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Victor Cook

{{short description|American television director, writer, and producer}}

{{update after|2025|11|09}}

{{Infobox person

|name = Victor Cook

|image =

|birth_date = {{circa|{{birth year and age|1961}}}}

|birth_place = Saitama, Japan{{cite web|url=https://www.halfkorean.com/?page_id=3162|title=Interview with Victor Cook|website=HalfKorean.com|date=October 27, 2010|access-date=January 14, 2020}}

|education = CSULB

|occupation = {{hlist|Television director|writer|producer}}

|years_active = 1987–present

|known_for = {{ubl|The Spectacular Spider-Man|Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated|Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters}}

|children = 2

}}

Victor A. Cook (born c. 1960/1961) is an American film and television producer and director best known for his work on the animated series The Spectacular Spider-Man (2008–2009), Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated (2010–2013) and Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters (2017–2018),{{cite web|url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/854/854530p1.html|title=WC 08: The Spectacular Spider-Man Premieres|work=IGN|date=2008-02-23|access-date=2009-08-14|author=Goldman, Eric}}{{cite web|url=http://marvel.com/news/moviestories.2572.Spider-Chat~colon~_Spectacular_Director_Victor_Cook|title=Spider-Chat: Spectacular Spider-Man Producer/Director Victor Cook|work=Marvel.com|date=2008-02-14|access-date=2009-08-20}} and as an executive producer of Disney Junior's T.O.T.S.

Early life

Cook was born in the early 1960s,{{cite web|url=http://www.unmaskedsdpodcast.com/2020/09/25/interview-transcript-episode-15-victor-cook/|title=Interview Transcript – Episode 15: Victor Cook|date=2020-09-25|publisher=UnMasked Podcast|access-date=2021-11-08}} one of five children on the Johnson Air Force Base in Saitama, Japan. His parents met in an Air Force cafeteria while his father was enlisted. He is half-Korean through his mother. After leaving Saitama, the family lived in San Antonio, Texas; Florida; Fort Worth, Texas; Euless, Texas; Okinawa, Japan (at Kadena Air Base); and Atwater, California. After high school, he briefly attended a junior college in Central California before transferring to California State University, Long Beach.

As a child and into college, Cook desired to be a print cartoonist, but was dissuaded after reading about Jack Kirby's career. While at the junior college, a life drawing teacher gave him the contact information for a former student who went on to work for Hanna-Barbera. He only called once he was already into his career. The student suggested taking an animation class at The Animation Guild.

Career

After graduating college, Cook worked as a graphic artist and political cartoonist for Costa Mesa's Daily Pilot then as an assistant animator at Filmation. At Filmation, he found himself drawn to storyboards because they reminded him of comic cels. He worked on BraveStarr during the day and took storyboard classes at night until Filmation folded. He was able to find a job working on ALF Tales and ALF: The Animated Series. This experience helped him eventually land at Disney Television Animation, where he worked for 16 years. After leaving Disney, he worked with Greg Weisman to create The Spectacular Spider-Man; worked on Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated; and started at Hasbro, where he helped develop Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters alongside writer Kevin Burke and producer Chris Wyatt. In the late 2010s, he was hired onto T.O.T.S. by Disney Junior.

He is the creator of the Mecha-Nation comic books. It is the first comic book he's worked on.

''The Spectacular Spider-Man''

{{quote box

| quote = I wanted to make sure that this was an iconic Spider-man for the different generations of fans, but I also wanted to bring in a new generation of fans that had a passing interest in it. I also really wanted this to be a two dimensional Spider-man that moved like we've never really seen him move in animation before. I thought Sam Raimi set the bar of how he should move and I haven't seen that in animation.

| source = —Cook on the animation style he chose for The Spectacular Spider-Man

| width = 225px

| align = right

}}

Cook was called by Sony Entertainment to develop a DVD project about Spider-Man. Cook developed it with Greg Weisman; they wanted to base it on the early comic book publications of the character that showed him younger, which Cook had never seen done before in any adaption. The idea was reformatted to an animated television series, but maintained a similar chronicle style with story arcs whose episodes could still work as standalone stories.{{cite web|url=http://www.ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=2707|title=Symbiotically Bonding With 'Spectacular Spider-Man' Producer Victor Cook - Part 1|work=iF Magazine|author=Elliot, Sean|date=2008-04-04|access-date=2009-01-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102105926/http://www.ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=2707|archive-date=2010-01-02|url-status=dead}} The original title for the series was The Amazing Spider-Man, based on the comic series of the same name, but by mid-2007 the name was changed to The Spectacular Spider-Man.{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/03/01/new-spider-man-animated-series-coming-in-2008|title=New Spider-Man Animated Series Coming in 2008!|work=IGN|author=Goldman, Eric|access-date=2009-08-14|date=2007-03-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519185338/https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/03/01/new-spider-man-animated-series-coming-in-2008|archive-date=2021-05-19}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/06/18/spider-man-will-be-spectacular-on-tv|title=Spider-Man Will be Spectacular on TV|author=IGN Staff|work=IGN|access-date=2009-08-14|date=2007-07-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180904154244/https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/06/18/spider-man-will-be-spectacular-on-tv|archive-date=2018-09-04}}

