The Aquabats Super Show!
Encyclopedia
The Aquabats Super Show! is an upcoming comedy television series created by Yo Gabba Gabba!
producers Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz, which will air as part of The Hubs 2011-2012 schedule.
A mix of live-action and animation
, The Aquabats Super Show! is based on the superhero
mythology of The Aquabats
, a real-life California
n rock band which series co-creator Jacobs fronts. In a similar vein to shows such as The Monkees
, each episode follows the comic exploits of The Aquabats, a superhero musical group on a never-ending quest to vanquish evil with rock n' roll.
, a band of superhero musicians on a never-ending quest to fight evil, preserve justice and become the world's greatest rock and roll band.
The format of the show consists of both live-action skits and animated segments chronicling the adventures of The Aquabats, intercut with parody commercials
and concert footage of the band performing live. In a recent interview with IGN
, co-creator Christian Jacobs described the show thusly:
in 1994, founder and vocalist Christian Jacobs had envisioned the prospect of a television series based around the band's fictional mythology. The Aquabats Super Show! was in fact the band's third attempt at producing a series, following two previous pilots
: one filmed in 1997 produced by Buena Vista Television which has yet to be made available for public viewing, and an independently-produced video demo in 1999 entitled The Aquabats in Color!.
In 2007, Jacobs and his creative partner Scott Schultz sold their children's television series
Yo Gabba Gabba!
to Viacom
s Nick Jr.
channel. The resultant success of the series persuaded Gabba! production company
Wild Brain
(in conjuncture with Jacobs and Schultz' company The Magic Store) to fund another pilot based around the band. The pilot for The Aquabats Super Show! was filmed on location around most of Southern California in January 2008. Part of this filming took place at a free invitation-only concert for members of the band's official fan club
(the Aquacadets) at the El Rey Theatre
in Los Angeles
on January 12, 2008.
Super Show!s animated segments were designed and illustrated by Japanese artist Erico Uruma, known under her pseudonym
"Pey", who has provided art for many of the band's posters and t-shirts.
In June 2008, The Aquabats released a teaser trailer
for the series along with a few clips on an official Super Show! YouTube
channel. On July 25, 2008, the Aquabats screened the pilot in full during a concert in San Diego (during the weekend of the San Diego Comic-Con). That same day, a segment of the episode was aired on Boing Boing
. The pilot went unheard from until October 2008, when it was briefly streamed in its entirety on Joost
. Finally, on March 23, 2011, it was announced that The Hub had picked up the series for a run of 13 episodes.
The main characters of The Aquabats Super Show! consist of the fictionalized personas of the actual members of The Aquabats:
Voice actor Chris Phillips
served as the narrator
for the pilot.
Yo Gabba Gabba!
Yo Gabba Gabba! is an American children's television show currently airing on the Nick Jr. cable network in the United States and the Nick Jr. networks in the United Kingdom & Ireland, Italy, France and Australia as well as Treehouse TV network in Canada and RTE2 on RTEjr see Raidió Teilifís...
producers Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz, which will air as part of The Hubs 2011-2012 schedule.
A mix of live-action and animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
, The Aquabats Super Show! is based on the superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
mythology of The Aquabats
The Aquabats
The Aquabats are an American rock band formed in 1994 in Orange County, California. They have released five full-length studio albums and have toured internationally. They are best known for their mythology, in which they claim to be superheroes on a quest to save the world from evil through music...
, a real-life California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
n rock band which series co-creator Jacobs fronts. In a similar vein to shows such as The Monkees
The Monkees (TV series)
The Monkees is an American situation comedy that aired on NBC from September 1966 to March 1968. The series follows the adventures of four young men trying to make a name for themselves as rock 'n roll singers. The show introduced a number of innovative new-wave film techniques to series...
, each episode follows the comic exploits of The Aquabats, a superhero musical group on a never-ending quest to vanquish evil with rock n' roll.
Series overview
The Aquabats Super Show! revolves around The AquabatsThe Aquabats
The Aquabats are an American rock band formed in 1994 in Orange County, California. They have released five full-length studio albums and have toured internationally. They are best known for their mythology, in which they claim to be superheroes on a quest to save the world from evil through music...
, a band of superhero musicians on a never-ending quest to fight evil, preserve justice and become the world's greatest rock and roll band.
