Avenger Penguins

Avenger Penguins
Genre	Animation Comedy
Developed by	Cosgrove Hall Films
Written by	Jimmy Hibbert Phil Jackson Malcolm McGookin Roger Stennett Stefan Redfern Rob Rackstraw
Directed by	Jean Scott Jean Flynn
Voices of	Jimmy Hibbert Lorelei King Mike McShane Rob Rackstraw
Composer	Phil Bush
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	26
Production
Executive producers	Mark Hall Brian Cosgrove
Producer	Ben Turner
Running time	22 minutes
Production companies	Cosgrove Hall Films Thames International (Season 1) Thames Television (Season 2)
Original release
Network	ITV Network (CITV)
Release	22 September 1993 (1993-09-22) – 9 December 1994 (1994-12-09)

Avenger Penguins is an animated series produced by Cosgrove Hall Films and Thames Television in 1993, filmed by Alfonso Productions, a Spanish-based animation studio also responsible for bringing Cosgrove Hall's show Fantomcat to life. It aired largely on Children's ITV and was originally to be called Hell's Penguins, although was renamed in concern to how the religious audience in the US would respond. It has the distinction of being the last Cosgrove Hall cartoon to be animated using hand painted animation cels, as all 2D animated series from the studio thereafter would use computers for the ink and paint process; with the animation drawings scanned and then digitally coloured.

The story revolves around three bike riding Penguins that inhabit Big City, uniting to protect it and its citizens from the evil Caractacus P. Doom, an insane and reclusive criminal scientist. The Penguins attempt to prevent Doom's schemes but find themselves often hampered by their own miscommunicating and occasional scraps with other biker gangs infesting Big City, such as The Stink Brothers, a canine squad of Hell's Angels. As with most Cosgrove Hall cartoons, the series poked fun at the popular concepts of having creatures performing inhuman action feats and stunts in an animated medium, made popular by the then enormously successful Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. The core of the show's theme is coincidently similar to Biker Mice from Mars.

The cast, like Danger Mouse and Count Duckula had with David Jason, boasted a star talent in a major role, this time in the form of Mike McShane as the Penguin's un-coordinated but brash leader Marlon, as well as the villainous Doom. To show how the series was mocking the often rushed animation style of the original TMNT series, two supporting characters known as "The Badly Drawn Brothers" were always left with the design construction lines still showing out of deliberate neglect.

Pop culture references were found in abundance in many of the episodes and in the characters, Doom himself is patterned on an elderly Orson Welles, Harry Slime (who talks like Peter Lorre) in the meantime is based somewhat on Harry Lime, a character from the movie The Third Man. The season 2 episode, "The 23rd Century" also served as a parody of Star Trek.

The entire series was released on a three-disc DVD box set in March 2006.

Voices

• Mike McShane (Marlon/Mr. Caractacus P. Doom/Blue Badly Drawn Brother/Baracuda Stink/TV Joe)
• Jimmy Hibbert (Bluey/Harry Slime/Bella/Brown Badly Drawn Brother/Poodle Stink)
• Rob Rackstraw (Rocky/Doc/Cecil Stink/Irv)
• Lorelei King (Dolores Divine/Ms. Leatherclad Fullarain/all other females except Bella)

Episodes

The transmission dates come from The Guardian.

Series One (1993)

