Muppet Peter Pan

[Drtooth]

I think Muppet Babies still remains one of the best-quality TV cartoons made in the 80's. It was fun, it played with the idea of their imaginations and the songs were very catchy. It still stands up just fine, like the Disney cartoons of the same period.

Off topic...I always found that it was an amazing program, especially one intended for the youngest audience. They treated those little kids like regular cartoon watchers, not like they're playing some computer game or something. And even though it was always just their imaginations, there was some sense of danger present.

Now, i gotta say, it's a shame they aren't planning a Muppet Babies comic mini-series... I'd love to see your take on it.

 

[Amy]

Now, i gotta say, it's a shame they aren't planning a Muppet Babies comic mini-series... I'd love to see your take on it.

That would indeed be awesome and I'd happily take a crack at it.
But that's up to Boom! and Disney. Who knows, if Disney have anything planned to revive Muppet Babies, a comic might have a chance at fruition. Copyright laws would make the show's trademark 'insert footage from other movies' device rather difficult, though
But rest assured there are PLENTY of Muppet ideas in the works for comics. We can't get TOO over-saturated here.

 

[Drtooth]

But that's up to Boom! and Disney. Who knows, if Disney have anything planned to revive Muppet Babies, a comic might have a chance at fruition. Copyright laws would make the show's trademark 'insert footage from other movies' device rather difficult, though

Wonder how that would work in a comic book? Draw the characters over Spidey and Bats?

 

[minor muppetz]

If I ever get a chance to write something for Muppets, though, I wouldn't include post-1990 characters.

Depending on how knowledgeable you are on the characters, do you think you'd include any of the characters created for The Jim Henson Hour (by the way, Clifford is one of them, he's not a post-1990 Muppet)? Bean Bunny became a main character on that series, though he was introduced a few years earlier in the special Tale of the Bunny Picnic.

 

[minor muppetz]

I have a question for some of the people invovled with the Muppet comics: Do you think there'd be any way that in the future, there can be a fan survey invovling the comics? Maybe put up on Boom!'s website, or an official Disney site, or maybe a personal website, blog, facebook, myspace, or twitter page belongign to somebody on staff (and I don't know whether that would apply to any of you)?

For example, the vote could be for what fairy tale the Muppets adapt next, or maybe even let fans vote for who plays certain characters.

 

[Amy]

Minor Muppetz, I'm going to give you a straight but honest answer.
I extremely doubt surveying fans for comic ideas will happen because:
a) there are plenty of writers already pitching ideas for fairy tales and other Muppet adaptations and
b) more importantly, these comics are not "for the fans". They are for children. Boom! and Disney have made that clear from the beginning. These comics were not created as a legacy property. As I have said several times, Disney have a firm agenda of bringing the Muppets back to young kids and it's their call what kind of stories they want to make.
There is a reason the same core characters get cast or featured the most - because they are the most well-rounded personalities, and are popular and recognisable. Comics are labour-intensive, so in my opinion, I'd rather spend my time on characters that the majority of readers want to see, not pages on some peripheral character that only the die-hard fans would recognise.

I would suggest you petition Disney if you want to see certain kinds of stories or characters because it's not Boom's call what kind of stories get greenlit or casting. Disney screen and approve ALL stories and casting befor production begins.

 

[dwayne1115]

Minor Muppetz, I'm going to give you a straight but honest answer.
I extremely doubt surveying fans for comic ideas will happen because:
a) there are plenty of writers already pitching ideas for fairy tales and other Muppet adaptations and
b) more importantly, these comics are not "for the fans". They are for children. Boom! and Disney have made that clear from the beginning. These comics were not created as a legacy property. As I have said several times, Disney have a firm agenda of bringing the Muppets back to young kids and it's their call what kind of stories they want to make.
There is a reason the same core characters get cast or featured the most - because they are the most well-rounded personalities, and are popular and recognisable. Comics are labour-intensive, so in my opinion, I'd rather spend my time on characters that the majority of readers want to see, not pages on some peripheral character that only the die-hard fans would recognise.

I would suggest you petition Disney if you want to see certain kinds of stories or characters because it's not Boom's call what kind of stories get greenlit or casting. Disney screen and approve ALL stories and casting befor production begins.

It's just like I thought. I was talking about the two rumored movie scritps out there, and was saying that Disney knows they have the adults (18-45) the ones who grew up with the Muppets. What they are trying to do now is get the kids and tweenys (5-17) into the Muppets. The comics are a great way to reach young people, it will also get them reading. Disney has to be very careful with what they put out from one week to the next with the Muppets because right now they are trying to expand there fan base, if that makes sencse.

 

[frogboy4]

The Muppets have a track record of being all-inclusive and Disney seems to understand that as of late. Their past performance of target marketing confusion is partly responsible for the Muppets need for a comeback. It was Sony's fault too before them.

