Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa
| Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa | |
|---|---|
|
Promotional poster | |
| Genre | Animated television series, Western |
| Created by | Ryan Brown |
| Voices of |
Pat Fraley Jim Cummings Jeff Bennett Joe Piscopo Michael Greer Charity James Kay Lenz Troy Davidson Danny Mann Michael Horse |
| Theme music composer | Billy Dean and Verlon Thompson[1][2] |
| Country of origin | USA |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 23 minutes |
| Production company(s) |
King World Productions (season 1 & 2) Greengrass Productions (Season 1 only) Ruby-Spears Productions (Season 2 only) Flextech Television and Mini Mountain Productions (season 3 only) |
| Release | |
| Original network |
ABC (season 1 & 2) Syndication (season 3) |
| Original release | September 12, 1992 – December 4, 1993 |
Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa is an American animated television series created by comic book artist Ryan Brown, known for his work on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Airing as part of ABC's Saturday morning lineup, it was produced by Greengrass Productions, Gunther-Wahl Productions, Ruby-Spears Enterprises and finally Mini Mountain Productions in association with King World Productions and Flextech Television and animated by Gunther-Wahl Productions for its first season, and Ruby-Spears Productions for its second season.
First broadcast on September 12, 1992, the show ran for two seasons of thirteen episodes each. It also aired on YTV from 1992 to 1999 in Canada. The series was featured in reruns on Toon Disney from 1998 to 2001.
Plot
Like many cartoons during its time, Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa dealt with a mutation of some kind. In this case, an irradiated comet struck the late 19th century Western plains creating a miles high mesa shrouded in clouds. Everything trapped on top of the mesa was "cow-metized" by the light from the "cow-met" and "evolved" into a "bovipomorphic" state. Inspired by old tales of the Wild West, this new bovine community developed to the point where they emulated that era's way of life, including the requisite ruffians and corrupt sheriffs. However, their knowledge of Wild West living was limited, and as such, many things about their culture had to be improvised to 'fill in the blanks'. The concepts of steampunk and Weird West were utilized throughout its run.
The series focuses on trying to keep justice in the frontier territory. The lawbreakers were too much for the corrupt regulators of Cowtown (namely Mayor Oscar Bulloney and Sheriff Terrorbull) to handle by themselves. Helping them out, whether they wanted it or not, were a group of peacekeepers known as C.O.W.-Boys (the C.O.W. part is short for "Code Of the West"). Led by Marshal Moo Montana, the C.O.W.-Boys also included the Dakota Dude and the Cowlorado Kid. Marshal Moo Montana and his deputies had their hands full with various ruffians and outlaw gangs that plagued the otherwise peaceful town.
Characters
C.O.W.-Boys
- Marshal Moo Montana (voiced by Pat Fraley) - Leader of the C.O.W.-Boys and marshal of Moo Mesa. Courageous and quick on his hooves, Moo Montana "battles the bad guys and makes the West a safer place to graze". Lives by the Code of the West, which he seems to make up as he goes along (as seen in the episode "The Big Cow Wow"). He has a gun that shoots star-badges. His horse's name is Cyclone.
- The Dakota Dude (voiced by Jim Cummings) - The soft-spoken muscle of Montana's posse, Dakota possesses a cool temperament and rarely gets mad, even in near-death experiences (as seen in "Dances with Bulls"). Dakota agreed to marry Cowlamity Kate in Wedding Bull Blues to save her father's inheritance. His horse's name is Rebel and is scared of heights.
- Cowlorado Kid (voiced by Jeff Bennett) - A Holstein cattle who is the youngest of the group and a self-proclaimed ladies' man with a good singing voice, regardless of his skill with the lasso and guitar. Cowlorado isn't a deputy yet. In "Stolen on the River," he tries to prove he's worthy of being a deputy by catching Five Card Cud only to get in trouble and be rescued by Dakota and Moo. His horse's name is Jezebel.
Supporting characters
- Lily Bovine (voiced by Charity James) - A bartender, former showgirl, and owner of the local saloon called The Tumbleweed. Lily is Moo Montana's love interest. Her best friend is Cowlamity Kate.
- Cody Calf (voiced by Troy Davidson) - Nicknamed "Calf-Pint" by Moo and his posse, he idolizes the marshall and hopes to be a lawcow himself when he grows up. He is apparently related to Lily Bovine in some way and lives with her, though he does not appear to be her son. Like everyone else, he refers to her as "Miss Lily". Though well-meaning, he often gets himself into serious trouble trying to "help" the lawcows, but has been a useful asset on several occasions.
- Cowlamity Kate Cudster (voiced by Kay Lenz) - A tomboyish rancher and operator of the highly profitable Golden Cud Mine. She's as hard-working and hard-riding as any bull, and has enough skill with a lasso to put Cowlorado to shame. She returns Dakota's romantic feelings where she once gave him the hat he wears and nearly married him in "Wedding Bull Blues." In "The Fastest Filly in the West," it is revealed that Cowlamity Kate has a cousin named Cowleen. Her name is a play on that of the famous Wild West heroine Calamity Jane.
- Puma (voiced by Bill Farmer) - A resident of Cowtown who is the resident shoeshiner.
- J.R. (voiced by Michael Horse) - An Indian bison who occasionally aids Moo, Dakota, and Cowlorado if the situation needs it. He tends to ramble about the scientific principles of his inventions which the C.O.W.-Boys don't want to listen to and would be asked to show them how it works.
- Buffalo Bull - A bison who works as Cowtown's blacksmith.
- Jack (voiced by Jim Cummings) - A rabbit who works as a telegraph operator at Cowtown.
Villains
- Mayor Oscar Bulloney (voiced by Michael Greer) - The greedy and corrupt mayor of Cowtown in Moo Mesa, Bulloney rigs elections (as seen in "Stolen on the River") and makes taxes so high that the Masked Bull compares it to stealing. He also serves as Cowtown's crooked Justice of the Peace and Bank President.
- Sheriff Terrorbull (voiced by Joe Piscopo) - Selected by the corrupt Mayor Bulloney, Terrorbull uses his sheriff's badge to conceal his evil intentions. When committing crimes, Terrorbull takes on the guise of the notorious outlaw called the Masked Bull. Curiously, Terrorbull has an upright posture as the Masked Bull while he is normally seen with a hunched back. In "Bulls of a Feather," it is revealed that Sheriff Terrorbull has a criminal younger brother named Horribull. He was forced to leave Cowtown after losing a bet to Moo in "No Face To Hide" to see who can catch Shock Holiday. Afterwards, Terrorbull became sheriff of the remote town of Lonesome Gulch as Mayor Bulloney tells him to put up with it until he can think of a way to get him back into Cowtown. At Lonesome Gulch, Sheriff Terrorbull continued his unlawful exploits.
- Saddle Sore (voiced by Jim Cummings) - A scorpion and one of the comically inept henchmen of Sheriff Terrorbull. He is slightly smarter and braver than Boot Hill Buzzard, but only just.
- Boot Hill Buzzard (voiced by Danny Mann) - A buzzard who is Sheriff Terrorbull's other comically inept henchman. As the more dim-witted of the two, he is often saddled with more than his fair share of the grunt work, especially if the job involves something embarrassing or unappealing (such as cross-dressing). His name is taken from an old west slang term for a graveyard.
