I do, and I know why. It's "The Awesomes" and you're not reading it because no one is writing or publishing it.
For those not already familiar with it, The Awesomes is a Hulu animated television series that's a comedic take on superhero teams. That description make its sound like rather a played out concept, and that was my first impression before I finally broke down and watched a few episodes, which amused and entertained me greatly. My fondness for the show has only grown as I have started sharing it with others (many of whom, like me, were at first skeptical).
The show oozes with comedic talent; it is almost completely performed by alums of SNL (like Seth Meyers) or MadTV (like Ike Barinholtz), even the bit parts, walk-ons, and one-liners. The unctuous villain Dr Malocchio, as played by Bill Hader, is a treat in every frame he's in.
Unlike many such parodies, The Awesomes isn't derisive or demeaning toward the superhero/villain concept. It's clearly affectionate and informed joking and most of the characters are very likeable (even the villains are -- to some degree-- likeable or at least, we understand why they do what they do even if we don't approve).
That's not to say the show's not without bite. There's some wicked satire going on, and the show's by no means G-rated. But at its core, it's warm-hearted, respectful of the heroic ideal, and has a great mix of lively characters, whose interactions are comedy gold. My favorite is Gadget Girl (an expy of Merry the Girl of a 1000 Gimmicks), who's a rejuvenated sassy-talking 1940s hero with a zest for adventure and a lack of delicacy that enlivens any scene she's in:
Not even halfway into its second season, The Awesomes has generated enough characters and throwaway concepts to fuel a comic book for years. I hope that Hulu and Seth Meyers, the brain behind it all (and the voice of the Awesomes' leader, the perennially injured supergenius Jeremy "Prock" Awesome), takes the step of licensing it out, but I would read the CRAP of an Awesomes comic book.
9 comments:
I've been wondering about this. Now I'll stop wondering and watch some.
Thanks for recommending this! I watched the first two episodes and it's lotsa fun.
Especially Gadget Gal! She's hilarious!
And the second season's about to wrap up, so it's got binge-watching potential.
Sometimes I find myself saying "Eye cahlmed him with sahme HAHRD CAHN-DY!" in my Gadget Girl voice, then cracking up.
Egad...I never even heard of this. I will be watching it as soon as I can figure out how to find it. Thank god for teenagers.
Just watched Season 1. Excellent stuff!
Sally-- just go to Hulu.com; you can watch it there.
Started watching per your recommendation; thanks! It's certainly lots better than I expected. I can't say I'm totally won over, but they do C-list superheroes a lot better than, say, the "Mystery Men" movie (though not as well as the Mystery Men who used to appear in "Flaming Carrot" comics and fight armies of Hitler's feet).
Prock is a surprisingly engaging lead.
"I would read the CRAP out of an Awesome's comic book."
Truer words have never been spoken, my friend. I'd have that bad-boy in the front of the line for my pull if they made it.
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