Photos & Highlights From Venture Bros. Panel at Comic-Con 2011

Venture Bros. creators, Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer debut the new Shallow Gravy music video at San Diego Comic-Con. Joined by James Urbaniak, the voice of Dr. Venture, they discuss the new documentary-styled special ‘From the Ladle to the Grave: The Story of Shallow Gravy.’ The special is a 15-minute animation produced at Titmouse Studios. Doc Hammer also reveals that a Shallow Gravy EP will be released on iTunes during the premiere on August 28th.

The Venture Bros. Special – From The Ladle To The Grave: The Story of Shallow Gravy
See the Venture Family as you’ve never seen them before: in a 15-minute documentary-style animated special. Follow the meteoric rise, the equally meteoric fall, and the decidedly un-meteor-like second coming of the most important band Hank Venture, Dermott Fitctel and H.E.L.P.eR. robot have ever been in: Shallow Gravy. If you’re hungry for rock, then open wide, because here comes a ladle of heavy metal fire and metaphoric meat drippings. Launched on Adult Swim in August 2004, The Venture Bros. is an inspired spoof of 1960s action cartoon shows such as Johnny Quest. Created by Jackson Publick III (King of the Hill, The Tick), the 30-minute animated series follows the bizarre misadventures of the Venture family.

Panel Highlights:

* Doc Hammer joked that they wouldn’t likely be producing a Sgt. Hatred given that retailers like Toys R Us might be leery about carrying the likeness of a (reformed) pedophile.

* Doc Hammer commented, “Our influences are everything we’ve ever loved and everything we’ve ever hated.”

* Billy was actually supposed to have the rapid aging disease, progeria. But if they went that route, the character would be dead by now.

* Doc Hammer on the return of theme park magnate, Roy Brisbee: “What is he gonna do? He’s an old guy in a wheelchair with stroke face.”

* The second appearance of master negotiator and life coach, Henry Killinger was actually the result of a bet between Doc and Jackson about whether they could work the character back onto the show.

* Riffing on their extended Degrassi bit from last season, Doc Hammer ranted about his hate for rapper Drake who in his mind will always be “Crippled Jimmy.”

* On a terrible strip club experience, Doc says he once saw a man play a ukelele-sized electric air guitar at a mortified dancer in the middle of a bachelor party. It was part of the inspiration for the extended bit at the nasty, hilarious riff on stripper breasts in “Every Which Way But Zeus.”

* Doc Hammer after the fourth question about character x or y returning: “All questions about what will happen in the show will happen within the show itself.”

* Doc Hammer says that they need to get Dr. Venture hooked up with a woman at some point. Graphically, onscreen.

» Tune in August 28th for the Premiere of ‘From The Ladle To The Grave: The Story of Shallow Gravy’