Cartoons in Action Figures Not Included
After eight pages about cartoons in Each Sold Separately (Kickstarter page) you may think I’ve said enough about the practice of creating cartoons about toys. Well, considering there are entire books devoted to the cartoons of the past it likely comes as no surprise that my latest book — Action Figures Not Included — includes another section devoted to cartoons.
This time around I discuss how decisions made by the writers and editors of those eighties cartoons may have saved lines like G.I. Joe and Transformers from a quick death, touch on the “evils” of marketing to children, and even go back to 1964 and the Linus the Lionhearted cartoon– which really was just a thinly-disguised promotional tool for Post Cereals product.
While Each Sold Separately focused mostly on the eighties (with some overlap into the seventies) I’ve expanded the window for Action Figures Not Included; the book goes back into the sixties in places and jumps all of the way into our time where appropriate.
The Kickstarter project closes in two days, so if you’re at all interested in the subject of brands, marketing, and action figures then please take a close look at the project page. There’s even a reward level to get both books. (Just in case you missed out on the first project.)
Everything is on track for the final PDF to go to supporters over the weekend, with files then off to the printer next week and books arriving a month later. Feels awesome to have the book at this stage and to know I’ll have a quick turn around and get the books to backers within a month or two of the project’s close.
Related articles
- New Book: Action Figures Not Included (battlegrip.com)
- Spotted Online – Pose Drawing SparkBook Review at Flooby Nooby (battlegrip.com)