#	Title	Air Date
1	"The President is a Fish!"	22 September 1993 (1993-09-22)
Doom is going to replace the president with a clone. Marlon and Rocky are captured running into Doom's tower and the two of them with the president are turned into fish, but Bluey comes to their aid.
2	"The Hog Jamboree"	29 September 1993 (1993-09-29)
As Marlon enters the Hog Jamboree, which Doom has rigged. Bluey manages to reprogram Doom's seeker missile and win the Jamboree.
3	"The Quantum Mechanic"	6 October 1993 (1993-10-06)
Doom uses Bluey's brain to create mind monsters from Bluey's favourite show, Quantum Mechanic and Googerplex. Bella manages to turn Quantum against Doom and save the penguins.
4	"Big City, Little City"	20 October 1993 (1993-10-20)
Doom sends Slime to an orbiting satellite to shrink Big City's population and replace them with monsters. After evading the monsters, the penguins head to Doom's salleite and terminate Doom's shrinking effects.
5	"Computer Chaos"	27 October 1993 (1993-10-27)
Doom brings some video game villains to life, sucks Marlon and Rocky into the game and tries to squich them. Bluey the computer nut comes to the rescue.
6	"I Married an Android!"	3 November 1993 (1993-11-03)
Doom creates an android to brainwash Marlon into a life of suburban bliss and blandness so that Rocky and Bluey are leaderless and uninspired.
7	"Cat Pig-Cat of Iron"	10 November 1993 (1993-11-10)
Irv's 'nephew' Billy Neptune comes to stay with the Penguins. He seems convinced that he is a super-hero but manages to save the three biking birds in the end when Doom captures them.
8	"Nightmare at Tea-Time"	17 November 1993 (1993-11-17)
Mr. Doom's nightmare machine invades the penguins dreams but eventually turns on its master. (This episode references Planet Cute from 'The Vampire Strikes Back' an episode of 'Count Duckula')
9	"Star Struck"	24 November 1993 (1993-11-24)
A movie fan alien visits a film set where Doom and Slime are trying to kill the penguins who are there as stuntmen. (Spot the references to 'E.T.', 'Star Wars' and 'Blackadder'). 1st appearance of Dolores Devine.
10	"The Labyrinth of Doom"	1 December 1993 (1993-12-01)
The Avenger Penguins and The Stink Brothers enter an underground motorcycle challenge along with Carberetta Gasoline a tough lady biker who starts off working for Doom but eventually changes her mind and becomes friends with the Penguins.
11	"The Wild, Wild, Wild, Wild West"	8 December 1993 (1993-12-08)
Professor Boring (a cheery fellow) and his wife Euphoria (a depressed woman) have their time machine's transanium crystal stolen enabling Doom to send Harry Slime back to the old west to stake claims on all the gold.
12	"A Winter's Tale"	15 December 1993 (1993-12-15)
Doom sacks Slime and sends him out into the cold where he befriends a fairy. Together they get revenge on Doom who is seeking to make the penguins homeless.
13	"The Revenge of Doom"	5 January 1994 (1994-01-05)
After a year trapped on Mars, Caractacus P. Doom returns to seek revenge and challenges the penguins to a contest.

Series Two (1994)

#	Title	Air Date
1	"The 23rd Century"	16 September 1994 (1994-09-16)
The Avenger Penguins are brought to the future to head to the Doomstar of Doom's descendant Lucidious Q. Doom and stop her firing the freezing ray on the globe.
2	"Mommy's Boy"	23 September 1994 (1994-09-23)
When Rocky's mother visits and drags him out to the shops, this give 'Dave Penguin' a perfect chance to take his place.
3	"Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Penguin?"	30 September 1994 (1994-09-30)
Doom replaces Slime with the more efficient, but traitorous Miss DeMeanor. Slime and Doom hatch a plan with the Penguins to get her to leave.
4	"Surprise Fate"	7 October 1994 (1994-10-07)
The Penguins appear as guests on a dating show. Doom rigs the contest so Marlon wins a date with escaped loony, Annabelle the Animal, who has a desire to eat anything that's black and white, for example PENGUINS!
5	"High Doom"	14 October 1994 (1994-10-14)
The old Doc relates a tale from the Wild West, where Beauregarde Doom and his gang try and rob a bank and some penguin lawmen try to escape Humungously Big Mad Joe.
6	"The Jewel in the Crown"	21 October 1994 (1994-10-21)
With Marlon and Bluey trapped at a sleazy night-club where Doom is negotiating a deal for a diamond. Rocky, Slime and Dolores Devine travel (by accident) to an ancient temple.
7	"A Christmas Carol"	28 October 1994 (1994-10-28)
Charles Dickens famous tale gets the Penguin treatment. Doom realises he must restore power to the city after he blacks it out.
8	"Fishfinger"	4 November 1994 (1994-11-04)
Rocky is hired by the President to infiltrate Zigmund Fishfinger's (Doom's) lair and rescue Miss Leatherclad-Fullerain. Marlon and Bluey sneak along for this James Bond style romp.
9	"Disgusting or What?"	11 November 1994 (1994-11-11)
Mr. Doom under-estimates the power of his latest invention, a monster composed of the most horrbile garbage in the city. Meanwhile, Marlon is trying to emulate his favourite movie hero.
10	"Rock 'n' Roll Penguins"	18 November 1994 (1994-11-18)
Much of the episode has the characters bursting into song. Doom is going to blow up the penguins with their own bikes, but Slime has not made the preparations for that.
11	"The Computer of Doom"	25 November 1994 (1994-11-25)
Bluey's addiction to computer games comes in useful when Doom invades the international computer network with a virus. (look out for a 'Back To The Future' reference)
12	"Sherlock's Penguins"	2 December 1994 (1994-12-02)
The Avenger Penguins travel to London to tackle Caractacus P. Doom's cousin, Professor Moriarty, who has leased a drug into the water supply which causes everyone to act like a total cad.
13	"Beauties and the Beasts"	9 December 1994 (1994-12-09)
After Slime's failure to get the penguins, Doom creates two ladies who can switch between pretty and ugly, but they blow themselves up. Then Slime takes over Doom's place.

