100 Greatest Superhero Stories Ever
By Steve Lam
Screen Capture from The Tick Season 2, Episode 1: “The Little Wooden Boy and the Belly of Love”
#99. The Tick Season 2, Episode 1: “The Little Wooden Boy and the Belly of Love”
Medium
Animated Television Series
Release Date
September 9, 1995
Credits
Director: Hank Tucker
Writers: Ben Edlund and Richard Leibmann-Smith
Cast: Townsend Coleman as The Tick, Rob Paulsen as Arthur, Jess Harnell as Sewer Urchin, Cam Clarke as Die Fledermaus, Kay Lenz as America Maid, Jennifer Hale as Carmelita Vatos, Steve Susskins as J.J. Eureka Vatos
The Reason It’s Great
The Tick is one of the most ridiculous superheroes ever created—and his world is equally ludicrous. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t inject some emotion into a storyline that’s completely absurd and hilarious.
In the Season 2 premiere episode, The Tick’s faithful sidekick, Arthur, meets Carmelita Vatos and is instantly smitten by her. The two soon start to spend time with each other and The Tick starts to feel neglected. It’s always the biggest guys that have the most sensitive hearts.
When Arthur abandons hobby night, The Tick creates a new companion out of a plank of wood. The Tick’s woodworking skills are on full display and he ends up creating The Little Wooden Boy. I have a strange feeling that the inspiration for Wilson in Castaway (2000) was rooted in this moment.
When The Tick, Arthur, Carmelita, and her long-lost father are trapped in the belly of a cross-country jogging whale (please don’t ask, just do yourself a big favor and watch the episode), our hero has to resort to sacrificing his new wooden friend in order to escape. The quick switch between absurdity and the feels make this a fun half-hour.