An Endearing Profile of the creator of Adventure Time
October 3, 2014 2:41 PM Subscribe
The creator of Adventure Time talks about stepping back, his baby blanket and creating Adventure Time.
This post was deleted for the following reason: Poster's Request -- frimble
So many great bits in this! Thanks for posting.
"I was a sensitive kid," Ward recalls, describing a child who sounds not coincidentally like Finn. "I remember being really loving – and putting my head on people's shoulders when I was little until people started telling me I was weird. ... I was fat and I had a bowl cut and I had rollerblades," he continues. "I would put my Magic cards in a backpack and skate down to the comic shop. Just superawkward."
*hugs Pen Ward until the heat death of the universe*
Adventure Time has brought me a ton of joy since I've discovered it. I assume Pen Ward must be a wonderful person to have created it such a wise and fantastic and lovely thing, and nothing I've seen has made me think otherwise. He seems like one of the sweetest, most genuine people around.
Please nobody tell me that this isn't true, my little tiny heart couldn't take it
posted by dialetheia at 3:20 PM on October 3, 2014 [23 favorites]
"I was a sensitive kid," Ward recalls, describing a child who sounds not coincidentally like Finn. "I remember being really loving – and putting my head on people's shoulders when I was little until people started telling me I was weird. ... I was fat and I had a bowl cut and I had rollerblades," he continues. "I would put my Magic cards in a backpack and skate down to the comic shop. Just superawkward."
*hugs Pen Ward until the heat death of the universe*
Adventure Time has brought me a ton of joy since I've discovered it. I assume Pen Ward must be a wonderful person to have created it such a wise and fantastic and lovely thing, and nothing I've seen has made me think otherwise. He seems like one of the sweetest, most genuine people around.
Please nobody tell me that this isn't true, my little tiny heart couldn't take it
posted by dialetheia at 3:20 PM on October 3, 2014 [23 favorites]
I agree. That would be... unacceptable. Like discovering that Pratchett or LeGuin are not awesome in person.
Pendleton Ward has, along with Lauren Faust, really invigorated my belief in Western TV animation.
posted by bouvin at 3:40 PM on October 3, 2014 [2 favorites]
Pendleton Ward has, along with Lauren Faust, really invigorated my belief in Western TV animation.
posted by bouvin at 3:40 PM on October 3, 2014 [2 favorites]
He is adorable. The authenticity of his whole being really makes me happy and love Adventure Time so much more.
posted by Hermione Granger at 3:52 PM on October 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Hermione Granger at 3:52 PM on October 3, 2014 [1 favorite]
He sighs and looks down at his stomach. "It's nice to just be sleepy and make stuff," he says. "That's the root of what I like doing. Make stuff on my own and fall asleep."
I don't 'get' Adventure Time, but that I understand completely.
posted by betweenthebars at 4:15 PM on October 3, 2014 [3 favorites]
I don't 'get' Adventure Time, but that I understand completely.
posted by betweenthebars at 4:15 PM on October 3, 2014 [3 favorites]
Pen Ward is wonderful. Here's my favorite of the pitches he made to make a game for Double Fine, Damnit Jerry.
posted by JHarris at 4:22 PM on October 3, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by JHarris at 4:22 PM on October 3, 2014 [3 favorites]
Like discovering that Pratchett or LeGuin are not awesome in person.
Not to derail, but Terry Pratchett was perfectly awesome the one time I saw him at a book signing in Denver. When I went up to have him sign my books, I told him that I really enjoyed and appreciated all the Shakespeare stuff in Wyrd Sisters, and asked him if he was doing anything else along those lines.
Without missing a beat, he smiled and said: "Well, two of the prominent families in Ankh-Morpork are the Selachii and the Venturi. Translated very loosely, they're the Sharks and the Jets."
I told him the only thing I could say--a heartfelt "That's beautiful"--and left with my signed books. (I'm still holding out hopes for a Romeo and Juliet-themed Discworld book.)
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 5:50 PM on October 3, 2014 [9 favorites]
Not to derail, but Terry Pratchett was perfectly awesome the one time I saw him at a book signing in Denver. When I went up to have him sign my books, I told him that I really enjoyed and appreciated all the Shakespeare stuff in Wyrd Sisters, and asked him if he was doing anything else along those lines.
Without missing a beat, he smiled and said: "Well, two of the prominent families in Ankh-Morpork are the Selachii and the Venturi. Translated very loosely, they're the Sharks and the Jets."
