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Thus Spake Tick Creator Ben Edlund
1) copyright issues?
by turbine216
Now that we're all aware of the still-pending copyright issues between
Sony and Fox concerning certain Tick characters and trademarks
("Spoon!"), is there any hope in sight for a resolution that would allow
the use of these copyrights? Or is this a totally dead issue?
Ben:
If the show proceeds, it's not impossible that the wheels of justice will
turn back in our direction. Actually, "Spoon" is not held by the company
that owns the Saturday-morning cartoon rights. The rule is, anything which
appeared in the 12-issue comic book series I did is free from the
constraints of the cartoon contract. This includes Tick, Arthur, Spoon,
and all the heroes and villains in those books. Incidentally, Spoon appeared
first in the 7th issue of the comic, and the thirteenth episode of the
cartoon.
2) Timeslot
by ReadbackMonkey
What evil Fox executive stuck you in such a lethal timeslot? Why didn't
they slot you behind the Simpson's then move you to the lethal Thursday
timeslot?
I had to fight with my girlfriend to watch the show last night since 'Will and Grace' was on.
Ben:
We're part of a large group of shows, all vying for the most favored
programming scraps from Fox's big table. Where we've been placed on the Fox
schedule is both challenging (or if you take a darker view, prohibitive) and
advantageous, at least in that Fox will have lowered expectations for the
Tick in a timeslot ruled by Survivor, Must-See TV, and other stiff
competition. But I can't say that we've been given a red carpet by the
network. So I won't.
3) DVD?
by Count Fecal
When will the cartoon series Tick be available on DVD?
Ben:
I don't know, Count Fecal. I don't know.
4) Hero/Villain Iconography
by kaladorn
Tick, to my mind, is an ideal hero icon for the current generation. He
has good intentions, but isn't too aware of the fine details (well, even
some gross details) of the world around him. He tries hard, and things
tend to work out after a fashion, but usually not as a result of any
particular brilliance on his part. Tick fulfills the iconic image of
style over substance, of good intentions versus understanding, of the
brawn and machismo not directed by a terribly powerful cranium, and of
accidental destruction as a consequence of his good intentions and
bungling execution.
His sidekick Arthur, of course, is more down to earth and aware. He's a bit of a geek (though I have yet so see him hack a kernel) with less-than-stellar social skills. He too seems to fill an iconic image in modern-day society - the nerdy brains-behind the brawn.
When these characters evolved, were they merely an attempt to poke fun at Superhero archetypes, or were they consciously intended to be more "in touch" with and to more closely parallel today's society? Or do you consider such analysis to be far deeper than the subject matter merits? Is the Tick just good humored fun, or is it perceptive art?
Ben:
The Tick is a work in stupid. Just as others may choose clay or stone or
paint, I and my compatriots have chosen stupidity as our medium. But stupid
must be worked and mastered like any other material; during this
experimental stage, the viewer of the work may feel he or she is observing
"perceptiveness" or "art." This is simply an illusion.
Tick and Arthur, as archetypes, are less an intentional reflection of today's society, and more an adaptation of classic comedy teams: Laurel and Hardy, Hope and Crosby, Quixote and Panza. The dynamic -- A big, goofy, charismatic lunatic, unharmable and often unreasonable, paired with a small, rabbity, very sane and very vulnerable guy -- is just another interpretation of those comedy teams where the idea of dominance is expressed and played with.
5) Target Audience
by rnb
Judging from the first episode alone, it seems like the live-action Tick
is automatically shooting for an older audience than the cartoon was
(for perhaps obvious reasons). Arthur getting drunk, The Tick using the
word "bitch," some of Batmanuel's references to Captain Liberty, etc. I
always got the feeling from the cartoon that it was aimed at both adults
and kids, with some jokes perhaps flying over the kids' heads while the
adults would get them (a snake accusing The Tick of not dating much
during a wrestling match in The Tick vs. Proto-Clown comes to mind).
