Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa is an American animated television series for children created by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book artist Ryan Brown. It was produced by Greengrass Productions and animated by Gunther-Wahl Productions for its first season and then handed to Ruby-Spears Productions for its second season. C.O.W.-Boys aired Saturday mornings on the American Broadcasting Company television network.
First broadcast on September 18, 1992 to coattail the staggering success of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the C.O.W-Boys of Moo Mesa became a popular hit, spawning an arcade game, two seasons of comic books, and several lines of merchandise. Coincidently, 14 years later, the C.O.W-Boys would team up with the Turtles in two issues of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book series. The C.O.W-Boys television series ran for two seasons, spanning 26 episodes, before the show was canceled on May 26, 1994 with Disney's acquisition of ABC.The series was then re-broadcast for 3 additional years on the Toon Disney Channel from April 1998 to April 2001. Currently, episodes can be watched on YouTube.
The show's theme song was by famous country music star Billy Dean. Star Wars veteran Mark Hamill and Kate Mulgrew (of Star Trek: Voyager) both supplied voices for the show. Two time Emmy winning beauty and former Mrs. David Cassidy, Kay Lenz voiced the character Cowlamity Kate and Saturday Night Live veteran Joe Piscopo was the voice of Sheriff Terrorbull.
The television series is owned by the CBS Corporation and was produced by the CBS owned company King World Productions, Inc. King World is also home to the Oprah Winfrey Show, Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy! and the Dr. Phil Show. DIC Entertainment currently holds some rights to the series through the acquisition of Greengrass Productions.
Contents |
[edit] Characters
Like many cartoons during its time, The C.O.W.-Boys dealt with a mutation of some kind; in this case, an irradiated meteor struck the late 1800s 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 series focuses on trying to keep justice in the frontier territory. The lawbreakers were too much for the corrupt regulators of Cowtown - Mayor 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, short for "Code of the West." Led by bull Marshal Moo Montana, the C.O.W. Boys also included the outspoken Tenderfoot, the strong, silent Dakota Dude and the Cowlorado Kid. The muscle-bound Marshal and his deputies had their hands full with the two outlaw gangs that plagued the otherwise peaceful town: the Wild Wild Bullies and the Gila Hooligans.
| Main Characters | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Marshal Moo Montana: 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 (episode 12: Dances with Bulls). (Voice: Pat Fraley). | |
|
The Dakota Dude: the soft-spoken muscle of Montana's posse, Dakota possesses a cool temperament and rarely gets mad, even in near death experiences (episode 12: Dances with Bulls). Dakota agreed to marry Cowlamity Kate in Wedding Bull Blues to save her father's inheritance. (Voice: Jim Cummings). | |
|
The Cowlorado Kid: 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 be rescued by Dakota and Moo Montana. (Voice: Jeff Bennett). | |
|
Sheriff Terrorbull/The Masked Bull: selected by the corrupt Mayor Bulloney, Terrorbull uses his sheriff front to conceal his evil intentions. Was forced to leave Cowtown after losing a bet to Moo in No Face To Hide. Subsequently became sheriff of the remote town of Lonesome Gulch, where he continued his unlawful exploits. (Voice: Joe Piscopo). | |
|
Mayor Oscar Bulloney: the greedy and corrupt mayor of Cowtown in Moo Mesa, Bulloney rigs elections (episode 2: 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. | |
|
Lily Bovine: bartender, former showgirl and owner of the local saloon, The Tumbleweed. Also Moo Montana's love interest. Her best friend is Cowlamity Kate. | |
|
Cody Calf: nicknamed "Calf-Pint" by Moo and his posse, he idolizes the marshal and hopes to be a lawcow himself when he grows up. He is apparently related to Lily Bovine in some way, though he does not appear to be her son as he refers to her "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. |
| Secondary Characters | |
|---|---|
|
Horribull: Sheriff Terrorbull's younger brother, who at one point impersonated the Masked Bull to throw suspicion off of his brother. Has a grudge against Moo Montana, whom he calls "Marshal Meathead", for puting him in prison. |
|
Cowlamity Kate Cudster: tomboyish rancher and operator of the highly profitable Golden Cud Mine. Don't let her looks fool you, this is one gal who can take care of herself! She's as hard-working and hard-riding as any man and has enough skill with a lasso to put Cowlorado to shame. Dakota Dude's love interest, she gave him the hat he wears and nearly married him in Wedding Bull Blues. Her name is a play on that of the famous Wild West heroine, Calamity Jane. (Voice: Kay Lenz). |
|
Jake: One of Cody Calf's schoolmates / friends. Tends to be a little more cautious and reluctant than either of his peers. |
|