The format of the show consists of both live-action skits and animated segments chronicling the adventures of The Aquabats, intercut with parody commercials
Parody advertisement
A parody advertisement is a fictional advertisement for a non-existent product, either done within another advertisement for an actual product, or done simply as parody of advertisements—used either as a way of ridiculing or drawing negative attention towards a real advertisement or such an...
and concert footage of the band performing live. In a recent interview with IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
, co-creator Christian Jacobs described the show thusly:
Production history
Since the formation of The Aquabats in Orange CountyOrange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
in 1994, founder and vocalist Christian Jacobs had envisioned the prospect of a television series based around the band's fictional mythology. The Aquabats Super Show! was in fact the band's third attempt at producing a series, following two previous pilots
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
: one filmed in 1997 produced by Buena Vista Television which has yet to be made available for public viewing, and an independently-produced video demo in 1999 entitled The Aquabats in Color!.
In 2007, Jacobs and his creative partner Scott Schultz sold their children's television series
Children's television series
Children's television series, are commercial television programs designed for, and marketed to children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run in the early evening, for the children that go to school...
Yo Gabba Gabba!
Yo Gabba Gabba!
Yo Gabba Gabba! is an American children's television show currently airing on the Nick Jr. cable network in the United States and the Nick Jr. networks in the United Kingdom & Ireland, Italy, France and Australia as well as Treehouse TV network in Canada and RTE2 on RTEjr see Raidió Teilifís...
to Viacom
Viacom
Viacom Inc. , short for "Video & Audio Communications", is an American media conglomerate with interests primarily in, but not limited to, cinema and cable television...
s Nick Jr.
Nick Jr.
Nick Jr. was a programming block on the Nickelodeon television channel, seen on Nickelodeon weekday mornings. It was aimed at a preschool-age audience ages 6 and under. On September 28, 2009, Nick Jr. became its own official channel, replacing Noggin...
channel. The resultant success of the series persuaded Gabba! production company
Production company
A production company provides the physical basis for works in the realms of the performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, and video.- Tasks and functions :...
Wild Brain
Wild Brain
Wild Brain is an award-winning entertainment company that develops and produces television programming, motion pictures, commercial content and licensed merchandise...
(in conjuncture with Jacobs and Schultz' company The Magic Store) to fund another pilot based around the band. The pilot for The Aquabats Super Show! was filmed on location around most of Southern California in January 2008. Part of this filming took place at a free invitation-only concert for members of the band's official fan club
Fan club
A fan club is a group that is dedicated to a well-known person, group, idea or sometimes even an inanimate object . Most fan clubs are run by fans who devote considerable time and resources to supporting them. There are also "official" fan clubs that are run by someone associated with the person...
(the Aquacadets) at the El Rey Theatre
El Rey Theatre
El Rey Theatre is currently a live music venue in the Miracle Mile area of the Mid-Wilshire region in Los Angeles, California. "El Rey" means "The King" in Spanish....
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
on January 12, 2008.
Super Show!s animated segments were designed and illustrated by Japanese artist Erico Uruma, known under her pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
"Pey", who has provided art for many of the band's posters and t-shirts.
In June 2008, The Aquabats released a teaser trailer
Teaser trailer
A teaser campaign is an advertising campaign which typically consists of a series of small, cryptic, challenging advertisements that anticipate a larger, full-blown campaign for a product launch or otherwise important event. These advertisements are called "teasers" or "teaser ads"...
for the series along with a few clips on an official Super Show! YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
channel. On July 25, 2008, the Aquabats screened the pilot in full during a concert in San Diego (during the weekend of the San Diego Comic-Con). That same day, a segment of the episode was aired on Boing Boing
Boing Boing
Boing Boing is a publishing entity, first established as a magazine, later becoming a group blog.-History:...
. The pilot went unheard from until October 2008, when it was briefly streamed in its entirety on Joost
Joost
Joost is an Internet TV service, created by Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis . During 2007-8 Joost used peer-to-peer TV technology to distribute content to their Mozilla-based desktop player; in late 2008 this was migrated to use a Flash-based Web player instead.Joost began development in 2006...
. Finally, on March 23, 2011, it was announced that The Hub had picked up the series for a run of 13 episodes.
Cast and characters
- The MC Bat Commander (Christian Jacobs), the Aquabats' "fearless leader". The Commander possesses great staminaEnduranceEndurance is the ability for a human or animal to exert itself and remain active for a long period of time, as well as its ability to resist, withstand, recover from, and have immunity to trauma, wounds, or fatigue. In humans, it is usually used in aerobic or anaerobic exercise...
