Looney Tunes Treasury: Includes Amazing Interactive Treasures from the Warner Bros. Vault! [Hardcover]

Andrew Farago (Author), Ruth Clampett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 19, 2010

Ehhh, what’s up, Doc? Here’s a first-hand look at the Looney Tunes from an irrefutable source—the characters themselves! This irreverent, hilarious, and just plain looney history provides an offbeat look at the animation industry, the “behind-the-cels” men (and women) who gave the characters their unequivocal look, attitude, and voices, and a first-hand account of what the characters do when they’re not starring in the latest Looney Tunes cartoon.

From Bugs Bunny's monumental rise from humble beginnings to animation 'star' at Warner Bros. Studios to Marvin The Martian's latest scheme to blow up the earth, The Looney Tunes Treasury recounts the key moments and quirky details of your favorite cartoon characters.

And the timing couldn’t be better, as Warner Bros. is rejuvenating the Looney Tunes brand in 2010 and beyond. Big announcements will include an innovative animated series starring the characters as you’ve never seen them before, new cartoon DVD releases, new mobile and wireless content, a U.S. Depart. of Health and Human Services campaign on health and wellness, live events, viral grassroots campaigns, and much, much more...

With more than 300 fabulous pieces of concept art, paintings, and memorabilia, The Looney Tunes Treasury is a must-have book for fans of all ages.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Don Hahn, Producer - The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast
"Andrew Farago had captured lightning in a bottle with this amazing tribute to the Looney Tunes legacy."

Bill Morrison, Creative Director, Bongo Entertainment, Former Futurama Art Director
"I've been waiting for a book of this quality on the Warner Bros. animation studio. I own previously published books about the studio, but I can tell this is going to be the one I refer to most often from now on."

Dan Piraro, creator of Bizarro
"For fans of Looney Tunes, this book is the bible; jam-packed with miracles and eternal salvation." --

Hans Teensma, Animate & Impress
"What a joyful blast through my youthful past! Each character spoke to me exactly the way I knew them. … They're alive I tell you, alive! … I'm going right upstairs now and try again to order something out of the Acme catalog—there must be an 800 number there somewhere. You've got a treasury there. And we must place one in a time capsule or send it into space. The universe has to know about it."

Brian Walker, Cartoonist Hi and Lois and Cartoon Historian
This colorful compendium is a fun and educational nostalgia trip.   It inspired me to pop some of my favorite cartoons in the DVD player and look at them with renewed appreciation.

Karl Cohen, ASIFA-SF President
“LOONEY TUNES TREASURY” is a lot of fun for any fan of Bugs Bunny and friends… The world doesn’t need another serious book about Termite Terrace so Andrew has provided us with a lighthearted tour of the world of my favorite cartoon stars.

Mark Waid Editor/writer, BOOM! Studios' The Incredibles comics
You can dive into this book and swim around happily for hours in its anecdotes, its insights and its wonderful toys. The graphics are breathtaking, the writing is hilarious, and the whole package is a joy.

Bookviews by Alan Caruba, 11/28/10
“If I could have just one book in my Christmas stocking it would have to be THE LOONEY TUNES TREASURY…If you loved Looney Tunes, you will love this wonderfully entertaining book about them.”

Marilyn Dahl, Shelf Awareness, 11/29/10
“…what a treasure it is. As one would expect, it's filled with art and text, but also with inserts like a Tasmanian Devil mask, a Tweety and Sylvester comic, a facsimile script for Bugs Bunny's "Rabbit Hood" and much more… We need more laughs today, and this book delivers.

Journal Sentinel, 12/3/10
Compiled by the curator of The Cartoon Art Museum, the book's contents sproing out at you like Road Runner after too much java. This is a caa-ray-z insider's look at Looney Tunes, with 200 pieces of concept art, a shooting script to Bugs' "Rabbit Hood" and other memorabilia. Bonus materials include a Tasmanian devil mask and an all-important Yosemite Sam Wanted Poster. 

Leonard Maltin’s Movie Crazy, 12/16/10
“…When I tell you that each of the articles is supposedly written by the “star” in his or her own voice, you’ll understand that this is not a serious historical tome: it’s meant as a celebration. Oodles of original artwork, photos of vintage memorabilia, and even staff caricatures fill its pages, and it’s great fun to go through.”

About the Author

Andrew Farago is the curator of the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco. He has written for Marvel Comics, The Comics Journal, and Animation World Network. He lives in Berkelely, California with his wife, cartoonist Shaenon K. Garrity.

Ruth Clampett is the owner and creative director of Clampett Studio Collections, and former Vice President of Design at Warner Bros. Studio Stores, which developed 2,000 WB-related entertainment products per year. She is the daughter of legendary animation director Bob Clampett. She lives in Los Angeles.