DVD and VHS releases

• In United Kingdom, the entire two series were released on DVD in March 2006 released by Delta Media PLC. Previously the company Arena released 3 videos in 1995, each tape contains 3 episodes.
• In Australia, there were six videos from Reel Entertainment releasing all the episodes of series 1 and one episode of series 2. Each of them contained 2 episodes.

International broadcasts

• Chile
  • Megavision (1994–1996)
  • Canal 13 (1995–2001)
  • UCV Television (1997–1998)
• Australia
  • ABC (1995–1997)
  • 7Two (2009–2011)
• Sweden
  • TV4
• Ireland
  • TV3
• South Africa
  • SABC2

Credits

• Executive Producers for Cosgrove Hall: Mark Hall and Brian Cosgrove
• Executive Producer for Granada: Edward Pugh
• Vocals: Paul Young and Sue Quin
• Business and Finance Manager: Phil Slattery
• Production Co-Ordinator: Laura Cosgrove
• Animation Director: Carlos Alfonso (Alfonso Productions)
• Storyboard: Keith Scoble, Ian Whitworth, Neil Graham, Wayne Thomas, Richard Nye, Jean Flynn, Jez Hall, Ben Turner, John Martin, Stephen Simpson, Vince James, Jean Scott, Jose Solis
• Designers: Andy Roper, Jon Doyle, Margaret Riley, Alastair Fell, Michael Whaite
• Layout: Jose M. Zumel, Rafael Diaz, Jose C. Rueda, Jose Machin, Tom Bailey, Jon Doyle, Andy Roper
• Backgrounds: Roberto Garcia, Andres Hernandez, David Jaratz, M. Jose Traver, Carlos Fernandez, Javier Mota, Angel Chicharro, Igashi Taruma, George Popov, Margaret Riley, Beverly Bush, Pete Hillier, Mike Hill, Miguel Gil, William Dely, Tia W. Kratter, Sunny Apinchapong, Rob Nason, Phaedra Craig, Kenneth Valentine Slevin, Greg Gibbons, Kevin McNamara, Michael Hirsh, Rachel Kerr, Carl Jones, Paul M. Kelly, Mike Wall, Graham Howells, Ian Henderson, Diane Wren, Barbara Alcock, Stephen Simpson, Maurice Noble, Manu Roig, Sky Bone, Selena D'Santos, Paul Grimault, Roger Dulcent, Lionel Charpy, Anton Loeb, M.J. Booth, Jimmy Lawlor, Mark Stacey, Reuben Romanban, Kazuo Oga, Al Dempster, Jim Coleman, Philip Phillipson, Andrew Phillipson, Ervin L. Kaplan, Dennis Venizelos, Tom Ford, Robert Owen, Robert Little, Robert Connavale, John Geering, Tom O'Loughlin, Don Watson, Tim Maloney, Bonnie Callahan, Gloria Wood, Richard H. Thomas, Erich Schenk, Louis Jambor, Shane Miller, Robert Gentle, Fernando Montealagre, Kazuhiro Kinoshita, Gyorgyi Peluce, Carol Wyatt, Andriana M. Galvez, Dominique Blaskovich, Pierre Pavlof, Curt Perkins, Frank Dorso, John Zago, Joseph Dommerque, Rosemary O'Connor, Robert Sahakiants, Barry Atkinson, Diane Jackson, Don Watson, Claire Wright, Branko Varadin, Fahrudin Sadic, Sanja Kodic, Jane Naussbaum, Tim Mahoney, Ken Anderson, Pavor Stalter, Lloyd Helleck, Jr., Satoshi Aoki, Noriko Ikeda, T
