KISS YOUR QUOTA GOODBYE
By Kanika Agrawal
Looks like Mama's already got a new chump.
Yeah. And when she unzips that man-suit she's wearing, she's a sultry
dame of impossible dimensions.
But Miss Hush is no vapid doll, obsessed with her own rrrrrrrr
silhouette, and Joe Paradise knows it. Maybe Joe does have a soft
spot for her, but he's not going to let the seething subtext of
sexual tension get in the way of survival; he has people to save…he
has himself to save.
That's why he came to Some City, isn't it? A regular job, a normal
life.
Sometimes it's not the best to be the best all the time.
But if Joe thinks he can blend in with all the other Joes at JOEJOCO,
disappear as employee #269084, he's mistaken.
You can't possibly believe that you could be normal, could you?
Whatever Joe may believe, he can escape neither his past, nor the
enemies it has engendered.
Mama and I are quits.
That may be, but Mama doesn't like that, and the others don't believe
that.
I'm not who you think I am anymore.
No? Joe Paradise: one hair, no nose.
Joe Paradise: his reputation is unparalleled.
Joe Paradise: I can see the marketing potential. Action figures.
Are you at work, 9:07 AM, cup o' joe in hand? Preparing yourself for
a long day of monotony and anonymity, hoping against hope to fulfill
your quota? Think nobody knows how you feel? Well, think again.
The creators of Joe Paradise, an animated series showing at
wildbrain.com, know. They know. Using a film noir model and incisive
vision, they have drawn an intriguing world of crime and corporatism
with clean, precise strokes. Every aspect of the series, from the
dialogue to the music to the art, is right on target, shining as brightly
as the golden guns that Joe Paradise and Miss Hush sport.
Wildbrain.com features many series, most of which are quite intelligent
and entertaining. They are team productions, complete with writers,
animators, producers, directors and, in one case, a tongue-in-cheek
confabulator. Each series is unique in its approach to style and substance;
Romanov uses action and captions that are reminiscent of Chaplin's
silent movies to bring its yin-yang faced title character to life,
while Kozik's Inferno presents pig-as-lovesick-hero in a modern
version of Dante's classic. The site has shown animated shorts in
the past, but that section is "currently unavailable," as
are several other sections. It seems that wildbrain.com is doing some
serious remodeling (even the "Shop" is closed!). One can
only hope that it is in preparation for bigger and better things to
come, not a sign of unacknowledged, impending closure.
Wild Brain, Inc., has some pretty high-profile clients, including
Coca-Cola, Disney, and Microsoft, which means it must do some pretty
good work. It is not surprising, then, that its online venture into
animation has been so successful. Wildbrain.com might easily have
become complacent in the glow of adulation, but it didn't, and you'll
be thankful for it when you visit the site, which is user-friendly
and so much fun! You won't have to wait too long for the episodes
to load, but even if you do (thanks to a slow connection), you won't
regret it. There are no play controls (i.e. pause, rewind, forward,
etc.), so pay attention! Each episode lasts 2-3 minutes. If you miss
something, you'll have to watch the entire episode again (which you
may do even if you didn't miss anything). I don't mind the lack of
control; it keeps things simple and focused. And that brings me back
to Joe Paradise.
One of the reasons that the series works so well is that it tells
an over-the-top story in a restrained manner. The words and lines
are very specific and spare; you hear and see only the essentials.
There is detail, but it is not overwhelming. Color is used to great
effect against a predominantly black-white-and-red background, creating
atmosphere and serving as a tool of characterization. The cast includes
the dour Ms. Sunshine, the Communist duo of Moesch and Yuri, the symbiotic
Blackie and Big Mouth, and a triumvirate of JOEJOCO misfits. Each
is given an interesting, distinct personality, regardless of "screen
time." Much of that is due to the witty dialogue (let's not forget
the voices), which is often self-referential and conscious of the
absurdities of both the genre and the medium. Another quality that
enhances the experience of Paradise is the "camerawork"
- the angles, the panning, the close-ups. Some aspects of the series
are very cinematic and, yet, it would probably not be successful on
TV or on the big screen. As with a comic book, Paradise requires
a one-to-one, intimate connection, rendering it perfect for its medium
and particularly for the small window in which it runs. In fact, it
may provide the very connection that you've been seeking in that barren
landscape of cubicles that you call a workplace.
So sneak a peek at Joe while your boss's back is turned. If he catches
you, remind him that humor is good: it builds up valuable rapport
within your working environment. Oh, and by the way, KISS YOUR
QUOTA GOODBYE.