- Skull Duggery (voiced by Jim Cummings) - Tom Duggery was a mean miner who had staked his claim on Skull Mountain. He had struck silver and hid it in a secret chamber within his mine. During a storm, Tom Duggery was caught in a cave-in when he didn't want to leave his gold. Legend says that Tom Duggery's ghost in the form of Skull Duggery still haunts Skull Mountain. When Cody, Carly, and Jake as well as Saddle Sore and Boot Hill Buzzard entered the mine, Skull Duggery manifested where he managed to eject Saddle Sore and Boot Hill Buzzard. Upon trapping Cody, Carly, and Jake, Skull Duggery started flooding the chamber that they were in. Moo Montana, Dakota Dude, Cowlorado Kid, and Cowlamity Kate were able to save the kids and defeated Skull Duggery by causing a cave-in. Skull Duggery vowed that he will be back. In "Skull Duggery Rides Again," Skull Duggery emerges from the cave-in on Halloween and plans his revenge on the C.O.W.-Boys. He makes his way to a ghost town where he gathers some ghosts to help him. Skull Duggery and his fellow ghosts start turning Cowtown into a ghost town by aging everything. Using garlic, Moo, Dakota, and Cowlorado were able to repel Skull Duggery's gang. Mayor Bulloney sends Saddle Sore and Boot Hill Buzzard to make a deal with Skull Duggery to get rid of the C.O.W.-Boys. Skull Duggery agrees to the deal....for now. Skull Duggery ages Cowlamity Kate and has one of his minions hypnotizes Dakota Dude. When it comes to the Halloween party, Skull Duggery's gang puts their plan into motion where they even double-cross Mayor Bulloney. With Dakota freed from the mind-control by an aged Cody, he, Moo, and Cowlorado lure Skull Duggery and his fellow ghosts into a trap that devised by J.R. where they are zapped to the afterlife. Before disappearing with his fellow ghosts, Skull Duggery vowed to Moo that he hasn't seen the last of him.
- Bat Blastagun (voiced by Neil Ross) - A bat outlaw. He and his gang caused trouble for Miller Glen where they even bested Sheriff T-Bone. When Bat Blastagun's gang returned to Miller Glen to set it ablaze, they encountered Moo Montana where he and his men were able to use tactics to drive Bat Blastagun's gang away. The next morning, Bat Blastagun plans his revenge on Moo Montana. He starts by having his gang abduct Bessy Bluebell from the Miller Glen School. Moo follows the note where he heads to Batwing Cave and falls into Bat Blastagun's trap. With help from Cyclone, Moo gets free, frees Bessy, and escapes from Bat Blastagun. Back in Miller Glen, Moo faces off against Bat Blastagun in a showdown where he manages to defeat them with help from the townsfolk. In "How the West Was Shrunk," Bat Blastagun and his gang escape from prison where they stumble upon the shard of the comet that created Moo Mesa. Upon enlisting the help of the mad scientist Dr. Wolfgang Wolfenstein, Bat Blastagun uses the weaponized shard as part of a plot to shrink the C.O.W-Boys and rob all of Cowtown's gold. Upon getting the C.O.W.-Boys shrunken, Bat Blastagun's men try to grab them until a tumbleweed sweeps them up. Bat Blastagun then makes himself a self-appointed marshal where he holds a bounty on the C.O.W.-Boys as Saddle Sore and Boot Hill Buzzard take part in it. Bat Masterson later has Mayor Bulloney, Saddle Sore, and Boot Hill Buzzard thrown locked up as an extra precaution. After an attempt to catch the C.O.W.-Boys, Bat Blastagun shrinks Cowtown and then leads his gang back to Dr. Wolfgang Wolfenstein to recharge the shard. Using a large lizard, the C.O.W.-Boys follow Bat Blastagun's gang to Dr. Wolfgang Wolfenstein's castle. Upon reversing the device so that the shard can make things big, Moo returns to normal size and claims the shard to restore Dakota Dude and Cowlorado Kid back to normal size. Bat Blastagun and his gang are imprisoned and the shard is confiscated by the C.O.W.-Boys.
Episode guide
Several of these episodes or episode titles are parodies of popular Western films or books.
Season One (1992)
| No. | Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Bang'em High" | TBA |
| Mayor Bulloney and The Masked Bull make a plan to get rid of Moo Montana with literally explosive results. | ||
| 2 | "A Snake in Cow's Clothing" | TBA |
| A mysterious bull named Jacques La Beef arrives in town who has all the women drawn to him. Moo and Dakota are suspicious of him, especially after Miss Lily is robbed of the items in her new safe by The Masked Bull in a plot to discredit Jacques La Beef (who is secretly a notorious con artist named Barney Finkleberg). | ||
| 3 | "Bulls of a Feather" | TBA |
| During an attack on the stagecoach bound for Cow Town, Puma sees that The Masked Bull is actually Sheriff Terrorbull after Boothill Buzzard accidentally unmasks him. In order to save his identity after his attempt on Puma's life is thwarted by J.R., Sheriff Terrorbull must break his younger brother Horribull out of Sinquitten Federal Prison to pose as The Masked Bull and fool everyone. | ||
| 4 | "School Days" | TBA |
| A new teacher (actually Boot Hill Buzzard in drag) has the children help The Masked Bull commit crime through her strange assignments. | ||
| 5 | "A Sheepful of Dollars" | TBA |
| Cowlorado volunteers for Miss Lily's cattle drive only to find out his "cattle" is actually a bad tempered sheep named Miss Ewebaby. Moo and Dakota discovery that the cattle drive is a front to delivery the money for the Elbow's Bend Hospital Veterinary Clinic where it is under Miss Ewebaby to keep it from being stolen by The Masked Bull. | ||
| 6 | "Thoroughly Moodern Lily" | TBA |
| When Mayor Bulloney discovers oil that is secretly buried deep beneath Lily Bovine's Tumbleweed Saloon, he quickly dispatches Lily's arch-rival Sadie Wowcow to run her out of town. | ||
| 7 | "Wetward, Whoa" | TBA |
| Cowtown dries up and only Mayor Bulloney has water. When Cody finds the real reason for this, it is up to him to bring water back everyone. | ||
| 8 | "Wedding Bull Blues" | TBA |
| When Cowlamity Kate doesn't receive a letter from her father who has been exploring the Mesa for 7 years, Mayor Bulloney claims he will be taking all her property since her father had no will. But when a page of one of her father's old letters shows up, stating Kate will inherit the ranch and his gold, though only if she is married, Kate plans to make Dakota her husband. | ||
| 9 | "Legend of Skull Duggery" | TBA |
| When Cody, Carly, and Jake find a treasure map in Cowlamity Kate's attic while cleaning it, they decide to follow it to find Tom Duggery's lost silver on Skull Mountain. While competing against Saddle Sore and Boot Hill Buzzard, Cody, Carly, and Jake encounter Tom Duggery's ghost in the form of Skull Duggery. Now Moo, Dakota, Cowlorado, and Cowlamity Kate must rescue the kids from Skull Duggery. | ||
| 10 | "Stolen on the River" | TBA |
| In an attempt to get his own deputy star, Cowlorado goes undercover as Johnny Slim to catch Five Card Cud all by himself when he and his henchman Short Change take control of the Dixie Trixie river boat while in collaboration with the Dixie Trixie's captain. | ||
| 11 | "Dances with Bulls" | TBA |
| Moo Montana and Sheriff Terrorbull get in a mess when they both try to capture the Gila Hooligans after the crashed the party in Cowtown that followed Mayor Bulloney's re-election. To catch the Gila Hooligans, the C.O.W.-Boys and Sheriff Terrorbull have to work together to apprehend the Gilla Hooligans. | ||
| 12 | "The Big Cow Wow" | TBA |
