Search Results for: Garfield

Steven M. Thompson, who is one of about nine Steve Thompsons who write me, asks…

Hello, Mark. My question is what does a producer do? I thought maybe to procure money for a show or movie, or a scheduler/manager of time and money. Several years ago there was a network Charlie's Angels reboot, I counted nineteen different people credited as executive producer, co-executive producer, producer, co-producer and so on, what do all these people do?

Also noticed when a show is successful, the star of the show will show up with a producer credit in the second or third season. Is this to just show that the star now has a money stake in the show? About ten years ago, I started to hear the term "show runner." Is that a different designation for the producer?

Yeah. "Show Runner" was kinda created because some shows had so many producers, it was difficult to tell who was actually in charge. So on a show that has, say, two Executive Producers, two Supervising Producers, five Producers, three Co-Producers, etc., people refer to one of them as the Show Runner to separate that person from the others whose titles may be honorary or just part of negotiations. Here's how the negotiated ones usually happen…

AGENT: My client wants ten thousand dollars more per episode.

BUSINESS AFFAIRS PERSON: We can't afford that. How about three thousand and a Producer credit?

AGENT: Make it four thousand and a Producer credit and you've got a deal.

There's a certain amount of status in that, especially if it elevates you over someone else on the crew who isn't getting a Producer credit. But the title alone doesn't designate any particular duty or responsibility or power. Sometimes, an agent or manager involved in the sale of a project will grab an Executive Producer credit and then do nothing else. I worked on a series once where two men were credited on the same card as Executive Producers. One of them was heavily involved with every episode of the show. The other one was an agent involved in its sale to the network. I never met the man and have no idea if he even watched the show.

You can give anyone a Producer credit no matter what they actually do. Often, it's linked to who provides or secures the financing. But probably the main thing is that if someone feels important to the success of a show, they want a producer credit. And that's mainly because if the series wins Best Program or Best Comedy Series or Best Anything, everyone with certain forms of "Producer" in their title would get a statuette and be able to say "I won an Emmy."

When I was doing the Garfield & Friends cartoon show, my original formal credit was "Written by." I was the Show Runner and I was also the Voice Director and I did the Voice Casting and I did a bunch of other things but I happen to think you can become a laughingstock via multiple credits. I was recently at a screening of an independent (and largely non-union) movie where one of the men involved had his name in the credits sixteen times.

I don't know if he didn't realize how bad that made him look or if he just didn't care. He was obviously vitally important in the creation of the film but, you know, once it says you produced and directed and wrote the movie, do you really need to add in "Based on a concept by Joe Blow" and "Title Visualizations by Joe Blow" and "Editing Supervised by Joe Blow"? Do you have to devalue the Costume Designer's role by having it say "Costumes Designed by Joe Blow and Mary Whatzername?"

There are some credits that are there for union and legal reasons and others because there's money linked to those particular credits. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about a guy who just gets a tingle from his head down to his toes when he sees his name over and over and over.

Anyway, I only took the writing credit on Garfield & Friends because that was really all that mattered to me. It was either after the first or second time the series was nominated as Best Animated Program that the Executive Producer Lee Mendelson realized that if the show won, I would not get one of those glistening statues with all the pointy edges. Thereafter, absolutely nothing changed about my duties or my salary or anything but it suddenly said "Written and Co-Produced by Mark Evanier." That was only so if the show won, which it didn't, I'd be included among those who got Emmys.

On The Garfield Show, which we did a few years later, I was Supervising Producer. What's the difference between that and Co-Producer? I haven't the foggiest.

I mention all this to explain that there's really no definition as to what you have to do to be the Producer of anything. There's a strict definition to get a credit that says "Directed by…" or "Written by…" But to be a Producer, someone just has to give you the title. It's a shame because some of the folks who get it really do brilliant, important things to earn it and they deserve more respect than the folks who took the title in lieu of more money.

Hello. Not long ago here, I asked you to send in suggestions for blog posts that were in no way about current politics and many of you did. You will begin seeing posts based on those suggestions shortly.

A lot of you reminded me that when Steve Ditko passed away, I said I would at some point write a long piece about him. I have decided that I will but not for quite a while and I've also decided that I'm not going to tell you why I'm not doing it now.

I've also decided that I'm not going to talk about my own career more than I already do, which I think is the right amount of attention to give to that kind of thing. And I've already said here that I have nothing to say at this time about the Viacom company acquiring Garfield…which since they've merged with CBS means The Cat is controlled by an even larger corporation.

But we have plenty of other good topics, some of which will yield long, hopefully-interesting essays here and some of which can be handled with short answers. For instance, Kevin Juaire wrote to ask…

I was wondering if you ever came close to applying for a "normal job." Since you wrote for television many times and those jobs probably often ended abruptly with little notice, did you ever find yourself with an extended period of unemployment which had you contemplating employment other than writing to fill the gap?

Nope. See how easy that was?

Also, a lot of you asked what comics I read these days or what I think of certain current books. The answer is that I don't read many, just as I don't go to a lot of movies. (I do have tix for a Midnight show this weekend of the new Tarantino film so I'll probably be writing about that shortly, assuming I think of anything that seems worth sharing.)

I also find it somehow unbecoming for a person who writes comic books to speak ill of the work of another person who writes comic books. I've never seen anyone else do it and not look petty and jealous and I don't expect I could be the first. It's even awkward to write about what you do like because if I praise Friend A's current comic, Friend B gets some part of his face outta joint at the non-recommendation of his book.

This is going to sound odd to some…and yes, there are times when I get enthused over something and want to throw what little clout I have behind it. But for the most part, I don't think the world needs every one of my opinions.

Recently, I read a collection of some Batman stories that were critically-acclaimed by…well, someone. They left me absolutely cold, especially in their interpretation of the title character. I love Batman as done by some people…but nothing I love about Batman was present in this particular work by this particular writer and this particular artist.

Some folks I guess loved it, which is fine. We are now seeing so many interpretations and "takes" on Batman that I'm sure everyone stares at some of them and wonders what the hell their makers thought they were doing. My inclination when I'm disappointed as a reader is to move on, rather than spend more time thinking about the comic, which is what I'd have to do to write about it with any clarity and value. I'd probably run into the writer of this particular Batman series at some convention and based on my past experiences with him, my sense is that would not have been a pleasant encounter.