Cook wanted the animation to be squash and stretch style, and the action to be as good as the first two Spider-Man films. Sam Raimi directed as they had "set the bar" for the fluid movement for Spider-Man.{{cite web|url=http://www.ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=2686|title=The Inside Swing on 'The Spectacular Spider-Man' With Producer & Writer Greg Weisman - Part 1|work=iF Magazine|author=Elliot, Sean|date=2009-03-08|access-date=2009-08-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080622214157/http://www.ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=2686|archive-date=2008-06-22|url-status=dead}} As they were on a specific budget, they wanted to allow the animation to "move" more than anything, giving it simple and stylistic designs.{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/02/26/the-spectacular-spider-man-survival-of-the-fittest-advance-review|title=The Spectacular Spider-Man: "Survival of the Fittest" Advance Review|work=IGN|author=Goldman, Eric|date=2008-02-26|access-date=2009-08-14}} He also looked back on Blood and Iron which had a "fresh, young, look to it" that appealed to him visually. Cook wanted to make an "iconic" Spider-Man for both new and older generations and "really wanted this to be a two dimensional Spider-man that moved like we've never really seen him move in animation before."{{cite web|url=http://www.badmouth.net/animated-spider-man-is-simply-spectacular/|title=Animated Spider-Man Is Simply Spectacular|work=Badmouth|date=2009-07-30|access-date=2009-08-20|author=Marcotte, John}}

Personal life

He and his wife Sonia, who is also half-Korean, have been married since the late 1980s.{{cite web|url=https://www.halfkorean.com/?p=5581|title=Victor Cook's Daughter Inspires Cartoon Character|date=2011-04-16|publisher=HalfKorean.com|access-date=2021-11-08}} They have two children: Hanah and Jackson.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}} His daughter is an animation writer.{{cite web|url=https://animesuperhero.com/forums/threads/script-coordinators-in-modern-disney-cartoons-whether-or-not-by-disney-tva.5788371/|title=Script Coordinators In Modern Disney Cartoons (Whether Or Not By Disney TVA)|date=2020-10-26|publisher=Anime Superhero|access-date=2021-11-09}} and, according to Victor's friend and colleague Greg Weisman, served as the inspiration for Artemis Crock in Young Justice.

As an animator, Cook admires Charles M. Schulz, Jack Kirby and Hayao Miyazaki, and was a Hanna-Barbera fan growing up.

Filmography

=Television=

class="wikitable sortable"

