# Cartoon within a cartoon and/or self-aware cartoons **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 21, 2009, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961 "2009-09-21T16:51:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961/21 "2009-09-22T03:21:43Z")
> [@Brainiac](#): > > Cartoon within cartoons Itchy & Scratchy ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961/22 "2009-09-22T21:26:01Z")
Aaaaaaand every time that [Billy draws](http://joshreads.com/images/09/06/i090617famcirc.jpg)Family Circus. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961/23 "2009-09-22T22:55:53Z")
No love for the Brown Hornet? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961/24 "2009-09-22T23:07:56Z")
Terrance and Phillip in South Park ---
**Author:** ![TheMadHun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@TheMadHun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheMadHun)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961/25 "2009-09-24T08:37:57Z")
[Jughead reading Archie Comics](http://www.creators.com/comics/archie/46150.html) ---
**Author:** ![TheMadHun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@TheMadHun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheMadHun)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961/26 "2009-09-24T09:27:52Z")
Today’s [The Argyle Sweater](http://www.gocomics.com/theargylesweater/2009/09/24) is self referential ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961/27 "2009-09-24T12:00:30Z")
[List of fictional comics](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_comics) ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961/28 "2009-09-24T13:19:18Z")
Radioactive Man. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961/29 "2009-09-24T14:04:04Z")
Calvin (of Calvin and Hobbes fame) loved his comics. ---
**Author:** ![Trafalgar\_Laura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trafalgar_laura/32/2907_2.png) [@Trafalgar\_Laura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trafalgar_Laura)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961/30 "2009-09-25T05:08:51Z")
SPOILER warning for Houshin Engi, although I doubt anyone here has heard of it or would care too much: In the Japanese comic Houshin Engi, “fourth wall” breaking jokes were fairly common. The biggest one was probably the “Bad End” where it seemed the main character had been killed, and the next issue/chapter began with a whole new comic called “Ennui Academy” and filled with various manga/anime cliches (someone late on the way to school eating a slice of toast, someone dreaming of being the best in Japan, weird European-Japanese culture combinations, extra fiancees, panty shots.) Fortunately it was cut short by some of the supporting cast in the ‘real’ comic watching the new series; they said that comic was too boring to be allowed to be published, so they’d have to continue on with or without the main character. The really weird thing is that Houshin Engi itself wasn’t exactly a comedy series, although it had comedy in it. Just a very, very strange and self-aware series. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961/31 "2009-09-25T13:28:57Z")
On the Muppet Show, Fonzie Bear was ranting about having Senior Wenchez and his puppets on the show. “Who wants to watch a show with a bunch of stupid puppets? Nobody.” After he stormed off, Kermit looked at the camera and said “I didn’t have the heart to tell him.” ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961/32 "2009-09-25T13:49:16Z")
::slight nitpick:: It is \*Fozzie Bear (or Fozzy, I’m not sure) \* ---
**Author:** ![Brainiac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8797f3/32.png) [@Brainiac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brainiac)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961/33 "2009-09-25T13:57:19Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > [List of fictional comics](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_comics) They mentioned fake comic Bash Brannigan in “How to Murder Your Wife” I loved Jack Lemon in that movie, cartooning his daydream of dropping his wife Verna Lisi into the fresh concrete being poured outside as he tried to concentrate. The machine went Poketa-pocketa and he would write that in the comic balloons. Then she splits and he gets framed for her murder. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961/34 "2009-09-25T14:10:59Z")
DC Comics character **Ambush Bug** ’s shtick was that he knew he was a comic book character. (“Real”) DC editor Julius Schwartz made several apparances in his books. ETA: Bah - missed **Reality Chuck** ’s reference above. Pish. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961/35 "2009-09-25T14:39:30Z")
[_ **Ink Pen** _](http://www.gocomics.com/inkpen/2009/09/14/) is a strip about an employment agency for comic strip characters. Back when _ **Dick Tracy** _ used to be worth reading, there was a character who drew two comic strips called “Bugs and Worms” and “The Invisible Tribe.” The joke, such as it was, was that he was a cartoonist who couldn’t draw. The former strip had nothing but dots and squiggly lines for its artwork; the latter had no artwork at all. ---
**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961/36 "2009-09-25T21:58:01Z")
The anime series **Martian Successor Nadesico** has a bunch of anime fanboys and often features their favorite show **Gekigangar 3** ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961/37 "2009-09-25T23:42:13Z")
Order of the Stick seems to exist in a point somewhere between realizing they’re comic book characters and merely knowing their world operates on comic principles. ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961/38 "2009-09-26T03:27:00Z")
> [@Earthworm\_Jim](#): > > The anime series **Martian Successor Nadesico** has a bunch of anime fanboys and often features their favorite show **Gekigangar 3** There is also an anime series, **Genshiken** , about a college anime club. The members of the club are seen watching their favorite high-school-girl anime show, “Kujibiki Unbalance.” Fans liked it so much that a separate Kujibiki Unbalance series was produced. One of my favorite anime series, **Ouran High School Host Club** , constantly breaks the fourth wall, and one of the characters, who has appointed herself club manager, occasionally breaks into the action to make a speech explaining what is going on. Also, someone makes a remark about people with AB blood type\*, and the main character, Haruhi, apologizes to those in the audience with AB blood. \*Some Japanese believe blood type is an indicator of personality. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961/39 "2009-09-26T04:26:47Z")
The Freak Brothers like to read “Tricky Prickears, the Deaf, Blind Cop” and “Little Orphan Amphetamine”. ---
**Author:** ![Ston\_Col](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Ston\_Col](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ston_Col)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961/40 "2009-09-26T04:33:18Z")
I believe Deadpool’s motto is “Tearing down the fourth wall, one brick at a time.” At one point, on the recap page, he actually invades Marvel Comics to find the location of a villain. At another time, he comments on the simple pleasure of thinking in little yellow boxes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-within-a-cartoon-and-or-self-aware-cartoons/510961.md?page=3)