EXCLUSIVE Interview: Doc Hammer and Jackson Publick the guys behind The Venture Bros.

Interview Conducted by ChefRich and Paulie Von Doom

Article Written by John Blabber

 

Aside from two specials (“From the Ladle to the Grave: The Story of Shallow Gravy”; “A Very Venture Halloween“) , it’s been almost three years since the season four finale of The Venture Bros aired with the episode entitled ‘Operation P.R.O.M’  and since then we’ve seen a lot of crazy shit happen in that span of time. The tablet computer industry revitalized with the launch of the iPad that would go on to sell 100 million units, world tyrants have been removed from power thanks to the power of free speech and demonstrations, and Taco Bell would go on to release not one but two Doritos Locos Tacos (one Nacho Cheese, one Cool Ranch) . So one would think that people might forget about how profound of an animated series The Venture Bros. really is, but co-writer Doc Hammer has a different take altogether, ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder.’

Indeed, and over the years the fans of The Venture Bros., have not only been loyal to the long time series, but they’ve multiplied in numbers. The new fans have a lot to catch up on and they wouldn’t have it any other way as Venture creator Jackson Publick seems to use a bit more analytical approach when talking of their growing fan base and noting that all those years of him and Doc traveling from con to con to con have certainly paid off in helping incorporate everyone, ‘Our show replays really well I think. Like we’ve always built it to be pretty dense, so I think our DVDs do well and people like re-watching crap. We go to the conventions; the people have – people are more connected to one another with social media and whatnot. [The episodes have] been done [with production] for a few months so they’ve  had a little time to build some of that stuff up.’ Tis true, but walk into ANY Comic Con in the country and I bet you my salary that you will see Venture Bros. action figures on display all over the place, cosplayers posing for cameras, and fan page admins fully aroused at even the mere sight of a Fresca soda can. Adult Swim has more than a show on its hand…it has an army.

Its very seldom that a show can go away for this long and then come back and more-so with the amount of anticipation and excitement that the premier for the fifth season of the Venture Bros. has been getting, and that’s all thanks to the fine folks over at Adult Swim as they’ve been teasing us and teasing us for the past several months with clips , ‘The network is doing – [they are] actively promoting [the show]  a little more than they have other seasons.’ says Publick.  You would think that would be enough for most folks, but nope. Jackson and Doc went out and recruited maybe the best animation studio on planet Earth in Titmouse to handle production, but thankfully for Doc they didn’t have to look far, “It’s Great! [Titmouse Studios] is a block away from where we were before. So it’s the same subway we take….that’s all I care about.” Jackson excitedly agrees, ‘They (Titmouse)  have their shit together. I mean, everything is pretty much done exactly the way it used to be. We just have some more people, a little more money, just a more stable environment.’ We’ve seen the fruits of this partnership with Titmouse come to pass with the aforementioned specials, but when you listen to Doc or Jackson talk of the upcoming season, you don’t hear the same exasperated duo that we might have heard in cons past.  Doc and Jackson used to talk of how stressful and draining production of previous seasons would be upon completion, but when asked to convey their emotions this time around  Jackson summed it up in one word, “Excited.”  Why you ask? ,” We had a rock-steady crew this season and we did ten episodes instead of 16 or whatever the hell we did last time. So it was a little easier on mind and body, and we made a really good show and we’re excited to make people see it. ”

And now the good parts right?? Yep, Doc and Jackson dropped a few plot points for the fifth season that are bound to please Venturoos all over. “We did remove Brock from half of the season” says Doc “They got more stuff they like and we’re going to be bringing back a character that nobody cares about.”  Jackson notes “I think we’re bringing back a couple of characters nobody cares about!” But Doc swears you the fans will obey, “We’re going to make them (the fans) care about them and then if they don’t we’ll kill them just for you!!”

Not only will the fans of The Venture Bros. be pumped to see a new season commence this Sunday Night on Adult Swim, but the famed ‘Shirt Club‘ has returned and Doc promises that not only is it back but it hasn’t changed much and to prove it the guys wrote up a whole big thing over on the Astro Base Go website. Jackson tells us there was one minor fix, “The club is a little cheaper [and] the designs are great! Same quality, cheaper this time though to buy for the consumer. We didn’t think of it as the last time this time, so it – the presentation I think is a little stronger.” But Doc says there’s more! “The beauty of shirt club is that you’re actually buying a shirt from the creator of the show. It’s very strange. It isn’t – this isn’t like a corporate thing; this is work – Jackson and I are actually doing this. We’re running around trying to figure out how to print fake Hank money.” That’s right Hank bucks are on the way! ChefRich couldn’t help but be pumped for the fact that more Hank bucks could mean a plethora of sexual favors and as he was interviewing the guys with Paulie,  Doc was building out the website and Jackson was talking of actually looking at different paper stock for the bucks.  For those thinking this might be similar to the ‘Paddy’s Dollars’ system fear not, Doc and Jackson are quite a bit more capable of running shit compared to Mac and Dennis. Doc says that for every shirt that YOU purchase, you will get a single Hank buck that you can then use again on anything else. ‘On the black market, a Hank Buck will have some real substantial value.’ This is great when you consider what the guys used to include with merchandise for the previous iterations of the Shirt Club way back in season 1 as Jackson recounts, “No, I personally did all the physical labor of picking up the shirts and putting them in envelopes and the two of us would fish around the AstroBase for literally garbage and stick it in an envelope and hand number them as if they were…’ (Doc jumps in) ‘for another TV show! We’re idiots.’

Yep, a lot has changed for the guys behind The Venture Bros., since the season four finale. That said, it certainly was better than when Doc and Jackson had to wait for the pick up of the show’s second season all those years ago as Jackson notes “That was a long wait for a green light for season two.” “We had enough time to get poor enough to sell t-shirts of Soul-Bot.” adds Doc  ” And do storyboards for Maya and Miguel!”  answers Jackson.  And how about an update on future seasons of The Venture Bros.? “I’m starting to write the next season.”notes Jackson, but of course Doc is always coy about the future right? “Season six will be special.’

But first, you will have to suffer through a Season 5 of The Venture Bros., set to start June 2nd @ Midnight EST, only on Adult Swim. Check out a trailer here!

Check back in early Sunday for preview pics and clips then Monday morning for the review!