Where Does Boomerang Get Those Wonderful Toys?

"Boomer-April" has come to an end, and with this final post, I thought there wasn't anything better to look at than those classic bumpers featuring those wonderful toys. 

Boomerang was designed as a tribute to cartoons primarily from the 1960s, so populating its bumpers with vintage toys of that era was nothing short of genius. Add in Jeff Bergman as the announcer and a catchy tune by Michael Kohler, and you have a channel design that nobody can beat. And people wonder why they stuck with this for 15 years.

Congratulations on Boomerang for hitting the big 2-5. Here's hoping for another 25 years of coming back to us! Going off their track record, their next look will be here in 2030.

100 Years of Iwao Takamoto

 It was on this day 100 years ago that one of Hanna-Barbera's most prolific animators was born. That man was none other than Iwao Takamoto.

Truthfully speaking, what can you say about Iwao that hasn't already been said? The man was nothing short of brilliant, as seen by his impressive credits for Disney and Hanna-Barbera. He overcame great struggles, the most notable being his time at a Japanese internment camp during World War II. His creations continue to entertain and inspire generation after generation. Even during those many dark years at Hanna-Barbera, Takamoto continued to work hard and teach new, younger artists. 

Though Hanna-Barbera would cease to exist after Turner's merger with Time Warner, Takamoto continued to be active in the animation world. He was a creative consultant on numerous projects, primarily those centered on his most famous character, Scooby-Doo. Iwao Takamoto passed away on January 8th, 2007, from a heart attack. Dozens of tributes and eulogies from those in the industry followed. Below is a piece done by artist Scott Jeralds in memory of Iwao that appeared in several trade magazines following his passing. 

As an employee of Disney during its Silver Age and as someone who worked for most of Hanna-Barbera's history, it's no surprise that Iwao Takamoto was interviewed rather frequently. Here is a link to an interview he did for Animation Blast in 1999. It's a great read that I definitely recommend checking out. He also did a multi-part interview for the Japanese American National Museum in 1998. Below is the first clip, but if you'd like to see more, click the link right here. 

Of course, I also cannot recommend the books Iwao Takamoto: My Life with a Thousand Characters and Living With a Legend enough. These titles are quite different in style and objective, but they are both worthwhile reads for those interested in Iwao Takamoto. 

While Iwao may no longer be with us, his work and impact on animation is still felt, and that will continue for years to come. As his grave said, he was a man of gentle and humble spirit. His creative genius will live forever.

The Day Boomerang Changed Forever

As mentioned many times this month, Boomerang was a channel that was constantly evolving (or devolving, depending on who you ask). What started as a new home for classic cartoons would quickly become a dumping ground for its sibling channel, Cartoon Network. While it made some sense when older CN shows like Dexter's Lab and Powerpuff Girls joined the channel, shows like Almost Naked Animals and Pokémon felt completely out of place. Things would get so bad that CN would begin using the channel to burn off the last episodes of some of their less-desired shows.

By 2015, classic WB and Hanna-Barbera shows had virtually disappeared from the programming. Now, the channel aired The Garfield Show, Amazing World of Gumball, and a dizzying amount of Scooby and Tom and Jerry spin-offs. The channel had very clearly changed in its goals, and the folks at Turner decided a change in branding was necessary to reflect that.

On January 19th, 2015, Boomerang had its first (and so far only) rebrand. At this point, Boomerang was being designed as a family channel, with a similar audience to Cartoon Network. The rebrand reflected this, as it was very close to the look of that network at the time. The channel continued to acquire new shows and air CN programming. Overall, it wasn't the best time to be a Boomerang viewer.

Below is a look at what the channel looked like during the last minutes of its original look and the first minutes of its rebrand. While the last program to air was an MGM Tom and Jerry short, the last bit of content seen before the rebrand was a Nacho Bear short. Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time.

Video of the Week: Boomerang International Goodies

I'm not done talking about the international variants of Boomerang just yet. For this week's video segment, I thought it would be interesting to share some of the unique bumpers found on these channels. While many of the international Boomerangs simply ported over the existing promos, there were also several new bumpers, unlike those found in America. Here are a few.

