Never Listen to the Hat
October 13, 2013 3:09 PM Subscribe
Ben Edlund, creator of the Tick and writer for Angel, Firefly, Supernatural, and most recently Revolution, has joined twitter. So far, he has used it for posting random doodles, mentioning myths he long held to be true, and other assorted thoughts.
If you wish to be exposed to more of Ben Edlund's thoughts, I suggest this nerdist writer's panel, or the spotlight on Ben Edlund (2) (3) from 2012's San Diego Comicon
If you wish to be exposed to more of Ben Edlund's thoughts, I suggest this nerdist writer's panel, or the spotlight on Ben Edlund (2) (3) from 2012's San Diego Comicon
Ben Edlund is great because he blends horror and humor almost seamlessly.
(Also this is where I mention that The Tick, Doctor Horrible, and The Venture Brothers are all the same universe.)
posted by Pope Guilty at 3:13 PM on October 13, 2013 [6 favorites]
(Also this is where I mention that The Tick, Doctor Horrible, and The Venture Brothers are all the same universe.)
posted by Pope Guilty at 3:13 PM on October 13, 2013 [6 favorites]
He's also written for Venture Brothers (creator Jackson Publick/Craig McCulloch was, I hear, a college friend of his), and wrote the screenplay for Titan A.E. His IMDB page lists some more unexpected accomplishments.
posted by JHarris at 3:15 PM on October 13, 2013
posted by JHarris at 3:15 PM on October 13, 2013
(Also this is where I mention that The Tick, Doctor Horrible, and The Venture Brothers are all the same universe.)
...
Don't toy with my emotions.
posted by Celsius1414 at 3:16 PM on October 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
...
Don't toy with my emotions.
posted by Celsius1414 at 3:16 PM on October 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
The old Chroma-Tick color reprints always had these great long rambling interviews with Ben Edlund, where he would talk about Kurt Vonnegut and Camper Van Beethoven and generally make me feel, as a precocious and awkward 12 year old, like there was at least one kindred spirit in the world. I am never surprised anymore when he turns up as a writer on a show that I like.
posted by Rustmouth Snakedrill at 3:20 PM on October 13, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Rustmouth Snakedrill at 3:20 PM on October 13, 2013 [3 favorites]
Ben Edlund is who I want to be when I grow up.
I promise to finally write that episode from the POV of a housecat for him.
posted by The Whelk at 3:28 PM on October 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
I promise to finally write that episode from the POV of a housecat for him.
posted by The Whelk at 3:28 PM on October 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
It's hard to get a full list of what he's responsible for, because there's a lot of stuff where he might not have written anything, but he helped sparked an idea. Or, as John Rogers put it (from this nerdist writer's panel):
He's one of those guys... I was listening to the commentary on the Venture Brothers, and you hear those guys go "yeah, we weren't going to do that, but Ben Edlund said we should write this down." He, like, floats through television writing history, this kind of Zelig-like character in the back of the Reuter film of television. ...He wasn't on the grassy knoll, but he was near the fence!
But yeah, he was credited with the idea of Bad Horse and Moist from Doctor Horrible, and random ideas from the Venture Brothers (plus a couple episodes), and worked on Clone Wars.
His brain does not work the way that most people's brains work. It is a wonder to behold.
posted by dinty_moore at 3:28 PM on October 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
He's one of those guys... I was listening to the commentary on the Venture Brothers, and you hear those guys go "yeah, we weren't going to do that, but Ben Edlund said we should write this down." He, like, floats through television writing history, this kind of Zelig-like character in the back of the Reuter film of television. ...He wasn't on the grassy knoll, but he was near the fence!
But yeah, he was credited with the idea of Bad Horse and Moist from Doctor Horrible, and random ideas from the Venture Brothers (plus a couple episodes), and worked on Clone Wars.
His brain does not work the way that most people's brains work. It is a wonder to behold.
posted by dinty_moore at 3:28 PM on October 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
Unfortunately the episodes Edlund wrote for The Venture Brothers are not especially well-regarded. He did the story for the Budd Manstrong episodes ("Careers in Science", with Phantom Spaceman and Anna Baldavitch, and "Guess Who's Coming to State Dinner", with the force field in the Oval Office and the ghost of Abraham Lincoln) and wrote "¡Viva los muertos!", with Venturestein and the Scooby Gang made up of serial killers and criminals. I like 'em all, but I know that's a minority opinion in the fandom.
posted by Pope Guilty at 3:50 PM on October 13, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Pope Guilty at 3:50 PM on October 13, 2013 [3 favorites]
Man, I love Edlund's stuff.
