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Aldryd (talk | contribs)
More character re-org - I also removed the Merge tag after adding a link to The Tick (comic book) instead of merging them
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{{Mergefrom|The Tick (comic book)|date=September 2006}}
{{Superherobox| <!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
{{Superherobox| <!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
| image = [[Image:The-tick.gif|200px]]
| image = [[Image:The-tick.gif|200px]]
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"Due to creative considerations episode 11 ("The Tick vs. The Mole Men") is not included. However, we hope to include it in future Tick releases." [http://tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=5764]
"Due to creative considerations episode 11 ("The Tick vs. The Mole Men") is not included. However, we hope to include it in future Tick releases." [http://tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=5764]


==Comic book==
== Characters ==
===Comics and Books Featuring the Tick===
[[Tick: List of Published Material]]


Quite a few characters have appeared throughout the three incarnations of The Tick. Due to copyright issues, some characters could not be used in all versions.
===Characters in the comic book===
[[Image:TheTick&Arthur-6.jpg|thumb|right|A ''The Tick & Arthur'' comic book cover]]
====Superheroes====
* The Ant
* [[Arthur (The Tick)|Arthur]]
* The Cape ("[[Golden Age of Comic Books|golden age]]" hero)
* The Caped Wonder (a.k.a. Clark Oppenheimer) ([[Superman]] parody)
* Captain Academia
* The Civic Minded Five
** Feral Boy
** Fernslinger
** Mr. Envelope
** Oddman
** Radio King (leader)
* Crested Grebe
* Crime Cannibal
* Hand Grenade Man
* Hollowpoint ([[The Punisher|Punisher]] parody)
* Man Eating Cow
* [[Mighty Agrippa, Roman God of the Aqueduct]]
* The MITI Men (Japanese superhero team)
** Dr. Bonsai
** The Dubbed One
** Salaryman
** Zen Man
* Oedipus ([[Elektra (comics)|Elektra]] parody)
* Paul the Samurai
* The Running Guy ([[Flash (comics)|Flash]] parody; he's "as fast as ten really fast men")
* Shing
* The Sultan ("golden age" hero)
* '''The Tick'''
* Ulysses Bang ("golden age" hero)
* The Visible Man ("golden age" hero)

====Supervillains====
* Barry Hubris, a.k.a. "The Tick"
* The [[Chainsaw Vigilante]]
* [[Chairface Chippendale]]
* The District Manager
* The Evileers
** The Fuzzy Person
** Mr. Tragedy
** Multiple Santa
** [[The Terror (comics)|The Terror]]
** [[Tuun-La (comics)|Tuun-La]], Not of this World
* Gomorra ([[Godzilla]] parody)
* King Crime ("golden age" villain)
* Lord Byron
* The Ninjas
* Pineapple Pokopo
* The Red Eye
* The Red Scare (villain for hire from Villains, Inc.)
* Sagin
* Seven Hearts ("golden age" villain)
* [[Thrakkorzog]]

==Animated series==
{{Infobox Television |
| show_name = The Tick
| image = [[Image:TickSpoo.JPG|right|250px]]
| caption = The animated Tick patrols The City
| format = [[Animated comedy]]
| runtime = 30 minutes (includes commercials)
| creator = Ben Edlund
| starring = [[Townsend Coleman]]<br>[[Mickey Dolenz]] (1994-1995)<br>[[Rob Paulsen]] (1995-1996)
| country = [[United States|USA]]
| network = [[Fox Broadcasting Company|FOX]]
| first_aired = [[September 10]], [[1994]]
| last_aired = [[November 27]], [[1996]]
| imdb_id = 0112196
| tv_com_id = 5235
|}}