| The C.O.W.-Boys work to catch two snakes that make up the Hole in the Ground Gang after they robbed some bison at Mini Soda Flats. Cody is really excited about going to the Pueblo's annual Cow-Wow with J.R. and Tejua as the threat of the Hole in the Ground Gang could disrupt the whole fiesta. When Moo and the other C.O.W.-Boys run into some trouble trying to catch the gang, Cody and Tejua help to bring them to justice. | ||
| 13 | "Another Fine Mesa" | TBA |
| No one cares that it is Moo Montanta's 10th anniversary as marshal. Then, Moo receives a telegram from Bessy Bluebell from his hometown of Miller Glen where the retiring sheriff T-Bone wants Moo to take over even at the time when Bat Blastagun and his henchmen are causing trouble in Miller Glen. Now Moo must decide between Miller Glen where he is beloved by the townsfolk and Cowtown. | ||
Season Two (1993)
| No. | Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | "No Face To Hide" | TBA |
| Many trains have been stolen by Shock Holiday's gang where Shock Holiday is holding them hostage until the Railroad President pays a huge ransom. When Marshall Moo fails at capturing the thief, Sheriff Terrorbull challenges him to see who catches Shock Holiday first and the loser will have to leave Cowtown. | ||
| 15 | "The Down Under Gang" | TBA |
| Cow Belle and her sons have an underground hideout called Sidewinder City which allows other outlaws to use it in exchange of a share of what they steal. When Cowlorado Kid is captured during the infiltration, Moo Montana and Dakota Dude must find Sidewinder City and rescue him while also dealing with the Masked Bull. | ||
| 16 | "Cow Pirates of Swampy Cove" | TBA |
| The pirate captain Longhorn Silver and his band of buccaneers have been robbing trains and causing trouble on Moo Mesa's waterways. With a gold shipment and Cody's money for new boots in their possession, Moo Montana, Dakota Dude, and Cowlorado Kid have to go to Newportleans to track these pirates down. While trying to get back the money, Cody is caught by the Masked Bull as part of his plan to work with Longhorn Silver to dispose of the C.O.W.-Boys. Now the C.O.W.-Boys must rescue Cody, reclaim the stolen loot, and defeat Longhorn Silver. | ||
| 17 | "The Cacklin Kid" | TBA |
| Moo Montana, Dakota Dude, and Cowlorado Kid apprehend the Cacklin Kid after he was nearly disposed of by the Baying Bunch led by Scavenger who are seeking the location of where the Cacklin Kid hid the Baying Bunch's loot. At the courthouse, Cacklin Kid gets sympathy from Judge Overrule who instructs that Moo Montana, Dakota Dude, and Cowlorado Kid safely transports Cacklin Kid to the federal penitentiary to serve out his one year sentence. Now the C.O.W.-Boys must get the Cacklin Kid to the penitentiary safely while evading the Baying Bunch who have tricked Sheriff Terrorbull into helping them. | ||
| 18 | "Skull Duggery Rides Again" | TBA |
| On Halloween, Skull Duggery returns upon emerging from the cave-in of his mine at Skull Mountain in order to get revenge on Moo, Dakota, and Cowlorado. This time, he is obtained an age accelerating spell with the help of his fellow ghosts where they start aging everything in Cowtown. | ||
| 19 | "Billy the Kidder" | TBA |
| The C.O.W.-Boys get word from Warden Gordon Bordon that Billy the Kidder and his lizard henchmen Lester and Kisser have escaped from prison. When Lily's uncle Rocky gets caught in a cave-in upon finding the lost treasure of the Concudsadors, she plans to enlist Cowlamity Kate to help rescue him only to end up captured by Lester and Kisser so that Billy the Kidder can steal the lost treasure of the Concudsadors. Now the C.O.W.-Boys and Calamity Kate must rescue Lily and Rocky, apprehend Billy the Kidder's group, and recover the lost treasure of the Concudsadors. | ||
| 20 | "How the West was Shrunk" | TBA |
| Bat Blastagun and his gang have escaped from prison where they find a shard of the comet that created Moo Mesa outside of Cowtown. Enlisting the help of the mad scientist Dr. Wolfgang Wolfenstein, Bat Masterson uses the shard to shrink everything. | ||
| 21 | "Circus Daze" | TBA |
| The Great Bovini's Wild West Circus comes to Cowtown, but amusement of the masses is the last thing on the mind of the ringmaster The Great Bovini as he uses a special stone to mesmerize anyone into stealing money. In order to keep the Cowinoor Diamond from being shipped to the Jersey City Museum, Mayor Bulloney, Saddle Sore, and Boot Hill Buzzard approach The Great Bovini to help them steal it which doesn't go well as Boot Hill Buzzard is unaffected by The Great Bovini's stone. Now the C.O.W.-Boys must work with Boot Hill Buzzard into thwarting The Great Bovini and freeing the townspeople from his control. | ||
| 22 | "No Way to Treat a Lady" | TBA |
| Moo Montana, Dakota Dude, and Cowlorado Kid have to deal with four masked marauders who happen to be ladies of the Sewing B. Ranch led by Barb Wire Babs (the criminal alias of Miss Barbara). As Cowlorado Kid goes undercover in Barbed Wire Babs' group, Wild Bill Barker is kidnapped as part of Barbed Wire Babs' plot to make counterfeit money. | ||
| 23 | "Night of the Cowgoyle" | TBA |
| After Cowlorado Kid was unable to catch a gold thief, he, Moo Montana, and Dakota Dude look for the thief and end up escorting a wagon train led by Rooster Cogsbull through a valley where a creature called the Cowgoyle (a cattle/gargoyle creature) dwells. To make sure that the C.O.W.-Boys meet their end and the Cowgoyle is blamed for the action, Mayor Bulloney sends Saddle Sore and Boot Hill Buzzard to get the Masked Bull to dispose of them. Following the Cowgoyle's attacks, the C.O.W.-Boys work to catch the Cowgoyle while suspecting that it might be one of the suspicious wagon train travelers. | ||
| 24 | "Boom Town or Bust" | TBA |
| Cowlorado Kid discovers gold in a river causing the Gold Rush on Moo Mesa which even gets Mayor Bulloney, Saddle Sore, and Boot Hill Buzzard to work on claiming the gold. Upon Boom Town being formed as part of the gold rush, the C.O.W.-Boys work to keep the settlement in line. When a claim-jumper named Big Bucks and his henchmen Digalong and Stub plot to steal everyone's gold, the C.O.W.-Boys spring into action to protect Boom Town. | ||
| 25 | "The Fastest Filly in the West" | TBA |
| In preparation for the 11th Annual Cowtown Cross Country Race, Cowlorado Kid encounters some competition Cowlamity Kate's cousin Cowleen and her horse Tornado as well as encountering his old rival Swifty Buckhorn. Fast Willy and his henchmen plan to steal Tornado so that they can rob the Pony Express with one of the packages being the trophy for the Cross Country Race. Now Cowlorado Kid and Swifty Buckhorn must put aside their differences to help Moo and Dakota catch Fast Willy and reclaim Tornado. | ||
| 26 | "The Wild Wild Pest" | TBA |
| J.R. takes Cody Calf and Buffalo Bull to the Invention Convention on the Dixie Trixie. Using his airship, Mules Verne and his henchmen steal the Dixie Trixie so that he can force all the inventors onboard to help him take over Moo Mesa by building a giant robot cowboy that will help in his plans by starting with raiding the governor's mansion. | ||
Cast
- Jeff Bennett - Cowlorado Kid, Hole in the Ground Gang Leader (in "The Big Cow Wow"), Frank (in "Another Fine Mesa"), Beans (in "Another Fine Mesa")
- Jim Cummings - The Dakota Dude, Saddle Sore, Warden Gordon Borden, Wild Bill Barker, Skull Duggery (in "Legend of Skull Duggery," "Skull Duggery Rides Again"), Gila Hooligans Leader (in "Dances with Bulls"), Toupee Turkey (in "The Big Cow Wow"), Grits (in "Night of the Cowgoyle")
- Troy Davidson - Cody Calf
- Bill Farmer - Puma, Jury Foreman (in "The Cacklin Kid")
- Pat Fraley - Marshal Moo Montana
- Michael Greer - Mayor Oscar Bulloney
- Michael Horse - J.R.