This first one is from Africa and highlights their "Pick-a-Toon" feature.  For a time, viewers could vote for their favorite of three cartoons. The winner would get a marathon on weekdays. Not a completely new idea (Cartoon Network had a similar version in the States years back), but I'm somewhat surprised the domestic Boomerang never did it themselves. It certainly would have helped keep the schedule a little fresher. 

Latin America, in particular, seems to have gotten plenty of its own creative bumpers for the channel. This one previews a month-long celebration of cartoon ladies called "No Boys Allowed". I also highly recommend giving this YouTube channel a look if you'd like to see more Boomerang stuff from across the world.

Lastly, from Australia, comes a series of bumpers titled "Rock-Pod". Similar to Groovies, these were music videos based on classic cartoons. In this instance, The Flintstones and The Jetsons were the basis of these techno-esque remixes. The US Boomerang had similar videos to these, but the songs here are not the same as those ones. 

Whatever Happened to Bandit?

 It was never a secret that Doug Wildey disliked Bandit, Jonny Quest's four-legged friend. The character was designed not by Wildey, but by Hanna-Barbera artist Dick Bickenbach instead. Wildey felt the idea of a dog sidekick was played out, and preferred to have the role be filled by something more unique, like a monkey. 

While Wildey's opinions on Bandit softened over the years, he never grew to truly like the character. If you want proof, look at this fantastic sketch of Quest and Bannon Wildey put together. Where's Bandit? Jonny will answer that.

If you're curious who the fellow in the ninja mask is, it's "Sabertooth: The Last of His Kind." He's the creation of a man named John Fulce, who envisioned Sabertooth as the star of his own movie franchise. That never came to pass, but he interacted with many comic creators at a comic shop he owned, and several of them would sketch his character along with their own. Not quite the same thing, but that's certainly not a bad fate for your character, either. 

As a bonus for this little post, here's another Doug Wildey piece. This is a Jonny Quest poster done circa 1986. A very nice poster that's got the entire core cast together. What more could a Quest fan ask for?

Boomerang Across The Globe

 This month, we've spent plenty of time looking at Boomerang in the States, but what about elsewhere? After all, Boomerang is a network that spans the entire globe. Over a dozen regions have (or had) a version of the channel, and some of these variants stray shockingly far from the original vision. Today, we'll be looking at some of these channels and how they differ from the American version.

The first one we'll look at is Thailand's Boomerang. This channel launched in 2004 and has had quite a history. In its early years, the channel was pretty close to the American edition. It even had some of the same blocks, and a few new ones. "Tiny TV", for instance, was a block focused on "kid" versions of classic cartoon characters (The Flintstones Kids, Baby Looney Tunes, and so on). 

Over time, the channel started to air more modern cartoons, much like it did over here in America. The Flintstones and Tom and Jerry were replaced by titles like Postman Pat and Mr. Bean. But the strangest part about this version of Boomerang is that it went under... only to come roaring back. It was shut down in favor of a Toonami channel in 2012, only to come back in 2015 due to Boomerang's relaunch. As I said earlier, many international Boomerang channels are defunct these days, but this is the only one I'm aware of that straight-up cheated death.

One of the weirder Boomerangs is the version seen in Canada. This channel wasn't originally Boomerang at all, but rather, their own Cartoon Network. It was launched in 2012 and only became Boomerang in 2023, making it the newest version of the channel out there. Despite using the Boomerang name, the channel's programming so far is more in line with what you'd expect from CN. Shows like Adventure Time, Total Drama Island, and Rescue Heroes populate the schedule. While franchises such as Looney Tunes do appear, they are usually the more recent iterations. Very weird, and it makes you wonder why they even bothered using Boomerang's name.

Out of all these channels, however, it has to be the Latin American Boomerang that has the strangest history. In its early years, it had a similar trajectory to the American channel. The focus was on classic cartoons, changed to more modern fare, you know the story. Then, in 2008, after only seven years on air, the channel decided to jump into programming aimed at teens. Gone was Tom and Jerry, and in was The Secret Life of an American Teenager. The channel would eventually revert to its early formatting, but it wouldn't last. In 2021, the network was replaced with Cartoonito. This would be a fate shared by many international Boomerang channels, and I wouldn't be shocked to see it happen to more in the coming years.

