Looney Tunes: November 2004
Cover
A space scene, with stars, planets, and the Milky Way in the background. In the foreground Duck Dodgers leaps above a tentacled space-creature in a crater. Space Cadet Porky exclaims, "If he's the future th-th-then we're history!" Above the Looney Tunes title is text that reads, "It starts here!" and beside Dodger's is larger text, "Enter: Duck Dodgers!" Also, a small figure appears to be saying the DC comics logo in the top left corner.
The "It starts here!" suggests the beginning of something. While this issue of Looney Tunes is all Duck Dodgers, the planned future issues are not. However, the second season of the Duck Dodgers television series started airing in August 2004 in the U.S. though not until September in Canada. This issue appears to be intended to coincide, approximately, with the show's new television season.
(Addendum: The character appearing to say "DC" is "Johnny DC," a throwback to the 1960s. It seems that someone in DC's marketing department decided to try using it again, unfortunately, and now has it spoiling the look of many DC covers in a silly attempt at brand identity. Evidently someone must not believe that the obvious DC logo is up to the job by itself. ...PN)
Credits
Synopsis
Duck Dodgers and Space Cadet Porky are playing space pool, or spool, and the overconfident Dodgers lets the Cadet break the floating pyramid of balls in the green baize-lined room. An amazing break by Cadet Porky sends all the balls into pockets, one ball even neatly piercing Dodgers' hand as he tries to cover a pocket. While Porky and Dodgers play, they are watched by Marvin and a Centurion robot who are looking in from outside the spool hall. Marvin is disappointed that Dodgers' skill isn't nearly what Dodgers claims, but finds that the Cadet's skill is impressive.
As Dodgers boasts that he's about to make the winning shot, Cadet Porky is dematerialized and transferred to Marvin's ship. Dodgers is left behind, his own ship disabled by Marvin. The Martian explains to Porky that he's going make another unusual pool shot. Porky is to use the Moon as a cue ball and knock Earth out of orbit. While Marvin explains this, Porky runs off. Marvin is surprised to find Dodgers on Mars with him. Dodgers managed to get a ride on another ship. Instead of rescuing his Cadet, Dodgers is immediately captured.
Marvin gets Dodgers to boast how great a spool player he is and offers the arrogant duck a chance to prove his skill. Marvin takes him to the disguised controls for hitting the Earth with the Moon. Just as Dodgers is about to make the shot, he is dematerialized back onto a Martian ship by Cadet Porky. Taking the controls, poorly, Dodgers has a lucky accident that wrecks the giant Martian spool cue before he and Porky escape Mars.
Did You Notice...
Marvin and the Centurion use X-ray specs, or spex, items which were once staples of comic book advertising.- Dodgers' brag about the nickname Milky Way Slim refers to Minnesota Fats, who was probably the most famous pool player of the twentieth century.
- The Centurion robot is not part of Classic Era canon, nor an invention of or for the comic book. Rather, Centurion robots first appeared in the Duck Dodgers TV series.
- One could argue that the distributor cap, a part no longer used on many automobiles, is a out of place in a spaceship, but does anyone today know how 24½ century spaceships work?
- The "Cue-tius Maximus" name puns gluteus maximus, a large muscle of the buttocks.
- "Aliens Gone Wild" refers to the series of rather sleazy videos, Girls Gone Wild produced by offering a camera crew travelling to Spring Break hotspots and offering money to college students if they would expose themselves on-camera. The producers of these videos were sued when it was discovered that some of the girls shown were not yet adult.
Technical Nits
How does the Centurion know Cadet Porky is pink with only x-ray specs? While he could have been informed beforehand, it's a bit jarring.
Credits
Synopsis
While Dodgers is otherwise occupied, Cadet Porky answers a call from Dr. I. Q. Hi. Dodgers is needed to quell an uprising on a prison planet for evil birthday clowns. The clowns have a spaceship in need of repair and must be stopped before it can fly.
Dodgers returns to find the ship going quite fast. Asking about the speed, he jumps to a wrong conclusion when Porky tries to explain the mission. Instead, Dodgers is convinced they're going to celebrate his birthday on Bucky Wheeze's Birthday Planet. Even seeing how dismal the prison planet is doesn't change Dodgers' view of things and he proceeds to use a couple novelty items on the clowns he encounters. Dumb luck, and a quick-thinking Cadet, keep Dodgers from being captured right away.
His luck doesn't last and Dodgers is captured in a while. Fortunately the disguised Cadet Porky releases both Dodgers and the prison guards. The guards quickly recapture all the clowns and Dodgers is thanked for putting things right. Overlooked is that everyone who looked like a clown was rounded up, even the disguised Cadet.
Did You Notice...
- Dr. I Q. Hi first appeared in Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century (Jones, 1953) as the Secretary of the Stratosphere, the person who tells Dodgers of the shortage of Illudium Phosdex. His look here, while close the original, is based on that of the TV series. (EC)
- The Protectorate is something from the TV series rather than the Classic Era cartoon.
- Bucky Wheeze's Birthday Planet and the advertising "Where a squid can be birthday squid!" are based on the kid oriented Chucky Cheese pizza chain and its slogan, "Where a kid can be a kid."
- Dodgers, er, Daffy sold novelties in Daffy Dilly (Jones, 1948). (EC)
Technical Nits
Credits
Synopsis
The Queen of Mars appears on Duck Dodgers' video screen, saying that Mars needs his help to fight off invading peanut creatures from Neptune. Both Dodgers and his Cadet have their doubts that their long time enemy is suddenly seeking an alliance. Nevertheless, after being complimented and seeing that Marvin is now the queen's maid, Dodgers agrees to help. Cadet Porky remains suspicious.
Once on Mars, Dodgers' weapon fails just as he starts to fight off one of the Neptunians. Cadet Porky deals with the creature. Dodgers then has the Cadet do the fighting while he guards the queen, but seems more intent on ordering maid Marvin around. This intrudes on the Martian plans to destroy Earth while Dodgers is defending Mars as Marvin is to do the job. Instead of flying to the Earth, Marvin is constantly called back to serve Dodgers.
The Martian plan comes to an end when Dodgers has bay doors closed just as Marvin is trying to exit through them. Upon hearing the resulting crash, the Queen orders Dodgers to leave. While Dodgers is being escorted out, Cadet Porky discovers that the Neptunians are disguised Martian robots. Back aboard his ship, Dodgers seems to have been aware of things than he appeared, having seen the peanut creatures before -- in his comic books.
Did You Notice...
- The title refers to the silly 1967 film Mars Needs Women.
- The Queen of Mars is a character from the Duck Dodgers television show.
- Not everything in the 24½th Century is dealt with by using rays of some sort: Paper towels are used on a spill.
- Dodgers' discombobulator gun discombobulates, much as his disintegrating gun disintegrated in Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century (Jones, 1953).
Technical Nits
- It's odd for Mars, or the Queen's palace, to have a cargo bay. Such a thing would be expected on a ship, not holding the ship.
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Last updated 24 March 2005