- Charity James - Lily Bovine, Tewah
- Kay Lenz - Cowlamity Kate Cudster
- Danny Mann - Boot Hill Buzzard
- Joe Piscopo - Masked Bull/Sheriff Terrorbull
Additional voices
- Charlie Adler - Billy the Kidder (in "Billy the Kidder"), Lester (in "Billy the Kidder")
- Jack Angel -
- Michael Bell - Shock Holiday (in "No Face to Hide"), Rooster Cogsbull (in "Night of the Cowgoyle")
- Robby Benson -
- Corey Burton -
- Ruth Buzzi - Cow Belle (in "The Down Under Gang")
- Jodi Carlisle -
- Tim Curry - Jacques La Beef/Barney Finkleberg (in "A Snake in Cow's Clothing")
- David Doyle - Rocky Bovine (in "Billy the Kidder")
- Brad Garrett - Longhorn Silver (in "Cow Pirates of Swampy Cove")
- Ellen Gerstell -
- Michael Gough - Small Change (in "Stolen on the River")
- Mark Hamill - Skeleton king
- Dorian Harewood - The Great Bovini (in "Circus Daze") Modo
- Kate Mulgrew - Barbed Wire Babs/Miss Barbara (in "No Way to Treat a Lady")
- Rob Paulsen - Adult Cody Calf (in "Skull Duggery Rides Again"), Cacklin Kid (in "The Cacklin Kid"), Swifty Buckhorn (in "The Fastest Filly in the West") Throttle
- Neil Ross - Bat Blastagun (in "Another Fine Mesa" and "How the West was Shrunk")
- Stu Rosen -
- Kath Soucie - Carly, Jake Daffidill
- Sally Struthers - Bessy Bluebell ("in "Another Fine Mesa")
- Russi Taylor - Sally Sue Holstein Huwey Louie Dewy
- Lara Jill Miller - Clifford
Crew
- Ginny McSwain - Voice Director
Theme song
The theme song was sung by country artist Billy Dean, who co-wrote it with Verlon Thompson.
Toys and merchandise
Action figures and vehicles were made by Hasbro. Story books, coloring books, and VHS home videos were put out by Random House. Halloween costumes were made by Collegeville/Imagineering LP. Farley Candy introduced a line of themed fruit snacks. Bath products by Tsumura International were also available, as well as lunch boxes by Thermos. Figural coin banks were made by Toy Dreams. Plastic dinnerware was available from Betras Plastics. Kid's Meal promotional items (3" action figures, sack, placemat, activity pack, and collectible cups) were made by Kid Stuff.
Action figures
In 1991, Hasbro Toys produced a series of ten action figures and one vehicle(IronHorse). Marshal Moo Montana was produced heaviest while the character Boot Hill Buzzard is the rarest of the set with only a limited number released. Of the three main heroes, the Dakota Dude is the scarcest.
In 1999, to coincide with the series being broadcast on the Toon Disney channel, the Kid Stuff company manufactured a set of 3" tall action figures for its Moo Mesa Kids Meal promotion. Articulated at the shoulders, neck, and waist, the assortment consisted of Marshal Moo Montana, The Dakota Dude, The Cowlorado Kid, Miss Cowlamity Kate, Cody Calf, and the Masked Bull. These were available at participating restaurants.
Comic book series
Archie Comics released both a mini-series and regular series of Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa comic books. The first issue of the mini-series came with an exclusive pull-out wanted poster available only through the direct sales market. Three issues of both the mini-series (December 1992, January and February 1993) and the regular series (March, May and July 1993) were released.
The C.O.W.-Boys made their TMNT universe debut when they teamed up with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in issue #21 of the Mirage Studios title "Tales of the TMNT." The TMNT aided the C.O.W.-Boys in stopping Sheriff Terrorbull from stealing a magic crystal shard. Moo Montana and his deputies returned in number 32 of the Tales of the TMNT series. This time the horned heroes come up against Savanti Romero and the Eye of Aga-Moo-Tu. The story takes place in the astral realm of Bov-gamesh and introduces the character Tsou-T'an-Jin an ancient sorceress tortoise that lives on Moo Mesa. The C.O.W.-Boys make their third appearance with the ninja turtles in the November 2008 issue of Tales of the TMNT. The story concluded in Tales of the TMNT #58 printed in May 2009.
A special event exclusive edition of this issue was sold at a one-day event on March 31, 2007 at the Wayne Center for the Arts in Wooster, Ohio. It differs from the regular release because of its alternative cover by Andre Ponce, Ryan Brown and Steve Lavigne. It also has a special message from the arts center on the inside front cover.
Video game
| Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Konami |
| Publisher(s) | Konami |
| Designer(s) | Satoru Okamoto (supervisor) |
| Composer(s) | Michiru Yamane |
| Release date(s) | November 19, 1992 |
| Genre(s) | run and gun |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, Multiplayer (1-4 players) |
| Sound |
Z80 @ 8 MHz YM2151 @ 4 MHz K054539 @ 48 kHz |
| Display |
384 x 224 @ 60 Hz 2048 palette colors |
In 1992, Konami released a coin-operated arcade game based on the series titled Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa. The game is a side-scrolling "run 'n gun" action game similar to Konami's previous wild west-themed game Sunset Riders. Ryan Brown worked closely with Konami on the game's development.
The player characters in the game are Cowlorado Kid, Dakota Dude, Marshall Moo Montana, and Buffalo Bull. The game can be configured to allow up to four players to play simultaneously.
The game's controls consist of an eight-way joystick and two buttons for shooting and jumping. Pressing both buttons simultaneously will cause the player character to perform a stampede attack, do a spinning jump, or use any equipped item like dynamite sticks and tomahawk blades. The player can uncover a variety of power-up items by shooting flying chickens, which includes a rapid-fire Machine Gun and a Power-Up for wider bullets. Unlike Sunset Riders, the player has a three-unit life gauge that allows the player to take three hits before losing a life.
Popular culture
- The C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa make a cameo appearance in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fast Forward episode "Home Invasion." The Ninja Turtles visit the Tumbleweed Saloon in Moo Mesa in the form of a virtual simulation where they fight a cast of Cowtown villains and play a hand of cards with heroes Marshall Moo Montana, the Dakota Dude, and the Cowlorado Kid. The featured Moo Mesa villains are Sheriff Terrorbull, Boothill Buzzard, Shock Holiday, Big Bucks, Lone Grunger, Butch Cowsidy, Stub, and Slick Willie Weasel.
References
- ↑ "Cows Vs. Bandits". Chicago Tribune. September 3, 1992. Retrieved 2010-08-28.