And that's my short look at some of the more fascinating Boomerangs out there. Now, I would love to hear from some of my international readers. Did any of you watch these channels back in the day, and if so, what were your thoughts on them? I don't see much in the way of discussion about these stations, so I'd love to hear about them if anyone here viewed them. 

Video of the Week: Grooving to Boomerang Groovies

When I think of Boomerang, three things pop into my mind. One is the classic jingle, the second is the vintage collectibles, and the third is the music videos. Also known as "Groovies," these videos originally aired on Cartoon Network around the turn of the century before hopping over to Boomerang shortly after it got off the ground. They featured a diverse set of artists, shows, and visual designs, making them nothing short of a delight to watch. These were always a channel highlight, even if some got a little too much airtime (looking at you, Josie and the Pussycats).

But enough out of me. Here's a collection of every single music video. From High School Jim's "Live at Jellystone" to Pain's take on Jabberjaw, these are Boomerang's Groovies.

Boomerang Print Ads

 When launching a new channel, advertising is key. I mean, how else are people supposed to know the channel exists? Over the years, Boomerang has produced several ads in print, whether it be in newspapers, magazines, or comics. Here are some of the more interesting ones I've collected.

These first two come from the spring of 2000, right as the channel premiered. The first one advertises a promotion between Boomerang and Dairy Queen. During that time, customers could collect plush dolls of twelve classic Hanna-Barbera characters. It's certainly a smart marketing tactic to get these characters into kids' minds, and for ninety-nine cents, it's not a bad price, either.

The second one is a bit more interesting. It advertises a special offer from Dish and Boomerang. Included is a free Dish system, a free installation kit, and a Boomerang gift set. The gift set features a lunch-box, VHS tapes, and a music CD. I've discussed that set before, but I could never find where it originally came from. I figured it was some sort of employee gift, but nope! Anyone could get this, as long as they were also interested in getting Dish.

This next image advertises both the Boomerang channel and Cartoon Network's website. For those interested, this ad was a pack-in for a set of Jetsons toys Jack in the Box offered in 2000.

From 2017, here are two magazine ads for the now-defunct Boomerang app. Nothing too special, but I was a little shocked to see they even bothered making print ads for this.

I've got one more to share, and it's a doozy. I wanted to keep this post focused on American print ads, but this one was too good to pass up. This piece is from an Italian magazine in 2003, advertising the launch of Boomerang, as well as a Boomerang-themed adult-sized nappy. Pretty gross, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't think it was a little funny. 

Back to School, Boomerang Style

 I've got one last set of Boomerang promo merch to share with you, and this time around, they all have a particular theme. These items aren't your usual toys or VHS tapes but things you'd find inside the classroom. The first one of these is a Boomerang coloring book, complete with a handy set of crayons. I've yet to find anything on the pictures inside, but I imagine it's the standard promo art you see for these characters all the time.

If Crayola isn't your thing, then how about some Boomerang-branded chalk? This item contains one four-inch stick of chalk. The chalk itself is blue, so there's your Boomerang connection. I must say, out of all these promo items, this may very well be the weirdest.

In addition to chalk and crayons, there were also pen and pencil sets. The cross pen set has two pens. The green pen features a Yogi image, while the yellow has Huckleberry Hound. The pencils are interesting in that they were made in 2006, years after these initial products. You can kind of tell by the fact that Dee Dee from Dexter's Laboratory is featured among the characters.

And, in case you find yourself in math or art class, here's a Boomerang ruler. Tom and Jerry are seen in the foreground, while the silhouettes of many other characters are seen in the background.

The Time Boomerang Almost Went Preschool

 It is no secret that Boomerang is a channel that's had an identity crisis or two. It's been a hub for classic animation, a dumping ground for Cartoon Network shows, and a run-of-the-mill kids network. On some days, it's all three of those! But in the 2000s, it almost became something else. Today, I'm talking about the time Boomerang nearly went preschool.

The year is 2005. Boomerang had been around for five years, and even then, the channel felt like it was on autopilot. Meanwhile, Cartoon Network was embarking on new territory: programming for pre-schoolers. Nickelodeon had Nick Jr., Disney had Playhouse Disney, so Cartoon Network had to have "Tickle U." If you don't remember Tickle U, that's because it came and went in less than six months. Its first broadcast was in August 2005, and its final was in January 2006. The lesson CN learned from this experiment? According to CN Studios producer Brian Miller, "counterprogramming works!"