It's not that I'm scared. I just don't care enough about this comic to want to fight about it. "A bad Batman comic? My God, we need to do something about it. There's never been a bad Batman comic before!!!"

Once in a while, I think the discussion may be worthwhile but in some cases — make that most) cases — I think not. In the next day or two, I'll be tackling some of the topics you folks asked for that prompted me to say, "Oh, I should come up with something worthwhile to say about that." Hope you'll agree.

Here's what's going on with the probable (?) merger of CBS and Viacom.

As you may have heard, it was recently announced that Viacom has acquired Garfield the Cat from Jim Davis, with whom I have worked since 1987.  I have received a ridiculous number of e-mails and phone calls asking me about this and here are the answers to the most-asked questions:  No, I am not surprised…and no, there is nothing more I can tell you at this time.

Russi Taylor, the voice of Minnie Mouse, passed away last Friday. Over the weekend, my friend Bob Bergen vented on Facebook about some calls he'd already received. Bob is an expert voice actor and one of the best coaches of that art/craft (whichever you think it is). What he was venting about were some calls he'd already received from actresses who asked if they could hire him to coach them to perhaps snag the plum job of replacing Russi as Ms. Mouse.

No auditions have been announced. Russi's funeral has not even occurred as far as I know. But some people are not about to waste any time trying to grab her job. And I just got a call from a voice actress asking if I knew anyone over in the Disney Character Voices Division and could put in a good word for her there. No, I don't and if I did, I wouldn't.

In pieces I've posted here about how to get jobs as a writer, a point I've made repeatedly is that one of the worst things you can do is to appear desperate. Another bad thing — one I don't think I mentioned because I figured everyone kinda knew this instinctively — is to come across as an asshole. If you're absolutely oozing with talent and no one else comes close, they might (note that I italicized "might") put up with some of that because you're worth it. But the odds are you're not oozing and even if you are, they still might think you'd be too much trouble.

Someone will replace Russi as Minnie because these characters live on and Russi was, after all, one of many over the years who spoke for the lovely M.M. There may even be a "back-up" person already selected — someone who recorded Minnie's lines if/when Russi was unavailable or did something for live appearances that Russi couldn't do. Perhaps one such person will inherit the role. Perhaps they'll do a search, I don't know…but it will be after a suitable interval, not later this week.

I do know that it's really tacky to be hustling for the job of the recently-deceased. It's like looking into the open coffin and saying, "Hey, they won't need that diamond ring where they're going." Some of you may be familiar with the story of how at the memorial service for Lorenzo Music, I was approached by two separate voice actors who felt there was no better time to let me know they felt qualified to step into the role of Garfield.

That story is, sadly, true. Neither of them got the job, by the way. Neither was considered. The guy who got it didn't even inquire.

There's an old saying that I just made up: If you want to be a professional, act like one.

Thursday, July 18 — 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM in Room 32AB
SPOTLIGHT ON MAGGIE THOMPSON: BEING CELEBRITY ADJACENT
Maggie Thompson (30-year co-editor of Comics Buyer's Guide) is joined by Mark Evanier (writer, editor, entertainment expert, and News from ME blogger) and Leonard Maltin (film critic, author, and host of the Maltin on Movies podcast) who consider the challenges, anecdotes, and delights of interactions with a variety of celebrities.

Thursday, July 18 — 11:00 AM to Noon in Room 5AB
COMIC-CON IN THE 1970's
What was it like at this convention during its first decade? Hear all about it from these folks who were there for it: Barry Alfonso, Wendy All, Maeheah Alzmann, Richard Butner, Roger Freedman, Eric Hoffman, Scott Shaw!, Brinke Stevens, William Stout, Phil Yeh, and your moderator, Mark Evanier.

Thursday, July 18 — 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM in Room 8
THE MARK, SERGIO AND STAN SHOW
It's most of the crew that brings you the bumbling adventures of Groo the Wanderer, talking about what they do and why they do it. See the award-winning team of Sergio Aragonés and Mark Evanier along with Stan Sakai (the creator of Usagi Yojimbo). They'll be discussing the latest Groo miniseries, many upcoming projects, and why Mark doesn't get paid for the work he does on their comic. Then again, he's not getting paid for writing this panel description either.

Friday, July 19 — 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM in Room 8
THAT 70's PANEL
It was a time of change in comics, with a new generation intermingling with the old and taking command. Hear what the comics industry was like in the 1970s from Mike Friedrich (Iron Man, Justice League of America), Tony Isabella (Black Lightning, The Champions), Trina Robbins (Wimmen's Comix, Wonder Woman), Arvell Jones (Marvel Two-in-One, Iron Man), Louise Simonson (Creepy, Power Pack), Walt Simonson (Manhunter, Thor), and moderator Mark Evanier (Groo the Wanderer, Blackhawk).

Friday, July 19 — 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM in Room 8
JACK KIRBY AND THE SAN DIEGO 5-STRING MOB
They may not have been Jack Kirby's greatest creation but they were sure important to some of the folks who started this convention. Come hear how the King of the Comics turned six kids involved in the con's early days – Scott Shaw!, Barry Alfonso, Roger Freedman, Mike Towry, John Pound, and Will Lund – into comic book stars for some brief, shining moments. Moderator Mark Evanier is the one who gets the band back together!

Saturday, July 20 — 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM in Room 28DE
MEMORIES OF THE FIRST COMIC-CON
The first San Diego Comic-Con (a.k.a. Golden State Comic-Con) was held in the summer of 1970 in the basement of the U.S. Grant Hotel. Hear all about it from several of the original committee members (Dave Clark, Roger Freedman, Scott Shaw!, Mike Towry), three of the guests (Mark Evanier, Mike Royer, Bill Stout), a dealer (Bud Plant), and some attendees (including Gene Henderson, Phil Yeh, and moderator Jackie Estrada).

Saturday, July 20 — 11:45 AM to 1:00 PM in Room 6BCF
QUICK DRAW!
It's the fastest, funniest panel in the whole convention! Once again, your Quick Draw quizmaster Mark Evanier pits three super-speedy cartoonists against one another with dueling Sharpies as they create great cartoon art right before your very eyes. Competing this year are (as usual) Sergio Aragonés (MAD magazine, Groo the Wanderer) and Scott Shaw! (The Flintstones), joined this year by Disney legend Floyd Norman plus a couple of highly surprising surprises!