- ↑ http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&keyID=1762985&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID
External links
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| Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa | |
|---|---|
|
Promotional poster | |
| Genre | Animated television series, Western |
| Created by | Ryan Brown |
| Voices of |
Pat Fraley Jim Cummings Jeff Bennett Joe Piscopo Michael Greer Charity James Kay Lenz Troy Davidson Danny Mann Michael Horse |
| Theme music composer | Billy Dean and Verlon Thompson[1][2] |
| Country of origin | USA |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 23 minutes |
| Production company(s) |
King World Productions (season 1 & 2) Greengrass Productions (Season 1 only) Ruby-Spears Productions (Season 2 only) Flextech Television and Mini Mountain Productions (season 3 only) |
| Release | |
| Original network |
ABC (season 1 & 2) Syndication (season 3) |
| Original release | September 12, 1992 – December 4, 1993 |
Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa is an American animated television series created by comic book artist Ryan Brown, known for his work on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Airing as part of ABC's Saturday morning lineup, it was produced by Greengrass Productions, Gunther-Wahl Productions, Ruby-Spears Enterprises and finally Mini Mountain Productions in association with King World Productions and Flextech Television and animated by Gunther-Wahl Productions for its first season, and Ruby-Spears Productions for its second season.
First broadcast on September 12, 1992, the show ran for two seasons of thirteen episodes each. It also aired on YTV from 1992 to 1999 in Canada. The series was featured in reruns on Toon Disney from 1998 to 2001.
Plot
Like many cartoons during its time, Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa dealt with a mutation of some kind. In this case, an irradiated comet struck the late 19th century Western plains creating a miles high mesa shrouded in clouds. Everything trapped on top of the mesa was "cow-metized" by the light from the "cow-met" and "evolved" into a "bovipomorphic" state. Inspired by old tales of the Wild West, this new bovine community developed to the point where they emulated that era's way of life, including the requisite ruffians and corrupt sheriffs. However, their knowledge of Wild West living was limited, and as such, many things about their culture had to be improvised to 'fill in the blanks'. The concepts of steampunk and Weird West were utilized throughout its run.
The series focuses on trying to keep justice in the frontier territory. The lawbreakers were too much for the corrupt regulators of Cowtown (namely Mayor Oscar Bulloney and Sheriff Terrorbull) to handle by themselves. Helping them out, whether they wanted it or not, were a group of peacekeepers known as C.O.W.-Boys (the C.O.W. part is short for "Code Of the West"). Led by Marshal Moo Montana, the C.O.W.-Boys also included the Dakota Dude and the Cowlorado Kid. Marshal Moo Montana and his deputies had their hands full with various ruffians and outlaw gangs that plagued the otherwise peaceful town.
Characters
C.O.W.-Boys
- Marshal Moo Montana (voiced by Pat Fraley) - Leader of the C.O.W.-Boys and marshal of Moo Mesa. Courageous and quick on his hooves, Moo Montana "battles the bad guys and makes the West a safer place to graze". Lives by the Code of the West, which he seems to make up as he goes along (as seen in the episode "The Big Cow Wow"). He has a gun that shoots star-badges. His horse's name is Cyclone.
- The Dakota Dude (voiced by Jim Cummings) - The soft-spoken muscle of Montana's posse, Dakota possesses a cool temperament and rarely gets mad, even in near-death experiences (as seen in "Dances with Bulls"). Dakota agreed to marry Cowlamity Kate in Wedding Bull Blues to save her father's inheritance. His horse's name is Rebel and is scared of heights.
- Cowlorado Kid (voiced by Jeff Bennett) - A Holstein cattle who is the youngest of the group and a self-proclaimed ladies' man with a good singing voice, regardless of his skill with the lasso and guitar. Cowlorado isn't a deputy yet. In "Stolen on the River," he tries to prove he's worthy of being a deputy by catching Five Card Cud only to get in trouble and be rescued by Dakota and Moo. His horse's name is Jezebel.
Supporting characters
- Lily Bovine (voiced by Charity James) - A bartender, former showgirl, and owner of the local saloon called The Tumbleweed. Lily is Moo Montana's love interest. Her best friend is Cowlamity Kate.
- Cody Calf (voiced by Troy Davidson) - Nicknamed "Calf-Pint" by Moo and his posse, he idolizes the marshall and hopes to be a lawcow himself when he grows up. He is apparently related to Lily Bovine in some way and lives with her, though he does not appear to be her son. Like everyone else, he refers to her as "Miss Lily". Though well-meaning, he often gets himself into serious trouble trying to "help" the lawcows, but has been a useful asset on several occasions.
- Cowlamity Kate Cudster (voiced by Kay Lenz) - A tomboyish rancher and operator of the highly profitable Golden Cud Mine. She's as hard-working and hard-riding as any bull, and has enough skill with a lasso to put Cowlorado to shame. She returns Dakota's romantic feelings where she once gave him the hat he wears and nearly married him in "Wedding Bull Blues." In "The Fastest Filly in the West," it is revealed that Cowlamity Kate has a cousin named Cowleen. Her name is a play on that of the famous Wild West heroine Calamity Jane.
- Puma (voiced by Bill Farmer) - A resident of Cowtown who is the resident shoeshiner.
- J.R. (voiced by Michael Horse) - An Indian bison who occasionally aids Moo, Dakota, and Cowlorado if the situation needs it. He tends to ramble about the scientific principles of his inventions which the C.O.W.-Boys don't want to listen to and would be asked to show them how it works.
- Buffalo Bull - A bison who works as Cowtown's blacksmith.
- Jack (voiced by Jim Cummings) - A rabbit who works as a telegraph operator at Cowtown.
Villains
- Mayor Oscar Bulloney (voiced by Michael Greer) - The greedy and corrupt mayor of Cowtown in Moo Mesa, Bulloney rigs elections (as seen in "Stolen on the River") and makes taxes so high that the Masked Bull compares it to stealing. He also serves as Cowtown's crooked Justice of the Peace and Bank President.
- Sheriff Terrorbull (voiced by Joe Piscopo) - Selected by the corrupt Mayor Bulloney, Terrorbull uses his sheriff's badge to conceal his evil intentions. When committing crimes, Terrorbull takes on the guise of the notorious outlaw called the Masked Bull. Curiously, Terrorbull has an upright posture as the Masked Bull while he is normally seen with a hunched back. In "Bulls of a Feather," it is revealed that Sheriff Terrorbull has a criminal younger brother named Horribull. He was forced to leave Cowtown after losing a bet to Moo in "No Face To Hide" to see who can catch Shock Holiday. Afterwards, Terrorbull became sheriff of the remote town of Lonesome Gulch as Mayor Bulloney tells him to put up with it until he can think of a way to get him back into Cowtown. At Lonesome Gulch, Sheriff Terrorbull continued his unlawful exploits.
- Saddle Sore (voiced by Jim Cummings) - A scorpion and one of the comically inept henchmen of Sheriff Terrorbull. He is slightly smarter and braver than Boot Hill Buzzard, but only just.
- Boot Hill Buzzard (voiced by Danny Mann) - A buzzard who is Sheriff Terrorbull's other comically inept henchman. As the more dim-witted of the two, he is often saddled with more than his fair share of the grunt work, especially if the job involves something embarrassing or unappealing (such as cross-dressing). His name is taken from an old west slang term for a graveyard.
