"Comedy should provoke!
It should blast through prejudices, challenge preconceptions!
Comedy should always leave you different than when it found you.
Sure, humor can hurt, even alienate, but the risk is better than the alternative: a steady
diet of innocuous, child-proof, flavorless mush!
Demand to be challenged, to be offended, to be treated like thinking, reasoning adults.
And raise your children to be the same.
Don't let a comedian, a network, a Congressional committee, or an evil genius take away your
freedom to laugh at whatever you want."
When we speak about fictional ducks a few notable names come to mind, mostly Donald
and Daffy.
Both of whom have been extremely successful and influential in the animation industry.
Todays subject; despite being the lesser appreciated of what I'm now dubbing the animated duck
trifecta has also had a profound impact and influence that's still being felt today.
So let's take a look at the cult classic 1994 to 1997 animated series Duckman.
Fluffy!
Uranus!
Where the *** is my coffee?
Don't you little ****holes realize I want my **** coffee every go***morning and if I
don't ***Get it now I"m gonna kick your furry little ****es outta here!
So go get me that **** **** coffee!
Oh..Heh *** I guess you'll cut that.
Look now that' you're here I want you people to know I'm just a little bit TWEEKED that
it took you so long to get to me I mean I shoulda been the first show, not the hundredth.
Not that it's changed my opinion of your fine program one iota I'm proud to be part of your
uncompromising quest for truth and justice.
Eric Tiberius Duckman is a crass, womanizing, chain smoking, loudmouthed private dick who
has three kids among two bodies, a bitchy sister in law who's mother who communicates
solely through flatulence, a pair of adorable yet immortal stuffed animal assistants and
a Joe Friday sound-alike pig for a partner.
Sometimes after an electrical storm I see in five dimensions...Why are the 60 of you
looking at me like that?
He's the brainchild of artist Everett Peck who while working freelance with Klasky Csupo
on other projects pitched the series based on his original illustration inspired by a
mix of encounters from his everyday life.
As far as my inspiration for it, it was just sort of an eclectic mix, like I say Duckman
kind of happened in one drawing and Confed too but some of it's based on people I know
or just experiences I've had.
Actually the working relationship between Duckman and Cornfed were based on a friend
of mine and his partner and their kind of dysfunctional relationship in a business so
that was kind of the inspiration for that aspect of it.
But I also wanted him to have a family so that draws on friends or things I would see
I'd make a little note or a little sketch and it happened organically like that.
The idea was greenlit, production began and an amazing voice cast was onboarded, and I
mean an amazing cast.
(Musical Interlude) "Georges Bizet - "Les Toreadors" from Carmen Suite No. 1"
The show kind of plays like a mix between a dysfunctional family sitcom and a film noirish
style detective setting where Duckman and his family go on whacky adventures like The
family getting locked in the basement, Investigating a murder, going on the run to avoid paying
taxes, Helping Cornfed lose his virginity, saving the president, overthrowing small south
american country or ripping open a hole in the time space continuum, just to name a few.
Taking place in a universe where the anthropomorphic characters often feel more human than the
human characters.
Duckman has a surprising amount of heart, I'm mean sure he's a crass jerk most of the
time, but there are occasional glimmers of a decent human being, err duck...man sprinkled
throughout the series.
Son!
Dad!
Wow for a moment we were just like one of those ideal families in those sappy situation
comedies yeah, hah the kind where they learn something from each other every week and then
the music swells and they hug.
Hahahaha
And that was an important part of the Duckman character, generally he's over the top and
ridiculous and all that but then he does have moments where he comes down and you kinda,
you know get on his side.
He has like another side to himself.
The supporting characters are also very well written, my favorites being Duckman's seemingly
dull but often insightful son Ajax, His Nemesis King chicken voiced by the legendary Tim Curry,
His straight shooting partner Cornfed and of course Grandmama.
-Fart montage-
At the time of it's original broadcast animation aimed solely at adults on television wasn't
really a thing, well it existed but Duckman pushed the envelop quite a bit further than
MTV or fox at the time with a mix between vulgar comedy, adult themes and a healthy
dose of sexuality, so you'd think they'd be fighting the censors tooth and nail, but actually
Everett and the team were never really given much hassle.
They didn't give us much in the way of notes.
The more or less let us do what we wanted to do.
Which is ideal right?
Once and a while Paramount would give a note or two but there was not too much interference
in terms of censorship.
Duckman is seen as a cult classic which was ahead of it's time before it was sadly canceled
after 70 glorious episodes spanning 4 seasons, and a point and click adventure game on windows.
Over 20 years later Duckman still enjoys a cult following and at the time of this videos
upload there's a recent Dvd release of the entire series, so check it out for yourself!
It's possible we may see some kind of Duckman revival in the future, the current climate
and trends in adult animation are perfect for a series like Duckman, even moreso than
when it was originally broadcast and Everett seems keen on the idea.
I think we had plenty more things to say and do with the character.
I didn't feel like; at the end of four seasons, we were exhausted.
I thought there was a lot more potential ideas that we could have pushed through those characters.
For now however, we can all at least put our downs down as we look back fondly at this
somewhat obscure piece of animation history and thrust our pelvises in rejoice at the
boundaries it was able to push which opened the doors for many of the adult animated series
we see on television now.
You can still see a lot of what Duckman pioneered in current animation.
In some cases arguments could be made that many of this era's popular shows draw direct
influences to this very day.
My name is Fade Dragontear, and those are my thoughts, what are yours?
leave a comment below.
Thanks for watching guys, peace out
Lets all get up and get down by doing the funky Duckman!
Ya let ya downs down, ya thrust ya pelvis, HUH!
-pelvis thrusting continues-