Saturday, July 20 — 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM in Room 6BCF
CARTOON VOICES I
Each year, moderator Mark Evanier gathers a bevy of the most talented cartoon voice actors working today and invites them to explain and demonstrate their artistry. This year's lineup includes Marieve Herington (Big City Greens, Disney Junior), Adam McArthur (Star vs. the Forces of Evil, The Adventures of Puss in Boots), Laraine Newman (The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants, Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz), Lex Lang (Star Wars Resistance, Curious George), Eric Lopez (Young Justice, The Spectacular Spider-Man), Fred Tatasciore (Family Guy, The Incredible Hulk), and maybe a few other members of the vocal majority.

Saturday, July 20 — 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM in Room 7AB
THE AWARDS OF COMIC-CON
Over the years, Comic-Con has developed and given out its own awards as well as serving as the home for other awards presentations. Get the background on the Inkpot Awards (Meg Mardian), the Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award (Ruth Clampett), the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award (Gene Henderson), the Bill Finger Excellence in Comic Book Writing Award (Mark Evanier), the Icon Award (David Glanzer), the Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award (Joe Ferrara), and the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards (Carl Gropper and Jackie Estrada, who is also moderating).

Sunday, July 21 — 10:00 AM to 11:15 AM in Room 5AB
THE ANNUAL JACK KIRBY TRIBUTE PANEL
This is the annual panel about Comic-Con's first superstar guest, the man they call "The King of Comics," Jack Kirby. Jack left us in 1994, but his influence on comics, film, and this convention has never been greater. Discussing the man and his work this year are Kurt Busiek (Astro City, Marvels), Buzz Dixon (Thundarr the Barbarian, Destroyer Duck), Mike Royer (Kirby's favorite inker), attorney Paul S. Levine, and maybe a few surprise guests. Naturally, it's moderated by former Kirby assistant Mark Evanier.

Sunday, July 21 — 11:45 AM to 1:15 PM in Room 6A
CARTOON VOICES II
With the smash-hit success of yesterday's Cartoon Voices I panel, there's no choice but to do another one-with different but equally talented actors from the world of animation voicing. Once again, moderator Mark Evanier has assembled an all-star dais that will include Jim Meskimen (The Adventures of Puss in Boots, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Robin Atkin Downes (Ben 10, Star Wars Rebels), Secunda Wood (Boss Baby, Days Gone), Dee Bradley Baker (American Dad, Looney Tunes), Candi Milo (Fanboy & Chum Chum, Jimmy Neutron), and probably someone else.

Sunday, July 21 — 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM in Room 25ABC
COVER STORY: THE ART OF THE COVER
What does it take to make a great cover for a comic book? Let's ask four of the top artists…all folks who've created some of the best. Come hear the "shop talk" of Billy Tucci (Shi, Sgt. Rock: The Lost Battalion), Charles Vess (Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess' Stardust, Heavy Metal), Alitha Evelyn Martinez (Iron Man, Batgirl), and Jae Lee (Hellshock, The Inhumans). Moderated by Mark Evanier.

Sunday, July 21 — 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM in Room 25ABC
THE BUSINESS OF CARTOON VOICES
Interested in a career doing voices for animation and videogames? There are plenty of people around who'll take your money and tell you how to go about it, but here's 90 minutes of absolutely free advice from folks who work actively in the field. Hear from cartoon voice actors Jon Bailey and Candi Milo, talent agent Julie Thompson (SBV Talent) and your moderator, voice director Mark Evanier (The Garfield Show).

Every danged thing above is subject to change for the silliest of reasons, including the convention wising up after all these years and kicking me the hell out. Throughout the con, I will be exercising my constitutional right to not sit behind a table in the exhibit hall so if you wanna find me, this is how you find me. I am usually not as busy as I appear except before and after Quick Draw!

That means the Sunday Programming Schedule is available — so the whole thing's up there for your perusal. Or you can save time and just memorize this list of the real important things on it…

Thursday, July 18 — 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM in Room 32AB
SPOTLIGHT ON MAGGIE THOMPSON: BEING CELEBRITY ADJACENT
Maggie Thompson (30-year co-editor of Comics Buyer's Guide) is joined by Mark Evanier (writer, editor, entertainment expert, and News from ME blogger) and Leonard Maltin (film critic, author, and host of the Maltin on Movies podcast) who consider the challenges, anecdotes, and delights of interactions with a variety of celebrities.

Thursday, July 18 — 11:00 AM to Noon in Room 5AB
COMIC-CON IN THE 1970's
What was it like at this convention during its first decade? Hear all about it from these folks who were there for it: Barry Alfonso, Wendy All, Maeheah Alzmann, Richard Butner, Roger Freedman, Eric Hoffman, Scott Shaw!, Brinke Stevens, William Stout, Phil Yeh, and your moderator, Mark Evanier.

Thursday, July 18 — 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM in Room 8
THE MARK, SERGIO AND STAN SHOW
It's most of the crew that brings you the bumbling adventures of Groo the Wanderer, talking about what they do and why they do it. See the award-winning team of Sergio Aragonés and Mark Evanier along with Stan Sakai (the creator of Usagi Yojimbo). They'll be discussing the latest Groo miniseries, many upcoming projects, and why Mark doesn't get paid for the work he does on their comic. Then again, he's not getting paid for writing this panel description either.

Friday, July 19 — 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM in Room 8
THAT 70's PANEL
It was a time of change in comics, with a new generation intermingling with the old and taking command. Hear what the comics industry was like in the 1970s from Mike Friedrich (Iron Man, Justice League of America), Tony Isabella (Black Lightning, The Champions), Trina Robbins (Wimmen's Comix, Wonder Woman), Arvell Jones (Marvel Two-in-One, Iron Man), Louise Simonson (Creepy, Power Pack), Walt Simonson (Manhunter, Thor), and moderator Mark Evanier (Groo the Wanderer, Blackhawk).

Friday, July 19 — 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM in Room 8
JACK KIRBY AND THE SAN DIEGO 5-STRING MOB
They may not have been Jack Kirby's greatest creation but they were sure important to some of the folks who started this convention. Come hear how the King of the Comics turned six kids involved in the con's early days – Scott Shaw!, Barry Alfonso, Roger Freedman, Mike Towry, John Pound, and Will Lund – into comic book stars for some brief, shining moments. Moderator Mark Evanier is the one who gets the band back together!