Will the live-action series be aimed more at adults and less at younger
viewers? I'm not really complaining if that is the case, it just seemed
like there was definitely a shift in tone.
Ben:
I did not want The Tick to say "bitch" in the first episode. That I was
not given the power to remove it as I saw fit offers some insight into the
range of my control over this massive undertaking. The mandated presence of
other hands and shared authority in television is inevitable. The show
wouldn't be here without it. But I digress.
The tone was intentionally spiced up a bit, and I was right there with my attempts at sexy talk and jokes and so forth. But the Tick's tonal tolerance (especially a live-action version) is something we had to experiment with. There are episodes that go wildly off the mark where Tick's innocence and the credible warmth of his world are concerned. Just wait, they'll come on your tv and accost you in your living room...
These nine episodes are postcards from the brink of nothingness, giving filtered snapshots of Tick, Arthur, and their universe. We will need more shows to truly nail down what works tonally.
6) The Tick's Language
by quiller
While I'm a big fan of the Tick and enjoyed the show last night, I found
one thing discordant while watching it. The Tick using words like bitch,
and gonads. He has always struck me as having very anachronistic
language. Stuck back in the Father Knows Best days. Spreading his brand
of creamy justice on the toast of the city, sure. Make Evil my Bitch,
doesn't work for him. Borderline profanity might work for some of the
other characters, particularly Bat Manuel, but it seems wrong for the
well intentioned, but naive hero that is the Tick. Is this a direction
they are trying to take the Tick for some reason, or just a matter of
unfamiliarity with the characters that will be ironed out over time?
Ben:
Partly answered in the previous question. Unfamiliarity, yes.
7) The Beginning
by Prof_Dagoski
I wish I still had my first Tick comic. It was a freebie from New
England Comics, announcing that they were going to try publishing their
own comics. I thought it pretty decent, but had to make more strategic
decisions in my collecting habits at the time. Sorry Ben, I just had to
have Akira. Fast forward a few years and suddenly I see the tick
everywhere. So my question is this: Where did you think this comic would
end up way back at issue one? Were you jsut hoping to have some good
stuff in your portfolio by the time you got out of college(or wherever)?
Were you hoping for a moderately successful underground classic? Just
when did you realize that the Tick was a big hit? What happened then in
your life and how did it affect your creation(the comic as well as the
character)?
Ben:
No need to apologize about your preference or spending habits! When I
started doing the first issue of the Tick I was 18 (I had invented him the
year before, in high school). New England Comics hadn't ever published a
comic. We were at the crashing and burning stage of the black-and-white
explosion (the glut of independent low print-run comics spurred to crazed
heights of speculative collectability by the successes of Teen Age Mutant
Ninja Turtles ) and figured we'd probably get to issue three if we were
lucky, then can the book for lack of sales. But that didn't happen.
This thing has been a source of remarkable successes and relatively painless failures. I've lived with Tick for almost sixteen years. Who I am as an adult human is greatly affected by this character and his strange course. And passing as he has through comics, cartoons, and now live action, The Tick has given me access to many of the skills and opportunities I was hoping for in film school. My big blue meal ticket never seems to die!
8) Two questions
by Flounder
Ben, been a huge avid fan of The Tick since issue 1. Still got all my
issues (including my uncut #2) and still read them on occasion. Got
every episode of the cartoon series, still watch them on occasion (and
to introduce my 4 year old boys to The Tick).
Here's my questions...
As the creator / executive producer / high goddess of all that is Tick-y, what would be the one thing you wish to be done with the new live action show? Guest appearances? (BTW, nice shot of you and Barry on the couch) Better special effects? Hot dog cut into a little octopus?
And second, since it appears that characters from the cartoon exclusively will not be appearing due to copyright issues, can you give us a brief list of those that might appear from the comic? Chairface Chippendale? Chainsaw Vigilante? Paul the Samurai? Man Eating Cow?