• Animation: Alberto Conejo, Manuel G. Guliana, Segio Alfonso, Vicenia Rodriguez, Juan Torres, M.Carmen Gonzalez, Francisco Alvarez, Basilo Gonzalez, M. Elana Marquez, F. Eugania Gomez, Edward Sasu, Bujor Stefanescu, Igancio Amero, Miguel Alamlnlos, Francisco Alamlnos, Tierry Tarres, J Antonio Sorrano, Dimiter Tanev, M. Angel Romero, Francisco Tens, Angel Rodgriquez, Mariana Ruada, Valentia Caim, Carmen Chanza, Angel Jerlego, Rafael Diaz, Borja Montero, Paca Morano, Luis Varela, Manolo Doctor, Jesus Barbara, Claire Gray, Alastair Fell, Mair Thomas, John Offord, Meryl Edge, Barry Hales, Hugh Workman, Mike Whaite, Jose Solis, Dick Sebast, Richard Bazely, Chuck Williams, Walt Stanchfield, Kenneth Muse, Don Patterson, Lee Mishkin, Ruth Kissane, Milan Blazekovic,
• Digital Character Colour Designers: Joan Jones, Jackie Mitchell, Carmen Oliver, Susan Vanderhorst, Jill Everett, Alison Leopold, Janet Cummings,
• Digital Scanner Operators & Registrators: Alex Alfonso, Fernando Santiago, Julio A. Gracia, Enrique Bagan, Agustin Sepulveda, Paulino Martin, Juanjo Mora, Evandro Setmanavicius, Tony McAleese, Jackie Anderson, Billy Coglan, Alan Cronin, Paul Mulligan, Kieron White, John Walsh, Siobhan O'Brien, Andrew McLoughlin, Joan Simmons, Don Geering
• Painting & Checking Supervisors: Carmen G. Sangrador, Maribel Lopez
• Alfonso Productions S.A. Trace & Paint Artists: Susana Diez, Herminia Burgaleta, Asuncion Tomas, Elena Garcia, Loli Pina, Concha Galabuic, Julia Xalma, Mari Mar Rodriguez, Gloria Vidal, Maria Jose Alvarez, Pili Quesada, Angeles Sanz, M. Carmen Rivas, Elvira Hernandez, Toni Ucar, Inma Guerrero, Nines Canalejo, Pinar Sancho, Maria Teruel, Alicia Fleming, Kena Herrero, Eva Amat, Monica Bosquet, Begona Alonso, Angeles Vacas, Lola Sanchez, Elisa Torres, Francisca Vicent (Colour Crew)
• Reflex Animation Trace & Paint Artists: Edit Almasi, Nguyen Phi Anh, Nguyen Thi Tu Anh, Ildiko Baranyai, Nguyen Thi Ngoe Bich, Dang Xuan Chau, Lan Quac Chien, Jozsef Czombos, Nguyen Thi Ngoe Diep, Do Thi Thu Dung, Nguyen Tien Dung, Vo Thi My Dung, Nguyen Liem Duy, Deszone Dosza, Zsolt Faddi, Istvan Fekete, Sandor Ferencz, Olga Fodorne Csuka, Erika Gall, Gizella Gonda, Maria Gonda, Tran Thi Hai, Troung Cong Hai, Csatine Luu Lan Hoa, Le Thi Thanh Hong, Nguyen Quac Hung, Dang Thi Huong, Huang Thanh Huong, Tran Thi Huong, Gabriella Kesckes, Monika Kovacs, Erika Ladanyi, Nguyen Son Lam, Nguyen Thi Ngoe Lam, Nguyen Kim Lang, Thanh Le Giang, Dong Thu Le, Vo Ngoc Linh, Nguyen Bich Loc, Nguyen The Manh, Cao Thi Ngoe My, Edit Nagy, Le Thu Nu, Andrea Panscak, Erika Patyi, Do Thieu Phu, Nguyen Minh Phu, Do Nhu Phuong, Aniko Seres, Attilane Sipos, Lasjone Szabo, Palma Szomolnoky, To Anh Tai, Guyla Tar, Nguyen Chi Thanh, Nguyen Thanh Quac Thanh, Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, Nguyen Thi Minh Thu, Le Thuong, Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy, My Thi Doan Trang, Monika Treiber, Troung Thanh Truc