 

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Running Press (October 19, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762440449
• ISBN-13: 978-0762440443
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 1 x 11 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #542,679 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #34 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Antiques & Collectibles > Performing Arts

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Treasure Trove of Memories and Fun November 9, 2010

By Jake T. Forbes

Format:Hardcover

The Looney Tunes Treasury is a wonderful celebration of the classic cartoons that have entertained generations. Between the pages are tucked pop-ups, miniature comic-books, pamphlets and other secrets; as with the "-ology" series of books (Wizardology, Piratology), navigating this Treasury isn't just reading but an act of joyous exploration. You can open to any page and find something fun and completely unlike what comes before or after. The writer, Andrew Farago, does an amazing job walking the line between entertainer and historian. This is a great gift for Looney Tunes fans of any age. And if you're a lapsed fan of Bugs, Fudd, et al, one peek between this book's cover and you'll remember why you loved these characters.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A blast from the past March 17, 2011

By Parka TOP 50 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Length: 1:17 Mins

This book is a great tribute to the some of the most classic animation characters ever created - the Looney Tunes gang - from Bugs Bunny to Marvin the Martian. It brings back good memories of watching these cartoons back in the past. Although I can't remember exact stories, I still can remember the crazy antics of the characters.

The author Andrew Farago, curator of the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco, has done a great job in putting this treasury together.

The book is filled with art, animation stills, and funny autobiographies written by the Looney Tunes characters themselves. You can read in their own words about their rise to fame, the jealousy among cartoon co-characters, and other hilarious jokes. I still get a chuckle out of seeing Tweety in Sylvester's sandwich, knowing seconds later Tweety would somehow escape.

Also included are some mementos like postcards, sticker book, Porky Pig mini-comic, a Tasmanian Devil mask and other cool stuff.

This book is a blast from the past. Recommended for fans of classic animation.

(There are more pictures of the book on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Book! November 7, 2010

By Hungry Mind

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

What a gorgeous book! Filled with color graphics and stories "written" by the Looney Tunes characters themselves, this book also has little treasures tucked and folded into the pages -- stickers and posters and stuff like that. Really FUN with a cleverly designed layout!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious Coffee Table History Book Written "In Character" December 4, 2010

By Jason Bradley Thompson

Format:Hardcover

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. I'm not a huge fan of the Looney Tunes cartoons, or at least I thought I wasn't, until I read this and all the old childhood memories came flooding back. Writing the book (except for the introductions & afterword) from the POV of the Looney Tunes characters was a great idea; Andrew Farago does an excellent job of getting in character and writing dialogue (well, monologues, mostly) which I can imagine Chuck Jones, Mel Blanc and Tex Avery bringing to life. Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, Speedy Gonzalez, Porky Pig, Mickey Mouse, even minor characters like Michigan J. Frog (yes, he 'talks'... sort of... I promise) all get their say. The bits of meta-humor are great too; basically, Farago is FUNNY. He also does a good job merging bits of real-world cartoon history (such as which animators created the characters, which cartoons won Academy Awards, etc.) with the humor.

My only disappointment is that the book only covers the classic characters, and not any of the characters from the mini-Renaissance of WB cartoons in '80s and onward, such as the Animaniacs, the Space Jam characters, etc. Specific years for the cartoons are also a little lacking, and a full list of cartoons from the period would have been nice, but for that sort of thing you can read Wikipedia. What this book is, is a coffee-table book on the Golden Age of Looney Tunes, with lots of great art, really funny writing, and some nice bonus materials like stickers, minicomics and mask.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Real Treasure! February 5, 2012

By Denis Torres

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a very nice book made with great care in a deluxe edition... It contains a good selection of the most famous characters of looney tunes... the original sketches, the colourful pages and the extra materials included (posters, stickers, masks, etc) is a delight for the eyes and the heart. If you are fan of looney tunes and lover of good books, this publication is for you...

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Beyond highest expectations! April 24, 2011

By Mar Vista

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

If you kid is a Looney Tunes fan you could do no better than this marvelous interactive book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Looney Tunes Cartoon Compendium in their own words! February 7, 2011

By JoeToon

Format:Hardcover

I live and breath cartoons and admire those who breath life into cartoons. Andrew Farago has found a new way to breath new life into the tried and true Looney Tunes characters, not through animation but through storytelling. He provides a thorough and compelling exploration of their history as told in their own voices and style.
It is a difficult task for any author and one that Farago does with respect, historical accuracy and humor.
The book combines reproductions of unique items from the Warner Brothers archives to create a museum exhibition in book form. The "interactive treasures" compliment the written word beautifully, enhancing the overall experience of this book. It truly is a book that you experience. It is filled with fond memories, great stories, and most of all the characters we know and love.
this book is a must have for any cartoon library!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful addition to Looney Tunes library December 16, 2010

By Marcie

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a fun, beautifully put together book with "autobiographies" of Bugs and his companions. Cool added pop ups, stickers, posters, and other hidden treasures are everywhere. It will tempt anyone (adult or child) who is a fan or collector of Looney Tunes memorabilia. My son collects LT stuff and loved receiving it. My only con is that I think the binding could be tighter as the pages are heavy. That's all folks!