Doug TenNapel
{{Short description|American animator, video game designer (born 1966)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2011}}
{{Infobox comics creator
| image = DougTenNapelJune2011.jpg
| caption = TenNapel in June 2011
| birth_name = Douglas Richard TenNapel
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1966|7|10|mf=y}}
| birth_place =
| nationality = American
| area = Animator, writer, video game designer, comic book artist
| notable works = Earthworm Jim
The Neverhood
Catscratch
Ghostopolis
Ratfist
Nnewts
| awards = Eisner Award Winner
| spouse = {{marriage|Angie TenNapel|1990}}
| party = Republican
| children = 4
}}
Douglas Richard TenNapel ({{IPAc-en|t|ə|ˈ|n|eɪ|p|əl}} {{respell|tə-NAY-pəl}};{{YouTube|PuMtDy5YVK8|"Doug TenNapel - how I draw panels for my comics"}} born July 10, 1966) is an American animator, writer, cartoonist, video game designer, and comic book artist whose work has encompassed animated television, video games, and comic books. He is best known for creating Earthworm Jim, a character that spawned a video game series, animated series, and a toy line. He is also the creator of the animated television series Catscratch (2005–2007), which aired on Nickelodeon, and was itself a loose adaptation of TenNapel's comic book limited series Gear.
Career
TenNapel began as an animator on Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: The Animated Series.{{Citation|last=Bello|first=John De|title=Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!|date=1978-10-08|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080391/|others=David Miller, George Wilson, Sharon Taylor|access-date=2018-01-02}} He soon began working in the video game industry on projects like 1993's Jurassic Park and The Ren & Stimpy Show: Stimpy's Invention for the Sega Genesis and The Jungle Book for the SNES and Sega Genesis.{{citation needed|date=September 2012}} In 1994, he created Earthworm Jim, the character that would star in Shiny Entertainment's video game, toy line, and cartoon series. Shiny Entertainment head David Perry later commented on working with TenNapel, "I wish I could find 100 Dougs, then I realized I was lucky to have been able to work with one. He is crazy talented, both crazy and talented! He also generates an enormous amount of amazing content and ideas, I wouldn’t be surprised if he sleeps with a sketch-book!"{{cite web |title=David Perry (Virgin Games) – Interview |url=https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/david-perry/ |website=Arcade Attack |access-date=25 November 2018 |date=January 10, 2016}} In 1995, he left Shiny Entertainment and founded his own company, Neverhood, with several other former Shiny employees.{{cite magazine|title=Gaming Gossip|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|issue=74 |publisher=Ziff Davis|date=September 1995|page=44}} Working for DreamWorks Interactive, Neverhood created The Neverhood for the PC and PlayStation. The sequel, entitled Skullmonkeys, followed in 1998.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/games/skullmonkeys|title=Skullmonkeys|website=IGN |language=en|access-date=2018-01-02}}
On television, TenNapel was the creator of the Project G.e.e.K.e.R. cartoon series for CBS. He was also a consulting producer on the ABC series Push, Nevada with Ben Affleck.{{Citation|title=Push, Nevada|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0315701/|access-date=2018-01-02}} Towards the end of the 2000s, he also created two shorts for Frederator Studios and Nicktoons, "Solomon Fix" (computer generated 3D) and "Squirly Town" (traditional 2D).Random! Cartoons
As a graphic artist and cartoonist, TenNapel released his first comic book in 1998: Gear, a surreal epic based on his real-life cats, Simon, Waffle, Gordon and Mr. Black, in a war against dogs and insects using giant robots as weapons. The cats from Gear would eventually become the Nickelodeon series Catscratch.{{Citation|title=Catscratch|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0421306/|access-date=2018-01-02}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.scholastic.com/content/teachers/en/authors/doug-tennapel/|title=Doug TenNapel Books, Author Biography, and Reading Level | Scholastic|website=www.scholastic.com}}
TenNapel did the cover art for several of Five Iron Frenzy's albums, including a sculpture for their live album, Proof That the Youth Are Revolting. TenNapel has also created album covers and artwork for several Daniel Amos CDs, The 1999 tribute to the band, When Worlds Collide, the Neverhood soundtrack Imaginarium: Songs from the Neverhood and others.{{citation needed|date=September 2012}}
Flink, a graphic novel by TenNapel, was released in late 2007 through Image Comics. Monster Zoo was released in early summer 2008. In May 2009 his graphic novel Power Up was released.{{cite web|title=Power Up - CBR-SA|url=https://www.cbr.com/power-up/|author=CBR Staff|publisher=CBR|date=2009-05-28|access-date=2020-02-14}}