=== Main characters ===
=== Main characters ===
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! width=10% | Picture
! width=10% | Picture
! width=20% | Character
! width=20% | Character
! width=10% | Media
! width=20% | Notable powers
! width=20% | Notable powers
! width=50% | Notes
! width=40% | Notes
|-
|-
| || [[American Maid]] || Skilled acrobat, can throw her tiara and stilettos with extreme accuracy || [[Wonder Woman]]/[[Captain America]] parody
| || [[American Maid]] || Animated series || Skilled acrobat, can throw her tiara and stilettos with extreme accuracy || [[Wonder Woman]]/[[Captain America]] parody
|-
|-
| || [[Arthur (The Tick)|Arthur]] || [[List of comic book superpowers#Flight|Flight]] (with moth suit) || The Tick's sidekick
| || [[Arthur (The Tick)|Arthur]] || Comic, Animated series, Live-action|| [[List of comic book superpowers#Flight|Flight]] (with moth suit) || The Tick's sidekick
|-
|-
| || [[Die Fledermaus (The Tick)|Die Fledermaus]] || None || [[Batman]] parody (also the name of an opera by [[Johann Strauss II]]; die Fledermaus is German for 'the bat')
| || [[Batmanuel]] || Live-action || None || Parody of [[Batman]] loosely based on [[Die Fledermaus]]
|-
|-
| || [[Captain Liberty]] || Live-action || || [[Wonder Woman]] parody and loosely based on [[American Maid]]
| || [[Sewer Urchin]] || Super stench || [[Rain Man]] parody. In the sewers he has a luxurious apartment largely furnished with salvage from the sewers; however, he has relativly few guests.
|-
|-
| || [[Die Fledermaus (The Tick)|Die Fledermaus]] || Animated series || None || [[Batman]] parody (also the name of an opera by [[Johann Strauss II]]; die Fledermaus is German for 'the bat')
| || '''The Tick''' || [[List of comic book superpowers#Invulnerability|Nigh-invulnerability]], [[List of comic book superpowers#Superhuman strength|Superhuman strength]], "Drama power"
|-
| || [[Sewer Urchin]] || Animated series || Super stench || [[Rain Man]] parody. In the sewers he has a luxurious apartment largely furnished with salvage from the sewers; however, he has relatively few guests.
|-
| || '''The Tick''' || Comic, Animated series, Live-action || [[List of comic book superpowers#Invulnerability|Nigh-invulnerability]], [[List of comic book superpowers#Superhuman strength|Superhuman strength]], "Drama power"
|-
|-
|}
|}


=== Other characters ===
=== Other characters ===
{{Main|List of minor characters in The Tick#Animated series}}
{{Main|List of minor characters in The Tick}}


Many supporting characters appeared in the animated series.
Many supporting characters appeared in the animated series.

== Comic book ==
{{Main|The Tick (comic book)}}

The Tick has also appeared in other comics as well as books. For a full list, see [[List of Tick-related published material]].

==Animated series==
{{Infobox Television |
| show_name = The Tick
| image = [[Image:TickSpoo.JPG|right|250px]]
| caption = The animated Tick patrols The City
| format = [[Animated comedy]]
| runtime = 30 minutes (includes commercials)
| creator = Ben Edlund
| starring = [[Townsend Coleman]]<br>[[Mickey Dolenz]] (1994-1995)<br>[[Rob Paulsen]] (1995-1996)
| country = [[United States|USA]]
| network = [[Fox Broadcasting Company|FOX]]
| first_aired = [[September 10]], [[1994]]
| last_aired = [[November 27]], [[1996]]
| imdb_id = 0112196
| tv_com_id = 5235
|}}


===List of episodes in the animated series===
===List of episodes in the animated series===
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| tv_com_id = 3832
| tv_com_id = 3832
|}}
|}}

Interestingly, Arthur is one of the rare characters in the live-action series who appears out of costume the most, and he is considerably the most "normal." Captain Liberty, for example, appears out of costume once. Unlike the cartoon series, [[Sony Pictures Television]] owns the rights to the live version.

===Characters in the live-action series===
====Superheroes====
* '''The Tick'''
* Arthur
* [[Batmanuel]] ([[Batman]] parody and loosely based on Die Fledermaus)
* Captain Comet
* Captain Liberty ([[Wonder Woman]] parody and loosely based on [[American Maid]])
* The Cape
* League of Superheroes ([[Justice League of America]] parody)
** The Champion ([[Superman]] parody)
* [[Fiery Blaze]]
* Fishboy: Lost Prince of Atlantis ([[Aquaman]] and/or [[Sub-Mariner]] parody)
* Friendly Fire (sidekick to Fiery Blaze, not to be confused with [[Friendly Fire (DC Comics)|Friendly Fire]], a member of the [[DC Comics]] superhero team [[Section 8 (comics)|Section 8]] that appeared in ''[[Hitman (comics)|Hitman]]'')
* The Immortal (deceased) - died following a sexual interlude with Captain Liberty
* Johnny Republic
* Kid Caboose
* Medusa
* Metcalf
* Sonic Boom
* Tiny Man

====Supervillains====
[[Image:TheTickCast.jpg|thumb|Cast shot]]
* Apocalypse Cow
* Destroyo (real name: Leonid Kasparov Destroyovitch)
* The Red Scare ([[robot]])
* [[The Terror (comics)|The Terror]]


