Ugly Henson and Muppet promo comic from Big Boy (1979)

[Drtooth]

This was originally posted in the "Disney Green-lights Muppet comics" thread, but I thought it really should be it's own conversation, thus freeing up the topic, while creating a great dialogue on how ghastly it is...

Okay, while we're on the topic of bad Muppet cartoonists, I think we can all rest easy knowing that at least THIS guy isn't working on the Muppet comic:
http://www.toughpigs.com/journalbigboy01.htm
I'm sure many of you saw this before. It was on the Tough Pigs forum a few years back, and let's face it, there's no way that anyone could be a worse Muppet cartoonist (and I hesitate to even put him in such a prestigious category) than Manny Stallman--a name that just screams "off-model and poorly drawn".

Oh Big Boy, how could you associate yourself with such a lackluster talent, especially after you were designed by a Looney Tunes animator? For shame!

And with all the media attention Jim was getting for the Muppets around 1979, did he really need this cruddy little venue? I have to think this one slipped by him somehow....

All I can say is... whaaa-a-a-ah? ! ?

 

[theprawncracker]

*holds back lunch* (Yes, I KNOW it's 9:30 a.m., just go with it!)

That is the worst possible representation of the Muppet (this term used loosely) characters I have EVER seen. What... WHY? Yuck. YUCK. Kermit is atrocious, I don't consider that Gonzo OR Fozzie. Bunsen has lipstick on his cheek... WHY? Big Bird is awful, Jim Henson looks terrible, I don't even remember the other characters pictured because I'm trying to block it out of my mind. Yuck. Take it away. Every copy of that travesty should be burned and deleted from harddrives everywhere.

 

[Oscarfan]

It's like the artist was drawing from memory...with no idea what they looked like.

 

[theprawncracker]

It's like the artist was drawing from memory...with no idea what they looked like.

Maybe he was drawing of his memories of a bad acid-induced dream? Or a Barnum and Bailey's circus? ...Probably the former.

 

[Drtooth]

The facts are quite obvious... this was given away free at a burger joint, right? Maybe they were hoping that the grease stains would obscure everything so the artwork would look decent... even if it was gray and see through from fry stains.

But yeah...I think the artist either was told not to use any character art work, or had no working idea of the concept (considering Big Bird is referred to as a She). But then, how does the former explain the photos of Kermit and Big Bird.

I will say, though, his Snuffy is surprisingly passable. Passable, not great.

But that Whatnot that actually has the word "Whatnot" scribbled on it, and that Toy Spider looking Gonzo (I don't know how else to explain it) give me nightmares. And what's up with that human Fozzie clown thingy?

 

[The Count]

Spider-Gonz, Spider-Gonz.
Does whatever with his mighty schnoz.
Look out!
Here comes the Spider-Gonz.

 

[a_Mickey_Muppet]

wow this is weird! lol

 

[Redsonga]

Spider-Gonz, Spider-Gonz.
Does whatever with his mighty schnoz.
Look out!
Here comes the Spider-Gonz.

*giggles over the word schnoz* *keeps on giggling and falls off chair*

Golly, the McyD's comics I remember were works of art next to this..although, Snuffy is drawn about as well as I would be able to, but then, I do have a disability...

 

[unclematt]

I am sorry, I just went back and looked at that again and can not believe that Jim or the Muppets Company in general allowed that to go to print. It is God awful

 

[lowercasegods]

Part of me is glad this long lost "treasure" has been brought to the Muppet fan masses...but the other part of me feels like it owes everyone a big ol' apology because this is so horrible.

The apologetic side has overpowered me. I am sooooo sorry.

Curse you, Big Boy, and your off-model cartoonist.