Saturday, July 20 — 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM in Room 28DE
MEMORIES OF THE FIRST COMIC-CON
The first San Diego Comic-Con (a.k.a. Golden State Comic-Con) was held in the summer of 1970 in the basement of the U.S. Grant Hotel. Hear all about it from several of the original committee members (Dave Clark, Roger Freedman, Scott Shaw!, Mike Towry), three of the guests (Mark Evanier, Mike Royer, Bill Stout), a dealer (Bud Plant), and some attendees (including Gene Henderson, Phil Yeh, and moderator Jackie Estrada).

Saturday, July 20 — 11:45 AM to 1:00 PM in Room 6BCF
QUICK DRAW!
It's the fastest, funniest panel in the whole convention! Once again, your Quick Draw quizmaster Mark Evanier pits three super-speedy cartoonists against one another with dueling Sharpies as they create great cartoon art right before your very eyes. Competing this year are (as usual) Sergio Aragonés (MAD magazine, Groo the Wanderer) and Scott Shaw! (The Flintstones), joined this year by Disney legend Floyd Norman plus a couple of highly surprising surprises!

Saturday, July 20 — 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM in Room 6BCF
CARTOON VOICES I
Each year, moderator Mark Evanier gathers a bevy of the most talented cartoon voice actors working today and invites them to explain and demonstrate their artistry. This year's lineup includes Marieve Herington (Big City Greens, Disney Junior), Adam McArthur (Star vs. the Forces of Evil, The Adventures of Puss in Boots), Laraine Newman (The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants, Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz), Lex Lang (Star Wars Resistance, Curious George), Eric Lopez (Young Justice, The Spectacular Spider-Man), Fred Tatasciore (Family Guy, The Incredible Hulk), and maybe a few other members of the vocal majority.

Saturday, July 20 — 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM in Room 7AB
THE AWARDS OF COMIC-CON
Over the years, Comic-Con has developed and given out its own awards as well as serving as the home for other awards presentations. Get the background on the Inkpot Awards (Meg Mardian), the Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award (Ruth Clampett), the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award (Gene Henderson), the Bill Finger Excellence in Comic Book Writing Award (Mark Evanier), the Icon Award (David Glanzer), the Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award (Joe Ferrara), and the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards (Carl Gropper and Jackie Estrada, who is also moderating).

Sunday, July 21 — 10:00 AM to 11:15 AM in Room 5AB
THE ANNUAL JACK KIRBY TRIBUTE PANEL
This is the annual panel about Comic-Con's first superstar guest, the man they call "The King of Comics," Jack Kirby. Jack left us in 1994, but his influence on comics, film, and this convention has never been greater. Discussing the man and his work this year are Kurt Busiek (Astro City, Marvels), Buzz Dixon (Thundarr the Barbarian, Destroyer Duck), Mike Royer (Kirby's favorite inker), attorney Paul S. Levine, and maybe a few surprise guests. Naturally, it's moderated by former Kirby assistant Mark Evanier.

Sunday, July 21 — 11:45 AM to 1:15 PM in Room 6A
CARTOON VOICES II
With the smash-hit success of yesterday's Cartoon Voices I panel, there's no choice but to do another one-with different but equally talented actors from the world of animation voicing. Once again, moderator Mark Evanier has assembled an all-star dais that will include Jim Meskimen (The Adventures of Puss in Boots, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Robin Atkin Downes (Ben 10, Star Wars Rebels), Secunda Wood (Boss Baby, Days Gone), Dee Bradley Baker (American Dad, Looney Tunes), Candi Milo (Fanboy & Chum Chum, Jimmy Neutron), and probably someone else.

Sunday, July 21 — 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM in Room 25ABC
COVER STORY: THE ART OF THE COVER
What does it take to make a great cover for a comic book? Let's ask four of the top artists…all folks who've created some of the best. Come hear the "shop talk" of Billy Tucci (Shi, Sgt. Rock: The Lost Battalion), Charles Vess (Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess' Stardust, Heavy Metal), Alitha Evelyn Martinez (Iron Man, Batgirl), and Jae Lee (Hellshock, The Inhumans). Moderated by Mark Evanier.

Sunday, July 21 — 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM in Room 25ABC
THE BUSINESS OF CARTOON VOICES
Interested in a career doing voices for animation and videogames? There are plenty of people around who'll take your money and tell you how to go about it, but here's 90 minutes of absolutely free advice from folks who work actively in the field. Hear from cartoon voice actors Jon Bailey and Candi Milo, talent agent Julie Thompson (SBV Talent) and your moderator, voice director Mark Evanier (The Garfield Show).

Every danged thing above is subject to change for the silliest of reasons, including the convention wising up after all these years and kicking me the hell out. Throughout the con, I will be exercising my constitutional right to not sit behind a table in the exhibit hall so if you wanna find me, this is how you find me. I am usually not as busy as I appear except before and after Quick Draw!

This is the problem with working all night as I did last night: It resets your body clock in a different way and suddenly, your life is Day for Night.

My father used to go to bed each night on schedule. If he didn't have to go in to work the next day, he'd hit the sack between 11:30 and Midnight. He always had to watch the 11:00 news and then maybe a little of Johnny Carson or some other late night show. Then it was off to beddy-bye. If he did have work the next day, it would be an hour earlier, i.e., the Ten O'Clock News. His body seemed to need between 7.5 and eight hours of sleep per night so he'd be up at eight…or on work days, seven. Like clockwork.

My mother went to bed when he went to bed. They were, as I've written here many times, a perfectly-coordinated couple. It may have been the happiest marriage I've ever seen. Both were willing to bend as necessary to the needs of the other person and my mother bent to make her sleeping habits coordinate with him. Those hours were not organic to her.

