What are all your different powers?
Buttercup: Super packed punches. Kapow!
Blossom: Laser eyebeams.
Bubbles: Flying.
Buttercup: High-flying kicks. High-yah!
Blossom: I have ice-breath. Phewwwwww!
Buttercup: Showoff!
Bubbles: I can speak Spanish! Hola Buttercup!
Buttercup: Yeah, well I can beat a monster to a pulp faster than you two combined. Whack! Biff! Thud!
Who is your worst enemy?
Powerpuff Girls: HIM!!
Who has been the most difficult villain to defeat?
Bubbles: I thought the Boogie Man was pretty scary.
Buttercup: Naw, he was a piece of cake. That Giant Fish Balloon was pretty tough.
Blossom: Him, because he's so evil!
What is the most important thing Professor Utonium ever taught you?
Blossom: Be kind.
Bubbles: Love one another.
Buttercup: Take a bath.
Bubbles, what's your favourite game to play when you aren't fighting crime?
Bubbles: My favourite thing is colour. I draw pretty pictures of everything I love.
Describe Mojo Jojo in one word.
Blossom: Trouble.
Bubbles: Sad.
Buttercup: A pain in the butt.
Buttercup, how do you feel about the Rowdy Ruff Boys?
Buttercup: We shoulda been able to beat those boys in a fair fight instead of resorting to yucky kisses. Gross!
Blossom, what is the scariest experience you and your sisters have had so far?
Blossom: When we flew at the speed of light and landed in Townsville 50 years into the future! Him had taken over the world and it was an absolute disaster!
Your heroes to most people, but who are your heroes?
Blossom: Ms Keane.
Bubbles: The Professor.
Buttercup: Batman!
What's it like for you girls to have the weight of the world on your shoulders all the time?
Bubbles: Very heavy.
Do you girls ever get scared when you have to fight evil all the time?
Bubbles: Yes.
Buttercup: Naw. Whats to be scared of?
Blossom: Being a little scared is always good. It keeps you on your toes.
Do you have any words of wisdom for your fans?
Blossom: Be kind to people.
Buttercup: But don't take any attitude!
Bubbles: And smell lot's of flowers.
First off, can you tell me just how large your tremendous brain is, and what is your turban made of?
MJ: The actual size of my tremendously large brain is too immense for even me to measure with complete accuracy - for to properly determine it's immensity, one would have to be able to measure not only it's largeness externally , but more importantly it's largeness internally .
As for my helmet, it is constructed out of the strongest materials to protect my most immense and genius of brains. And it is not a turban!
I know things didn't work out as well as planned when you were a member of The Beat Alls (Princess, Him, Fuzzy Lumpkins & Mojo); would you ever consider collaborating with other criminals again? If so, who?
MJ: Though The Beat Alls were a great success, it is time to move forward & create crime as the individual mastermind that I truly am. I am not just a former Beat all, I am Mojo Jojo.
As far as villains go, whose work do you admire most?
MJ: Myself.
How do you get to your secret lair at the observitory in the middle of Townsville park?
MJ: You walk to the middle of the park, cross the moat bridge & climb the stairs. What are you, an idiot?
How much is your rent?
MJ: Nobody had laid claim on the volcano when I came across it, so I took the land & had my lair built. Thus it is rent-free, because once I took it, it was mine!
I noticed that your pad is pretty sparse; do you ever think about redecorating?
MJ: In order to properly decorate my home, I am slowly acquiring my favourite pieces, which I find in various museum catalogs.
Do you have any pets?
MJ: No pets! I do not abide filthy disgusting animals.
Do you play any sports? I mean aside from routinely getting your monkey-ass kicked by a trio of five-year-old girls?
MJ: Did you actually want an answer to that question or did you just wish to insult me? What kind of a rude & thoughtless interviewer are you? You do realise that I am a super-villain & could have you "taken care of" in an instant!
Tell me Mojo, if you actually did defeat the Powerpuff Girls & take over Townsville, what would you do next?
MJ: That is for me to know & you to find out!
The invasion of the sisters puff has only just begun. In its fourth season, with one chart topping CD on the racks and one more on the way, dozens of books on the shelves, and about a million-zillion trinkets, bobbles, and dolls, the stuff that makes the Powerpuffs tough has "zapnotised" an entire generation of adults .
Perpetual cuteness and unwavering courage is what attracts most viewers to the prime time Cartoon Network animated series. And that is exactly what the show's creator, Craig McCracken had in mind when he first started doodling the big-headed, bug-eyed girls.
Since the show's inception on Nov. 18, 1998, the 30 year old animator has been on a slingshot ride into cartoon history. The Powerpuff Girls are one of Cartoon Network's highest rated shows. The show is aired in 145 countries, and a third of its loyal viewers are over 18 years old. So far, two episodes have been nominated for an Emmy and a $25 million Powerpuff feature movie is in the works for a 2002 release.
BMP: How did you get started in animation?
