Episode #271 and Like a Hood Ornament 19: Welcome Nicole Dubuc, Executive Producer of the Rocketeer Animated Series

https://archive.org/download/podcast-271/Podcast%20271.mp3

This week, I’d like to welcome screenwriter, actress, and producer Nicole Dubuc to the show.  She is the executive producer of the Rocketeer cartoon that came out about a year ago (which, as of 10/16/20, is now also available on Disney+.)  She joins the show under another installment of the Like a Hood Ornament Rocketeer segment to discuss the creation of the series, the music, and some of the ideals she and her team brought to the cartoon.  It was especially great to see how they were able to take Dave Stevens’ and the 1991 film’s visions of the Rocketeer universe and turn it into something that young children could easily digest and fall in love with (as my kids did).

My own children started watching the show when it came out.  We don’t have cable, so I had no idea how to watch the episodes initially but eventually figured out that you could buy the episodes individually on iTunes (and then, ultimately, as a whole season on Amazon).  It’s been great to share my favorite movie with the kids in a form they can digest, and as I mentioned here before and on social media, we’ve done a bunch of things from that love of the show, like reading books about airplanes together, making a Halloween costume for my daughter (almost done, more on the first Patreon exclusive episode coming soon), and making little resin figurines.   I also have the Rocketeer comics to thank for helping to keep my three-year-old son on the potty long enough to, you know, take care of business.

If you haven’t seen the show, here is a clip of our favorite song, which has all the 80s pop glory of flying to the sound of synths and guitars.

Can you spot the original Rocketeer film/comic Easter Eggs?  Here are a few to get you started …

-recreation of the scene in the original comic and film of the Rocketeer saving a pilot in trouble at an airshow

-Butch the bulldog

–Billy Campbell, the original Rocketeer in the 1991 film, who voices the pilot in trouble (the father of Kit, the new Rocketeer).

-gum in a white wrapper (a la Beeman’s) that saves the day

If you don’t have Disney+ or another streaming service with the show, you can, of course, buy episodes or the season individually like I did.

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However, you can also watch an episode for free (which has a nice cameo by the original Rocketeer) on Youtube:

Although I wasn’t able to get it to work since I think my phone is too old, there was a Rocketeer game with the same bright color palate the series has that used to be part of the Disney Now app.  I’m not sure it’s still available since I wasn’t able to find it this time around, but you can check out the gameplay below.   Looks like fun!  I hope it gets released to be more widely available!

If you want to listen to more of the music, you can find a playlist of the songs on Youtube Music.  Here a great one that has a great retro 80s feel with some iconic cloud chasing:

Thanks, Nicole, for coming on the show!  You can find out more about her on Twitter and Instagram.

Look for more Rocketeer cartoon content in future episodes, and if you’re a member of the Thirteenth Hour Arts Patreon group, look for more updates on the costume we’re currently making.  Here’s a preview:

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As I mentioned last week, I wanted to finish the short story, “The Last Rocketeer” (which tells the story of what might happen if a 71-year-old Cliff from The Rocketeer met up with Centauri from The Last Starfighter) by Halloween since the story ends on Halloween, but also because, when writing it, I wanted to pay homage to the timeline the Rocketeer cartoon established for Cliff and Jenny later in life.  Although the IDW comics had stories that went up through World War 2 (and that was with Betty and the Dave Stevens version of the rocketpack), I don’t think there is anything that discussed what life was life for these characters after that.  That is, until the cartoon!  So, there are some cameos and mentions of Ambrose, Cliff’s son, and Dave, his grandson in “The Last Rocketeer.”  Here are a few of the illustrations, mostly done with the kids in daddy day care art time:

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By the way, proceeds from the next Thirteenth Hour LP, Once Upon a Dream, will also be donated to the organization Corazon de Vida (see episode 268).  If you are also interested in helping to support their mission, learn more at https://www.corazondevida.org/get-involved.  Join me and others at the virtual event that Corazon de Vida is throwing on 10/29/20 at 7 PM PST by clicking on the picture below or here.

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There are now Thirteenth Hour toys!  If you’d like to pick up one of these glow in the dark figures for yourself, feel free to email me or go to the Etsy store I set up (https://www.etsy.com/shop/ThirteenthHourStudio) and get them there.

If the past few months have got you needing a break, you may want to chill out to this 80s synth throwback track for a upcoming LP with the accompanying music video:

Empty Hands, the synth EP soundtrack to the novella, Empty Hands, is now out for streaming on Bandcamp.  

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Stay tuned.  Follow along on Spotify!  There is also a growing extended Thirteenth Hour playlist on Spotify with a growing number of retro 80s songs.

Check it out!

As always, thanks for listening!

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