Thanks for making Thurday night TV watchable again.
Ben:
The most important change would be budgetary. During shooting, it became
necessary to make many concessions, to sometimes drastically change elements
of story because we couldn't afford to shoot the script. This extended to
sets, scenery, special effects both practical and computer-generated,
costumes -- pretty much everything. An increase of 100,000 dollars would
suffice, thank you.
A version of The Terror appears in one episode.
9) Sources of inspiration
by MikeyNg
To me, the Tick was always a satire of his genre. You made fun of
Batman, Wonder Woman, Galactus, etc., etc. My question would be: With
the series moving to live-action TV, would you be satiring other things?
Making fun of Galactus would go over the heads of most your audience.
However, targetting Friends or Survivor would surely hit the spot.
(Survivor especially, given your current time slot.) Where is the comedy
and the storyline going to come from?
Ben:
A lot of the comedy in the Tick stems from translating real life
situations into their superheroic correlaries. Married life becomes the
vocational marriage of superhero and sidekick, for example. For the most
part, parodying specific heroes is "over the heads" of the mainstream
audience. Only those few who've achieved widespread iconic status (Batman,
Superman, The Hulk, etc) are relevant to the masses. Over the course of
these episodes, we play with the judicial system, death, old age, issues of
identity, and more!
10) Creative Control
by CleverNickName
How much creative control do you have, and how much will you maintain,
if the show is a success?
I have firsthand experience with the idiocy of networks, so I'd be very interested to hear how you pitched the idea.
I'd also like you to know that I have been a fan from issue number 1, and used to curse your being in college, and not being able to put out new issues. Paul the Samurai is one of my favorite characters, in any medium, of all time.
Ben:
As I mentioned above, I do not reign supreme. But in general, I was given
enough influence to make things happen, sometimes to steer the show away
from material I disliked, sometimes not. In fairness I should say that were
I capable of writing at a higher speed, I'd have probably been able to
control more. The more you make, the more it's you.
Pitching this was greatly simplified by the enthusiastic presence of Barry Sonnenfeld, who shepherded the show from inception to fruition. His clout, insight, and ability made this thing happen. Having Barry attached to a project makes it less of a pitch and more of a negotiation. People are ready to sign him up!
College was a poor excuse for the irregularity of the Tick comic. The real excuse was my dreamy, immature work ethic, which still has yet to fully bloom.
As for the TV series, yeah, it's a mixed bag, so far, but maybe the "weirdness magnet" is still pulling ferrous particles of improbability. If Fox will give it a little time to ferment, so will I.
Oh, and lest I forget... SPOON!
I looked into the abyss, and the abyss looked into me--and we both winked.
Out of curiosity, anybody here have any insight as to the origin of the nasty rumor that the Cartoon would have nothing to do with "Spoon"?
Karma: Non-Heinous
I mean, seriously, I like the show a lot, but I don't have a high confidence that it has enough ooomph to last more than 6-7 episodes on a major network like fox.
I wonder if Ben realizes he has just been interviewed by Wil Wheaton?
And I wonder why Wil's other question (also rated 5, BTW) wasn't asked... thought it would've been funny.
Okay, so I'm just trying to burn some Karma.
But before you mod me down, I do want to say one thing:
Why didn't Ben go into more detail about The Tick on DVD? At least a description of why he didn't know... maybe a statement to the effect of "we haven't thought of it" or "We're negotiating that now" or something... the only thing I could find online was The Tick vs. The Common Cold, but it seemed to be an interactive rendition. There was a petition for it, but its been closed for sometime.
Maybe a quick letter to Fox (what about Sony?) on the subject by interested parties could spurn them on a little more?
I am disrespectful to dirt! Can you see that I am serious?!
I am, however, very disappointed that "CleverNickName"'s other question didn't get through! Never have I seen a better (in a good way) case of karma whoring / desperate plea for work... :)
Come on Ben, if you're reading this, what about that question of his? Can he get the job?
