#baffy void

[that-rackin-frackin-varmint]

#86 — 8/12/2022 11:01 AM

Unprompted Daffy (+ Bugs) character discussion

Present day thoughts:

I think I'm way off. Daffy's materialism technically is a valid part of his various portrayals -- but it's better to encompass this as a product of his perfectionism and neurodivergent-related trauma. Not narcissism.

What he wants is either too abstract or demanding to be fulfilled. And so he either lashes out in extremes and asks for the world and more; demanding more than he actually wants, or he takes to escapism through his looniness in order to cushion the harsher reality that who he is isn't easy to love or embrace.

Bugs, on the other hand, seemed to be brimming with ambition in his early years, showing a versatility in his roles due, in part, to the many creative contributions generated by the directors, writers and artists of that time. And when he had made self-aware gags at being a performer for WB's, he spoke in a manner that suggested he wanted to appease his employers and was personally gunning for an Oscar.

The guy loves being challenged, loves being put through adversity, and loves the satisfaction of earning a win through his efforts. So it feels almost pointed that after he got an actual Oscar for a short like Knighty Knight Bugs in the 50s, the guy is a lot more mellowed out from that point. It's hc-territory to say he stopped having ambition after he got an Oscar, but the timing seems to line up conveniently to suggest that he fell into some form of creative stagnation and went along with less experimentation in his shorts. So to me, him having simple pleasures just comes with his altogether easy-going nature and lack of serious challenge nowadays.

[that-rackin-frackin-varmint]

#41 — 07/31/2022 9:28 AM

And here’s domestic Baffy fuel for y’all

Present day thoughts:

See, I like that they can have these moments where they just banter. It adds some background on what they get up to beyond their competitive rivalry/antagonism in their classic shorts.

Also Bugs can actually be quite open about casual things when conversing with Daffy. "How would you liked to be remembered?" and he gives a genuine response. He's willing to be sincere with Daffy, and this is a consistent aspect to his character whether or not it's Daffy. He's sometimes very blunt and childishly naive, other times he's deceptive and feigning innocence.

Even though in some portrayals he can be deliberately obtuse that it feels like he has some vendetta against Daffy, this other casually open and frank side of him is not gatekept from Daffy. So you can see why Daffy sometimes lets himself be vulnerable around Bugs. Sometimes Bugs can be a simple sweetheart, which makes it all the more devious when he uses that disposition while tricking his adversaries.

[that-rackin-frackin-varmint]

#36 — 07/30/2022 8:04 AM

The thread commentary where I go insane over Issue 12 of the Looney Tunes comics

(Adding the read more tag here because this post is hefty. All the text proceeding this is my live commentary from back then)

Oh this was fast. Also probably doesn’t count since Bugs is kissing him saying “Mama”

Running into Bugs’ arms for safety as usual, I see

In the roaring twenties, Bugs was still considered entertaining. But for stand up comedy. Which sorta makes sense since he does say funny remarks.

Just Daffy ref— I love how the line art gives the illusion of eyelashes

This song Bugs is singing is from the movie “The Cotton club” — so this story thing could be a parody? Maybe? Also here’s the song if y’wanna hear it. Really nice sounding.

Ok bruh if you didn’t distract Daffy with a kiss, he would’ve had more time before he’d get caught

Anyways, take two. Daffy goes back disguised as a more believable identity. Bugs still kinda playing along with a teasing “Who? Little ol me?”

Also that last panel… Bugs kinda does have that condition in a meta sense as do most franchise characters

This guy’s funny

Bugs pulled a BiA

Present day thoughts: Aside from the comic cover being a hilarious thumbnail that incidentally smokes out the Baffy shippers (me), I found this story to be pretty standard for a Bugs and Daffy involved plot. See, if Bugs doesn't contribute much to the story and gets disproportionate applause for doing the bare minimum, I tend to be less engaged with the story. Like, unless he actually earned the applause, then I'll bite. His popularity plays a decent role in this one, so yeah, I'm not attached beyond the kiss. Also our server made that kiss panel a sticker and called it "oedipus complex, bugs?" and I feel like that deserves to be mentioned at least once.

[that-rackin-frackin-varmint]

#15 — 07/28/2022 7:20 AM

Another edition to the long documented “Bugs going along with whatever Daffy wants cuz he’s amused by him” thread

Present day thoughts:

There's a reason Bugs and Daffy hang out in some of their shorts.

[that-rackin-frackin-varmint]

A apt distinction between Dafpork and Baffy (followed by a long ramble)

Since the looney tunes show era, it's not uncommon for looney tunes fans and even modern looney tunes to define Daffy and Porky's dynamic to be of the bully and doormat variant. Doesn't help when the latter half of the classic looney tunes shorts assert Daffy to be dull but domineering, and Porky to be competent but meek.

I don't reject these portrayals, but I do find it reductive to reduce Porky's aptitude for hubris, or Daffy's capacity for emotional intelligence... sometimes intelligence, period. Especially when people write them in comparison to how they write Baffy's dynamic.

So, here's a comic strip that encapsulates both Dafpork and Baffy's dynamics in a way that helps me summarise my points. The premise is the same for both: Daffy tells the latter a joke.

Here, Daffy tells a harmless (albeit flirtatious) joke. And Porky responds by crushing his trash can over Daffy's head and remarking on the quality of his humor.