I told him the only thing I could say--a heartfelt "That's beautiful"--and left with my signed books. (I'm still holding out hopes for a Romeo and Juliet-themed Discworld book.)
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 5:50 PM on October 3, 2014 [9 favorites]
My kids love this show..... My 7 yr old son says that Finn is his Spirit animal...... I guess I need to start watching it.
posted by pearlybob at 8:28 PM on October 3, 2014
posted by pearlybob at 8:28 PM on October 3, 2014
It's terrific pearlybob, although when you get to the tragic story of the Ice King and Marceline, be ready for the feels.
posted by JHarris at 8:30 PM on October 3, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by JHarris at 8:30 PM on October 3, 2014 [5 favorites]
Adventure Time is impossible not to love.
No no, don't you dare tell me you don't love it. I won't hear of it.
posted by DriftingLotus at 9:22 PM on October 3, 2014
No no, don't you dare tell me you don't love it. I won't hear of it.
posted by DriftingLotus at 9:22 PM on October 3, 2014
Weird, I just got back from dinner with a friend who works with Pen over at Federator Studios.
Please nobody tell me that this isn't true, my little tiny heart couldn't take it
Based on what I just heard literally less than 60 minutes ago, that story has a 99% probability of being true.
posted by sideshow at 11:14 PM on October 3, 2014 [4 favorites]
Please nobody tell me that this isn't true, my little tiny heart couldn't take it
Based on what I just heard literally less than 60 minutes ago, that story has a 99% probability of being true.
posted by sideshow at 11:14 PM on October 3, 2014 [4 favorites]
Gawd, same age as me, most of the same problems. I feel like I would get along with Mr. Ward very well.
I just wish I was experiencing too much success instead of straining to get my weird pigeon-based fiction or hobo-Satan stories purchased somewhere. :-/
posted by Scattercat at 11:23 PM on October 3, 2014 [3 favorites]
I just wish I was experiencing too much success instead of straining to get my weird pigeon-based fiction or hobo-Satan stories purchased somewhere. :-/
posted by Scattercat at 11:23 PM on October 3, 2014 [3 favorites]
Instead of saying "spirit animal", I way prefer Patronus. And I can see Finn being someone's Patronus.
posted by pxe2000 at 4:03 AM on October 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by pxe2000 at 4:03 AM on October 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Eh, if you're not a Harry Potter fan, Patronus carries all that baggage with it. Maybe personal mascot is good?
posted by JHarris at 4:56 AM on October 4, 2014
posted by JHarris at 4:56 AM on October 4, 2014
When the news started getting out about the news in this interview, that Pen had stepped down as AT show-runner, I couldn't help but think of Notch having just sold Minecraft. There seems to be a sort of similarity to the two narratives...a creatively driven whimsical person makes something that achieves popularity on a scale that was impossible to anticipate and nearly impossible to understand. And then starts to feel burdened by the responsibility to manage the thing that they've created as a product in the marketplace. And so they walk away from that role, in favor of continuing to follow their own creative whims.
I don't think either of them was remotely hurt financially from making that choice or anything, but it's still a decision that runs very counter to how our society expects a successful person's career arc to play out. I imagine it must have taken a lot of self-knowledge to make a choice that.
posted by Ipsifendus at 7:48 AM on October 4, 2014 [3 favorites]
I don't think either of them was remotely hurt financially from making that choice or anything, but it's still a decision that runs very counter to how our society expects a successful person's career arc to play out. I imagine it must have taken a lot of self-knowledge to make a choice that.
posted by Ipsifendus at 7:48 AM on October 4, 2014 [3 favorites]
"I realized I love my comfort zone. I spent a long time building my comfort zone. It's precious to me, and I love it and I want it."
It is possible that Pen Ward is MY patronus/mascot/angel/hero/other-word-here.
posted by VioletU at 8:17 AM on October 4, 2014 [3 favorites]
It is possible that Pen Ward is MY patronus/mascot/angel/hero/other-word-here.
posted by VioletU at 8:17 AM on October 4, 2014 [3 favorites]
I love this sentence, "But I was forced into a situation where I had to maintain my social dignity." Amen brother, amen.
posted by jadepearl at 5:10 PM on October 4, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by jadepearl at 5:10 PM on October 4, 2014 [2 favorites]
I shall use the term "Astral Beast".
posted by Galaxor Nebulon at 11:48 AM on October 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Galaxor Nebulon at 11:48 AM on October 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
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Same.
posted by hellojed at 3:13 PM on October 3, 2014 [16 favorites]