A-Z Challenge

ACME Mail Order Catalog

April 1, 2021 /

Good morning!  First let me say I’m glad that you stopped by.  Today you’ll notice there are multiple headlines (posts) and if you’re not here for April’s blog fest, (BoTB here) then you’ll find what you’re looking for in my side menu but since you’re here why not check this out! 

I’m joining a community of insane inspiring people who put themselves through the daily rigger, Monday through Saturday with Sundays off, to compose alphabet sensitive posts.  Some bloggers pick a specific topic and others choose a random theme.  There’s no right or wrong way to do it, other than to do what works for you. 

For the next 30 days, I am sharing with you pencil illustrations of some memorable Looney Tunes cartoon characters.  Had I gotten on board sooner mentally for the A2Z Challenge then I’d liked to have colorized my drawings like I did with my post badge in Procreate.  I’m confident while I put a beloved animated figure on paper I will learn the identify of some I had long forgotten and others might be altogether new to me and I’m sure I’ll have to get creative with the tricky alphabet letters.  

For the letter A, I give you the ACME Mail Order Catalog.  Who else would you expected but Wile E. Coyote browsing the pages to find the best contraption for catching a road runner?

Original pencil drawing

I thought I’d see what Wikipedia has to share on this subject and this is what I found.

The Acme Corporation is a fictional corporation that features prominently in the Road Runner/Wile E. Coyote animated shorts as a running gag featuring outlandish products that fail or backfire catastrophically at the worst possible times. The name is also used as a generic title in many cartoons, especially those made by Warner Bros., and films, TV series, commercials and comic strips.

Perhaps you’d like to flip through the illustrated ACME catalog (unfortunately, the link doesn’t exist any longer and I had to remove it) to make your wish list for this Christmas.

Just for the fun, watch the clip of some of the Best ACME Product fails featured on this YouTube vid.  Do you have a favorite?

 

Which one gets your vote  ANVIL, BATMAN OUTFIT, FEMALE ROAD RUNNER COSTUME, GIANT RUBBER BAND, or BIRD SEED?  It’s hard for me to pick just one because each clip made me giggle.  😀

Thanks for allowing me to be a part of your day.  I ask that leave a direct link for today’s post in comments to ensure others can find an easy way back to you.  Also,  over the last few months I’ve noticed many bloggers with use Gravatar do not have their active blog address linked to their profile.  You may want to double check yours to make sure it’s listed.  I’m heading over to the A2Z headquarters to see who’s joined the party now.  I hope to see you again tomorrow for the next letter in the alphabet in my Looney Tunes Art Sketch series! X💋X💋 Cathy

Original pencil drawing Pixelmator Pro processed with ethereal filter #05. Click to enlarge image in new tab.

60 Comments

  • JEN Garrett

    April 8, 2021 at 10:47 pm

    Roadrunner is secretly my most-est favorite character of the whole Loony Tunes clan. (Whoops, guess my secret’s out!)
    I’m glad they cut the dialogue from cartoon. It highlighted the physical comedy and let the animators play with the simplicity of it.

    • Cathy Kennedy

      May 14, 2021 at 7:41 am

      Jen,

      The Road Runner & Coyote shorts definitely benefited from no dialogue. The animators did an excellent job conveying to youngster the comic relief with their illustrations, music, and sound effects. Those were great old cartoons!

  • John Holton

    April 3, 2021 at 11:41 pm

    There’s a book I think you’d love,. if only for the title story: “Coyote vs. Acme,” It’s a mock legal document where Wile E. Coyote is suing the Acme Corporation, and it details some of the funnier moments in the cartoons. When you see it all written out in dry, didspassionate legal language, somehow it makes what happens to the poor oyote that much funnier. The writer’s last name is Frazer, that’s all I can remember. It was one of the first books I bought from Amazon…

    Road Runner is one of those cartoons where you know exactly what’s going to happen and it still makes you laugh. It’s pure genius.

    I just learned there was a cartoon that pitted Wile E. against Bugs Bunny. I told Mary, and she said “My God, Bugs is a sociopath. That poor coyote.”

    Great drawing, by the way!

    • Cathy Kennedy

      April 5, 2021 at 8:21 am

      John,

      Thanks for passing on the book info. I checked Amazon for the title. It still shows but there’s only paperbook copy available which I’m not interested in and the Kindle version is a bit more expensive than I want to pay right now. I’m horrible about getting e-books that cost a whole lot less and then don’t read them, so I’m not going to throw away anymore money unless I know for sure I’m going to read something. 🙂

      Yeah, I agree the Road Runner/Coyotte shorts are totally predictable yet you always laugh. Mary’s comment made me smile but I don’t think of Bugs as a sociopath. He’s just an ace at outsmarting others usually which means the coyote doesn’t stand a chance. 🙂

  • Bridgina Molloy the Wicked Writer, (aka abydos6)

    April 3, 2021 at 7:06 am

    Loving your art, also here in Ireland there is a blinds shop called…’The Acme Blind Company’ they are located (or where given the pandemic) in Limerick City. I always laugh when I see their vans and think how awesome it is that they’ve gone into making blinds now lol. Awesome first post.