- Skull Duggery (voiced by Jim Cummings) - Tom Duggery was a mean miner who had staked his claim on Skull Mountain. He had struck silver and hid it in a secret chamber within his mine. During a storm, Tom Duggery was caught in a cave-in when he didn't want to leave his gold. Legend says that Tom Duggery's ghost in the form of Skull Duggery still haunts Skull Mountain. When Cody, Carly, and Jake as well as Saddle Sore and Boot Hill Buzzard entered the mine, Skull Duggery manifested where he managed to eject Saddle Sore and Boot Hill Buzzard. Upon trapping Cody, Carly, and Jake, Skull Duggery started flooding the chamber that they were in. Moo Montana, Dakota Dude, Cowlorado Kid, and Cowlamity Kate were able to save the kids and defeated Skull Duggery by causing a cave-in. Skull Duggery vowed that he will be back. In "Skull Duggery Rides Again," Skull Duggery emerges from the cave-in on Halloween and plans his revenge on the C.O.W.-Boys. He makes his way to a ghost town where he gathers some ghosts to help him. Skull Duggery and his fellow ghosts start turning Cowtown into a ghost town by aging everything. Using garlic, Moo, Dakota, and Cowlorado were able to repel Skull Duggery's gang. Mayor Bulloney sends Saddle Sore and Boot Hill Buzzard to make a deal with Skull Duggery to get rid of the C.O.W.-Boys. Skull Duggery agrees to the deal....for now. Skull Duggery ages Cowlamity Kate and has one of his minions hypnotizes Dakota Dude. When it comes to the Halloween party, Skull Duggery's gang puts their plan into motion where they even double-cross Mayor Bulloney. With Dakota freed from the mind-control by an aged Cody, he, Moo, and Cowlorado lure Skull Duggery and his fellow ghosts into a trap that devised by J.R. where they are zapped to the afterlife. Before disappearing with his fellow ghosts, Skull Duggery vowed to Moo that he hasn't seen the last of him.
- Bat Blastagun (voiced by Neil Ross) - A bat outlaw. He and his gang caused trouble for Miller Glen where they even bested Sheriff T-Bone. When Bat Blastagun's gang returned to Miller Glen to set it ablaze, they encountered Moo Montana where he and his men were able to use tactics to drive Bat Blastagun's gang away. The next morning, Bat Blastagun plans his revenge on Moo Montana. He starts by having his gang abduct Bessy Bluebell from the Miller Glen School. Moo follows the note where he heads to Batwing Cave and falls into Bat Blastagun's trap. With help from Cyclone, Moo gets free, frees Bessy, and escapes from Bat Blastagun. Back in Miller Glen, Moo faces off against Bat Blastagun in a showdown where he manages to defeat them with help from the townsfolk. In "How the West Was Shrunk," Bat Blastagun and his gang escape from prison where they stumble upon the shard of the comet that created Moo Mesa. Upon enlisting the help of the mad scientist Dr. Wolfgang Wolfenstein, Bat Blastagun uses the weaponized shard as part of a plot to shrink the C.O.W-Boys and rob all of Cowtown's gold. Upon getting the C.O.W.-Boys shrunken, Bat Blastagun's men try to grab them until a tumbleweed sweeps them up. Bat Blastagun then makes himself a self-appointed marshal where he holds a bounty on the C.O.W.-Boys as Saddle Sore and Boot Hill Buzzard take part in it. Bat Masterson later has Mayor Bulloney, Saddle Sore, and Boot Hill Buzzard thrown locked up as an extra precaution. After an attempt to catch the C.O.W.-Boys, Bat Blastagun shrinks Cowtown and then leads his gang back to Dr. Wolfgang Wolfenstein to recharge the shard. Using a large lizard, the C.O.W.-Boys follow Bat Blastagun's gang to Dr. Wolfgang Wolfenstein's castle. Upon reversing the device so that the shard can make things big, Moo returns to normal size and claims the shard to restore Dakota Dude and Cowlorado Kid back to normal size. Bat Blastagun and his gang are imprisoned and the shard is confiscated by the C.O.W.-Boys.
Episode guide
Several of these episodes or episode titles are parodies of popular Western films or books.
Season One (1992)
| No. | Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Bang'em High" | TBA |
| Mayor Bulloney and The Masked Bull make a plan to get rid of Moo Montana with literally explosive results. | ||
| 2 | "A Snake in Cow's Clothing" | TBA |
| A mysterious bull named Jacques La Beef arrives in town who has all the women drawn to him. Moo and Dakota are suspicious of him, especially after Miss Lily is robbed of the items in her new safe by The Masked Bull in a plot to discredit Jacques La Beef (who is secretly a notorious con artist named Barney Finkleberg). | ||
| 3 | "Bulls of a Feather" | TBA |
| During an attack on the stagecoach bound for Cow Town, Puma sees that The Masked Bull is actually Sheriff Terrorbull after Boothill Buzzard accidentally unmasks him. In order to save his identity after his attempt on Puma's life is thwarted by J.R., Sheriff Terrorbull must break his younger brother Horribull out of Sinquitten Federal Prison to pose as The Masked Bull and fool everyone. | ||
| 4 | "School Days" | TBA |
| A new teacher (actually Boot Hill Buzzard in drag) has the children help The Masked Bull commit crime through her strange assignments. | ||
| 5 | "A Sheepful of Dollars" | TBA |
| Cowlorado volunteers for Miss Lily's cattle drive only to find out his "cattle" is actually a bad tempered sheep named Miss Ewebaby. Moo and Dakota discovery that the cattle drive is a front to delivery the money for the Elbow's Bend Hospital Veterinary Clinic where it is under Miss Ewebaby to keep it from being stolen by The Masked Bull. | ||
| 6 | "Thoroughly Moodern Lily" | TBA |
| When Mayor Bulloney discovers oil that is secretly buried deep beneath Lily Bovine's Tumbleweed Saloon, he quickly dispatches Lily's arch-rival Sadie Wowcow to run her out of town. | ||
| 7 | "Wetward, Whoa" | TBA |
| Cowtown dries up and only Mayor Bulloney has water. When Cody finds the real reason for this, it is up to him to bring water back everyone. | ||
| 8 | "Wedding Bull Blues" | TBA |
| When Cowlamity Kate doesn't receive a letter from her father who has been exploring the Mesa for 7 years, Mayor Bulloney claims he will be taking all her property since her father had no will. But when a page of one of her father's old letters shows up, stating Kate will inherit the ranch and his gold, though only if she is married, Kate plans to make Dakota her husband. | ||
| 9 | "Legend of Skull Duggery" | TBA |
| When Cody, Carly, and Jake find a treasure map in Cowlamity Kate's attic while cleaning it, they decide to follow it to find Tom Duggery's lost silver on Skull Mountain. While competing against Saddle Sore and Boot Hill Buzzard, Cody, Carly, and Jake encounter Tom Duggery's ghost in the form of Skull Duggery. Now Moo, Dakota, Cowlorado, and Cowlamity Kate must rescue the kids from Skull Duggery. | ||
| 10 | "Stolen on the River" | TBA |
| In an attempt to get his own deputy star, Cowlorado goes undercover as Johnny Slim to catch Five Card Cud all by himself when he and his henchman Short Change take control of the Dixie Trixie river boat while in collaboration with the Dixie Trixie's captain. | ||
| 11 | "Dances with Bulls" | TBA |
| Moo Montana and Sheriff Terrorbull get in a mess when they both try to capture the Gila Hooligans after the crashed the party in Cowtown that followed Mayor Bulloney's re-election. To catch the Gila Hooligans, the C.O.W.-Boys and Sheriff Terrorbull have to work together to apprehend the Gilla Hooligans. | ||
| 12 | "The Big Cow Wow" | TBA |