One of my prized possessions in my middle school comic book collection was the first edition of Chainsaw Vigilante, a guy who thinks there are too many superheroes, so gives them superficial injuries to disable them.
I first made friends with a high school buddy who became my longterm college/post-college roommate because he had a Tick t-shirt, and when I saw one of my new coworkers come in with one, it was like, yeah, this is a guy I can work with.
posted by klangklangston at 3:55 PM on October 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
One of my prized possessions in my middle school comic book collection was the first edition of Chainsaw Vigilante, a guy who thinks there are too many superheroes, so gives them superficial injuries to disable them.
I first made friends with a high school buddy who became my longterm college/post-college roommate because he had a Tick t-shirt, and when I saw one of my new coworkers come in with one, it was like, yeah, this is a guy I can work with.
posted by klangklangston at 3:55 PM on October 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
and most recently Revolution
Ok, no electricity, fine if strained premise, but why no bicycles, sailboats or rowboats?
posted by sammyo at 3:56 PM on October 13, 2013
Ok, no electricity, fine if strained premise, but why no bicycles, sailboats or rowboats?
posted by sammyo at 3:56 PM on October 13, 2013
If it was just the Tivk, and tick related things, Ben Edlund would be huge in my mind. the Tick has a huge influence of both me and the sensibilities of people working in that era.
But he's also partly response ( along with Sera Gambel) of turning Suoernatural from a grimdark bros fight monsters Angel-thing into meta textual horror comedy aka my favorite thing ever.
posted by The Whelk at 4:12 PM on October 13, 2013 [5 favorites]
But he's also partly response ( along with Sera Gambel) of turning Suoernatural from a grimdark bros fight monsters Angel-thing into meta textual horror comedy aka my favorite thing ever.
posted by The Whelk at 4:12 PM on October 13, 2013 [5 favorites]
When does Supernatural make that switch, The Whelk? I've been thinking of giving it a shot, I'm running low on shows to binge-watch on Netflix.
posted by jason_steakums at 4:20 PM on October 13, 2013
posted by jason_steakums at 4:20 PM on October 13, 2013
Roughly near the end of season two and then with increasing speed.
posted by The Whelk at 4:23 PM on October 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by The Whelk at 4:23 PM on October 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
Revolution: My understanding is that they turned the power off and on again.
I'm waiting to watch it, even with Edlund writing for it.
posted by dinty_moore at 4:23 PM on October 13, 2013
I'm waiting to watch it, even with Edlund writing for it.
posted by dinty_moore at 4:23 PM on October 13, 2013
Roughly near the end of season two and then with increasing speed.
Thanks! Not too much of a wait, then.
posted by jason_steakums at 4:25 PM on October 13, 2013
Thanks! Not too much of a wait, then.
posted by jason_steakums at 4:25 PM on October 13, 2013
Unfortunately the episodes Edlund wrote for The Venture Brothers are not especially well-regarded. He did the story for the Budd Manstrong episodes ("Careers in Science", with Phantom Spaceman and Anna Baldavitch, and "Guess Who's Coming to State Dinner", with the force field in the Oval Office and the ghost of Abraham Lincoln) and wrote "¡Viva los muertos!", with Venturestein and the Scooby Gang made up of serial killers and criminals. I like 'em all, but I know that's a minority opinion in the fandom.
Wait, what? The Budd Manstrong episodes are weak, sure, but people don't like ¡Viva los muertos!? How ... how is that possible?
posted by kafziel at 4:31 PM on October 13, 2013 [7 favorites]
Wait, what? The Budd Manstrong episodes are weak, sure, but people don't like ¡Viva los muertos!? How ... how is that possible?
posted by kafziel at 4:31 PM on October 13, 2013 [7 favorites]
I love the Bud Manstrong episodes. Sharky's Machine...
posted by jason_steakums at 4:33 PM on October 13, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by jason_steakums at 4:33 PM on October 13, 2013 [4 favorites]
For Supernatural, seasons two through five are what made the show such a glorious thing. Ben had a substantial part in this. It is known.
posted by Ber at 4:47 PM on October 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Ber at 4:47 PM on October 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
Venturestein
Prostitooo!!
Funniest. Shit. Ever.
posted by mikelieman at 4:51 PM on October 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
Prostitooo!!
