Paley Whaley." It's like Moby Dick. Only funnier. Check my stuff out if you ever get the chance: www.paleywhaley.com.

Thanks,

Alan Steiner
madscientist@nyc.rr.com