But what if this block had found success? According to this Toonzone post from 2004 (itself based on a Wall Street Journal piece), Boomerang would have been turned into a channel for pre-schoolers. Quite a switch-up from Popeye and Flintstones, but I do think it's worth pointing out that Boomerang was aimed at younger children from the start. Check out this news story announcing the channel if you don't believe me. Since those older cartoons were becoming more accessible thanks to DVD, I'm assuming the top brass thought this would be a great way to rejuvenate the channel for that younger audience.

And the reactions from the site's readers? Here's a taste.

In the end, Boomerang did not become a station devoted to Peppa Pig, but funny enough, that fate would indeed come to pass for many of its international incarnations. As of 2025, nine of those channels have been transformed into "Cartoonito" channels, the name coming from CN's second and more recent expansion into pre-school content. Will this happen to the American Boomerang? I don't think so, but then again, I never thought Warner Brothers would can finished Batman and Looney Tunes movies. Only time will tell. So the next time you're upset that Boomerang is airing newer cartoons instead of the classics, simply remember that it could always be worse!

Video of the Week: Boomerang Retromercials

When people think of classic-era Boomerang and its interstitials, most will think of "Groovies", short music videos covering a variety of cartoons, genres, and art styles. One thing I don't see many talk about, however, is the "Retromercials". As the name suggests, these promos featured characters advertising fake products in the style of vintage commercials. There were a lot of these created (more than I remembered), and I'm sharing a bunch of them today. From the Fantastic Four advertising household appliances to Secret Squirrel shilling for ACME portable holes, these are the retromercials of Boomerang.

Even More Boomerang Merchandise

 It's time for a second dose of Boomerang merchandise! You already know the drill, so let's get into the good stuff. The first thing I'm showing off today is this Boomerang view-master. Boomerang collectibles really liked to play up the "vintage" aspect of the channel, and since Hanna-Barbera cartoons had a couple of view-masters made, this is an appropriate piece of merchandising. The color is the same shade of blue as the channel logo, which also adorns the toy. If view-masters aren't your thing, there was also an Etch-a-Sketch made with a similar look.

Another interesting collectible was this set of six plush toys, apparently produced in 2002. This set included Yogi, Top Cat, Magilla Gorilla, Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss, and Hong Kong Phooey. At first glance, I suspected these were mere repacks of the plush dolls made for the WB Studio store, but these are actually completely new toys. If you're interested, I saw an eBay auction of this set mint in box. Just know it'll set you back a thousand bucks.

 Want a Boomerang bank to store your money in? Check out this item. This bank is made to look like an old-school TV. It's 5 inches tall and 3.5 inches wide. Quick Draw McGraw, Huckleberry Hound, Atom Ant, and Hong Kong Phooey are all represented on the TV screen. If I'm being honest, I'm surprised Hong Kong Phooey got so much play in this line of merchandise.

And last but certainly not least, here is a set of Boomerang tattoos. You know, in case you ever wanted a skiddish George Jetson plastered onto your arm!

The Boomerang Website Over the Years

 In the 2000s, you couldn't have a kids' TV channel without an accompanying website. Boomerang was no exception, but it was a little different than most. Rather than having its own dedicated site, Boomerang had a hub on Cartoon Network. It changed many times, and this post will focus on those various rebrands and redesigns. Let's start at the obvious place, the very beginning.

When Boomerang launched in 2000, Cartoon Network went all out for its section on the website. There were the obvious inclusions like flash games, but the real star of the show was its timeline. Starting in 1958 and ending in 1976, visitors could click on a particular year and learn about the cartoons that premiered then. These sections also mentioned hit movies and songs, news stories, and even merchandise from the cartoons. Here are a few of the years as they appeared on the site, but I recommend checking it out for yourself if you're interested.

