The Ties That Bind 01
Archetypes can be found in all forms of fiction, from the simplest of fables to the most complex of Nintendo DS games based on the hit Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana. They are so deeply rooted in our psyches that we recognize them instantly: The Hero, The Trickster, The Mentor, The Healer, and of course, the Green-Furred Gun-Toting Spacefaring Rabbit In Red. GFGTSFRIRs are one of the most common and pointless archetypes of all, dating back to at least the late 1970s. Let’s explore some of the more famous GFGTSFRIRs.
Jaxxon
Jaxxon is a big green space bunny from the ridiculous Star Wars universe. Lucasfilm, the corporation that had no problem greenlighting deadly teddy bear men, actual guys named Sleazebaggano, and Howard the Duck thought that Jaxxon was too insane of character and was demanded he be removed from the Marvel Comics Star Wars series. Jaxxon is an homage to Bugs Bunny, made obvious by his status as a blaster brandishing mercenary and smuggler. But I think the time for Jaxxon’s return is right. Most kids have probably never seen a Looney Tune, George Lucas hates his fans more than ever, and with the new live action Star Wars TV show on the horizon, we can only hop that a terrifying CG creation voiced by Kiefer Sutherland is right around the corner.
Bucky O’Hare
Bucky O’Hare also began life as a comic from the late 70′s somehow, joining Jaxxon in birthing the GFGTSFRIR revolution. Bucky is the captain of the Righteous Indignation and along with his multi species crew fights to save the Aniverse from the Toad Empire. A TV cartoon appeared in 1991 and that show, combined with Tiny Toons, and the Disney Afternoon pierced the psyches of young failures worldwide making them into Furrys. Bucky has couple of better than average video games including one that ended the show’s plot, but sadly children of the 21st century have so far been deprived of his verdant lagomorphic charms.
Jazz Jackrabbit
If you owned a PC in 1994, you probably played Jazz Jackrabbit. The shareware version was legally mandated by the Clinton adminstration to be on every 100 radical games for windows and sound card installation CD released between 1994-1999. Jazz was developed by Unreal Tournament and Gears of War design guru Cliffy B. The first game is a cross between Sonic the Hedgehog and Metal Slug and the second game is the first game only with the blandest non-level design ever. There is also a Gameboy Advance version which rewrites the Jazz canon that we true fans worked so hard to create at Jazzcon ’97.
As you can tell just by switching on the internet screen or your television box, Green-Furred Gun-Toting Spacefaring Rabbits In Red have penetrated every facet of pop-culture and are multiplying like Catholics. Someday GFGTSFRIRs will completely overtake the media and a new age of enlightenment will begin. This primer has been your introduction to our glorious furry mutant future.