===List of episodes in the live-action series===
===List of episodes in the live-action series===
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* [http://www.tv.com/the-tick-1994/show/5235/summary.html?q=the+tick ''The Tick (1994 &ndash; 1997}'' at TV.com]
* [http://www.tv.com/the-tick-1994/show/5235/summary.html?q=the+tick ''The Tick (1994 &ndash; 1997}'' at TV.com]
* [http://www.tv.com/the-tick/show/3832/summary.html?q=the+tick ''The Tick (2001 &ndash; 2002)'' at TV.com]
* [http://www.tv.com/the-tick/show/3832/summary.html?q=the+tick ''The Tick (2001 &ndash; 2002)'' at TV.com]
* [http://www.thetick.ws Leggman's Tick Webpage]
* [http://www.petitiononline.com/dvdtick/petition.html Online petition to bring The Tick animated series to DVD]
* [http://home.jps.net/~lsnyder/indexy.html?/~lsnyder/ticklopedia.html ''The Ticklopedia'']


[[Category:The Tick|*]]
[[Category:The Tick|*]]

Revision as of 05:59, 15 October 2006

The Tick
File:The-tick.gif
The Tick
Publication information
PublisherNew England Comics Press
First appearanceThe Tick #1, March 1988
Created byBen Edlund
In-story information
Alter egoNone
AbilitiesNigh-invulnerability, super strength, "Drama power"

The Tick is a comedic superhero created by Ben Edlund in 1986.

Character profile and history

A square-jawed, muscular bright blue figure with antennae sticking up from his head, the Tick is a surreal parody of superheroes. The Tick is high-spirited, frequently obtuse, and prone to making odd, dim remarks and "inspirational" speeches filled with confusing, bizarre metaphors. His superpowers are nigh-invulnerability, which allows him to crash and bang about without injury; super strength (he can bend a steel girder with relative ease); and something referred to as "drama power", or basically a tendency for the Tick's powers to increase as the situation becomes more dramatic. He can also survive out in space without a suit and underwater without oxygen. His battle cry is "Spoooooon!" which he decided upon while eating breakfast, specifically the cereal "Drama Flakes".

Like many superheroes, The Tick has a sidekick: an accountant named Arthur, who wears a white moth suit that allows him to fly, although he is often mistaken for a bunny due to the long ear-like antennae of his costume and the fact that his wings are often folded up inside a backpack. The Tick is impulsive, and Arthur serves as a sort of conscience; the hero often irks his sidekick. Arthur's "battle cry" is "Not in the face! Not in the face!" (a famous quote from the 1984 film Repo Man).

Originally featured in an independent comic book series, The Tick and Arthur were made popular by an animated television series (1994 – 96) and a live action television series (2001 – 02). Both series aired on the Fox Network. According to the live action series The Tick is 6'6" weighs 230lbs and has black hair and blue eyes.

In all of his incarnations, The Tick is surrounded by a cast of equally absurd superheroes and villains, many of them parodies of popular comic book characters and character types. The Tick lives in a city called "The City". In the animated series, The Tick was assigned to the city after his "Cabinet of Terror", billed by Tick as the best destruction device 1974 had to offer, exploded during his city alignment selection trials at the National Super Institute Convention in Reno, Nevada. According to the series' companion book, Mighty Blue Justice!, at least one of the judges was amazed by this (perhaps by The Tick's survival), giving The Tick a 10 of 10. People have postulated that The City was a home for "reject" heroes and villains; this account flies in the face of that.

In the original comic books, the Tick is/was apparently legally insane, an escapee from a mental institution (possibly for super-powered individuals) located not too far from The City.

Franchise history

In 1986, 17-year-old Ben Edlund created The Tick as a mascot for the newsletter of New England Comics in Boston, where he was a customer on occasion. The character, which bore an uncanny resemblance in costume and personality to The Cockroach from Cerebus the Aardvark, became popular and the store financed a few black and white comic books, written and illustrated by Edlund and featuring the character. In 1989, The Tick #4 introduced Arthur.

The Tick became extensively popular in the underground comics scene. Soon New England Comics published a regular series in color which featured the character. Spinoffs followed which featured characters such as Paul The Samurai, Man-Eating Cow, and Chainsaw Vigilante. Edlund continued to write and illustrate these projects through his years as an undergraduate film student at Massachusetts College of Art.

File:TheTickMightyBlueJustice.PNG
The Tick: Mighty Blue Justice!

In 1994, the Fox Network licensed The Tick as a Saturday morning cartoon show, which Edlund wrote and co-produced. The Tick was voiced by Townsend Coleman, and his sidekick Arthur by Micky Dolenz in season one, with Rob Paulsen taking over the Arthur role in seasons two and three. The series also featured Die Fledermaus as a shallow, self-absorbed Batman parody; Sewer Urchin, a Rain Man-like version of Aquaman; and American Maid, a more noble superheroine featuring aspects of Wonder Woman and Captain America. Reruns on Comedy Central helped make the series a cult hit with adults. The 1997 book The Tick: Mighty Blue Justice! by Greg Hyland was published as a tie-in with the animated series.