Between January and October 2009, TenNapel was a regular contributor to Breitbart News' "Big Hollywood" section, covering topics from movie reviews and the state of the comics entertainment industry to criticisms of the Obama administration and the environmental movement.{{cite web|title=Fear of Failure|url=https://dougtennapel.com/fear-of-failure/|last1=TenNapel|first1=Doug|date=2018-06-02|access-date=2020-02-16}}{{cite web|title=Interview with Doug TenNapel – The Earthworm Jim drama and thoughts on #GamerGate, censorship and SJWs|last1=Ek|first1=Robin|url=http://thegg.net/interviews/interview-with-doug-tennapel-the-earthworm-jim-drama-and-thoughts-on-gamergate-censorship-and-sjws/|publisher=The Gaming Ground|date=2017-08-07|access-date=2020-03-12}}
In July 2010, his graphic novel Ghostopolis was released. In 2009, it was announced the book would be adapted into a film starring and produced by Hugh Jackman, but no update has been given since then.{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i06056b3e43453484607160b8e9c6c0f8 |title=Hugh Jackman to haunt 'Ghostopolis' |access-date=June 18, 2010 |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=May 3, 2009 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507070048/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i06056b3e43453484607160b8e9c6c0f8 |archive-date=May 7, 2009}}
TenNapel produced an episodic spoof of Japanese Super Sentai-style shows called Go Sukashi! based on a character by Shoko Nakagawa (who appears in the films), and starring John Soares and Brooke Brodack.{{Citation|last=Go Sukashi|title=Go Sukashi Episode 1|date=2009-11-19|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYET09QWZT0| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100929144013/http://www.youtube.com//watch?v=pYET09QWZT0| archive-date=2010-09-29 | url-status=dead|access-date=2018-01-02}} He has also published an online superhero-genre-spoofing webcomic titled Ratfist.{{Cite web|url=http://ratfist.com/|title=Ratfist|website=ratfist.com|language=en|access-date=2018-01-02}}
In September 2012, Fox Animation optioned TenNapel's published Graphix novel Cardboard, with plans for actor Tobey Maguire's Material Pictures, graphic novelist Doug TenNapel, and the Gotham Group to be executive producers. Fox planned to have the picture developed under its WedgeWorks subsidiary. WedgeWorks director Chris Wedge (Ice Age) was producing, and considered directing the film as well.{{cite news|url=http://blog.bcdb.com/fox-animation-helping-maguire-bend-cardboard-4598/|title=Fox Animation helping Maguire bend "Cardboard"|first=Paul|last=Anderson|publisher=Big Cartoon News|date=September 8, 2012|access-date=September 8, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121202044507/http://blog.bcdb.com/fox-animation-helping-maguire-bend-cardboard-4598/|archive-date=December 2, 2012|df=mdy-all}} As of 2020, no update has been given on the film, especially given the acquisition of 21st Century Fox assets by The Walt Disney Company.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}
TenNapel has used Kickstarter to produce a bound collection of his sketches, named Sketchbook Archives.{{Cite news|url=https://alternativemagazineonline.co.uk/2012/10/15/book-news-doug-tennapel-sketchbook-archives-kickstarter-announced/|title=BOOK NEWS – 'Doug TenNapel Sketchbook Archives' Kickstarter Announced|date=2012-10-15|work=Alternative Magazine Online|access-date=2018-01-02|language=en-US}}
TenNapel and other former members of the Earthworm Jim team at Pencil Test Studios launched a Kickstarter campaign in May 2013 to fund a PC game project called Armikrog, described a spiritual successor to The Neverhood and also being animated using clay animation techniques.{{cite web|last=Matulef|first=Jeffrey|title=The Neverhood creators launch Kickstarter for spiritual successor Armikrog|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-05-31-the-neverhood-creators-launches-kickstarter-for-spiritual-successor-armikrog|work=Eurogamer|publisher=Gamer Network|date=May 31, 2013|access-date=June 8, 2013}} It was successful, and reached its stretch goal for a Wii U version.
In 2018, TenNapel self-published the graphic novel Bigfoot Bill, launched as an Indiegogo, successfully funded and reaching various stretch goals.
In May 2019, TenNapel and other members of the original Earthworm Jim team announced a new Earthworm Jim game, to be released as an exclusive for the upcoming Intellivision Amico.{{cite web|title=Earthworm Jim is making a comeback with new game|last1=Romano|first1=Nick|url=https://ew.com/gaming/2019/05/01/earthworm-jim-game/|publisher=Entertainment Weekly|date=2019-05-01|access-date=2020-03-18}}{{cite web|title=New 'Earthworm Jim' Game in Development From Original Team|last1=Crecente|first1=Brian|url=https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/earthworm-jim-3-details-1203202256/|publisher=Variety|date=2019-05-01|access-date=2020-03-18}} He also self-published the graphic novel Earthworm Jim: Launch the Cow, again on Indiegogo.
