Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time

December 20, 2002 8:44 AM

Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time ? No Mr Magoo no Atom Ant, although Bugs Bunny, Homer Simpson, and Rocky and Bullwinkle in top spots may well be deserved. What a vast world to choose from in Toonopedia.
posted by Voyageman (40 comments total)

From toonpedia:
Perhaps not very many people can identify with Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa or baby Maggie Simpson — but almost anybody can feel superior to them.

Guh?
posted by Pretty_Generic at 8:55 AM on December 20, 2002

I'm very disappointed that "Not Me", the ghost of Family Circus fame didn't make the list. With all the hijinks he get's into? Always keeping Dolly and Jeffy just one step away from some serious corporal punishment?

Glad to see Cartman on there, goddammit.
posted by vito90 at 9:06 AM on December 20, 2002

Dude.

Dead Grand-Dad totally kicks ass on Not Me.
posted by Kafkaesque at 9:07 AM on December 20, 2002

If Not Me teamed up with Ida Know, Dead Grand-Dad would be spinning in his grave.

Spinning from the ass-kicking they'd inflict. That is.
posted by soyjoy at 9:11 AM on December 20, 2002

My vote has to go for Bender, but no-one asked me... damned Aussies.

You have to wonder why they linked some names together (Rocky and Bullwinkle, Charlie brown and Snoopy, Lisa and Bart) but no-one else. I smell a bit of datafixing going on. Put the Top Cat cats or all the Pokemon into one group and you get something that beats the Powerpuff girls I feel.

Actually, you have to wonder who funded this thing, and why, but hey... ;)
posted by twine42 at 9:15 AM on December 20, 2002

i'd have to go with coach mcguirk :D or perhaps duane, he is franz kafka!
posted by kliuless at 9:16 AM on December 20, 2002

twine42 ".....The arguments will rage for months about the injustices perpetrated in the list of the greatest cartoon characters in 50th anniversary issue of America's TV Guide magazine...."
posted by Voyageman at 9:22 AM on December 20, 2002

Crumbs! Where's Dangermouse?
posted by Vidiot at 9:26 AM on December 20, 2002

Pretty America-centric list, there. Where's Astro Boy? Oscar Francois de Jarjeyes? Any Gundam? Lupin III? Sheeta and Pazu? Ayanami Rei? Belldandy?

Yeah, yeah, I know, it's TV Guide, but if they meant only American TV cartoon characters, they should have said that. No, Pikachu's got a green card, so he doesn't count.
posted by Slithy_Tove at 9:40 AM on December 20, 2002

Yes, very American, and really rating the characters in terms of their popularity rather than excellence.

But no list is going to satisfy everyone.

I would have included Gazoo from The Flinstones and Scooby-Doo, but that's just me.
posted by orange swan at 9:44 AM on December 20, 2002

I would've voted for Tom & Jerry.
posted by riffola at 9:51 AM on December 20, 2002

Doing a "Fifty Worst Cartoon Characters" would be fun. I'd give Davey and Goliath get the top two spots.
posted by orange swan at 9:53 AM on December 20, 2002

Slithy_Tove,
I remember Astro Boy from Saturday morning cartoons in northern Virginia back about, oh 1964.... so he's definitely planted his squeaky boots on American soil in the distant past. More importantly, though, where's The Tick? Spooooon!
posted by JParker at 10:29 AM on December 20, 2002

Although I realize this list is just for "animated" screen characters . . .

Calvin & Hobbes win, hands down, no contest, end of story.

Animated C&H rumors abound

. . .
posted by cinderful at 10:40 AM on December 20, 2002

Hands down, Foghorn Leghorn.