After he died, she began sleeping on the schedule which felt more natural to her: No schedule at all. She'd sleep when she felt like sleeping and be awake when she felt like being awake. Except when doctor appointments or the arrival of her cleaning lady (or, later on, caregivers) required she be up at a certain hour, she'd sleep in no discernible pattern. She might be up all night and go to bed at 10 in the morning. She might sleep two hours, then be up for four hours, then sleep three more, then be up for nine…

No pattern. No schedule. When I asked her how many hours of sleep she got a day, she answered honestly, "I have no idea." I'm pretty sure it was not the same every day. When I took her to Las Vegas, she'd ask me to make sure to pick a hotel where there was a coffee shop that served breakfast 24/7. She loved a full, restaurant-cooked breakfast — eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, etc. — and wanted to be sure she could get it at any hour, not just in the morning.

I did not inherit my father's sleep-on-a-schedule trait and I rarely sleep more than six hours a night. Five is more often the case. 10 PM until about three in the morning are sometimes my most productive hours for writing…and then the phone starts ringing with calls I don't want to miss between 9 AM and 10 AM. So 3 AM is a good time to go to bed but I sometimes go earlier or later.

It can vary because of a script deadline. It can vary because I have someone sleeping with me. Or it can vary just because I feel like it. Once in a while on a script, I'll hit a brick wall. I have no idea where to go with it next so I'll go to bed and worry about it the next morning. Sometimes, that works great and sometimes, I find myself lying in bed, wide-awake and thinking for what feels like hours about the next part of the script. If I come up with what feels like a great solution, I might get up and trudge back to the computer and do some more…

…and yes, I've been known to get up the next morning, re-read my 4 AM "solution" and decide, "Well, that wasn't such a hot idea…"

The last decade or so, I find my sleep pattern increasingly resembling my mother's after my father passed. That is not always a great idea because it can put you seriously outta sync with the rest of the world. Sometimes, I've found myself in sync with other time zones and not my own. On the various Garfield shows, I often had to interface with Jim Davis (who started his workday in Muncie at 6 AM his time, aka 3 AM my time) or animators in France or Taiwan. It has also been my experience that about one in five editors in New York will forget that when it's 9 AM where they're working, it's 6 AM where I'm sleeping. Or trying to.

Speaking of 6 AM here: I'm going to wrap this up, take the dishes that held my dinner down to the kitchen, feed Lydia if necessary (and it will be necessary) and turn in. It's Sunday so maybe I won't be awoken by someone calling or coming to the door. With careful planning and judicious napping, I might reprogram myself tomorrow to get back to the normal hours I'll need to be up on Monday. I could maybe have made a better start at that goal by not writing this. Good night.

Locked in here writing today. I have some half-finished blog posts but lack the time to bring one to completion so I'll post a rerun in a little while.

Since some of you asked: My shoulder is doing better. I dunno if it's the shot of cortisone I got in it or the physical therapy I've been receiving. The pain could even be disappearing slowly the way some pains just disappear for no apparent reason. This one started for no apparent reason so maybe that's how it stops. Or it could be some combination of those remedies. I'll just be glad in a few weeks when it'll be gone, at least if the current trend continues.

As the author of the Garfield-Grumpy Cat crossover comic books, I feel a sense of loss to hear that Grumpy Cat has left us at the too-young age of seven. At about the time I did that, I made a personal appearance at an event with an awful lot of kids who were that age. I can't think of too many things I've ever done or could conceivably ever do that would have impressed that crowd more than that I was writing something about Grumpy Cat. Hope she cheers up in at least some of her remaining eight lives.

Yes, I've heard that the Renault company in France has made some live-action commercials using the characters from the Saturday morning animated series, Dungeons & Dragons. People who know that I was involved in that series are writing to tell me that…and in a volume greater than the number of votes that some announced candidates for the Democratic Presidential Nomination will receive. Whenever the finished commercial is posted to the 'net, I will link to it.

Please Note: I did not create or design those characters. I did name one of them and yes, I know — there are folks who claim creator credits because they thought of one name. I don't do that and if I'm not saying I created the show, you shouldn't be saying I created the show. My actual credit was "Developed for Television by…" which means I took a whole lotta stuff other people had done and rearranged and winnowed and refined and rewrote until it was in a form CBS would buy.

59 days until this year's Comic-Con International convenes in San Diego…which means that folks will probably begin camping out soon to try and get a seat in Hall H. Do you know that though I have never missed a Comic-Con, I have never set foot in Hall H? A couple of times, I have been asked to be available as a back-up moderator for some event in there and then not been needed. If I ever am, I'm going to have to find out where it is…and also hope that I don't need to get in line days and days and days early to be allowed in to do my moderating.

I'm many episodes behind in watching the installments of Fosse/Verdon that have accumulated on my DVR so I haven't been commenting on the show here. When I catch up, I will. Don't tell me how it ends.

Gary Conrad was one of the storyboard artists (and one of the best) on the Garfield & Friends cartoon show. One time, he brought a video camera to one of our recording sessions and captured these few minutes. This was one of the times Jim Davis came out and was the voice director. Thanks to Bob Bergen for telling me about this…

A mystery has been solved, perhaps even by the Scooby Doo kids! It's why pieces of old Garfield telephones have been washing ashore on the Iroise coast in Brittany, wherever that is. Read all about it here. And thank you to the FORTY-FOUR readers of this site (so far) who have sent me a link to this story.

Cartoonist Tom K. Ryan, who gave us the syndicated strip Tumbleweeds has passed at the age of 92…actually, about 92.8. His popular western-themed comic made its debut in September of 1965 and lasted until the end of 2007 when Ryan decided he was getting too old to continue it. A run of 42+ years is pretty impressive in any industry. Like most cartoonists, Ryan was aided by occasional assistants, one of whom — a fellow named Jim Davis — did okay for himself when he struck out on his own and created Garfield.

There was a glorious silly air about the feature which was peopled by cowboys and indians in the old west. I don't recall hearing of any objections to the way the indians were depicted even though the strip lasted into the era when people became more sensitive about that kind of thing. There probably were some complaints but they weren't so numerous that I heard about any.

Tumbleweeds was reprinted in many paperback collections and there was a brief appearance on the 1978 Saturday morn cartoon series on NBC, The Fantastic Funnies. To explain that brevity, we go to my pal Buzz Dixon who worked on the show for the Filmation cartoon studio…

Just one Tumbleweeds segment appeared on the air, then it was blotted from the series and memory.

It seems Filmation's lawyer, when told to acquire the rights to the strip, approached Mr Ryan who said he was interested but wanted to see a storyboard first before granting permissions.