    • Cathy Kennedy

      April 5, 2021 at 8:48 am

      Bridgina,

      Ahh, so you’re from Ireland. That’s cool! I always smile when I see a business bearing the Acme name. 😀 Hey, let’s hope Acme get those window blinds right. lol

  • Tamara

    April 3, 2021 at 2:53 am

    Hi Cathy, I commented a day or two ago, but I guess it didn’t go through. I enjoy a lighthearted theme!
    Here’s my suggestion: you auction off your cartoon, and us readers will colorize them.

    • Cathy Kennedy

      April 5, 2021 at 9:08 am

      Tamara,

      Your first comment did go through. I can’t recall now if it WordPress held temporarily for me to approve now but it shows up on down the comments, though. Sorry it didn’t initially show up, though.

  • mollyscanopy

    April 2, 2021 at 7:29 pm

    Great post! If ACME had an online catalog, I’d be ordering from it today. I actually bought a shopping bag at an ACME grocery story in south Jersey once because it reminded me of Roadrunner! https://mollyscanopy.com/

    • Cathy Kennedy

      April 5, 2021 at 9:11 am

      Molly,

      It’s so cool and fun to know others associate ‘ACME’ with road runner and the coyote but what’s great is there are actual business who use this for their company name. lol

  • Crackerberries

    April 2, 2021 at 11:37 am

    I seriously do not know how I didn’t think to look at the first post…. BAT-MAN outfit every time. I love Wile E Coyote mostly because I feel bad for him…. and I loved the part about community of {insane} ←ha ha … inspiring people. No sure why your comments went into spam (sometimes that wordpress site gets on my last nerve). Looking forward to seeing more.
    Cheers,
    ☺Changing the way you think, changes how you feel♥

    • Cathy Kennedy

      April 5, 2021 at 9:14 am

      WordPress does that sometimes but then I’ve seen Blogger do it, too. I’ve learned over the years to try to keep an eye on my Spam folder just because of this problem. It doesn’t make sense, either. I mean I have people who are regular commenters and yet sometimes I’ll find them in my Spam. roll eyes Thanks for joining me in the fun!

  • -Eugenia

    April 2, 2021 at 11:33 am

    What a great start to the A2Z challenge, Cathy! I love your fun-filled post and the clip of the Acme catalog product fails! The Giant Rubber Band is my fave and hilarious! I always enjoyed watching Wile E Coyote, which brings back fond memories. And let the fun begin! 😘

  • ahtdoucette

    April 2, 2021 at 7:01 am

    As a child, I would have loved to get a peek at that catalog!!! Okay, as an adult too. At any age. I know it “isn’t real” but still. Great start to the challenge!

  • Pamela J

    April 2, 2021 at 6:54 am

    So love your theme, and at a push I’d have to choose the rubber band as it always makes me laugh. Is it wrong that I always felt sorry for Wile E Coyote? I always thought they should have let him catch something, just once.
    Great theme and good luck for the rest of the month.

    • Cathy Kennedy

      April 2, 2021 at 10:57 am

      Pamela,

      It’s funny that you said that about Wile E Coyote that they should’ve let him catch something once because I came across the cartoon where he actually catches the road runner as seen below. 😀

    • Cathy Kennedy

      April 5, 2021 at 9:20 am

      Mimi,

      I understand. Wile was a big dummy when it came to being smart. You’d think he would’ve learned after his first couple of fails that maybe Acme products don’t work or at least not for him.

  • Jamie

    April 1, 2021 at 9:01 pm

    Love the drawing.
    I recently came across a music video form the 1980s that had someone from “Acme Trucking.” I’ve been wondering if the Looney Tunes cartoons inspired the use of “Acme” for fictional company.

    • Cathy Kennedy

      April 2, 2021 at 7:17 am

      Jamie,

      According to Wiki,

      ACME is a generic title in many cartoons, especially those made by Warner Bros., and films, TV series, commercials and comic strips

      . I don’t recall if Wiki mentioned the initial inspiration source, though. Thanks for dropping by!

  • Arlee Bird

    April 1, 2021 at 6:52 pm

    Actually, my first job that I got through my own efforts (answering a classified ad in the Knoxville News Sentinel) was at a carnival supply company located at 125 E. Jackson Ave. The company was called Acme Premium Supply. It’s been gone since the late seventies, but I guess their main office in St Louis is still in business. We sold stuffed animals along with a lot of other weird stuff that carnies would use. My friends used to tease me about the company as they made the cartoon connection.

    I worked there for about 3 years or so while I attended U.T. It really was a pretty cool job.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

    • Cathy Kennedy

      April 2, 2021 at 6:17 am

      Lee,

      We moved to town in 1979, so I’m not sure if Acme Premium Supply was still in business then but it almost rings a bell. Perhaps, we passed something with the company’s name on it and that’s why. What a ribbing you must’ve taken over that position but what fun! Thanks for sharing the story and visit, my friend.