| The C.O.W.-Boys work to catch two snakes that make up the Hole in the Ground Gang after they robbed some bison at Mini Soda Flats. Cody is really excited about going to the Pueblo's annual Cow-Wow with J.R. and Tejua as the threat of the Hole in the Ground Gang could disrupt the whole fiesta. When Moo and the other C.O.W.-Boys run into some trouble trying to catch the gang, Cody and Tejua help to bring them to justice. | ||
| 13 | "Another Fine Mesa" | TBA |
| No one cares that it is Moo Montanta's 10th anniversary as marshal. Then, Moo receives a telegram from Bessy Bluebell from his hometown of Miller Glen where the retiring sheriff T-Bone wants Moo to take over even at the time when Bat Blastagun and his henchmen are causing trouble in Miller Glen. Now Moo must decide between Miller Glen where he is beloved by the townsfolk and Cowtown. | ||
Season Two (1993)
| No. | Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | "No Face To Hide" | TBA |
| Many trains have been stolen by Shock Holiday's gang where Shock Holiday is holding them hostage until the Railroad President pays a huge ransom. When Marshall Moo fails at capturing the thief, Sheriff Terrorbull challenges him to see who catches Shock Holiday first and the loser will have to leave Cowtown. | ||
| 15 | "The Down Under Gang" | TBA |
| Cow Belle and her sons have an underground hideout called Sidewinder City which allows other outlaws to use it in exchange of a share of what they steal. When Cowlorado Kid is captured during the infiltration, Moo Montana and Dakota Dude must find Sidewinder City and rescue him while also dealing with the Masked Bull. | ||
| 16 | "Cow Pirates of Swampy Cove" | TBA |
| The pirate captain Longhorn Silver and his band of buccaneers have been robbing trains and causing trouble on Moo Mesa's waterways. With a gold shipment and Cody's money for new boots in their possession, Moo Montana, Dakota Dude, and Cowlorado Kid have to go to Newportleans to track these pirates down. While trying to get back the money, Cody is caught by the Masked Bull as part of his plan to work with Longhorn Silver to dispose of the C.O.W.-Boys. Now the C.O.W.-Boys must rescue Cody, reclaim the stolen loot, and defeat Longhorn Silver. | ||
| 17 | "The Cacklin Kid" | TBA |
| Moo Montana, Dakota Dude, and Cowlorado Kid apprehend the Cacklin Kid after he was nearly disposed of by the Baying Bunch led by Scavenger who are seeking the location of where the Cacklin Kid hid the Baying Bunch's loot. At the courthouse, Cacklin Kid gets sympathy from Judge Overrule who instructs that Moo Montana, Dakota Dude, and Cowlorado Kid safely transports Cacklin Kid to the federal penitentiary to serve out his one year sentence. Now the C.O.W.-Boys must get the Cacklin Kid to the penitentiary safely while evading the Baying Bunch who have tricked Sheriff Terrorbull into helping them. | ||
| 18 | "Skull Duggery Rides Again" | TBA |
| On Halloween, Skull Duggery returns upon emerging from the cave-in of his mine at Skull Mountain in order to get revenge on Moo, Dakota, and Cowlorado. This time, he is obtained an age accelerating spell with the help of his fellow ghosts where they start aging everything in Cowtown. | ||
| 19 | "Billy the Kidder" | TBA |
| The C.O.W.-Boys get word from Warden Gordon Bordon that Billy the Kidder and his lizard henchmen Lester and Kisser have escaped from prison. When Lily's uncle Rocky gets caught in a cave-in upon finding the lost treasure of the Concudsadors, she plans to enlist Cowlamity Kate to help rescue him only to end up captured by Lester and Kisser so that Billy the Kidder can steal the lost treasure of the Concudsadors. Now the C.O.W.-Boys and Calamity Kate must rescue Lily and Rocky, apprehend Billy the Kidder's group, and recover the lost treasure of the Concudsadors. | ||
| 20 | "How the West was Shrunk" | TBA |
| Bat Blastagun and his gang have escaped from prison where they find a shard of the comet that created Moo Mesa outside of Cowtown. Enlisting the help of the mad scientist Dr. Wolfgang Wolfenstein, Bat Masterson uses the shard to shrink everything. | ||
| 21 | "Circus Daze" | TBA |
| The Great Bovini's Wild West Circus comes to Cowtown, but amusement of the masses is the last thing on the mind of the ringmaster The Great Bovini as he uses a special stone to mesmerize anyone into stealing money. In order to keep the Cowinoor Diamond from being shipped to the Jersey City Museum, Mayor Bulloney, Saddle Sore, and Boot Hill Buzzard approach The Great Bovini to help them steal it which doesn't go well as Boot Hill Buzzard is unaffected by The Great Bovini's stone. Now the C.O.W.-Boys must work with Boot Hill Buzzard into thwarting The Great Bovini and freeing the townspeople from his control. | ||
| 22 | "No Way to Treat a Lady" | TBA |
| Moo Montana, Dakota Dude, and Cowlorado Kid have to deal with four masked marauders who happen to be ladies of the Sewing B. Ranch led by Barb Wire Babs (the criminal alias of Miss Barbara). As Cowlorado Kid goes undercover in Barbed Wire Babs' group, Wild Bill Barker is kidnapped as part of Barbed Wire Babs' plot to make counterfeit money. | ||
| 23 | "Night of the Cowgoyle" | TBA |
| After Cowlorado Kid was unable to catch a gold thief, he, Moo Montana, and Dakota Dude look for the thief and end up escorting a wagon train led by Rooster Cogsbull through a valley where a creature called the Cowgoyle (a cattle/gargoyle creature) dwells. To make sure that the C.O.W.-Boys meet their end and the Cowgoyle is blamed for the action, Mayor Bulloney sends Saddle Sore and Boot Hill Buzzard to get the Masked Bull to dispose of them. Following the Cowgoyle's attacks, the C.O.W.-Boys work to catch the Cowgoyle while suspecting that it might be one of the suspicious wagon train travelers. | ||
| 24 | "Boom Town or Bust" | TBA |
| Cowlorado Kid discovers gold in a river causing the Gold Rush on Moo Mesa which even gets Mayor Bulloney, Saddle Sore, and Boot Hill Buzzard to work on claiming the gold. Upon Boom Town being formed as part of the gold rush, the C.O.W.-Boys work to keep the settlement in line. When a claim-jumper named Big Bucks and his henchmen Digalong and Stub plot to steal everyone's gold, the C.O.W.-Boys spring into action to protect Boom Town. | ||
| 25 | "The Fastest Filly in the West" | TBA |
| In preparation for the 11th Annual Cowtown Cross Country Race, Cowlorado Kid encounters some competition Cowlamity Kate's cousin Cowleen and her horse Tornado as well as encountering his old rival Swifty Buckhorn. Fast Willy and his henchmen plan to steal Tornado so that they can rob the Pony Express with one of the packages being the trophy for the Cross Country Race. Now Cowlorado Kid and Swifty Buckhorn must put aside their differences to help Moo and Dakota catch Fast Willy and reclaim Tornado. | ||
| 26 | "The Wild Wild Pest" | TBA |
| J.R. takes Cody Calf and Buffalo Bull to the Invention Convention on the Dixie Trixie. Using his airship, Mules Verne and his henchmen steal the Dixie Trixie so that he can force all the inventors onboard to help him take over Moo Mesa by building a giant robot cowboy that will help in his plans by starting with raiding the governor's mansion. | ||
Cast
- Jeff Bennett - Cowlorado Kid, Hole in the Ground Gang Leader (in "The Big Cow Wow"), Frank (in "Another Fine Mesa"), Beans (in "Another Fine Mesa")
- Jim Cummings - The Dakota Dude, Saddle Sore, Warden Gordon Borden, Wild Bill Barker, Skull Duggery (in "Legend of Skull Duggery," "Skull Duggery Rides Again"), Gila Hooligans Leader (in "Dances with Bulls"), Toupee Turkey (in "The Big Cow Wow"), Grits (in "Night of the Cowgoyle")
- Troy Davidson - Cody Calf
- Bill Farmer - Puma, Jury Foreman (in "The Cacklin Kid")
- Pat Fraley - Marshal Moo Montana
- Michael Greer - Mayor Oscar Bulloney
- Michael Horse - J.R.