The lawyer came back and told [Executive Producer] Lou Scheimer "He said it's okay" and so we plunged ahead with production on the segments with yrs trly scripting them (and why not? I was a huge 'Weeds fan then and now and figured out a cost saving workaround re the show for Lou so of course he let me write 'em).

Tumbleweeds was part of the opening credits and either the first or second segment the week the show aired. The following Monday we got a call from Mr Ryan's lawyer saying Mr. Ryan liked the show just fine but wondered why nobody ever bothered to offer him a contract…

No sooner am I back from one convention then I'm packing for another. March 29, 30 and 31, I'll be down at the Anaheim Convention Center for this year's WonderCon Anaheim…and so, if you have a lick of sense, will you. This is always an excellent gathering with plenty to see, plenty to do, plenty to buy and plenty of panels hosted by Yours Truly.

The whole schedule can be inspected at this link. Following is the list of what I'm doing…and you'll notice that there's one panel that I'm on but not moderating and that it's scheduled opposite another panel which I'm moderating in another room. I can't wait to see how I'm going to manage that either. Also, the listing below adds in the names of a few panelists who were confirmed too late to get into the online schedule. What's here is right.

Friday, 3/29/19 at 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM in Room 208
The Mark, Sergio and Probably Tom Show
The folks who bring you Groo the Wanderer explain why they haven't brought you Groo the Wanderer lately and they discuss when and where you will see the Mindless Mendicant again in your local comic shop. Join the award-winning team of WonderCon Special Guests Mark Evanier and Sergio Aragonés as they speak and answer questions about their work, together and apart in comics, plus the hardest-working man in comics — Tom Luth, who colors Groo — will be along to reveal what it's like to spend every waking minute of the day coloring crowd scenes.

Friday, 3/29/19 at 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM in Room 213AB
Bob Clampett's Beany & Cecil: A 70th Anniversary Celebration
On February 28, 1949, the great director of Warner Brothers cartoons, Bob Clampett, segued into television with the debut of Time for Beany, the first great kids show to also attract an adult audience. Originally a puppet show featuring the voices of the legendary Daws Butler and Stan Freberg, it won one of the first Emmy Awards and later became one of the most popular animated programs of all time. Bob's own kids, Ruth Clampett and Robert Clampett, Jr., present memories and rare video from this TV classic along with moderator Mark Evanier.

Friday, 3/29/19 at 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM in Room 208
What's the Point?
Why can't a banana just be a banana? Why can't stories simply be about what happens to characters, instead of needing to express some deeper meaning? To help hash this out, come see moderator Lee Nordling (two-time Eisner Award nominee), industry legend Marv Wolfman (after Stan Lee, the creator of more characters produced for film and TV than any other comics creator), writer-editor Barbara Randall Kesel (Star Wars, Hellboy, Alien: Genocide), and writer Mark Evanier (Garfield & Friends, Groo the Wanderer).

Friday, 3/29/19 at 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM in Room 300B
Writing for Animation
Have you ever wanted to write cartoons for a living? If so, you'll want to listen to a panel of folks who have actually done it and done a lot of it. Come and hear from Moderator Mark Evanier (The Garfield Show, Thundarr The Barbarian), John Semper (Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Static Shock), Julien Magnat (The Garfield Show, Ben 10) and Shaene M. Siders (Niko and the Sword of Life, Woody Woodpecker).

Saturday, 3/30/19 at 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM, in Room North 200B
Quick Draw!
By now, you've probably heard of this fast 'n' funny competition where some of the speediest cartoonists on the globe cross Sharpies in a test of who can draw the funniest idea in the least amount of time. Your Quick Draw Quizmaster Mark Evanier throws the challenges at Sergio Aragonés (MAD Magazine, Groo the Wanderer), Scott Shaw! (The Flintstones, The Simpsons) and Tom Richmond (MAD's Star Caricaturist). See which one emerges victorious. (Spoiler Alert: Usually, the big winner at these competitions is the audience.)

Saturday, 3/30/19 at 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM in Room North 200B
Cartoon Voices
Once again, your moderator Mark Evanier brings together a team of experts in the art of speaking for animated characters, interviews them and has them demonstrate what they do. The panel this time includes Jon Bailey (Transformers: Combiner Wars, Bumblebee), Phil LaMarr (Futurama, Samurai Jack), Alicyn Packard (Tom & Jerry, Poppy Cat), Rachel Butera (The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Jim Meskimen (Avengers Assemble!, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and maybe a surprise or two.

Sunday, 3/31/19 at 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM in Room 300B
Cover Story
Some say the most important part of any comic book is the cover. If that's so, we need to talk more about cover designs…and talk we will with these acclaimed cover creators: Greg Capullo (Batman, Spawn), Tim Sale (Batman: The Long Halloween, Superman For All Seasons) and Jen Bartel (Blackbird, Black Panther). Your moderator as usual is Mark Evanier.

Sunday, 3/31/19 at 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM in Room 211
Jack Kirby Tribute
Every year at every con, Mark Evanier moderates a panel about the man many call the most important creative talent ever in comics. Discussing the late, great Jack Kirby this year will be former Kirby assistant Steve Sherman, Tom King (Mister Miracle, Batman), Tom Kraft from the The Jack Kirby Museum and Research Center, John Morrow (publisher of The Jack Kirby Collector) and Paul S. Levine, attorney for the Rosalind Kirby Trust.

Badges and hotel rooms for WonderCon are still available, though I wouldn't count on both of those things being true for very long. If you wanna be a part of it, all the info you need is on the con website along with lots more useful information about the event. I should be around all three days but as is my custom, I refuse to let them give me a table or to sit behind one for very long. See you there if you're there!

As some of you know, I helped launch the Dungeons & Dragons animated series that debuted on CBS Saturday mornings in 1983. I didn't work long on it. I wrote the bible and pilot script based on a format and some characters created by others, and CBS bought the show on the strength of what I'd done. I had the option of story-editing and/or writing all further episodes but I passed on those jobs due to other commitments. A squad of very fine producers, writers and artists turned it into a successful three-season series that is still fondly-recalled by many.

Recently, a website called Toy Galaxy produced this video about the history of the show. They seem a lot more interested in discussing the toys based on the series (and why there were so few of them) than in the content of the program. I don't know much about the toys but I do know how my name is pronounced and it ain't the way the host says it here. I also know that contrary to what he says, I didn't leave the project to go work on Garfield and Friends. That show didn't come along until several years later.