  • Lisa

    April 1, 2021 at 3:51 pm

    Oh, I do like the coyote browsing! I love the spine of the catalog! As always, you’re going to bring a lot of fun to the challenge!

  • lissa

    April 1, 2021 at 1:26 pm

    I haven’t even thought about ACME catalog. I don’t remember much about loony toons, it’s been a while since I saw them.

    Wile E. Coyote is fun to watch though I find his failure a bit sad sometimes. You’ve captured his immense interest in the catalog.

    Have a lovely day.

    • Cathy Kennedy

      April 5, 2021 at 9:22 am

      Lissa,

      Oh, I watched the Looney Tunes all the time as a kid and I really enjoyed rewatching them on YouTube. What fun! Thanks for joining me. 😉

  • Rain Frances

    April 1, 2021 at 12:20 pm

    I LOVE IT!!! Oh and the anvil will always win out for me, it has so many good uses lol…great job Cathy, I’m looking forward to the rest!!! 🙂 🙂

  • Sandee

    April 1, 2021 at 10:01 am

    Well done and I love this cartoon. I never rooted for Wile E., but I loved that he tried so hard to beat the roadrunner. He never did. Well done right out of the chute.

    Have a fabulous day, Cathy. Love and hugs. ♥

    • Cathy Kennedy

      April 5, 2021 at 9:26 am

      Sandee,

      He certainly did try hard but he did actually catch the road runner once. It didn’t go as well as he though, either. I attached the video clip of that moment a few comments up, if you’re interested in seeing that historical moment.

  • Alana Mautone

    April 1, 2021 at 9:19 am

    Childhood memories here, and I am going to enjoy your theme. Ah, Acme products! If you think about it,Cathy, some of those products weren’t fails. For example, the female Road Runner costume worked well -all too well. The Batman outfit did also – if only Coyote hadn’t rammed into the mountain due to his not paying attention to his flying. Some of these are “after my time” so I must vote for the Anvil just for sheer funniness. (My personal favorite was the tunnel that Roadrunner would paint into the mountain, but I don’t think he used Acme paint for that.)

    • Cathy Kennedy

      April 1, 2021 at 11:32 am

      Alana,

      I guess you’re right. I didn’t stop to look at it that way. The female Road Runner costume cracks me up. That didn’t go at all like he hoped. lol Yes, I like it when Wile would paint a tunnel on the side of the mountain. That was a lot of fun and I always wished that I could do that. 😀

    • Cathy Kennedy

      April 5, 2021 at 9:23 am

      Alana,

      I could’ve sworn I replied to your comment but you’re right the coyote didn’t fail always. The female road runner costume is a hoot and something he totally didn’t expect, either. lol

  • Birgit

    April 1, 2021 at 8:37 am

    I had a feeling Acme would be your first and very appropriate post. Poor Wiley E. was never successful despite his brilliance.

  • Thomas Anderson

    April 1, 2021 at 7:06 am

    Hi, Cathy!

    “Annnnnnnd they’re off! The starter’s pistol has fired, the field of blogletes has bolted from the gate, and the 2021 A to Z Challenge is underway!

    I am excited to see your month long salute to Looney Tunes, a cartoon series I faithfully watched in my youth. When I was a boy, we lived within walking distance of an ACME supermarket. I always thought ACME was an acronym. Turns out the seldom used word means the highest point or stage, something or someone that represents perfection. Yessum, I certainly remember the fictional ACME company’s catalog and products showing up often in Road Runner and other cartoons. I enjoyed the video showing some of the gadgets the coyote bought from the ACME catalog. I don’t remember him donning that Batman costume, but I remember the other gimmicks. That heavy anvil is a familiar sight. It seemed like a lot of hard work, but an anvil or a heavy steel safe dropped from high elevation was the weapon and m.o. of choice for quite a few villainous characters in cartoons and comedies I watched as a kid. The giant rubber band is also hilarious. I love your sketch of Wile E. Coyote paging through the April 2021 edition of the ACME catalog. I’m guessing this time he’ll buy a bear trap to use on the unsuspecting bird. Perhaps later in the year, when the dust settles and the smoke clears, you will bring back some of your pencil drawings In Living Color as you have done in previous years.

    Congratulations on participating in this year’s A to Z, dear friend Cathy. As Speedy Gonzales would say, “See you tamale!”

    • Cathy Kennedy

      April 1, 2021 at 7:35 am

      Tom,

      My hope is to colorize all of my Looney Tunes sketches. I didn’t even attempt to do that being pressed for time and not wishing to added undo stress. This is meant to be fun, not work. 🙂 I’m glad you joined me for the first installment. Hopefully, my drawings, tidbits, and the occasional cartoon clip will take you back to your childhood warming your heart while giving you a chuckle. Thanks for joining in the fun, my friend!

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