In 2004, Cartoon Network's website got an all-new, flash-heavy rebrand to go with the channel's redesign. Boomerang still maintained a presence on this version, although it was smaller. The timeline was gone, and in its place were more flash games. Biographies on cartoonists like Tex Avery and an animation "how-to" starring Atom Ant were also added. While these were nice additions, they weren't exactly new. In the previous incarnation of the CN website, these items were part of its "Department of Cartoons" section. Kind of disappointing they didn't add anything actually new, but it was nice these features weren't abandoned.

In 2010, Cartoon Network got another major rebrand. Boomerang's section once again shrunk, with the focus being almost entirely on videos and games. I should also note the games that were present this time around. Instead of games about Looney Tunes, visitors were instead treated to flash games of The Powerpuff Girls and Teen Titans. Nothing wrong with either show, but it is indicative of the channel's transformation into Cartoon Network 2 and the disappearance of those classic shows.

While I'm pointing things out, the art featured in the first image is pretty odd. For one, the old CN logo is still being used. By 2010, the logo had gone through not one, but two redesigns. And two, Yogi's collar is miscolored!

And that was the last time Boomerang had a genuine presence on the CN website. In 2015, to go along with the channel's rebrand, a new site was made, which was little more than a trailer and some PR blurbs. 

In 2017, the website became the home of the Boomerang streaming service. That is how it would remain until it closed up shop in 2024. Ironically, the app shut down around the same time as the official Cartoon Network website did. There was a lot of controversy about that decision, but I understand why the powers that be did it, even as someone who browsed this site a ton back in elementary school. Kids simply don't visit websites these days, so why spend the money on them? Nowadays, searching "Boomerang.com" merely leads you to the Max website.

And that's the end of the saga of the Boomerang website. Much like the channel itself, it started out strong before slowly devolving into a shell of its former self. That's a downer way to end a post, so I'll give you a tease of what's in store for tomorrow. Come back on Thursday, and we'll look at even more Boomerang merchandise. I've got some cool oddities in store for that post!

The Blocks of Boomerang

 Boomer-April continues, and today, we're discussing a few of the most notable blocks that aired on the network over the years. Boomerang itself started as a programming block on Cartoon Network, so it wasn't shocking that the channel would have its own blocks. One of my personal favorites was a block called "Boomeraction". As the name implies, it was a block all about action cartoons, and ran during the entirety of Boomerang's original branding. Shows featured on the block included Jonny Quest, Herculoids, Justice League, Teen Titans, SWAT Kats, and the many versions of Ben 10. As you can see, the programming was a little all over the place in its later years, much like the channel itself. Still, I always found that part of its appeal. Here are a few of the bumpers that aired on the block.

One of the most interesting blocks was "Boomeroyalty". This block was different each month, with the spotlight shifting between a particular cartoon character. It was a two-hour block that ran on weekends, with the programming made up of cartoons related to the character. One month, the focus would be on Muttley, and the next, it could be Batman. It was a neat block that gave the channel some much-needed variety, especially in its later years. Below is a collection of bumpers promoting the block.

Boomerang aired many blocks in its initial form, but after the 2015 rebrand, these all went the way of the dinosaur. All of them, that is, except for Boomerang Theater. Boomerang Theater is exactly what you think it is. It's a block dedicated to animated films, primarily those from the Hanna-Barbera and Warner Bros. libraries. Over time, the block began incorporating original movies from Cartoon Network, and even a few Pokémon flicks. Nowadays, the block focuses on little else other than the dozens of direct-to-DVD Scooby and Tom and Jerry movies. That's great if you're into that stuff, but unfortunately for me, I am not. Even so, it's nice to see one of Boomerang's classic blocks still around. Check out the bumpers for the channel below, which are done in that classic "vintage toy" aesthetic that many of us associate with Boomerang.

Video of the Week: Fred, Shaggy, and Dastardly Advertise Boomerang

 Practically everyone remembers those classic promos that used to air on Boomerang, but who recalls the commercials for Boomerang? Back in the 2000s, it wasn't uncommon to see an ad for the channel during a commercial break on Cartoon Network, and today, I'm looking at three of them.

These commercials started to pop up around 2004, and continued to air on CN throughout the decade. Each starred a classic Hanna-Barbera duo, informing the viewer of Boomerang and why they should get the channel. This first one has Fred and Barney doing the talking. As was common during this time, the two are voiced by Jeff Bergman.