"I say, I say that boy's about as sharp as a sack of wet mice"
posted by PenDevil at 11:12 AM on December 20, 2002

Underdog, anyone?
posted by paladin at 11:23 AM on December 20, 2002

I'd specifically vote to keep any and all Hanna-Barbara characters off the list.
posted by Acetylene at 11:54 AM on December 20, 2002

This story is several months old, but here's the full list. Mr. Magoo checks in at 29.
posted by Mrmuhnrmuh at 11:59 AM on December 20, 2002

Well if you are talking comic strips, I'd still have to say that Bloom County beats out Calvin and Hobbes (although I would give C&H 2nd place...)
posted by stifford at 12:40 PM on December 20, 2002

Gumby (16) is not a cartoon character, dammit.

And what? No Secret Squirrel and Morocco Mole? Scandal!
posted by me3dia at 12:44 PM on December 20, 2002

ivor the engine
posted by n o i s e s at 12:55 PM on December 20, 2002

bagpus
posted by n o i s e s at 12:57 PM on December 20, 2002

ulysses
posted by n o i s e s at 12:59 PM on December 20, 2002

Davey and Goliath ... now there's some wasted sunday afternoons.
posted by Dillenger69 at 1:02 PM on December 20, 2002

Thanks for the full list, Mrmuhnrmuh. After perusing it, I have a coupla' questions:

Who is this "Bill" at #34? Anybody know?

If the assumption above that they were only ranking animated cartoon characters is correct, what are Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman doing on the list?

I don't know what methodology they used either, but it's looking a lot more like "Hey Ted, list all the cartoon characters you can think of, and Fred and I will decide which ones we like best".
posted by yhbc at 1:04 PM on December 20, 2002

what are Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman doing on the list?

All three of them have been in TV cartoons at some point -- I think Wonder Woman had her own show for awhile, but she was definitely on Justice League. Which reminds me -- where's Plastic Man?
posted by me3dia at 1:07 PM on December 20, 2002

Animated Calvin and Hobbes? H'mm, I'd like to see an animated Trots and Bonnie.
posted by y2karl at 1:15 PM on December 20, 2002

yhbc: It took some digging since it doesn't really seem to be listed anywhere, but it looks like "Bill" is from Schoolhouse Rock's "I'm Just a Bill."
posted by Mrmuhnrmuh at 1:22 PM on December 20, 2002

Where the hell is Screwy Squirrel?
posted by shecky57 at 1:24 PM on December 20, 2002

Mrmuhnrmuh reminded me of mumra :D

launchpad mcquack? i just don't know anymore!
posted by kliuless at 1:24 PM on December 20, 2002

Does anyone remember Mr Rossi? He keeps rising in my consciousness like some repressed abuse memory. No one else seems to have heard of him, and it's making me paranoid.
Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup (especially Buttercup) kick major league ass. Maybe the best cartoon characters are just fantasy-fulfilling figures (see Homer). Does that mean I want to be Buttercup? Erk. I'm confused.
posted by RokkitNite at 2:12 PM on December 20, 2002

who the hell is Angelica Pickles?
posted by dobbs at 4:21 PM on December 20, 2002

Thanks for the NL site, y2karl.
posted by emf at 5:23 PM on December 20, 2002

No Herculoids?
posted by eddydamascene at 6:00 PM on December 20, 2002

How bout Peppy Le Pew?
posted by SweetIceT at 9:12 PM on December 20, 2002

Muttley the Snickering Hound. He only mugged and snickered, but it was funny.
posted by planetkyoto at 4:34 AM on December 21, 2002

Here's the mugging (look at animated GIF down the page) and here's the snickering. (2nd link is .wav sound file)
posted by planetkyoto at 4:46 AM on December 21, 2002

Hong Kong Phooey.
posted by adampsyche at 5:40 AM on December 21, 2002

Dobbs - Angelica Pickles is from the Rugrats. I know this because my five-year-old niece is a big fan and admires her.

"The world is mine! Move over!"
posted by orange swan at 2:57 PM on December 22, 2002

paladin: I'm with you. Underdog rules. 'There's no need to fear, Underdog is here!'
posted by initapplette at 7:15 AM on December 23, 2002