15TH & 20TH ANNVIERSARIES

 Continuing our anniversary celebration with the shows turning 15 and 20 this year.

JIM WARD DEAD AT 66

 

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He voiced Angus in The Secret Files of the SpyDogs; Albert Einstein in an episode of The Mummy: The Animated Series; XLR8, Diamondhead, Wildvine, and several minor roles in Ben 10 (2005); Stoker, Eyemore, Dr. Catorkian, Crusher and several minor roles in Biker Mice From Mars (2006); Mordru in an episode of Legion of Super Heroes; Mr. Sully in The Replacements; Professor X, the Sentinels, Dr. Abraham Cornelius, and Warren Worthington II in Wolverine and the X-Men; a judge in an episode of Back at the Barnyard; Ho-Boe in Winx Club; and The Brain in an episode of Justice League Action. He also provided voices for Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures, Men in Black: The Series, and Xyber 9: New Dawn.

DAVID WARNER DEAD AT 80

 

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He played Ra's al Ghul throughout the DC Animated Universe; Ice Breaker in an episode of Biker Mice from Mars (1993); the Archmage in episodes of Gargoyles; The Glyph in an episode of Captain Simian & the Space Monkeys; The Lobe in Freakazoid!, which he reprised for a guest-appearance in Teen Titans Go!; Herbert Landon and the first voice of Red Skull in Spider-Man: The Animated Series;  Alpha in Men in Black: The Series; Doctor Vic Frankenstein in Toonsylvania; Lord Angstrom in Buzz Lightyear of Star Command; and an old man in What's New, Scooby-Doo?

RIP JIM JANES

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He was an artist that worked as a character designer for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) and Swamp Thing: The Animated Series; storyboard artist for Ninja Turtles, Peter Pan and the Pirates, Batman: The Animated Series, X-Men: The Animated Series, Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Biker Mice From Mars (1994) and Sherlock Holmes in the 22^nd Century; and a prop designer for The Karate Kid: The Series.

SATURDAY MORNING MASTERS: STAN LEE

STAN LEE

(December 28, 1922-November 12, 2018)

Notable Roles: Writer, editor, publisher, producer, Stan Lee, Willie Lumpkin, Mayor of Super Hero City, The Genralissimo, Papa Smurf, Future Tony Stark, Boss Awesome/Fred’s Dad, Stan the Janitor, Mr. Mystic

Born Stanley Lieber, Lee always dreamed about writing the “great American novel”. When he ended up working for Timely Comics (later Marvel), he adopted his pen name when he worked his way up to being a writer so as not to hurt his chances to be accepted as a legitimate writer. When Joe Simon and Jack Kirby left the company in 1941 due to creative differences with publisher Martin Goodman, Lee was promoted to interim editor at age 19 while also continuing to write. After serving in WWII, Lee returned to Timely, now called Atlas Comics, and wrote a variety of genres throughout the 1950s; becoming increasingly dissatisfied with his work. When rival DC Comics had reinvigorated the superhero genre in what became known as the Silver Age of Comics, Goodman tasked Lee with doing the same for Atlas. Since he was planning a career change, his wife, Joan, encouraged Lee to just do the kind of story he wanted. He decided to create heroes that weren’t gods, but instead flawed, real humans, and with Kirby made the Fantastic Four. Their popularity led to even more creations under the imperfect hero philosophy, such as Hulk, Thor, Iron Man and the X-Men with Kirby, Daredevil with Bill Everett, and Dr. Strange and Spider-Man with Steve Ditko, which would culminate in the Avengers and revivals of Golden Age characters Sub-Mariner and Captain America. Lee introduced full credits for each issue, engaged readers directly in the “Bullpen Bulletins” found in every issue as well as with their fan club called the Merry Marvel Marching Society, and developed the “Marvel Method” of scripting to alleviate some of the pressure of writing and editing most of the company’s output. He also had some input in the productions of the first Marvel-based cartoons, including Fantastic Four and Spider-Man. Lee’s bombastic personality led to his becoming a figurehead and the public face of Marvel. In 1981, he moved to California to oversee the development of Marvel’s properties into other media; particularly as part of Marvel’s animation division: Marvel Productions. He would earn the title “The King of Cameos” as he came to be featured in some way in many of Marvel’s various TV shows and movies (as well as many outside of the company); sometimes as a narrator, sometimes as himself, other times as a minor character. At one point, Lee was named President of Marvel, but stepped back down to publisher in order to keep involved with the creative output. Lee moved away from Marvel in 1990, but remained a salaried employee as chairman emeritus. He went on to co-found several media companies, including Stan Lee Media and POW! Entertainment, and worked on a variety of comic and other media projects for them and others. Lee’s later life was full of great upheaval. His wife of 59 years died in 2017. At the same time, it was said he was the victim of elder abuse from his two businesses managers that wanted to get their hands on his assets. Lee sued POW! following their acquisition by Camsing International over a contract that granted them exclusive use of his likeness and that POW! took over his various social media accounts. The suit was dropped in 2018. Lee also retired from the grueling convention circuit in 2017, but told friend and colleague Roy Thomas he was still up for more cameos as long as he didn’t have to travel. Lee died in November of 2018 of cardiac arrest with respiratory failure and congestive heart failure. Tributes for Lee were added to the end of Once Upon A Deadpool, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Avengers: Endgame, and in the Marvel Studios logo for Captain Marvel.

Saturday Credits:

Fantastic Four (1967)

Spider-Man (1967)

The New Fantastic Four

Spider-Woman

Spider-Man (1981)

Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends

The Incredible Hulk (1982)

Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies

Pryde of the X-Men

X-Men: The Animated Series

Biker Mice from Mars (1993)

Spider-Man: The Animated Series

Silver Surfer

Avengers: United They Stand

Spider-Man Unlimited

X-Men: Evolution

The Spectacular Spider-Man

Wolverine and the X-Men

Big Hero 6: The Series

Marvel’s Spider-Man

STU ROSEN DEAD AT 80

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Best known as the creator and star of the children's show Dusty's Treehouse, he served as the voice director of Hulk Hogan’s Rock ‘n’ Wrestling, Fraggle Rock (1987), RoboCop (1988), Captain N: the Game Master, Pryde of the X-Men, Piggsburg Pigs!, Little Shop and Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (1990). He was also the casting director for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987), Captain N and Eek!stravaganza, and served as the recording director for “The Legend of Lochangar” episode of ABC Weekend Specials.

He provided the voices of Floyd and Stuckey in an episode of Kissyfur; Storyteller Fraggle in an episode of Fraggle Rock (1987); henchmen in episodes of Superman (1988); Dr. Russell in Zazoo U; Pit Boss and the Governor in Biker Mice from Mars (1993); and additional voices in Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa.

LUKE PERRY DEAD AT 52

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He became a household name and teen heartthrob starring in Beverly Hills 90210 and stayed mostly in on-camera roles, but he did occasionally branch out into voicing animation. He starred as Napoleon Brie in Biker Mice from Mars and its revival, Sub-Zero in Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, Stewart Walldinger in three episodes of Pepper Ann and Fang in an episode of Pound Puppies (2010). He also provided additional voices for The Legend of Calamity Jane.

WILLIAM MORGAN SHEPPARD DEAD AT 86

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He portrayed Lawrence Limburger in both the original and the reboot of Biker Mice From Mars; King Kenneth, Odin and Petros Xanatos in Gargoyles as well as a security guard and Radar in an episode of the follow-up, The Goliath Chronicles; Asteroth in The Mighty Ducks; Captain Bloodbeard in Timon & Pumbaa; and Sardath in Young Justice.