The second ad in this series is all about everyone's favorite dastardly duo, Dick Dastardly and Muttley. Like in the first commercial, Bergman provides Dastardly's voice. Interestingly, this appears to be the only time he's voiced that character. He does the role pretty well, so I'm shocked he hasn't voiced him anywhere else.

The last commercial stars, you guessed it, Scooby-Doo and Shaggy. What's interesting about this one is that it features Scott Innes as the voice of the characters. By this point, Casey Kasem had returned to the role of Shaggy following his departure from it for several years. I assume Innes is heard here because he was cheaper and easier to get for a small project such as this. Also, I apologize for the spotty quality of this one. It's the only upload I could find by itself, and of course, it's recorded off a TV. Oh well!

Boomerang Merchandise

 I'm not sure how well-known this is, but over the years, there's been plenty of merchandise built around the Boomerang channel. I don't believe any of these items were mass-produced, and I haven't found much info regarding where they came from. They may have been gifts given to cable companies to carry the channel, or maybe they were sold at the Cartoon Network employee store. Wherever they came from, there are a lot of interesting pieces out there with the Boomerang branding, and I'm going to look at some of my favorites.

First for today is this set of Boomerang matching cards. The second photo shows off every card, and while there are a lot of characters presented, there are a few weird omissions. You're telling me Grape Ape gets a card, but nobody from The Flintstones does?

Next is a neat little clock, displaying the disembodied head of Atom Ant. Though it's somewhat obscured, I find the artwork of Atom Ant to be rather interesting. It doesn't resemble any of the usual promo art you see of the character, almost looking like one of Craig Kellman's designs instead. To date, this is the only time I've seen this specific art.

If clocks and cards aren't your thing, maybe you'd prefer this Boomerang wicker basket? Store your lunch in this snazzy looking piece, adorned with art of the one and only Yogi Bear. What, were you expecting Speed Buggy?

Boomerang not only has something for you to store food in, but also glasses for your drinks! They're a little hard to see in this photo, but each glass has artwork of a specific character. From left to right, they are Yogi, Top Cat, Huckleberry Hound, and Snagglepuss

That's all for today, but I've only scratched the surface here. There are a couple more Boomerang items out there, and later in the month, I'll have a follow-up covering those ones. Just like an actual Boomerang, we'll be coming back to this topic soon enough!

Boomerang's Beginnings

 25 years ago today, viewers across the world were given a new avenue to watch their favorite cartoons of yesteryear. It was on that day that Boomerang was launched by Turner. After several years of classic WB, MGM, and Hanna-Barbera cartoons being set aside in favor of newer programming, the decision was made to give these shows a new home. Boomerang became that home, and it's been going ever since.

While the channel launched in 2000, Boomerang's origins could be traced back to December 1992, a mere two months after Cartoon Network launched. Boomerang began as a programming block that ran for four hours every weekend. Each airing would focus on toons from a particular year and featured no commercial interruption. Below is a sample of the promos that aired for the block in its earliest format.

The block would continue to air in some form or another until October 3rd, 2004, when it was finally discontinued. In those twelve years, much had changed on the network. Though CN was created to give these classic shows a new home, that didn't last long. As the nineties continued, the network expanded its programming with new shows made in-house. Other blocks like Toonami saw the channel acquire anime and action cartoons. The 1996 Warner-Turner merger further deepened their catalog, allowing them a vast library of WB cartoons previously off-limits. With all these new shows on the schedule, it became harder for the old ones to find space. So in 1999, it was announced that Boomerang would become its own network. Much like the block, it would feature zero commercials. The focus was on classic cartoons, and only classic cartoons (it wouldn't be that way for long, though that's another story).

When the channel was launched, an event was held that saw many Hanna-Barbera alumni come together and celebrate the occasion. These photos come from Brian Levant, who directed the two live-action Flintstones flicks (and is pictured next to the original CN head, Betty Cohen). Everyone from Tony Curtis to Genndy Tartakovsky was in attendance. It doesn't get much better than that!

Finally, to end this post on a high note, and start "Boomer-April" off in style, we have this video of the channel's launch. I wonder if anyone watching this back in the day thought they were still going to use this branding fifteen years later. Stay tuned, as this celebration is just getting started!