Personal life
TenNapel was born in Norwalk, California and raised in Denair, California.{{cite web | url=http://www.animationinsider.com/2015/11/doug-tennapel/ | title=Doug TenNapel | date=November 5, 2015 }} He has been married to Angie since 1990.{{cite web|title=Welcome to the Neverhood|last1=Thompson|first1=Pamela Kleibrink|url=https://www.awn.com/mag/issue2.9/2.9pages/2.9neverhood.html|publisher=Animation World Magazine|date=December 1997|access-date=2020-03-16}} The couple have four children.{{cite web|url=https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/authors/doug-tennapel/|title=Doug TenNapel Books, Author Biography, and Reading Level|publisher=Scholastic|access-date=2020-03-16}} TenNapel was personal friends with Andrew Breitbart prior to the latter's death.
=Criticism and controversy=
TenNapel is an outspoken Republican and has attracted criticism for his remarks on the LGBTQ community and its issues, including vocal opposition to same-sex marriage and intentionally misgendering a transgender journalist who criticized the Earthworm Jim video game.{{cite web|title=Popzara Interviews: Ratfist and Earthworm Jim Creator Doug TenNapel|url=https://www.popzara.com/games/popzara-interviews-ratfist-and-earthworm-jim-creator-doug-tennapel/|last1=Evans|first1=Nathan|publisher=PopZara|date=2011-06-11|access-date=2020-02-15}}{{cite web|title=The Worm Turns|url=http://gameological.com/2013/06/foc-tennapel-armikrog/|last1=Mackey|first1=Bob|publisher=The Gameological Society|date=2013-06-17|access-date=2020-02-15|archive-date=June 23, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130623004845/http://gameological.com/2013/06/foc-tennapel-armikrog/|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Earthworm Jim Creator Under Fire for Transphobic Comments|url=https://www.cgmagonline.com/2017/08/03/earthworm-jim-creator-fire-transphobic-comments/|last1=Joseph|first1=Remington|publisher=Comics Gaming Magazine|date=2017-08-03|access-date=2020-02-13}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/earthworm-jim-creator-pops-up-to-remind-twitter-of-his-1798264741|title=Earthworm Jim creator pops up to remind Twitter of his transphobic views|last1=Hughes|first1=William|publisher=The A.V. Club|date=2017-08-03|access-date=2020-02-16}}
He has dismissed this criticism, and has written that "transphobe (like homophobe) is a made-up word used to slander conservative people of faith with a mental condition, and is only used by SJWs".{{cite web|title=Earthworm Jim creator: 'Transphobe' is used to slander conservatives|last1=Tamburro|first1=Paul|date=2020-03-05|publisher=GameRevolution|url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/news/636848-earthworm-jim-creator-transphobe-is-used-to-slander-conservatives|access-date=2020-08-29}} TenNapel was involved with Comicsgate, a right-wing campaign against diversity and progressivism in the superhero comics industry. Sean Gordon Murphy had drawn a cover for one of TenNapel's works, Bigfoot Bill 2, which he withdrew and issued an apology after being made aware of TenNapel's history of anti-LGBTQ comments. In response, TenNapel tweeted that it is "more important than ever that pro-family comic lovers support my work", stating his belief that LGBTQ people are waging a "culture war" against him.{{cite web|title=TenNapel Retracts Claim DC's Jim Lee Pressured Murphy to Pull Variant Cover|url=https://www.cbr.com/doug-tennapel-dc-jim-lee-sean-gordon-murphy-variant-cover-controversy/|last1=Dominguez|first1=Noah|publisher=CBR|date=2020-03-06|access-date=2020-03-17}}
=Political views and beliefs=
TenNapel supported Donald Trump's presidency and regularly posts his political opinions on various social media platforms.{{cite web |last1=Osborne |first1=Mary |title=The Shady Truth About Earthworm Jim Creator Doug TenNapel|url=https://www.looper.com/306082/the-shady-truth-about-earthworm-jim-creator-doug-tennapel |website=Looper |date=January 4, 2021 |access-date=29 January 2021}}
Since 2021, he has hosted Doug In Exile, a political talk show. It has been hosted on YouTube and Rumble. https://tennapel.com/
Bibliography
=Graphic novels=
| class = "wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Publisher |
|---|
| 1991
| They Called Him Evil | Mockingbird Studios |
| 1998
| Scud: Tales from the vending machine #3 |Fireman Press |
| 1998/2018
| Gear | Fireman Press/Image Comics |
| 2002/2019
| Top Shelf Productions/Image Comics |
| 2004
| Tommysaurus Rex | Image Comics |
| 2005
| Earthboy Jacobus | Image Comics |
| 2006
| Image Comics |
| 2007
| Black Cherry | Image Comics |
| 2007
| Flink | Image Comics |
| 2008
| Monster Zoo | Image Comics |
| 2009
| Power Up |
| 2010
| GRAPHIX (an imprint of Scholastic){{cite web|title=Ghostopolis.|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/doug-tennapel/ghostopolis/#review |access-date=October 12, 2012|magazine=Kirkus Reviews|date=June 15, 2010}} |