DO NOT LEAVE IT IS NOT REAL
Why did they change the name to Captain Liberty? (Or was CL another character?)
It would be sad if the name American Maid died a death due to political correctness. It's perfect lameness is a great tease at the stupid naming conventions when writers try to be clever.
I am for the complete Trantorization of Earth.
I've never been much into comic books, but if The Tick books are half as funny as the shows then I'd love to read them. Are they online anywhere or am I going to have to wait until I stumble across them at a flea market?
324006
I did not want The Tick to say "bitch" in the first episode. That I was not given the power to remove it as I saw fit offers some insight into the range of my control over this massive undertaking.
It's funny to hear about the networks wanting to make the language more harsh, and the creator wanting to "censor" it. Usually I would think it's the opposite.
ok then your [sic] infringing on my copyright! Could you as [sic] me next time before STEALING my comments for your own?
Dude, get over it. Wil seems like a nice guy, but if people keep falling over themselves to point him out or kiss his ass, or whatever it is that you're doing, it's going to start getting embarrassing. Just chill, ok?
What's the deal, pickle?
I've always been a fan of the cartoon, and not so much the comic. Tick is just not the same without American Maid, Die Fledermaus, etc. Plus, that guy from Seinfeld is just not 9 feet tall.
Strangely, I find myself agreeing with the protest to "bitch" - I have no problems with language (or anything at all, for that matter) on TV - but it's just not something the Tick would say.
I for one, would much rather seen another season of the cartoon.
sic transit gloria mundi
No, I can't picture the Tick saying that. It's like Big Bird smacking Elmo around, or like this sweet little South Park interlude:
Fat Abbot: Hey hey hey. What's goin on Rudy?
Rudy: Man, Fat Abbot, you need to lose weight.
Fat Abbot: I lose weight when I feel like it bitch! Shut your bitch ass mouth hoe!
Rudy: Bitch I'll kick yo ass!
Kyle: Whoa dude!
Stan: Sweet!
Fat Abbot: You think you slick you punk ass blasphemous dopefeed bitch. I had my Jimmy waxed 7 times last week. I busta cap in yo nigga ass shit.
Stan: Wow cartoons are getting really dirty.
I'm not pushing any particular agenda here, I nearly choked lauging at Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, but on the other hand, I admire the highly disciplined writing and performances that make Sabrina the Teenage Witch more fun than a barrel full of monkeys, while still 100% kiddie friendly.
Perhaps this was funnier in context, but it's got the ring of lazy writing to it. Roll on the UK release so that I can find out. ;-)
If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
LOL. Do I sense a new villain in the making? How cool would it be to have a character on the show based off of a "character" on Slashdot?
If you think advertisers object to nudity, you're wrong. Here in the UK, a significant proportion of the ads on TV are paid for by the same global corporations that pay for US ads, yet the UK doesn't suffer from the same sort of censorship that US TV does. In fact nudity is even used in ads themselves (although not to the same extent or frequency that it is in continental Europe, it has to be said).
"The invisible and the non-existent look very much alike." -- Delos B. McKown
How old are you, exactly?
Same age as Wil Wheaton. Why, are you looking for friendship, perhaps leading to a romantic involvement? Got pictures? ;-)
Seriously, I'm old enough to be comfortable enjoying content for its inherent quality rather than because it's targetted at my demographic. Sabrina is one of the best written and acted shows out there, in any market. Incidentally, it's very popular in prisons. Go figure.
And let's not forget that we're discussing a superhero show based on a comic book and a cartoon, by the way. ;-)
If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
Looking at this new version of The Tick on Fox, you can easily tell that there just wasn't enough research done on the characters, and not enough creative control given to Mr. Edlund. The wide-eyed, child-like facination with JUSTICE, as if it were a shiny bauble, seems gone from the latest interpretation. Patrick Wharburton just doesn't seem to understand that Tick is not a macho squinty-eyed action hero, but an excitable, innocent imbecile who leaps into danger with a mile-wide grin and a giggle. And The Tick doesn't say "bitch", that's for damn sure.
