A to Z of Animation Studios: W Is for Warner Bros. Animation
The studio that made the funniest cartoons ever, and sometimes forgot to take care of them.
W is for Warner Bros. Animation
The start: REAL: Warner Bros. started releasing Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons in 1930. The animators worked in a run-down building they nicknamed "Termite Terrace."
The approach: Disney wanted you to believe. Warner wanted you to laugh. Fast timing, sharp jokes and characters who know they're in a cartoon.
The greatest hits
Looney Tunes (1930 onward). The gold standard of cartoon comedy, from directors Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, Bob Clampett and Friz Freleng. REAL: voice actor Mel Blanc played Bugs, Daffy, Porky and dozens more. Bugs Bunny may be the greatest cartoon character of all time. We'll fight you on it. Politely.
Tiny Toon Adventures (1990). Looney Tunes for a new generation, and one of the first great cartoon reboots.
Animaniacs (1993). Slapstick, songs and history lessons, plus jokes hidden in for the grown-ups. It also gave us Pinky and the Brain.
Batman: The Animated Series (1992). Maybe the best superhero cartoon ever. REAL: Kevin Conroy voiced Batman, Mark Hamill voiced the Joker, and Harley Quinn was created for this show before she ever appeared in a comic.
Justice League and Justice League Unlimited (2001–2006). The Batman universe grew into the whole DC team.
Freakazoid! (1995). Gloriously silly, and gone too soon.
The misses
Loonatics Unleashed (2005). The Looney Tunes as serious futuristic superheroes. Fans did not want serious Looney Tunes.
Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021). Critics felt it was more about showing off the studio's movie library than telling a story.
Young Justice. A fan favorite that was canceled, brought back thanks to fans, then ended again.
The 2022 removals. REAL: in 2022, after a company merger, Warner Bros. Discovery pulled many animated shows from its streaming service, and some finished projects were shelved. For animators, that was heartbreaking.
The Warner formula
Speed. Fast pacing and snappy animation.
Timing. Comedy lives in the pause before the fall.
Great writing. Jokes for kids and grown-ups at the same time.
The weak spot: at its best, Warner makes legends. At its worst, it forgets about them.
Honorable mention: Walt Disney Television Animation (1990s)
While Disney's movies had their Renaissance, Disney's TV studio had one too. - DuckTales (1987) and Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers (1989). - TaleSpin (1990) and Darkwing Duck (1991). A superhero duck who is mostly brave and occasionally clueless. - Gargoyles (1994). Shakespeare meets superheroes. - Goof Troop (1992) and Recess (1997).
Warner was the king of comedy and superheroes. Disney TV was the king of adventure.
The lesson
Making great work is only half the job. Taking care of it, so people can still find and watch it, is the other half.
Up next
X is for Xilam Animation.
New episodes drop on YouTube first. Subscribe to Mr. Bray Labs so you never miss one.
