Fox announced it has acquired the rights to Axe Cop, the internet series and comic book detailing the life of an axe-wielding cop. It’s your basic police procedural, if that includes stuff like riding on Tyrannosaurs Rex with machine guns for arms, or his trusty catch phrase, “I WILL CHOP YOUR HEAD OFF!!!”
Did I mention this was written by a 7 year old? Yeah, it is.
Malachai Nicolle, who just turned 7 last month, and his older brother Ethan are the people behind the comic, though Ethan swears that nearly all the writing comes from his little brother. Folks, I sat in a room with this kid at a panel at Comic-Con this year and can testify– he is the real deal. Also, being the parent of two little kids almost his same age, I’m sure if I focused their creative forces into something (and could draw worth a damn) we could come up with something like Axe Cop. Ok, like, but nowhere near as good.
So this brings up a question– what will Fox animation do with this? I mean, besides rape it for money and then rustle through its pockets for loose change? They certainly won’t let a 7 year old write a cartoon script? And they can adapt what has already been done, but there is somewhat of a “been there, done that” feeling that Axe Cop is always fighting. They always have to be raising the stakes and making things more ridiculous, more fantastical, more mega-violent. So how will this fare?
Well, first, Fox is using it as one of several titles to launch Animation Domination HD, a new Saturday night cartoon block that likely attempts to capture that [adult swim] viewership when [as] is too busy showing anime on Saturdays nights. Axe Cop will be 15 minutes, like [as] shows, and the block is being produced by Nick Weidenfeld, a former exec at [adult swim].
But Fox’s Animation Domination has a. . . .ummmm. . .err. . . spotty track record at best. While anchored by Ye Olde Gray Battleship The Simpsons and now in its 13th year of broadcast Family Guy, we also have the more divisive shows like American Dad and Bob’s Burgers (love em or hate em- I love ’em!) and the mostly derided Allen Gregory, The Cleveland Show, Sit Down Shut Up, and Napoleon Dynamite. It’s unfortunate, Napoleon Dynamite might have worked better in 15 minute increments. And of course we can’t forget the classic that is King of the Hill, that I did not truly appreciate until I moved to Texas.
It’ll be interesting to see if they can make this work. I have high hopes for this, especially if they don’t take it too seriously. But, the marketing writes itself: “Watch my show. Or I WILL CHOP YOUR HEAD OFF!!”
Congratulations to the brothers Nicolle– I can think of only a few people as deserving of your success. Really wonderful, humble, creative and awesome people.
Pick up one of their more recent trade paperbacks, Bad Guy Earth, at Amazon for $10. Or see the original webcomics for free at AxeCop.com