So where's the research? Was there any? If so, what did it consist of? I get a strong feeling that the people who're truly in charge don't fully understand what makes The Tick popular, and it might already be too late. The show just isn't that good, and as much as I would LOVE to love it, I can't.
The disasterously low budget is obvious, too. How many times in this first run of episodes are we going to have to put up with the characters looking out a window or over the rooftops, pointing and screaming "OH MY GOD, LOOK AT THE AMAZING STUFF GOING ON OVER THERE OFF-CAMERA!" And instead of an important special effects sequence, we get to watch BatManuel picking his nose.
I've got to say, I'm upset. I'm really worried about this show. I wanted so badly for it to take off, for it to boost The Tick into the adult mainstream where he could so easily fit in, were he faithfully reproduced and properly interpreted. But, sadly, I don't think that's going to happen. This wonderful chance to bring one of my favorite characters ever to life is being blown by classic TV network ignorance right before my eyes.
Everybody, even Ben Edlund, says "We'll work all the kinks out in later episodes" and I truly hope that gets a chance to happen. I know the early Simpsons episodes were unbearably stupid, but they had the advantage of a nationally recognized symbol in Bart, so they eventually prospered and grew into the amazing institution they are. I can only pray that the same will happen to The Tick; that the show will somehow capitalize on The Tick's current recognition and attract the best, most talented writers, a killer budget, and multiple seasons.
But the point (I think I actually have one in here somewhere) is that NONE of this can happen if the people in charge and the people onscreen don't actually sit down and take some time to understand what characteristics put The Tick where he is now. It obviously hasn't been done correctly, because I like The Tick, and I don't like this. I SO wish that Edlund had the final cut, but barring that, the only thing that can save the show, in my opinion, is a deeper understanding of the character by those who DO have final cut.
Here's hoping.
You have made my point. The Tick is Forrest Gump with superpowers. He's a 9 foot tall, 400 pounds of solid muscle 8-year-old. Patrick Warburton couldn't grok that but Townsend Coleman, the guy who gave voice to The Tick in the much superior animated series could. And therein lies the main problem with the series.
You can't do cartoony if you are not doing it as a cartoon. The live-action Tick is working at a distinct disadvantage.
Spoon!
Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power multiplied.
The line seemed okay to me; it sounded like The Tick had picked it up from hearing other people, and had no clue what it meant. Saying it about a villian or some other person would be out of character, but about a coffee machine is different. The Tick is too innocent to understand why this is odd, and probably too innocent to know that it's naughty. At least to me it came across as something he wouldn't say if he knew that it was something he shouldn't say.
Cause The Tick wasn't even broadcast last week (Turkey/Adam Sandler day), and it is not scheduled for this week, either (Lord of the Rings informercial will be on). Maybe I've seen (and enjoyed) the only two episodes that will ever be broadcast.
Little kid told me,"I used to watch The Tick cartoon show, but now I watch the real Tick."
What does this have to do with Ben Edlund or the Tick?
Yeah, well, the jerk store called and said they're running out of you!
Get a life!
You have the audacity to lecture me and the other readers about how we choose to spend our time, claiming we are wasting it, and yet the most creative and respectful thing you can think of to do with YOUR time is to flame us?
Yeah, well, the jerk store called and said they're running out of you!
Give it a chance! They've only aired two episodes. I think Putty'll be fine once he figures out what he's doing; after all he voiced a very similar character in The Emperor's New Groove very well.
Yeah, well, the jerk store called and said they're running out of you!
I hope that it becomes the first few seasons of the Simpsons. The last few seasons are better left to the dark relm of where sitcoms go to die. Look at the last years of I Love Lucy, same thing.