As best friends, this is their normal -- usually Daffy initiates by tormenting Porky, and Porky will retaliate (sometimes dishing out more than Daffy may have earned). Other times Porky initiates and Daffy responds accordingly. This is how they banter.

Now let's move onto Baffy.

Here, Daffy tells a joke, and Bugs seems all too familiarised to his antics. Then Daffy pushes for a compromise, Bugs gives in. And then Daffy makes him regret the decision.

As best friends, this is their normal -- Daffy initiates by tormenting Bugs, Bugs anticipates this and usually shuts him down. Daffy pleads with Bugs to humor him, Bugs allows it, and then immediately regrets it (to varying degrees of legitimacy).

This is to say:

Porky can fall into the trap of being a doormat, but when it comes to Daffy, is a lot more emotionally volatile to the point of explosive anger. They're also very good at playing to their roles in relation to each other, making their interactions in shorts snappy, varied, unpredictable and hilarious.

Bugs is more attuned to psychological warfare and mind games, but has a track record of giving into Daffy's whims against his better judgment. He also has shown/admitted many times that he has a soft spot for Daffy, which makes their shorts carry this level of unspoken familiarity that is rarely found in classic looney tunes.

In the shorts, Dafpork operate like the duo that click the moment they clock each other, while Baffy operate like the duo with undisclosed history. Which I find super interesting when in terms of chronology, it should technically be the other way around since Dafpork shorts are greater in bulk and came way earlier before Baffy.

All this goes to show that truly, in my heart of hearts, Porky is NOT as soft-hearted as modern looney tunes media may have you believe. And Bugs has an understated weakness to pitiable pleas from sensitive birds.

[that-rackin-frackin-varmint]

#83 — 8/11/2022 8:59 AM

Present day thoughts:

I don't agree with bestie's takes here and they're a little off with implying that Daffy gets easily outwitted past 1950 among other things. But the sentiment that Daffy's jealousy and self-hatred grew in reaction to Bugs is very juicy of a concept.

It's kind of funny to me, my description of Daffy feels more fitting to Bugs now, considering my preferred portrayals of him are in his Tex Avery and Bob Clampett shorts. I unironically think my takes on Daffy here are now more applicable to Bugs the way I see him.

Daffy's insane but also drawn to self-actualisation and self-defeating thinking. I think he self-sabotages more than Bugs, and it's either caused by overthinking or pure impulse. One common denominator I find about his character is that he can be self-aware in both a Watsonian and Doylist perspective, but will obfuscate this from himself wilfully or when narratively appropriate to. His propensity for jealousy and self-hatred comes from a base trait of being misunderstood and othered.

Whether intentional or not from his early years of conceptualisation, Daffy's been designed with a potency for emotionally resonant conflict. I'll be a bit reductive here, but Bugs is more a vehicle to Daffy's habit of spiralling into negativity when his paranoia is affirmed by external forces (i.e. not being the top star, or considered a valuable duck). Daffy has been shown to idolise celebrities, and actors throughout his portrayals in multiple media. Dude's got feelings of inadequacy and it's not uniquely due to Bugs.

[that-rackin-frackin-varmint]

#88 — 8/12/2022 12:37 PM

Baffy + Warner Sibs family au prompts

Present day thoughts:

I actually don't have any inclinations to hc this family dynamic. I lost interest cuz I reached a point where I don't really want to see Bugs as good with children beyond being able to tolerate being in the same room as them without blowing a casket.

I like when he's got the mental capacity of a toddler and is trying to pretend like he doesn't. I like when the Looney Tunes aren't reduced to the expectations of middle-aged men/apparent cynicism. I like when they have crude handwriting, do crayon drawings, when they fall for schoolyard insults and pranks. I don't like turning the Looney Tunes into comfort characters or supportive role models as a result.

I also think the Warner Sibs got angst potential, but in a similar vein, I don't like to get into angst or comfort ideas now cuz I see more fanworks of that in lts more than whimsical comedic art. If I ever end up drawing scenarios for lts, I like to keep the works amusing at least? Wholesome, angst, or fluff is not my niche-- in the art I consume, nor the art I make.

[that-rackin-frackin-varmint]

#87 — 8/13/2022 10:08 PM

Obligatory compilation of Bugs Bunny Builder reactions

Present day thoughts:

Just gonna address my last actual ramble/response from the last three screenshots. For context, in an episode, the team were building a playground for themselves and the episode ends with the moral of sharing is good. I think the moral that should've been learned was that people are different. I think Daffy should've realized that his friends had their own plans, and shouldn't have decided for them where all the resources went. Sometimes the morals in these episodes feel a underbaked, or misassigned.

Also a Baffy kiss could probably happen in any media, but only if used sparingly for strictly comedic purposes. If Baffy gets fanservice pandering moments, it honestly would lose its novelty in my eyes. Dafpork can get away with it happening more often cuz that duo's earned its legacy from their shorts, the precedence has been set for nearly a century now.

Comparatively, Baffy have been considered the popular iconic duo for the recent decades thanks to continuous marketing, modern reboots, and theme park live shows, so it'd feel insincere to sell their dynamic in legitimate films as flagrantly as Dafpork. Give me a well-written, non-sanitised Bugs Bunny in modern day, and then we'll talk /hj