! rowspan="2" |Year

! rowspan="2" |Title

! colspan="4" |Credited as

! rowspan="2" |Notes

! rowspan="2" |{{abbr|Ref(s)|Reference(s)}}

DirectorProducerArtWriter
1987—1988BraveStarr{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}
1988ALF Tales{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}
1988—1989ALF: The Animated Series{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}
rowspan="4" | 1989The Smurfs{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{cite web|url=http://collider.com/stretch-armstrong-netflix-series-vic-cook-interview/|title=How 'Stretch Armstrong' Evolved from Novelty Toy to a Novel Superhero Series|last=Trumbore|first=Dave|date=2018-02-02|publisher=Collider|access-date=2021-11-09}}
The Karate Kid{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}
Garfield and Friends{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}
Denver, the Last Dinosaur{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}
1990TaleSpin{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}Episode "Time Waits for No Bear"
1991Widget{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}
rowspan="2" | 1992The Little Mermaid{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}Episode "Urchin"{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}
Raw Toonage{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}Episodes "Bonkers in Space/Cro-Magnum PI/The Treasure of the Sierra Marsdre" and "Sheerluck Bonkers/All Potato Network/The Puck Stops Here"{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}
rowspan="2" | 1991—1992Darkwing Duck{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{Yes}}Wrote "Kung Fooled"{{cite web|url=https://asiapacificarts.org/2019/06/14/disneys-t-o-t-s-series-preview-with-ep-vic-cook/|title=Diving into Disney's T.O.T.S. with Executive Producer Vic Cook|date=2019-06-20|last=Chik|first=Kalai|publisher=Asia Pacific Arts|access-date=2021-11-08}}
Mr. Bogus{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}
1993Bonkers{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}
1994Aladdin{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}
1995Rocko's Modern Life{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}
1995—1996Gargoyles{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}
rowspan="2" | 1996Quack Pack{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}
Jungle Cubs{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}
1997—1998101 Dalmatians: The Series{{Yes}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{No}}
2000Buzz Lightyear of Star Command{{Yes}}{{No}}{{No}}{{No}}
2001—2002The Legend of Tarzan{{Yes}}{{No}}{{No}}{{No}}
2002—2004Fillmore!{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}
2005American Dragon: Jake Long{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{cite web|url=https://animesuperhero.com/forums/threads/2000s-trend-teen-hero-action-cartoons.5786319/|title=2000s trend - Teen Hero action cartoons|date=2020-04-08|publisher=Anime Superhero|access-date=2021-11-09}}
2003—2006Lilo & Stitch: The Series{{Yes}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{No}}
2007Mickey's Great Clubhouse Hunt{{Yes}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}
2006—2008Mickey Mouse Clubhouse{{Yes}}{{No}}{{No}}{{No}}
2008The Spectacular Spider-Man: Attack of the Lizard{{Yes}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{No}}
2008—2009The Spectacular Spider-Man{{Yes}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{cite web|url=https://dcanimated.com/WF/sections/specials/specspidey/interviews/cook/index2.php|title=INTERVIEWS|date=n.d.|publisher=DC Animated|access-date=2021-11-08}}
2012Young Justice{{Yes}}{{No}}{{No}}{{No}}Episode "Coldhearted"{{cite web|url=https://comicsalliance.com/young-justice-season-1-episodes-19-20-misplaced-coldhearted/|title='Young Justice' Episode Guide: Season 1, Episodes 19-20: 'Misplaced' / 'Coldhearted'|last=Sims|first=Chris|date=2017-01-19}}
2010—2013Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated{{Yes}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{No}}
2017—2018Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters{{Yes}}{{partial|Executive}}{{Yes}}{{Yes}}Co-creator
Also wrote the main title lyrics		{{cite web|url=https://www.overlyanimated.com/2019/02/03/50-years-of-scooby-an-interview-with-victor-cook/|title=50 Years of Scooby: An Interview with Victor Cook|last=Cummings|first=Justin|date=2019-02-03|publisher=Overly Animated|access-date=2021-11-08}}
2019—2022T.O.T.S.{{No}}{{partial|Executive}}{{No}}{{No}}{{cite web|url=http://www.animationscoop.com/interview-victor-cook-on-disney-channels-t-o-t-s/|title=INTERVIEW: Victor Cook on Disney Channel's "T.O.T.S."|last=Murphy|first=Jackson|date=2019-06-11|publisher=Animation Scoop|access-date=2021-11-08}}
2023—presentPupstruction''{{No}}{{partial|Executive}}{{No}}{{No}}{{Cite web |last=Zahed |first=Ramin |date=May 3, 2023 |title='Pupstruction' to Wag Its Tail on Disney Channel, Disney Jr. and Disney+ in June |url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/2023/05/pupstruction-to-wag-its-tail-on-disney-channel-disney-jr-and-disney-in-june/ |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=Animation Magazine |archive-date=2024-03-11 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240311061415/https://www.animationmagazine.net/2023/05/pupstruction-to-wag-its-tail-on-disney-channel-disney-jr-and-disney-in-june/ |url-status=live }}

=Film=

class="wikitable sortable"