Now comes the show. We popped popcorn, crowded around the set. I feverishly adjusted the antenna. When did it start on the west coast? When...? Idea ... a neighbor has a dish . . . I drove down her driveway. "Can you tape this for me?" "You want me to tape what?" "I'll pick it up later!" I drive back.
We all cuddle together ready for "The Tick!" Ah such joy awaits.
It starts and the sexual inuendo, language are ripe. What's with what's her names costume . . . This is not for my kids. The fun is somewhere there but is just plain over-shadowed by the smut. This is not a family show. It is not the Tick I grew to know. We won't be watching it.
I guess FOX just can't produce a clean funny show. I ask the author , "What happened to good clean zany?"
thus spake I.
And it doesn't hurt that Melissa's hot as all hell.
It doesn't mean much now, it's built for the future.
Mediocre troll - pity you didnt know that Wil has been at /. for about 3 years.
The disasterously low budget is obvious, too. How many times in this first run of episodes are we going to have to put up with the characters looking out a window or over the rooftops, pointing and screaming "OH MY GOD, LOOK AT THE AMAZING STUFF GOING ON OVER THERE OFF-CAMERA!" And instead of an important special effects sequence, we get to watch BatManuel picking his nose.
See, I liked the "use your imagination here" because us talking about a monstrously large cow who shoots fire out her "teets" is way more funny than actually showing the horrible destruction associated with a monstrously large cow setting fire to the town. It keeps the air light, and fluffy, and doesn't ya' know, bring us down.
With Cherries on Top.
O
In Soviet Russia, asses suck this joke.
Ben's answer to question #8 where he said another $100K would have made a big difference reminded me of an idea I had.
It seems like it would be cool to apply free market (or stock market) principles to entertainment. For instance, if they raised money for Tick by selling tiny shares of the profit from the show or something. That way things which are not too widely known but insanely loved by the few could still be funded.
I was originally thinking of it wrt the Lord of the Rings movies. If they cut any corners, I'm going to wish they gave us nerds a chance to make donations.
I guess they always could set up a little corp like a mutual fund for this purpose. Anything like this that I just don't know about? A company like Vanguard could be set up with this as its business model. (maybe stretching it)
I'd have to vote for CowBoyNeil!
(maybe for more of a hero type...{grin})
"It's the Law of the Universe, and I'm the sheriff." Slash-cott 2/10-2/17
Hey if you want to find out more about the Tick comics, check out our review of the Tick Omnibus 1.
:)
After reading, you really should go buy a copy!
Large print giveth, and the small print taketh away
"Fox turned into a hardcore sex channel so gradually, I didn't even notice!"
- MFN
"Slow down, Cowboy! It has been 3 years, 7 months and 26 days since you last successfully posted a comment."
tsk tsk tsk. By responding to these nitwits, by debating their pointless posts ,which are designed solely to get a reaction out of you, you validate thier existense.
Do not feed the trolls
Watching Cowboy Bebop in my Macross jammie-jams is exactly what I'll do to get on with my life, thank you very much. And why? Because that's exactly what the murdering lunatics that launched the attack on the WTC want to abolish, and so I'll be offending *them* AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
If I could lob a few rockets myself, I would. The attack on the WTC cannot be defended, it was low cowardice and simple-minded evil. Those responsible need to be excised from the gene pool. Let's bring back the old days, and castrate them, burn their homes and families, and then tear out their eyes, never letting them know the direction of Mecca that they might forever be damned. Oh, wait, by their own faith they're already damned. Never mind, let's just shoot them.
mmm, horror.
I have firsthand experience with the idiocy of networks, so I'd be very interested to hear how you pitched the idea.
Yes...I would imagine so.
Sorry, that just made me chortle. Not laugh, mind you, but chortle - an essential distinction.
I'm the stranger...posting to
I posted the parent before reading the other posts with Wil Wheaton jokes - that was just stupid. Please downmod the parent.
I'm the stranger...posting to