- Charity James - Lily Bovine, Tewah
- Kay Lenz - Cowlamity Kate Cudster
- Danny Mann - Boot Hill Buzzard
- Joe Piscopo - Masked Bull/Sheriff Terrorbull
Additional voices
- Charlie Adler - Billy the Kidder (in "Billy the Kidder"), Lester (in "Billy the Kidder")
- Jack Angel -
- Michael Bell - Shock Holiday (in "No Face to Hide"), Rooster Cogsbull (in "Night of the Cowgoyle")
- Robby Benson -
- Corey Burton -
- Ruth Buzzi - Cow Belle (in "The Down Under Gang")
- Jodi Carlisle -
- Tim Curry - Jacques La Beef/Barney Finkleberg (in "A Snake in Cow's Clothing")
- David Doyle - Rocky Bovine (in "Billy the Kidder")
- Brad Garrett - Longhorn Silver (in "Cow Pirates of Swampy Cove")
- Ellen Gerstell -
- Michael Gough - Small Change (in "Stolen on the River")
- Mark Hamill - Skeleton king
- Dorian Harewood - The Great Bovini (in "Circus Daze") Modo
- Kate Mulgrew - Barbed Wire Babs/Miss Barbara (in "No Way to Treat a Lady")
- Rob Paulsen - Adult Cody Calf (in "Skull Duggery Rides Again"), Cacklin Kid (in "The Cacklin Kid"), Swifty Buckhorn (in "The Fastest Filly in the West") Throttle
- Neil Ross - Bat Blastagun (in "Another Fine Mesa" and "How the West was Shrunk")
- Stu Rosen -
- Kath Soucie - Carly, Jake Daffidill
- Sally Struthers - Bessy Bluebell ("in "Another Fine Mesa")
- Russi Taylor - Sally Sue Holstein Huwey Louie Dewy
- Lara Jill Miller - Clifford
Crew
- Ginny McSwain - Voice Director
Theme song
The theme song was sung by country artist Billy Dean, who co-wrote it with Verlon Thompson.
Toys and merchandise
Action figures and vehicles were made by Hasbro. Story books, coloring books, and VHS home videos were put out by Random House. Halloween costumes were made by Collegeville/Imagineering LP. Farley Candy introduced a line of themed fruit snacks. Bath products by Tsumura International were also available, as well as lunch boxes by Thermos. Figural coin banks were made by Toy Dreams. Plastic dinnerware was available from Betras Plastics. Kid's Meal promotional items (3" action figures, sack, placemat, activity pack, and collectible cups) were made by Kid Stuff.
Action figures
In 1991, Hasbro Toys produced a series of ten action figures and one vehicle(IronHorse). Marshal Moo Montana was produced heaviest while the character Boot Hill Buzzard is the rarest of the set with only a limited number released. Of the three main heroes, the Dakota Dude is the scarcest.
In 1999, to coincide with the series being broadcast on the Toon Disney channel, the Kid Stuff company manufactured a set of 3" tall action figures for its Moo Mesa Kids Meal promotion. Articulated at the shoulders, neck, and waist, the assortment consisted of Marshal Moo Montana, The Dakota Dude, The Cowlorado Kid, Miss Cowlamity Kate, Cody Calf, and the Masked Bull. These were available at participating restaurants.
Comic book series
Archie Comics released both a mini-series and regular series of Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa comic books. The first issue of the mini-series came with an exclusive pull-out wanted poster available only through the direct sales market. Three issues of both the mini-series (December 1992, January and February 1993) and the regular series (March, May and July 1993) were released.
The C.O.W.-Boys made their TMNT universe debut when they teamed up with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in issue #21 of the Mirage Studios title "Tales of the TMNT." The TMNT aided the C.O.W.-Boys in stopping Sheriff Terrorbull from stealing a magic crystal shard. Moo Montana and his deputies returned in number 32 of the Tales of the TMNT series. This time the horned heroes come up against Savanti Romero and the Eye of Aga-Moo-Tu. The story takes place in the astral realm of Bov-gamesh and introduces the character Tsou-T'an-Jin an ancient sorceress tortoise that lives on Moo Mesa. The C.O.W.-Boys make their third appearance with the ninja turtles in the November 2008 issue of Tales of the TMNT. The story concluded in Tales of the TMNT #58 printed in May 2009.
A special event exclusive edition of this issue was sold at a one-day event on March 31, 2007 at the Wayne Center for the Arts in Wooster, Ohio. It differs from the regular release because of its alternative cover by Andre Ponce, Ryan Brown and Steve Lavigne. It also has a special message from the arts center on the inside front cover.
Video game
| Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Konami |
| Publisher(s) | Konami |
| Designer(s) | Satoru Okamoto (supervisor) |
| Composer(s) | Michiru Yamane |
| Release date(s) | November 19, 1992 |
| Genre(s) | run and gun |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, Multiplayer (1-4 players) |
| Sound |
Z80 @ 8 MHz YM2151 @ 4 MHz K054539 @ 48 kHz |
| Display |
384 x 224 @ 60 Hz 2048 palette colors |
In 1992, Konami released a coin-operated arcade game based on the series titled Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa. The game is a side-scrolling "run 'n gun" action game similar to Konami's previous wild west-themed game Sunset Riders. Ryan Brown worked closely with Konami on the game's development.
The player characters in the game are Cowlorado Kid, Dakota Dude, Marshall Moo Montana, and Buffalo Bull. The game can be configured to allow up to four players to play simultaneously.
The game's controls consist of an eight-way joystick and two buttons for shooting and jumping. Pressing both buttons simultaneously will cause the player character to perform a stampede attack, do a spinning jump, or use any equipped item like dynamite sticks and tomahawk blades. The player can uncover a variety of power-up items by shooting flying chickens, which includes a rapid-fire Machine Gun and a Power-Up for wider bullets. Unlike Sunset Riders, the player has a three-unit life gauge that allows the player to take three hits before losing a life.
Popular culture
- The C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa make a cameo appearance in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fast Forward episode "Home Invasion." The Ninja Turtles visit the Tumbleweed Saloon in Moo Mesa in the form of a virtual simulation where they fight a cast of Cowtown villains and play a hand of cards with heroes Marshall Moo Montana, the Dakota Dude, and the Cowlorado Kid. The featured Moo Mesa villains are Sheriff Terrorbull, Boothill Buzzard, Shock Holiday, Big Bucks, Lone Grunger, Butch Cowsidy, Stub, and Slick Willie Weasel.
References
- ↑ "Cows Vs. Bandits". Chicago Tribune. September 3, 1992. Retrieved 2010-08-28.
- ↑ http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&keyID=1762985&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID
External links
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