! rowspan="2" |Year

! rowspan="2" |Title

! colspan="4" |Credited as

! rowspan="2" |Notes

! rowspan="2" |{{abbr|Ref(s)|Reference(s)}}

DirectorProducerArtWriter
1993The Return of Jafar{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}Direct-to-video
1996Aladdin and the King of Thieves{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}Direct-to-video{{cite web|url=https://www.filmoria.co.uk/movie-list/aladdin-and-the-king-of-thieves-mv011238|title=Aladdin and the King of Thieves|date=n.d.|publisher=Filmoria|access-date=2021-11-09}}
2001Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}Direct-to-video{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}
rowspan="2" | 2002101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}Direct-to-video
Tarzan & Jane{{Yes}}{{No}}{{No}}{{No}}Segments "Volcanic Diamond Mine" and "Flying Ace"{{cite web|url=https://www.movietele.it/post/disney-cinemagic-tre-film-tarzan-disney-natale|title=Disney Cinemagic: i tre film su Tarzan della Disney a Natale|date=2016-12-24|last=Ziggiotto|first=Simone|publisher=Movie Tele|access-date=2021-11-09|language=it}}
rowspan="2" | 2003Atlantis: Milo's Return{{Yes}}{{No}}{{No}}{{No}}{{cite web|url=https://www.filmfreakcentral.net/ffc/sci-fi/page/10/|title=Sci-Fi|date=2004-06-10|publisher=Film Freak Central|access-date=2021-11-09}}
21 Grams{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/537295/21-grams|title=21 Grams|date=n.d.|publisher=Turner Classic Movies|access-date=2021-11-09}}
rowspan="3" | 2007Hellboy: Blood and Iron{{Yes}}{{No}}{{No}}{{No}}TV movie
Hellboy: Iron Shoes{{Yes}}{{No}}{{No}}{{No}}Bonus short for Hellboy: Blood and Iron{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/hellboy-animated-4k-review/|title='Hellboy Animated' 4K Release Brings Back the Original Cast in a Fantastic Double Feature|last=Trumbore|first=Dave|date=2019-04-02|publisher=Collider|access-date=2021-11-09}}
My Blueberry Nights{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/ozonline/docs/memphis2012-2013|title=Memphis & Shelby County Film/TV Commission Production Directory 2012-2013|date=2012-03-05|publisher=Oz Publishing, Inc.|access-date=2021-11-09|website=issuu}}
2010Dante's Inferno: An Animated Epic{{Yes}}{{No}}{{No}}{{No}}Direct-to-DVD
rowspan="3" | 2012Ben 10: Destroy All Aliens{{Yes}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{No}}TV movie
Scooby-Doo! Haunted Holidays{{Yes}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{No}}Direct-to-DVD
Scooby-Doo! Spooky Games{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{No}}Direct-to-DVD
rowspan="5" | 2013Scooby-Doo! Stage Fright{{Yes}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{No}}Direct-to-DVD{{cite web|url=http://www.unmaskedsdpodcast.com/2020/09/25/uhsd-episode-15-victor-cook/|title=Unmasked History of Scooby Doo Episode 15: Victor Cook|date=2020-09-25|publisher=The Unmasked History of Scooby-Doo! Podcast|access-date=2021-11-09}}
Scooby-Doo! and the Spooky Scarecrow{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{No}}Direct-to-DVD{{cite web|url=https://www.planocritico.com/critica-scooby-doo-episodios-especiais-parte-2/|title=CRÍTICA SCOOBY DOO: EPISÓDIOS ESPECIAIS – PARTE 2|date=2021-02-07|last=Jeliel|first=Iann|publisher=Plano Critico|access-date=2021-11-09|language=pt}}
Scooby-Doo! Mecha Mutt Menace{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{No}}Direct-to-DVD
Stoker{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/50fdcb7b83725|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181203080350/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/50fdcb7b83725|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 3, 2018|title=Victor Cook|date=n.d.|publisher=BFI|access-date=2021-11-09}}
Robosapien: Rebooted{{No}}{{No}}{{Yes}}{{No}}{{cite web|url=http://cineyseries.net/pelicula/Robosapien-Cody-un-robot-con-corazon-16258|title=Robosapien: Cody, un robot con corazón|date=n.d.|publisher=Cineyseries|access-date=2021-11-09|language=es}}
2014Scooby-Doo! Ghastly Goals{{Yes}}{{No}}{{No}}{{No}}Direct-to-DVD{{cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/jots.200167811/|title=SCOOBY-DOO! GHASTLY GOALS|date=n.d.|publisher=Library of Congress|access-date=2021-11-09}}
2015Scooby-Doo! and the Beach Beastie{{Yes}}{{No}}{{No}}{{No}}Direct-to-DVD
2019Mickey's Treat{{Yes}}{{No}}{{No}}{{No}}TV movie{{cite web|url=https://m.cinemagia.ro/filme/mickeys-treat-429413/|title=Mickey's Treat (2007)|date=n.d.|publisher=Cine Magia|access-date=2021-11-09}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • {{imdb name|0177328}}
  • [http://www.postmagazine.com/Publications/Post-Magazine/2009/July-1-2009/ANIMATION-THE-SPECTACULAR-SPIDER-MAN.aspx 2009 interview] with Post Magazine (US) about The Spectacular Spider-Man
  • [https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/07/29/making-the-spectacular-spider-man-swing 2009 interview] with IGN about The Spectacular Spider-Man
  • [https://archive.today/20100102110036/http://ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=2718 2010 interview] with If Magazine about The Spectacular Spider-Man
  • [https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/09/01/stretch-armstrong-and-the-flex-fighters-how-netflix-is-re-imagining-an-iconic-hero 2017 interview] with IGN about Flex Fighters
  • [http://www.comicsonline.com/2017/11/25836/ 2017 interview] about Flex Fighters
  • [http://collider.com/stretch-armstrong-season-2-details/ 2018 interview] with Collider about Flex Fighters
  • [http://kneelbeforeblog.co.uk/interviews/interview-with-victor-cook/ 2018 interview] with Kneel Before Pod

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cook, Victor}}

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Living people

Category:American animated film directors

Category:American animated film producers

Category:American television directors

Category:American television producers

Category:Place of birth missing (living people)

Category:American television writers

Category:American male television writers

Category:American people of Korean descent

Category:Disney Television Animation people