Funniest. Shit. Ever.
posted by mikelieman at 4:51 PM on October 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
I was going to say Sharky's Machine first, but I got distracted by a shiny object. Nearly the entire crew was there....
posted by JHarris at 4:58 PM on October 13, 2013
posted by JHarris at 4:58 PM on October 13, 2013
The boychild and I binged on Edlund written episodes of Supernatural just last night. After watching "The French Mistake" for the zillionth time, he turned to me and said, "I can't even believe this exists."
posted by bayliss at 5:49 PM on October 13, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by bayliss at 5:49 PM on October 13, 2013 [4 favorites]
We're not even in America!
posted by The Whelk at 6:06 PM on October 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 6:06 PM on October 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
I really wish someone would stage an intervention and bring him back to the Tick. 12 issues WTF man. Stop with the TV and the other side projects.
posted by humanfont at 6:24 PM on October 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by humanfont at 6:24 PM on October 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
I gifted my assistant the Venturestein ep and now we like to say Prostitoooooooo lots.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 6:28 PM on October 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by bitter-girl.com at 6:28 PM on October 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
Ok, no electricity, fine if strained premise, but why no bicycles, sailboats or rowboats?
Or diesel engines. Like the Lister. Yea it would be a few hundred pounds of iron - but you'd have a prime mover. To run your leather belt or rope transmission system.
posted by rough ashlar at 8:11 PM on October 13, 2013
Or diesel engines. Like the Lister. Yea it would be a few hundred pounds of iron - but you'd have a prime mover. To run your leather belt or rope transmission system.
posted by rough ashlar at 8:11 PM on October 13, 2013
I gave up on Revolution a few episodes in, but isn't the answer NANOBOTS that do SCIENCE(!) and STOP STUFF?
It's a terrible, terrible show from people who should be capable of better, in my opinion. Although I haven't found anyone who really likes it so I haven't found a dissenting voice so far.
posted by Mezentian at 8:30 PM on October 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
It's a terrible, terrible show from people who should be capable of better, in my opinion. Although I haven't found anyone who really likes it so I haven't found a dissenting voice so far.
posted by Mezentian at 8:30 PM on October 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
I still have my copy of Fantasy Hero, illustrated by (among other people) a pre-Tick Ben Edlund. As well as all my Tick comics.
In the early 90s, it was a race between Akira and the Tick to see which would finish first. Or heck, which would just publish another issue first.
posted by jiawen at 8:38 PM on October 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
In the early 90s, it was a race between Akira and the Tick to see which would finish first. Or heck, which would just publish another issue first.
posted by jiawen at 8:38 PM on October 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
Quickly, Little Wooden Boy, to the Twitter Machine, for 147 characters of text justice!
posted by Samizdata at 8:54 PM on October 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Samizdata at 8:54 PM on October 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
By the way. they replaced my steaming mug of justice with Folger's Crystals.
I noticed...
posted by Samizdata at 9:25 PM on October 13, 2013
I noticed...
posted by Samizdata at 9:25 PM on October 13, 2013
Ok, no electricity, fine if strained premise, but why no bicycles, sailboats or rowboats?
The U.S Govt. turns up in a sailboat this season, ep 1.
posted by Duke999R at 10:11 PM on October 13, 2013
The U.S Govt. turns up in a sailboat this season, ep 1.
posted by Duke999R at 10:11 PM on October 13, 2013
Oh no, it's a Yule tide!
my favortite Ben Edlund line
posted by heathkit at 10:20 PM on October 13, 2013
my favortite Ben Edlund line
posted by heathkit at 10:20 PM on October 13, 2013
Ahh so he's the reason I got sucked into the Supernatural rabbit hole.
posted by Doleful Creature at 10:28 PM on October 13, 2013
posted by Doleful Creature at 10:28 PM on October 13, 2013
Ahh so he's the reason I got sucked into the Supernatural rabbit hole.
"I lost my shoe"*
Jeremy Carver doesn't get enough props for introducing the goofy element to Spernatural.
* best line in the series tied with "do these tacos taste funny to you?" <>
posted by The Whelk at 10:31 PM on October 13, 2013 [4 favorites]
"I lost my shoe"*
Jeremy Carver doesn't get enough props for introducing the goofy element to Spernatural.
* best line in the series tied with "do these tacos taste funny to you?" <>
posted by The Whelk at 10:31 PM on October 13, 2013 [4 favorites]
Also Edlund gave us the puppet episode of Angel.
All TV shows should have puppet episodes.
posted by The Whelk at 10:34 PM on October 13, 2013 [6 favorites]
All TV shows should have puppet episodes.
posted by The Whelk at 10:34 PM on October 13, 2013 [6 favorites]
His golem episode last season was one of the few I actually enjoyed. The Vampirates one, not so much (despite an excellent premise).
