Drawing Conclusions
Plenty of websites have already announced the July 31st release of Volume One of the original Popeye theatrical cartoons. Even TV Shows on DVD posted a story about it because these shorts were such a big part of 50’s and 60’s television.
But I wanted to talk about the box art. This is the most beautiful and appropriate packaging for a Warner Home Video animation release yet. Compare it to the Huckleberry Hound box on the right. Do I even have to point out what’s wrong with it? Okay, I will. Not only is this a situation that never happened in a cartoon or interstitial, what era is the show that’s contained within? If I saw this on the shelf, I would think this was one of those movie compilations they made in the 80’s. The artwork should reflect the contents. Yes, Huck played a policeman in a couple of shorts, but not dressed like that. What kind of a hat is that, anyway? It’s not a London bobby’s hat. It’s just wrong. You want to see what the cover art should have been? Here is what it should have been:
Maybe with “The” and “Show” added above and below his name, respectively.
I think that they think that vintage art will turn off today’s kids. But who’s buying this anyway? It’s boomers who have fond memories of these cartoons and want to share them with their children and even grandchildren. Yes, the baby boomer generation is that old. I saw Rhino do the same thing with the Hanna-Barbera music CD’s I produced for them. They put “modern” underground-looking artwork on the covers. Who does this appeal to? You’re not going to get Gen-X or even Y to buy these, because no matter how up to date the artwork is, they don’t know the material. And the people it’s aimed for are going to miss it because it blends in with all the other current “product” (to use a nicer word than I really want).
I hope this is the beginning of a new look for the Warner line. And I hope someday we can reissue Huckleberry Hound with as nice a cover as Popeye.