Maybe there's a contrary internal directive out there, but the comics seem to be for everybody so far. I think these comics are a great way to introduce the characters to a new generation while giving the fans a treat. The comics thus far reflect that sentiment and that is exactly why there's buzz. It's not because of the kids at this point. I hope these don't get watered down and candy coated in the future.

To date the comics have introduced Hilda, Mildred, frackles, Uncle Deadly, George, Wayne, Wanda and many other obscure characters. It's obviously a nod to the longtime fans and I think that's what member minor muppets was addressing. We love those little cameos. We'd like to see more. I'm not a big Digit fan, but would enjoy seeing him hanging around on a pirate ship or riding a horse in the forest. I would also love to see Pepe as a pirate or a lost boy. I think kids would too.

I suppose the misunderstanding here is that it sounds like Disney's mission statement is to pander to kids in order to introduce the characters to them, when all the fans see these for us too.

We feel like a priority and that's a lot of the reason for recent praise. I've seen a balance and really enjoy that. Whatever that magic formula is, I hope it doesn't change. These comics don't seem to be for kids, primarily or otherwise. They seem to be for everybody. However, it does appear to be the perfect cost-effective, grassroots campaign to bring the face of the Muppets to kids.

Basically I'm saying - keep up the good work! The magic is coming back. And there's more magic to come with Amy's beautiful renderings. Fall can't come soon enough for me!

 

[Drtooth]

Maybe there's a contrary internal directive out there, but the comics seem to be for everybody so far. I think these comics are a great way to introduce the characters to a new generation while giving the fans a treat. The comics thus far reflect that sentiment and that is exactly why there's buzz. It's not because of the kids at this point. I hope these don't get watered down and candy coated in the future.

To date the comics have introduced Hilda, Mildred, frackles, Uncle Deadly, George, Wayne, Wanda and many other obscure characters. It's obviously a nod to the longtime fans and I think that's what member minor muppets was addressing. We love those little cameos. We'd like to see more. I'm not a big Digit fan, but would enjoy seeing him hanging around on a pirate ship or riding a horse in the forest. I would also love to see Pepe as a pirate or a lost boy. I think kids would too.

I suppose the misunderstanding here is that it sounds like Disney's mission statement is to pander to kids in order to introduce the characters to them, when all the fans see these for us too.

We feel like a priority and that's a lot of the reason for recent praise. I've seen a balance and really enjoy that. Whatever that magic formula is, I hope it doesn't change. These comics don't seem to be for kids, primarily or otherwise. They seem to be for everybody. However, it does appear to be the perfect cost-effective, grassroots campaign to bring the face of the Muppets to kids.

Seems like Disney wants to market these to kids as a kid's line for merchandising and possibly demographic purposes, but I have no doubt in my mind the comic company as well as the writers and artists want this to be for everybody, especially Muppet fans and comic book fans that remember the Muppets. Some how it brings to mind something like a show that's for kids (marketing and demographically speaking), but everybody but the main copyright holders/company are in on making it enjoyable for everyone. Which gets me kinda worried... when a show is more successful with adults than kids, and it's given a kid's time slot, the show is canceled for not being a success with the target group... e.i. Freakazoid. I hope that sales of this comic is even spread between kids and adult fans long enough to keep it going.

 

[frogboy4]

Seems like Disney wants to market these to kids as a kid's line for merchandising and possibly demographic purposes, but I have no doubt in my mind the comic company as well as the writers and artists want this to be for everybody, especially Muppet fans and comic book fans that remember the Muppets. Some how it brings to mind something like a show that's for kids (marketing and demographically speaking), but everybody but the main copyright holders/company are in on making it enjoyable for everyone. Which gets me kinda worried... when a show is more successful with adults than kids, and it's given a kid's time slot, the show is canceled for not being a success with the target group... e.i. Freakazoid. I hope that sales of this comic is even spread between kids and adult fans long enough to keep it going.

I can tell you personally that in the toy shop where I work part time, American kids just don't know what the Muppet Show brand is that much. It's the adults that buy the figures. However, Europeans of all ages still know the Muppets very well! I guess we have a five minute attention span in this country.

Also, the comic book shop I go to is in the heart of San Francisco's Castro area. (Yeah, the gay area best known these days from the Harvey Milk movie.) And the comic is a known topic of discussion. I just don't like the idea of any media being "for" kids. The best kids entertainment is for everybody. That's how Sesame Street survived for so many years. But the Muppets have always been a general audience brand and Langridge's comics reflect that. If these current comics are already considered by Disney as being for kids than great. They don't appear that way to me. However, I don't want them to go in a kiddie direction. That's what I've been saying.