, leadership skills and a swaggering bravado, but unlike his bandmates, doesn't have any actual superpowersSuperpower (ability)Superpower is a popular culture term for a fictional superhuman ability. When a character possesses multiple such abilities, the terms super powers or simply powers are used...
. He is The Aquabats' lead singerSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
. - Crash McLarson (Chad Larson), the group's second in commandSecond in CommandSecond in Command is a 2006 action film directed by Simon Fellows, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. It was released direct-to-video in the United States, Belgium, and Germany on May 2, 2006. It has been rated R by the MPAA for violence and some language. The film was made in Bucharest, Romania.-Plot...
. The brawniest of the Aquabats, Crash has the ability to grow up to 50 feet in size, though has yet to fully control his powers, tending to grow mostly at awkward times or when he becomes overly emotional. Crash is The Aquabats' bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
ist.
- Jimmy the Robot (James Briggs), the "faithful automatonAutomatonAn automaton is a self-operating machine. The word is sometimes used to describe a robot, more specifically an autonomous robot. An alternative spelling, now obsolete, is automation.-Etymology:...
". A humanoid robotRobotA robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
created by The Aquabats, Jimmy has a variety of superpowers, including detachable rocket fists and the ability to shoot laser beamLaserA laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
s from his eyes, as well as technological expertise, a jetpack and mechanically heightened senses. He is the most sarcasticSarcasmSarcasm is “a sharp, bitter, or cutting expression or remark; a bitter jibe or taunt.” Though irony and understatement is usually the immediate context, most authorities distinguish sarcasm from irony; however, others argue that sarcasm may or often does involve irony or employs...
member of The Aquabats. Jimmy plays keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
and saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
for the band. - Ricky Fitness (Richard FalomirRichard FalomirRichard Falomir is an American musician, perhaps best known as the current drummer for the Orange County rock band The Aquabats, in which he performs under the stage name Ricky Fitness....
), the youngest of The Aquabats. Once involved with crime and gangGangA gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
s during his youth on the streets of Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Ricky has since shunned evil and now seeks to do right through exercise and music, joining The Aquabats on their crusade against badness. He has the power of super speedSpeedster (fiction)A speedster is a fictional character in superhero fiction, particularly comic books, whose primary power is the superhuman ability to perform physical and/or mental acts at impossibly high speeds. The most recognizable such superhero is the Flash...
. Ricky is the band's drummerDrummerA drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
. - Eagle "Bones" Falconhawk (Ian FowlesIan FowlesIan Walton Fowles is an American musician and author, best known as the original guitarist for the Orange County hardcore punk band Death by Stereo and as the current guitarist of the Orange County rock band The Aquabats, of which he performs under the stage name Eagle "Bones"...
), the "sonic shredderShred guitarShred guitar or shredding is lead electric guitar playing that relies heavily on fast guitar solos. While some critics argue that shred guitar is associated with "... sweep-picked arpeggios, diminished and harmonic minor scales, finger-tapping and ... whammy-bar abuse", several guitar...
". Eagle Bones is the most confident member of The Aquabats, equipped with an electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
which shoots sonic energy beams and the assistance of an invisibleInvisibilityInvisibility is the state of an object that cannot be seen. An object in this state is said to be invisible . The term is usually used as a fantasy/science fiction term, where objects are literally made unseeable by magical or technological means; however, its effects can also be seen in the real...
bird named Dude who can help him fly. Because of his hollow bird-like bones, Eagle Bones is easily crippled in battle but heals himselfSelf-healingSelf-healing is a phrase applied to the process of recovery , motivated by and directed by the patient, guided often only by instinct. Such a process encounters mixed fortunes due to its amateur nature, although self-motivation is a major asset...
quickly. He is The Aquabats' guitaristGuitaristA guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
.
Voice actor Chris Phillips
Chris Phillips (voice actor)
Chris Phillips is an American voice actor, writer and singer. He studied at Stella Adler and attended Emerson College in Boston, Ma.Chris might be best known as the voice of the Face mascot on Nick Jr. Face ran from 1994 until 2003...
served as the narrator
Narrator
A narrator is, within any story , the fictional or non-fictional, personal or impersonal entity who tells the story to the audience. When the narrator is also a character within the story, he or she is sometimes known as the viewpoint character. The narrator is one of three entities responsible for...
for the pilot.