Welcome back to Manga Mavericks @ Movies! The show where we don’t just talk smack about movies, we celebrate them! 

What’s up, Mavericks? Lum and VLord are here to chew bubblegum and talk Looney Tunes, and we’re all out of gum! Luckily, we still have plenty to chew on, as we’re discussing the first ever fully original 2D animated Looney Tunes movie, The Day the Earth Blew Up! Originally slated for a streaming-only release on Max, and then put at risk of being written off by WBD altogether, the film was picked up for distribution by Ketchup Entertainment, who gave it a wide theatrical release in March, and have just put it out on home video, with a streaming release on Max planned for June 27th! 

We’re so glad Ketchup saved this film, because its gorgeous animation and art deserved to be seen on the biggest screen possible! We discuss how director Pete Browngardt’s delightful throwback to 1940s Bob Clampett-directed Looney Tunes shorts and 1950s sci-fi creature features is a fantastic culmination of his work on the Looney Tunes shorts over the past few years, bringing Daffy back to his wacky screwball characterization, and exploring a genuinely sweet brotherly relationship between Porky and Daffy as they team up to thwart an alien invader who seemingly plans to “blow up” the Earth using gum-chewing, bubble-blowing zombies! 

Before that, Lum interviews Candi Milo, a venerable VA who stars as this film’s version of Petunia Pig, reimagined as an eccentric flavor scientist who is as explosive an on-screen presence as the gum she creates! Candi shares how she approached her performance as Petunia, her favorite gags and moments with the character, how she played off of Eric Bauza’s performance as Porky and Daffy and created her own version of Porky’s stutter, alongside lots more highlights from the recording process and her experiences with the Looney Tunes franchise! 

So push the play button and pull the volume up and stick with us as we merrily go ‘round talking all about this looney powerhouse of a film until the merry-go-round breaks down! 

PODCAST BREAKDOWN:

00:00  – Pre-Order Manga Mavericks Books!
00:37 –  Intro
04:45 – Interview with Candi Milo, voice of Petunia Pig!
21:26 – The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie Discussion
1:08:40 – Wrap-up

Enjoy the show, and follow us on Twitter at @manga_mavericks, on Bluesky at @mangamavericks.bsky.social, on Instagram at @mangamavericks_official, and on Youtube! You can also follow the hosts on Twitter at @VLordGTZ and @lumranmayasha. If you’d like to help support the show financially you can pledge to our Patreon and receive some awesome rewards like our Patreon-exclusive Bonus pods! Don’t forget to also like and subscribe to us on Youtube and Apple Podcasts and leave us reviews to help us curate the show and create better content! If there are any topics, series or mangaka you would like to see us talk about on the show, drop us a line in the comments below, or email us at mangamavericks@gmail.com! Thanks for listening!

Music Featured:

“Hooray for Hollywood” – Looney Tunes Six Flags Version
“Overture” from Merrie Melodies
“Hooray for Burbank” from Looney Tunes in Hollywood Bumper
“Push the Lever, Pull the Crack/Powerhouse Theme” from The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie 

LINKS:

About The Author Siddharth Gupta

Siddharth Gupta is an illustrator, video editor, and writer based in Minnesota. They graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Animation from the School of Visual Arts and from the Master's of Science in Leadership for the Creative Enterprises program (MSLCE) at Northwestern University. They have worked on projects for the University of Minnesota, Shreya R. Dixit Foundation, and TriCoast Worldwide among others. An avid animation and comics fan since childhood, they've turned their passion towards being both a creator and a critic. They credit their love for both mediums to Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball, which has also defined their artistic and comedic sensibilities. A frequent visitor to their local comic book shops, they are an avid reader and collector, particularly fond of manga. Their favorite comics include The Adventures of Tintin by Herge, Bloom County by Berkeley Breathed, and pretty much anything and everything by Rumiko Takahashi.

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