Cartoon Network Studios honored 25 years of history at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival by bringing together a group of creators from two different eras, whose collaborations have significantly transformed the world of television animation.
On Tuesday, a panel featuring trailblazers Genndy Tartakovsky, creator of “Dexter’s Laboratory” and “Samurai Jack,” and Craig McCracken, known for “The Powerpuff Girls” and “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends,” was joined by the second generation of talented voice actors: Pendleton Ward (“Adventure Time”), Rebecca Sugar (“Steven Universe”), J.G. Quintel (“Regular Show”), and Adam Muto (“Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake”).
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Last Tuesday, we had a gathering with groundbreaking creators like Genndy Tartakovsky (of “Dexter’s Laboratory” and “Samurai Jack”) and Craig McCracken (from “The Powerpuff Girls” and “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends”), along with the new generation of voice artists: Pendleton Ward, Rebecca Sugar, J.G. Quintel, and Adam Muto. Each of them has contributed to shows like “Adventure Time,” “Steven Universe,” “Regular Show,” and “Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake.”
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On Tuesday, we assembled a panel including pioneers in the industry such as Genndy Tartakovsky (responsible for “Dexter’s Laboratory” and “Samurai Jack”) and Craig McCracken (creator of “The Powerpuff Girls” and “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends), together with a new wave of voice talent: Pendleton Ward, Rebecca Sugar, J.G. Quintel, and Adam Muto. They have all worked on popular shows like “Adventure Time,” “Steven Universe,” “Regular Show,” and “Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake.
Tartakovsky pondered over the significant transformation of the creative scene, pointing out that during his and McCracken’s early days – when they both began their careers at the legendary Hanna-Barbera studio – animation was facing a critical phase.
At Hanna-Barbera, everyone appeared exhausted and ready for survival when we arrived. Instead of welcoming us inside the main building, they placed us in a trailer parked near the highway instead.
McCracken remarked that although Hanna-Barbera was a distinct environment, one fantastic aspect was learning the craft and business of animation there. We picked up many techniques for creating cartoons, much of which I continue to apply in my work today, I first encountered at Hanna-Barbera.
The speakers reminisced about the initial stages of producing “Dexter’s Laboratory”, a show that immediately gained popularity, with its debut short even receiving an Emmy Award nomination.
Tartakovsky admitted, “At that point, we were still in the learning process and didn’t have much knowledge, so all I had to rely on was my intuition, my gut feelings.” He continued, “We didn’t conduct any focus groups or surveys. We were simply creating the series, which proved to be incredibly challenging. To make matters worse, half of our team was often under the influence… They’d go up to the roof and get high, then wouldn’t start work until two in the afternoon. I was there from seven in the morning, feeling overwhelmed and fearing for my job.
As a devoted fan, I can’t help but marvel at the extraordinary creative liberty afforded to McCracken and Tartokovsky at Cartoon Network. In the early stages of developing The Powerpuff Girls, a focus group of 11-year-old boys panned our creation, labeling it as the worst cartoon ever made. I remember vividly how disheartened I felt when they suggested firing the creator. But it was Mike Lazzo, the Cartoon Network executive from Atlanta, who prevented me from jumping off a proverbial cliff. He called to express his admiration for our work on The Powerpuff Girls, encouraging us not to change anything. His words carried immense weight coming from an executive. He could have easily dismissed our creation, but instead, he saw potential in it. This act of support and faith in our creative vision is something I will always cherish.
The discussion moved on to the upcoming generation of Cartoon Network creators, each one openly discussing their own apprehensions and battles for creative freedom. Muto commented about the initial season of Adventure Time, “We feared being canceled at any moment… our shows needed to be successful.” Quintel agreed, saying, “If these weren’t good, then we were in trouble.
For Sugar, serving as the first nonbinary creator to independently produce a series for the network, the emphasis was more about safeguarding their creative vision rather than competition. Sugar reminisced about presenting Steven Universe to Tartakovsky who promptly agreed to direct an episode. “I totaled my car by hitting a pole on the way home,” they shared.
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2025-06-10 20:54