In 1995, Fox Interactive published a scrolling fighter video game based on the animated series for the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. They were criticized for having very long stages with a ridiculous amount of generic enemies to combat.

In 2001, Fox introduced a live-action TV series (Produced by Columbia-TriStar Television), written and executive produced by Edlund. The series starred Patrick Warburton as The Tick, David Burke as Arthur, Nestor Carbonell as Batmanuel (a Eurotrash Latin lover Spaniard version of Die Fledermaus) and Liz Vassey as Captain Liberty (a version of American Maid). These changes were due to copyright issues — characters created specifically for the cartoon series could not be reused, but ones from the comic were allowed. Once again, the series found a cult audience, but this incarnation failed to find a larger audience.

The live-action series was released on DVD through Sony Pictures Entertainment in 2003. Ben Edlund says on one of the DVD commentary tracks that he hopes the sales of the DVD might spur development of either a revived series or a movie, similar to the fates of other cult TV series, such as Firefly (which he was a producer on). As of 2006, this has yet to happen.

In June 2005 the Toon Disney network began to air episodes of the animated series along with such other shows as X-Men in an attempt to counter Cartoon Network's popular Adult Swim block. The Tick now airs at 10:00 PM Eastern time. It also occasionally airs on the ABC Family channel as part of the Jetix block.

Buena Vista Home Entertainment released the first season of The Tick on DVD on August 29, 2006. The release contains only 12 of the 13 first-season episodes. On May 31, 2006, Disney released the following statement regarding the missing episode: "Due to creative considerations episode 11 ("The Tick vs. The Mole Men") is not included. However, we hope to include it in future Tick releases." [1]

Characters

Quite a few characters have appeared throughout the three incarnations of The Tick. Due to copyright issues, some characters could not be used in all versions.

Main characters

Picture Character Media Notable powers Notes
American Maid Animated series Skilled acrobat, can throw her tiara and stilettos with extreme accuracy Wonder Woman/Captain America parody
Arthur Comic, Animated series, Live-action Flight (with moth suit) The Tick's sidekick
Batmanuel Live-action None Parody of Batman loosely based on Die Fledermaus
Captain Liberty Live-action Wonder Woman parody and loosely based on American Maid
Die Fledermaus Animated series None Batman parody (also the name of an opera by Johann Strauss II; die Fledermaus is German for 'the bat')
Sewer Urchin Animated series Super stench Rain Man parody. In the sewers he has a luxurious apartment largely furnished with salvage from the sewers; however, he has relatively few guests.
The Tick Comic, Animated series, Live-action Nigh-invulnerability, Superhuman strength, "Drama power"

Other characters

Many supporting characters appeared in the animated series.

Comic book

The Tick has also appeared in other comics as well as books. For a full list, see List of Tick-related published material.

Animated series

Tick
File:TickSpoo.JPG
The animated Tick patrols The City
Created byBen Edlund
StarringTownsend Coleman
Mickey Dolenz (1994-1995)
Rob Paulsen (1995-1996)
Country of originUSA
Production
Running time30 minutes (includes commercials)
Original release
NetworkFOX
ReleaseSeptember 10, 1994 –
November 27, 1996

List of episodes in the animated series

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3

Live-action series

Tick
File:TheTickLiveActionBoxArt.jpg
The Tick Live Action series DVD cover
Created byBen Edlund
StarringPatrick Warburton
David Burke
Nestor Carbonell
Liz Vassey
Country of originUSA
Production
Running time30 minutes (includes commercials)
Original release
NetworkFOX
ReleaseNovember 8, 2001 –
January 24, 2002

List of episodes in the live-action series

The episodes are listed here in their intended order (according to the DVD release). When they were originally aired on the Fox Network in the United States, they were aired out of order.

Trivia

  • In an episode of Angel that Ben Edlund worked on, there's a scene where Angel kills a villain with a spoon by throwing it at him. It pierces the villain's head or neck and he dies. Spike looks at Angel and says, "A spoon?," which could be a reference to Ben Edlund's use of "Spoon" as Tick's battle cry, but by extension here being used as an actual weapon.
  • Another episode that Ben Edlund heavily collaborated on with Joss Whedon was the puppet episode, which one could say in some form is a reference to the Human Ton and Handy.
  • When Family Guy started its fourth season, Peter Griffin made a list of shows that Fox cancelled between its temporary cancellation and that episode. Among the shows was the live action version of The Tick.
  • Apart from The Tick and Arthur, The Terror and Arthur's sister, Dot, are the only characters to appear in the comic book, the animated series, and the live action show.

Sources

  • The Tick: Circus Maximus, NEC Comics, 2004.
  • The Tick: Mighty Blue Justice!, Hyland, Greg, Berkley Boulevard Books, New York, 1997