And I'm pretty sure the outcry from parents' groups decrying the "violence" in the show was not as loud as this video makes it seem. At least, he doesn't claim as many do that the show was taken off the air because of those protests. The truth is that the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon was never a huge hit (as this video suggests it was) and the ratings declined mightily during Season 3. That's why there was no Season 4. I wish there had been. And a Season 5 and a Season 6 and so on…

I suppose someone might argue that the ratings decline was due to those protests but like I said, I don't think they were that loud or that plentiful..or the least bit effective. I also don't think there's any evidence that labeling a kids' show as "too violent" drove viewers away from Dungeons & Dragons — or any program ever in the history of mankind. Here's the video…

Not long ago in this post, I told a tale from back in 2013 when I was in Las Vegas with a lady I liked a lot. The other day, I told a friend the story of how that lady and I got to Vegas that weekend and the friend said, "Oh, you've got to tell that part on your blog!" So here is that part on my blog…

On Tuesday, May 28 of that year, I flew back to Indiana for meetings on The Garfield Show, which I was then working on. Muncie, Indiana is where Garfield's creator Jim Davis lives and works and during the thirty some-odd years I've been involved with The Cat, I've occasionally had to fly back there for planning meetings. The Garfield Show was produced and animated in France and some of the key people from there were also headed for this conference in Muncie — a much more difficult trip for them than it was for me.

So on 5/28, I flew Delta to Memphis, changed planes and continued on to Indianapolis. I rented a car there and drove to a Hyatt near the airport where I spent the night. The next morning, I took the rental car back to the airport and exchanged it for one that worked better, then drove to Muncie, Indiana, stopping en route at a great, not-there-anymore barbecue place for lunch. Later that day, I checked into a motel in Muncie and that evening, Jim, his wife Jill, some of the folks from France and I dined at a country club where Jim's a member. No, we did not have lasagna.

Thursday, May 30, I checked out of the motel, then spent all day at Jim's studio discussing vital Garfield matters. We all went to dinner at a local restaurant that evening where again, we did not have lasagna. I then drove back to Indianapolis and checked back into that Hyatt by the airport for the night.

The next day, I was not flying home. I was flying to Las Vegas to spend the weekend there with this friend of mine. She and her current beau might be happier if I didn't give her name here so we'll call her Kathy. We're still friends. We're just involved with other people now.

From here on, much of this story is me bragging about the rest of the travel arrangements I made. It will all sound trivial and No Big Deal to you but at the time, I was insufferably pleased with myself at what I'd been able to configure. Keep in mind that none of these flight numbers correspond to current flights and the date of this was Friday, May 31, 2013. Here was the dual itinerary for that day…

• 1:30 PM EDT: Mark arrives at Indianapolis International Airport. He turns in his rental car, checks his baggage and secures his boarding pass for Flight 619 on Frontier Airlines, scheduled to depart at 3:41 PM.
• 3:41 PM EDT: Mark's flight takes off from Indianapolis, heading for Denver International Airport.
• 3:00 PM PDT: Kathy arrives at San Francisco International Airport, checks her baggage, claims her boarding pass, (etc.) for Virgin Air Flight 910, scheduled to depart at 4:45 PM.
• 4:20 PM MDT: Mark's plane lands in Denver, Colorado and he changes to Frontier Airlines Flight 787 which departs at 5:00 PM.
• 5:00 PM MDT: Mark's flight takes off from Denver, heading for McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.
• 4:45 PM PDT: Kathy's flight takes off from San Francisco, heading for McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.
• 5:53 PM PDT: Mark's flight arrives at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas at gate D16.
• 5:55 PM PDT: Kathy's flight arrives at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas at gate D18 which is next to gate D16. They are just far enough apart so an airplane pulling into one will not prevent another plane from pulling into the other.
• Though they are flying in from different cities on different airlines, Kathy and Mark arrive at adjoining gates at almost the exact same time.

I don't know about you but I think that's kind of romantic. I imagined us running towards each other, her hair bouncing as she runs, and we embrace there in the airport. I knew it wouldn't actually work like that. For one thing, I'd be toting a heavy carry-on with my laptop in it. But doesn't it sound like one of those glorious reunion moments you see in movies? I decided it would be a personal triumph if I could pull it off; if we would achieve simultaneous arrival.

Before the day, I e-mailed Kathy a detailed plan along with her ticket info. I think she thought I was kind of looney but that was some (not all) of the basis for our whole relationship. At least, I hope not all. She was willing to go along with it and she followed her instructions to the letter. Virgin Air did nothing to foil my scheme. They took off on time. They landed a few minutes early. They did everything right, which is probably why there's no more Virgin Air.

On my end, it wasn't so simple.

I got to the airport in Indianapolis right on time, only to be informed that my flight had been rescheduled. Instead of leaving at 3:41, I was told it would be 6 PM and the fellow at the ticket counter suggested it might be even later. It was one of those cases where the plane on which I'd be flying was in another part of the country where there were delays due to weather. During the day, it went from one city to another and another and another before it got to Indianapolis and the problems were between the first two cities.

I asked the man, "Has Frontier considered investing in a second airplane?" He chuckled and said something like, "Oh, if only we could afford it."

Since I was now going to be getting to Denver at least two hours and forty minutes later than planned, what would happen to my connecting flight to Vegas? I asked him that and he said, "You'll miss it." I believe this man has since gone to work for hotels.com under the name Captain Obvious.

He informed me that since they weren't sure when I'd get to Denver, they couldn't (or wouldn't) reschedule the second leg of my journey. Once they knew, they would figure it out…and I should discuss this with the attendant at the gate when I arrived there.

"But I will get to Las Vegas tonight," I said in a voice desperately in need of reassurance. "We'll do our best, sir," he replied. It was that unlikely. I asked about other flights that might get me there that evening. There didn't seem to be any on Frontier and when I set up my laptop at a table in the airport food court and checked online, there didn't seem to be any on any other airline.

The food court was where I would wait and I had a lot of waiting to do…and rethinking. Like, the hotel room in Vegas was in my name. Could I arrange for Kathy to check into it without me and my credit card?