| 2011
| Bad Island |
| 2012
| Cardboard |
| 2012
| Return to the Neverhood (illustrations) |
| 2015
| Nnewts – Escape from the Lizzarks | GRAPHIX |
| 2016
| Nnewts – The Rise of Herk | GRAPHIX |
| 2017
| Nnewts – The Battle for Amphibopolis | GRAPHIX |
| 2019
| Bigfoot Bill: Shadow of the Mothman | Self-published{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} |
| 2019
| Earthworm Jim: Launch the Cow | Self-published{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} |
| 2020
| Bigfoot Bill 2: Finger of Poseidon | Self-published{{citation needed| date=October 2020}} |
| 2021
| Earthworm Jim 2: Fight the Fish | Self-published{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} |
=Web comics=
| class = "wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title |
|---|
| 2011
| Ratfist |
| 2012
| Nnewts |
=Children's books=
| class = "wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Publisher ! Notes |
|---|
| 1997
| Doug and Mike's Strange Kid Chronicles #1: Mighty Monday Madness | Co-written with Michael Koelsch |
| 1997
| Doug and Mike's Strange Kid Chronicles #2: Tuna Fish Tuesday | Co-written with Michael Koelsch |
| 1998
| Doug and Mike's Strange Kid Chronicles #3: Wisenheimer Wednesday | Co-written with Michael Koelsch |
| 1998
| Doug and Mike's Strange Kid Chronicles #4: Just Thursday | Co-written with Michael Koelsch |
| 1998
| Doug and Mike's Strange Kid Chronicles #5: Fateful Friday | Co-written with Michael Koelsch |
Filmography
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Note |
|---|
| 1991
| Attack of the Killer Tomatoes | Animator |
| 1995–1996
| Creator, executive producer, and writer |
| 1996
| Co-Creator and executive producer |
| 2000
| Koghead and Meatus | Short |
| 2002
| Consulting producer |
| 2004
| Sockbaby | Director, writer and voice of Sockbaby |
| 2005–2007
| Creator, executive producer, director, writer, and storyboard artist |
| 2007–2008
| Creator, writer, character designer, storyboard artist, and voice director |
| 2009
| Writer and storyboard artist |
| 2012
| Writer |
| 2012
| TV special |
| 2014–2016
| Writer and executive producer |
| 2017
| Writer and executive producer |
| 2017
| The Legend of Boo-Kini Bottom | TV special |
=Video games=
Discography
=Cover art=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
!Artist ! Album |
|---|
| 1994 |
| 1997 |
| 1998
|Five Iron Frenzy |
| 1999
|Five Iron Frenzy |
| 2000
|Various Artists |
| 2003
|Five Iron Frenzy |
| 2004
| Imaginarium: Songs from the Neverhood |
| 2013
|Five Iron Frenzy |
References
{{Reflist}}
Sources
- {{cite news | publisher=Exclaim! (Canada) | title=Father Figures: God Is in the Details of Earthboy Jacobus | first=Sarrah | last=Young | date=August 2005 | url=http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/multiarticlesub.aspx?csid2=20&fid1=4142&csid1=72 | access-date=2007-05-27 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070603190142/http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/multiarticlesub.aspx?csid1=72&csid2=20&fid1=4142 | archive-date=June 3, 2007 | df=mdy-all }}
- {{cite news | work=The Hollywood Reporter | title=Paramount nabs 'Zoo' | first=Borys | last=Kit | date=2008-03-12 | url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i9375e474de039b3b7cadb95ac18466d7 }}
- {{cite news | url=http://ratfist.com/ | publisher=Wordpress with Comicpress | date=January 1, 2011 | title=Webcomic: Ratfist| first=Doug| last=TenNapel}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{IMDb name|0855066}}
- [http://tennapel.com/ www.TenNapel.com]
- {{moby developer |id=27631|name=Doug TenNapel's profile}}
- [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tennapel/doug-tennapel-sketchbook-archives Doug TenNapel Sketchbook Archives at Kickstarter]
- [https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/authors/doug-tennapel/ Scholastic Doug TenNapel author page]
{{Portal bar|Biography|United States|Comics|Cartoon|Animation}}
{{Doug TenNapel}}
{{Earthworm Jim}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tennapel, Douglas}}
Category:20th-century American artists
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Category:21st-century American male writers
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Category:21st-century American screenwriters
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Category:American male non-fiction writers
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Category:American male video game actors
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Category:American storyboard artists
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Category:DreamWorks Animation people
Category:Point Loma Nazarene University alumni
Category:Showrunners of animated series
Category:American stop motion animators