It doesn't surprise me when Edlund is behind the funny episodes of a show I watch, but then I find out he's behind Nightshifter and On The Head of a Pin and those just struck me as really well constructed.
Also, it is a longstanding theory of mine that Edlund himself is Muppet. It would explain so much.
posted by dinty_moore at 5:19 AM on October 14, 2013
It doesn't surprise me when Edlund is behind the funny episodes of a show I watch, but then I find out he's behind Nightshifter and On The Head of a Pin and those just struck me as really well constructed.
Also, it is a longstanding theory of mine that Edlund himself is Muppet. It would explain so much.
posted by dinty_moore at 5:19 AM on October 14, 2013
Okay. I just had one of those ideas that could go either way between "total screaming colossal genius" or "this could get really bad really fast".
Ben Edlund.....teaming up with Darin Morgan.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:44 AM on October 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
Ben Edlund.....teaming up with Darin Morgan.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:44 AM on October 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
best line in the series tied with "do these tacos taste funny to you?"
HEEEEAT OF THE MOOOOMENT!
posted by Pope Guilty at 6:53 AM on October 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
HEEEEAT OF THE MOOOOMENT!
posted by Pope Guilty at 6:53 AM on October 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
Ben Edlund.....teaming up with Darin Morgan.
"we should do something you don't ever see on TV, like characters making dinner for one or talking on the phone or going to the bathroom - something that feels theatrical and strange at once and also utterly banal and everyday- it's strangeness in dullness highlighting the artifical strangeness of the television reality."
"Yeah okay, but with zombie Nazi Necromancers?"
"Are they a metaphor?"
"No, they're zombie Nazi Necromancers."
posted by The Whelk at 8:31 AM on October 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
"we should do something you don't ever see on TV, like characters making dinner for one or talking on the phone or going to the bathroom - something that feels theatrical and strange at once and also utterly banal and everyday- it's strangeness in dullness highlighting the artifical strangeness of the television reality."
"Yeah okay, but with zombie Nazi Necromancers?"
"Are they a metaphor?"
"No, they're zombie Nazi Necromancers."
posted by The Whelk at 8:31 AM on October 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
So he's kind of a Millennial Joss Whedon?
He's more like Jane Espenson, in that he is behind half of the nerd things you love (including a lot of whedonverse stuff) but not a household name. Only combined with a muppet, because seriously, have you heard this guy give an interview?
posted by dinty_moore at 9:46 AM on October 14, 2013
He's more like Jane Espenson, in that he is behind half of the nerd things you love (including a lot of whedonverse stuff) but not a household name. Only combined with a muppet, because seriously, have you heard this guy give an interview?
posted by dinty_moore at 9:46 AM on October 14, 2013
Jane Espenson is a household name in this apartment.
Because we're the kind of house that reads detailed TV production notes for fun.
posted by The Whelk at 9:59 AM on October 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
Because we're the kind of house that reads detailed TV production notes for fun.
posted by The Whelk at 9:59 AM on October 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
ZeusHumms: "So he's kind of a Millennial Joss Whedon?"
But he is kind of awesome.
posted by Samizdata at 7:38 PM on October 14, 2013
But he is kind of awesome.
posted by Samizdata at 7:38 PM on October 14, 2013
He was born in 1968 so ..no.
HUZZAAAAAAAAAHHHH GENERATION X WINS ONE
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:23 AM on October 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
HUZZAAAAAAAAAHHHH GENERATION X WINS ONE
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:23 AM on October 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
I still have my copy of Fantasy Hero, illustrated by (among other people) a pre-Tick Ben Edlund. As well as all my Tick comics.
I've never met anyone else who noticed that. He also did (all, I believe) the illustrations in Kingdom of Champions, the UK Champions setting supplement, full of sadly non-punny superheroes. I'm pretty sure I still have my copy, along with Toon, from a pre-video game Warren Spector.
posted by Amanojaku at 7:19 AM on October 21, 2013
I've never met anyone else who noticed that. He also did (all, I believe) the illustrations in Kingdom of Champions, the UK Champions setting supplement, full of sadly non-punny superheroes. I'm pretty sure I still have my copy, along with Toon, from a pre-video game Warren Spector.
posted by Amanojaku at 7:19 AM on October 21, 2013
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posted by dinty_moore at 3:12 PM on October 13, 2013 [2 favorites]