The Aquabats Super Show!

The Aquabats Super Show!
Genre	Action comedy
Format	Live-action/animation
Created by	Christian Jacobs Scott Schultz
Starring	The Aquabats
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	13 (+ pilot)
Production
Running time	approx. 22 minutes (per episode)
Production company(s)	Wild Brain
Broadcast
Original channel	The Hub

The Aquabats Super Show! is an upcoming comedy television series created by Yo Gabba Gabba! producers Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz, which will air on The Hub in March 2012.

A mix of live-action and animation, The Aquabats Super Show! is based on the superhero mythology of The Aquabats, a real-life Californian rock band which series co-creator Jacobs fronts. In a similar vein to shows such as The Monkees, each episode follows the comic exploits of The Aquabats, a superhero musical group on a never-ending quest to vanquish evil with rock n' roll.

Series overview

The Aquabats Super Show! revolves around The Aquabats, a band of superhero musicians on a never-ending quest to fight evil, preserve justice and become the world's greatest rock and roll band.

The format of the show consists of both live-action skits and animated segments chronicling the adventures of The Aquabats, intercut with parody commercials and concert footage of the band performing live. In a recent interview with IGN, co-creator Christian Jacobs described the show thusly:

“

[Super Show!'s] always been a real tough sell to the more conventional kids channels because it is so tongue in cheek and crazy...[w]ith this show, we want to mix in the real intense energy of an actual live show and the high action of a kung fu movie etc. It will all revolve around stories and narrative but there will be plenty of random surprises to keep the viewer always wondering what it going to happen next.

”

Production history

Since the formation of The Aquabats in Orange County in 1994, founder and vocalist Christian Jacobs had envisioned the prospect of a television series based around the band's fictional mythology. The Aquabats Super Show! was in fact the band's third attempt at producing a series, following two previous pilots: one filmed in 1997 produced by Buena Vista Television which has yet to be made available for public viewing, and an independently-produced video demo in 1999 entitled The Aquabats in Color!.

In 2007, Jacobs and his creative partner Scott Schultz sold their children's television series Yo Gabba Gabba! to Viacom's Nick Jr. channel. The resultant success of the series persuaded Gabba! production company Wild Brain (in conjuncture with Jacobs and Schultz' company The Magic Store) to fund another pilot based around the band. The pilot for The Aquabats Super Show! was filmed on location around most of Southern California in January 2008. Part of this filming took place at a free invitation-only concert for members of the band's official fan club (the Aquacadets) at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles on January 12, 2008.

Super Show!'s animated segments were designed and illustrated by Japanese artist Erico Uruma, known under her pseudonym "Pey", who has provided art for many of the band's posters and t-shirts.

In June 2008, The Aquabats released a teaser trailer for the series along with a few clips on an official Super Show! YouTube channel. On July 25, 2008, the Aquabats screened the pilot in full during a concert in San Diego (during the weekend of the San Diego Comic-Con). That same day, a segment of the episode was aired on Boing Boing. The pilot went unheard from until October 2008, when it was briefly streamed in its entirety on Joost. Finally, on March 23, 2011, it was announced that The Hub had picked up the series for a run of 13 episodes.

Cast and characters

The Aquabats appear as versions of themselves in Super Show!.

The main characters of The Aquabats Super Show! consist of the fictionalized personas of the actual members of The Aquabats:

• The MC Bat Commander (Christian Jacobs), the Aquabats' "fearless leader". The Commander possesses great stamina, leadership skills and a swaggering bravado, but unlike his bandmates, doesn't have any actual superpowers. He is The Aquabats' lead singer.
• Crash McLarson (Chad Larson), the group's second in command. The brawniest of the Aquabats, Crash has the ability to grow up to 50 feet in size, though has yet to fully control his powers, tending to grow mostly at awkward times or when he becomes overly emotional. Crash is The Aquabats' bass guitarist.

The animated Aquabats from the pilot. From left to right: Bones, The MC Bat Commander, Ricky, Jimmy and Crash.

• Jimmy the Robot (James Briggs), the "faithful automaton". A humanoid robot created by The Aquabats, Jimmy has a variety of superpowers, including detachable rocket fists and the ability to shoot laser beams from his eyes, as well as technological expertise, a jetpack and mechanically heightened senses. He is the most sarcastic member of The Aquabats. Jimmy plays keyboards and saxophone for the band.
• Ricky Fitness (Richard Falomir), the youngest of The Aquabats. Once involved with crime and gangs during his youth on the streets of Los Angeles, Ricky has since shunned evil and now seeks to do right through exercise and music, joining The Aquabats on their crusade against badness. He has the power of super speed. Ricky is the band's drummer.
• Eagle "Bones" Falconhawk (Ian Fowles), the "sonic shredder". Eagle Bones is the most confident member of The Aquabats, equipped with an electric guitar which shoots sonic energy beams and the assistance of an invisible bird named Dude who can help him fly. Because of his hollow bird-like bones, Eagle Bones is easily crippled in battle but heals himself quickly. He is The Aquabats' guitarist.

Voice actor Chris Phillips served as the narrator for the pilot.

External links

• The Aquabats Super Show! at the Internet Movie Database