I sent Kathy a text message explaining that my genius plan (ha!) had run into a few problems but she should get on the plane and await further instructions. There would be some on her phone by the time she landed in Vegas, I told her. I really hoped there would be but at that moment, I had no idea what they would be, hopefully not "Find another guy to spend the weekend with."

I turned back to my laptop and buried myself in a script. Every so often, I'd glance over at the flight board that announced arrivals and departures. Flight 619 was now scheduled to leave at, fittingly, 6:19. A check of the Frontier schedule (available online) indicated that if it arrived in Denver on time, I might (note the ominous italics) catch a flight that would get me to Vegas just after Midnight. Maybe.

But then the 6:19 departure turned into 7:05. Then ten minutes later, it was 6:19 again. Then 7:22.

Around then, I was distracted by visitors. The producers from France — the one I'd met with in Muncie — spotted me there at my table in the food court. Their plane back to Paris was delayed, too. We sat and ate bad pizza and talked for around an hour and a half. Around 3:35, we said our goodbyes (again) and they headed for the international side of the terminal to wait there. Realizing it was about the time I expected to be aboard my flight to Denver, I turned to check on the latest departure time for Flight 619…

…and it wasn't there. Nowhere on the flight board was it listed. I hauled out my cell phone and used an app called Flight Board to see what it said…

It said Flight 619 to Denver was Now Boarding.

I replicated several "takes" from Tex Avery cartoons, leaped up, packed my laptop in about fifteen seconds and sprinted down a corridor to the departure gate. As I sprinted, I heard my name being paged and handily mispronounced, followed by "Last call for Flight 619 to Denver!  The doors will be closing!"

"Not without me," I yelled to the amusement of those I was running past. I got in just as a flight attendant began the speech about how to inflate your life jacket. And just before they ordered us to turn off our cell phones, I sent Kathy an e-mail: "Back to original plan!  Everything OK!"

When we landed in Denver, I checked Flight Board and it said that her flight out of S.F. would be taking off on time. My flight out of Denver took off on time. Halfway there, our pilot informed us we'd be arriving in Vegas eight minutes early. When we landed there, before we were allowed to deplane, I checked Flight Board again: Her flight was landing ten minutes early. I was on the right side of my plane to see a Virgin Air jet taxi into the gate next to us.

I'd done it! We were actually arriving simultaneously!

I could hear the love theme from the movie The Apartment swelling within my head as I got off at Gate D16 and began running towards Gate D18. Before I reached it, I spotted Kathy, stunning in a yellow dress. She was running (well, walking) towards me with a grin that was too wide to fit into the overhead compartment. I probably had the same look on my face.

As we came together, I threw my arms around her, whacking her in the back with my laptop. She didn't mind…much. And just at that most romantic of moments, she said the exact same three words to me that I said to her, again perfectly in sync. We both said, "Where's a restroom?"

This has been, I swear to you, a true story.

Here's the other question I received from Richard Pontius…

My other question relates to cartoons. How are decisions regarding a series cancellation made these days? Do ratings play less of a role? I've been quite impressed and enjoyed many modern-day shows like Batman: TAS and Batman: Brave and Bold, Superman: TAS, Avengers: Earth Mightiest Heroes, etc. but all get pulled from production before they seem to have run their course. In the case of The Avengers, I assume it was because Marvel/Disney wanted to retool the show to align with the movies. In other cases, I'm guessing somewhat arbitrary decisions from above, unless people like Paul Dini just get burned out after a while.

Well, Paul never gets burned out but I hope someday he does. As fine a writer as he is, he's an even better cook. I'd like him to give up writing — he can leave all those assignments to me — and open a restaurant, preferably one near my house. But that's not what you wrote to ask about. Sorry.

The decision to cancel a cartoon show these days always has at least something to do with ratings but generally more with how the show fits in with the over-all plans for merchandising and marketing the characters or property. Naturally, when a company or some division undergoes a major change in management personnel, that usually triggers a change in plans or priorities…and sometimes, what's currently being produced doesn't fit in with the plans of the new bosses.

Not long ago, I got a call inquiring about my availability to serve in some capacity on a new cartoon show based on an old, largely-dormant property that a company was planning to resuscitate. They were planning (and may still be, for all I know), this big promotional putsch to drive the characters back into public awareness with new toys and t-shirts and other merchandise and the advertising thereof. They had, they seemed certain, the funding to produce some double-digit number of episodes of a cartoon show that would display the "new look" for the characters.

For reasons they didn't tell me, the whole resurrection has been stalled-out so the cartoon show is on hold, perhaps forever. If it were to get on the air, the length of time it would be on would have a lot to do with whether it was aiding the overall fame and popularity of the characters and how many action figures of them were being sold.

Keeping a show in production can also have a lot to do with how many episodes have been produced…and this is where the ratings may really be important. If a show is still pulling down strong numbers on its sixth reruns, that can be an argument that new episodes aren't needed; that the company is better off investing that dough in the production of a new series rather than in more of a series that they think will continue to attract decent numbers without the expense of new episodes.

A friend of mine who signed on to work on a series once said, "I hope it does well in the ratings…but not too well."

If a show has made, say, 36 episodes, someone might say, "Hey, if we can get this up to 65, that will make this a much stronger package for reruns and overseas sales." Or if they've done 65 (or some other particular number), they might figure that exceeding that number will not be cost-effective in terms of raising the value of the rerun package. That was part of the reason we stopped making Garfield and Friends after 121 half-hours.

Also, some shows also get more episodes because they want to introduce new elements into the show (characters, props, etc.) that will be a part of the future merchandising. This is especially the case with shows that are financed, in whole or part by toy companies. They have new toys coming out that tie in with the franchise. They want the new toys to appear in the cartoon. That's why there were so many episodes made of properties like G.I. Joe and Transformers.

What may make the decisions seem arbitrary is that this is not an exact science and sometimes, one executive's rationale for ordering more episodes of a show is the same as another exec's reason for stopping a series. In the old days when TV networks bought shows for Saturday morning, all they really cared about were the ratings because the networks rarely shared in other sources of revenue like merchandising or overseas sales. Nowadays, most cartoon shows are funded by companies that do benefit from the merchandising and foreign sales so that has to figure into the decision-making.

Basically, that's your answer: It's not an exact science. These days, as far as some people are concerned, neither is science.