• Key Animation: Claire Grey, Alastair Fell, Meryl Edge, John Offord, Mair Thomas, Michael Whaite, Ian Whitworth, Manuel G. Galiana, Sergio Alfonso, Ignacio Meneu, Javier Galdos, Carmen Chenza, Baltasar Pedrosa, Pedro Jorge, Luis Varela, Luis Martinez, Thierry Torres, Rene Arza, Miguel Palomero, Borja Montoro, Mariano Rueda, Eduard Sasu, Alberto Campos, Ventura Rodriguez, Ignacio Amero, M. Elena Marquez, J. Antonio Serrano, F. Eugenio Gomez, Julio A. Mayo, Yolanda Perez, Aranta P. De Mezquia, Jesus Pena, Jesus E. Minguet, Pedro Molina, Vicente Rodriguez, Antonio Gimenez, Angel Jariego, Valentin Cain, Paca Moreno, Francisco Tena, M. Angel Romero, Manolo Doctor, Abraham Meneu, Oscar Velasco, Francisco Aluarez, Angel Rodriguez
• Assistant Animation: Judy Pilsbury, Craig Whittle, Jennie Langley, Tim Window, Helen Smith, Helen Michael, Bill Tapp, Alan Lee Moult, Les Brooksbank, Julio Altozano, M. Isabel Fernandez, Sandra Sasu, Andres Ruiz, Juan Serrano, Paulino Giner, Asier Agirre, M. Carmen Gonzales, Belen Mota, M. Luisa Ruiz, M. Jesus Rodriguez, J. Carlos Francisco, Samuel Ruiz, Manolo Garrido, Enrique Morente, Lourdes Santos, Elena Arnaiz, Sacramento Martinez, J. Carlos Rueda, M. Jesus Rodriguez, Marta De La Rosa, Belen Mota, Juan Armijo, Raul Castillo, Luis Amor, Maria Morcillo, Ismal Arrais, Silvia Abellan, J Felix Garrido, Sagrario Cruz, Roberto Fernandez, Carmen Nunez, Mike Coles, Nichola Marlborough, Robert Brown,
• Paint Checkers: Alex Alfonso, Gabriella Kovacs Gyorosi, Edit Kovacs, Laszlone Szabo, Anges Nemes Takach
• 2D Animation Checkers: Roy Huckerby, Pam Kleyman, Helen O'Flynn, Helen O'Brien, Moira Murphy, Deborah Campbell
• Rostrum Camera: Peter Kidd, Victorio Gonzalez, Juan Manuel Guerrero
• Computer Operations: Phil Atack
• Production Manager: Julio Diez
• Camera: Victorio Gonzalez, Juan Manuel Guerrero, Peter Kidd, Phil Atack
• Video Line Test: Phil Atack, Eva Montero, Maite Alonso, Pepe Garcia
• Film Editing: FLIX
• Re-Recording Engineer: John Wood
• Digital Sound Editors: Darren Cox, Simon Hall
• Copyright MCMXCIII, MCMXCIV Cosgrove Hall Films Limited, Granada Television Limited
• A Granada Programme For ITV

See also

• Biker Mice from Mars (U.S. counterpart)

External links

• Toonhound's entry on Avenger Penguins

External links

• Avenger Penguins at IMDb