The Simpsonshas endured as a pivotal element of pop culture and animation for 35 years.
ButThe Simpsons artistic adventures have also extended beyond the TV screen, and well beyond its official output.
Super Eyepatch WolfsBartkirasentiment resonated with creator Ryan Humphrey and artists James Harvey and Kaitlin Sullivan.
© Ryan Humphrey
The interview has been edited for brevity.
Isaiah Colbert, io9: Walk me through how you discoveredBartkirawas a thing.
Sullivan:Id seen bits and pieces on Tumblr.
© Super Eyepatch Wolf / Disney / 20th Century Studios / Kodansha
I thought, I really want to get in on something in a comic form.
And I saw theyre doingBartkira[and] I just lunged and jumped for it.
I was really lucky.
© Super Eyepatch Wolf / 20th Century Studios / Disney / Kodansha
I tried to do it as on model as possible.
Its really, really hard.
But I am really proud.
© Ryan Humphrey / Disney / 20th Century Studios
I was able to figure out a low camera angle for Otto when he was yelling from the front.
But they were impressed by what I had done.
io9: What is the cross-appeal to you?
© Kaitlin Sullivan
Were you initially a fan ofAkiraandThe Simpsonssimultaneously or was did you experience one before the other?
Sullivan:I definitely knewThe Simpsonsfirst.
I grew up with that and had to sneak it growing up.
© Ben McSweeney / Kaitlin Sullivan
We see the knockoffs all the time.
But going back and revisiting it,Akirais a monumental achievement.
io9: When did the idea come about for you and your associates to animate a trailer forBartkira?
Sullivan:If I remember correctly, it was when Moon Animate Make-Up!
Would you guys be open to the idea of me running the animated trailer project?
They were very sweet and supportive.
I was like, Oh, no, youre part of this too.
This wouldnt exist about you.
They were terrific from the very beginning.
Sullivan:It was 100% remote, and its something that Im still a huge advocate for.
Obviously way before the pandemic.
I believe James and Ryan are both based in the UK.
I was based in Seattle and ran the whole operation out of my apartment, which was great.
I found that all animation could be done remotely.
This is the way we can do things.
io9: What was the easiest/hardest part of working on assembling theBartkiratrailer?
Sullivan:This is so poetic.
One of the hardest parts was me animating my shot.
A lot of us graduated with that.
But its good to be honest about these things.
And other times, I was begging her to work.
A big part ofBartkiras success was social media just worked.
io9:How many people were involved to kind of make the trailer happen?
Sullivan:Bartkirahad 31 animators.
io9:How long did it take to make theBartkiratrailer?
Sullivan:I believe it was about nine months.
I was just unbelievably lucky it worked out that way.
I want to get this thing going.
Sullivan:I feel so fortunate that its been universally positive.
Very little drama, very little negative feedback.
Im still completely stunned.
People have such positive reactions about it.
When it premiered, Im pretty sure that project that was in Le Monde.
I was like, Theyre talking about me in French?
How why do they know me?
It was very cool.
Im very grateful to see how many people are reacting positively.
Im really not on Twitter anymore because its just kind of all falling apart.
I also wanted to confirm the animator was properly credited.
It just means a lot to know that all of our work is still like really loved and enjoyed.
io9:The Simpsonshas slowly been adopting the appeal of anime in its couch gags and episodes.
Is there hope that theyll go on to acknowledgeBartkiraas well?
Sullivan:The Simpsonsdoes not owe me a single thing.
I think its so wonderful theyre still going.
I love the couch gags where they bring on a guest animator.
I know Bill Plympton has done one and Jorge Gutierrez recently did one.
Hes actually a friend of mine.
If I could have one thing, Id love to see that.
But the fact that they havent pulledBartkirafrom YouTube is all I need.
My tendonitis developed and it was really difficult to finish a drawing.
I was not happy with the final film I was doing.
One of the reasons I started doing these was to get my personal life back.
I found that there is pressure at art school to be the best artist.
You have to be likethiskind of animator, you have to bethiskind of illustrator.
I really just want to stress people to do what makes you happy.
Were all here to have a good time and make something fun.
They cant take your paper and pencils from you.
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