CM: Well I've been drawing since I was 3, and from the time I was 12 I knew I wanted to be a cartoonist of some sort. So, when hunting around for an art school where I could study cartooning, the closest thing I found was the Cal Arts animation program.
BPM: Why cute little girls?
CM: As far as little girls go, I just liked the contrast of these cute little girls being really strong and tough. That and I thought it was a really cool idea.
BPM: Are you surprised at the overwhelming response to the pint-sized, big eyed girls, especially the vast number of adult viewers?
CM: You know I'm more surprised that young kids like it. I figured they would think it was too wierd and the real audience would be older, college aged kids. Though at best I thought I'd have a cult hit. I never imagined it would blow up as big as it has.
BPM What has inspired you the most in the girls' overall look and the "ripped from the diary pages of any average kid in America" themes? Are these your experiences? Dreams? Nightmares?
CM: Visually the look is a combination of the way I naturally draw, which is decribed by those in the industry as "designy," and the '60s big eyed waif paintings of Margaret and Walter Keane. The ideas come from the simple concept of taking things that happen to all kids growing up (not necessarily events that happened to me or those working on the show) and asking: "How would I have dealt with that situation if I had superpowers?"
BPM: Where did the girls names come from?
CM: The names? No big meaning - they just popped into my head one day. Kinda boring huh?
BPM: Is there a Mojo Jojo Speedracer connection?
CM: (In the Mojo Jojo voice) Yes, most definately, I must answer in the affirmative because the question you've just asked regarding the similarities of these two cartoons, i.e. the common speech patterns that exist in both of these shows as previously stated, is intentional. The form of communication that I am reffering to is the act of reiteration of one thought or idea expressed over and over again till the idea is firmly planted in your head, till comprehension has been achieved, or said thought is clear.
BPM: Did you watch the Groovy Goolies, The Impossibles, The Mighty Heroes, or Hair Bear Bunch when you were younger?
CM: Yeah, I watched them all - still do now and then. Some good, some bad, some so bad they're good.
BPM: What can you tell us about the movie?
CM: The Powerpuff Girls save the day.
BPM: Are we going to see new locations? New characters?
CM: Yes, locations. Yes, or possibly.
BPM: Ms. Bellum's face?
CM: 'fraid not.
BPM: Can you just tell us what colour eyes she has?
CM: Yes I can.
BPM: Will the Professor ever spend some private "lab time" with Ms. Keane?
CM: You know a lot of people on the show have mentioned that Ms. Keane and Professor should go on a date, so who knows.
BPM: What's your favourite PPG goodie? T-shirt? Key chain? Lunchbox? Socks?
CM: The Heroes & Villains CD. I still can't believe it exists.
BPM: Have you tried yhe PPG breakfast cereal yet?
CM: No, I don't want to ruin the collectors value of the two boxes I have.
BPM: Did your parents make you eat your greens when you were a kid? Have you ever tried Chemical X? If so, did it make you fly? Have you ever tried Whoopass (the soft drink)? Do you think that Red Bull gives you wings?
CM: Sure.
BPM: Who would win: Buttercup or Pikachu?
CM: In a fight, Buttercup. In a cute contest, Pikachu.
BPM: Who's the better blonde Bubbles or Marilyn?
CM: Manson?
BPM: If Blossom were a DJ, what would she spin?
CM: Records.
BPM: Which villain is most like you? And why?
CM: I guess it's sad to say that they're all a little like me considering they all came outta my head.
BPM: A friend of mine wants to know if you dress up like "Him" in your off time?
CM: No, only in my on time.
BPM: Do you have any off time?
CM: Sure, all the time, and I like to spend it working.
BPM: Did you have any input into the CD?
CM: Yeah, total input. I kind of spearheaded the whole thing from a creative angle. It was my other little baby (besides the show) for a few months.
BPM: What do you listen to at work and for fun?
CM: Right now I'm listening to my Nomad Jukebox MP3 Player. It has 150 of my favorite albums on shuffle. It's like Craig radio.
BPM: Are you Scottish?
CM: Scotch/Irish.
BPM: Did that have any influence on bringing Bis in to do the theme tune?
CM: If I was 100% Scottish then yes. But because I'm scottish/Irish it was simply that they were the best band to do the job.
BPM: I'm thinking about getting a Bubbles tattoo.
CM: Good idea. I hear the guy from Everclear has PPG tattoos.
BPM: Where do you think I ought to put it?
CM: Somewhere on your body might be good, but don't listen to me 'cause I don't know too much about tattoos, so I might be wrong.
BPM: What is the most outrageous fan response so far?
CM: There's a whole faction of fans who want to see the Rowdyruff Boys and the Powerpuff Girls fall in and out of love with eachother. Which is a little creepy considering they're only in Kindergarten.
BPM: So after all of this, do you want to have kids?
CM: The fact that my girlfriend and I are debating on getting a second dog - I think we'll wait. But eventually yeah, but I'll probably end up having a jock who thinks his Dad makes dumb "girly" cartoons. |