Carly: Another of Cody Calf's schoolmates / friends; possibly Jake's sister. Is slightly braver and more adventurous than Jake is. |
|
Josey Rey [J.R.]: somewhat eccentric Native American inventor and scientist. Appropriately, he is a bison. Quoted by his niece Tejua as having said that "Within every mess, lies the roots of inventiveness". His inventions tend to go haywire, but have still managed to come in handy for Moo and his posse more than once. |
|
Tejua: J.R.'s niece and Cody's playmate. She is a champion at the Pine Cone Toss, which she says is "all in the wrist action". |
|
Hole in the Ground Gang: A pair of rattlesnake outlaws who tunnel under the ground to take their victims by surprise and avoid capture. They are often asked, much to their annoyance, why they call themselves a "gang" when there are only two of them (they claim that the rest of their numbers are in jail). Their name is a play on that of the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang, of which Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were members. |
| Six Gun Clucky: Chicken outlaw that Moo and Dakota chase into the Tumbleweed Saloon at the beginning of episode Thoroughly Moodern Lily. Clucky gets tangled up with the saloon piano and is apprehended by the Law Cows with a spitoon stuck over his head. | |
|
BullFrog Durham: The Dakota Dude gives Bullfrog a look to leave as he discusses his pending marriage to Cowlamity Kate with Miss Lily in the episode Wedding Bull Blues. Bullfrog politely obliges, tipping his hat as he pays for his drink and walks out. His name is obviously a play on the amphibious frog and the Kevin Costner film Bull Durham. Also Durham is a breed of cow. |
|
Gila Hooligans: a trio of British-accented gila monster outlaws with an air of uppercrust refinement about them. Despite their polite, cultured mannerisms, they are extremely ruthless and dangerous; some of the few series villians that are strongly intimated to have killed in the past. (Voices: Tony Jay) |
|
Five Card Cud: described as a "viscious, foul-smelling, scoundrel", he is a dishonest gambler bull who likes nothing better than cheating people and robbing them of their valuables. He has also apparently never bathed once in his life and is constantly surrounded by a small swarm of flies. Leaves behind an ace of spades at the site of his crimes.
Was operating in cahoots with the dishonest captain of the river boat Dixie Trixie when Cowlorado attempted to capture him single-handedly. Another series villain who is strongly intimated to have killed in the past (in this case, a rival gambler named "Snake-Eyes Smithson"). His name is a play on that of the poker game, Five-card stud. |
|
Puma: a diminutive puma with a bushy gray beard, rumpled stovepipe hat and shabby clothing. Serves as the town handyman. Tends to be a freeloader and is probably the closest thing Cowtown has to a town drunk. Once saw the Masked Bull without his mask on during a stagecoach robbery and made the lawcows wait on him hand-and-foot in exchange for his testimony against Sheriff Terrorbull. Unfortunately, he was later found in court to be an unreliable witness due to his poor eyesight. His voice sounds like a cross between the Disney character Goofy and actor Pat Buttram. (Voice: Bill Farmer). |
|
Buffalo Bull: as his name suggests, is an older male bison. He serves as Cowtown's resident blacksmith and like J.R., is a mildly eccentric inventor and scientist. His name is a play on that of Wild West showman and frontier figure, Buffalo Bill Cody. |
|
Jack: a rabbit; serves as Cowtown's worry-prone telegraph operator. Has a cousin in Moo Montana's home town of Miller Glen who is also a telegraph operator. |
|
Sarah Sheep: Cowtown's new schoolmarm. Was kidnapped by the Masked Bull and secretly replaced by Boot Hill Buzzard (in drag) as part of a scheme by Mayor Bulloney to get the town's children to unwittingly assist in the Masked Bull's crimes. |
|
Walter Carrier Pigeon: Cowtown's timid, but duty-minded mailman. His voice sounds similar to the late Don Knotts. He was kidnapped and held by Sheriff Terrorbull and Mayor Bulloney as part of a scheme to declare Cowlamity Kate's father legally dead and seize the Golden Cud Mine for themselves. Was freed by Marshal Moo in time to deliver a letter proving Col. Cudster was still alive. His name is a play on that of Canadian actor, Walter Pidgeon. |
|
Jacques Le Beefe: an extremely charming French-accented bull who arrived in Cowtown, ostensibly to sell fine wares and patent medicines. Quickly caught the eye of every lady in town, including (much to Moo and Dakota's consternation), Lily Bovine and Cowlamity Kate! In reality, however, he was in fact a con artist and thief named Barney Finkleberg who was there to scam the good folks of Cowtown out of their valuables and steal Lily Bovine's top secret sasparilla recipe. |
|
Geronimoo: A Hasbro action figure in the Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa toyline. His name is a play on that of the famed Apache leader, Geronimo. |
|
Colonel Cudster: Cowlamity Kate's father; his full name is George Armstrong Cudster. Left Cowtown seven years before the start of the series to explore Moo Mesa, leaving his rich holdings, namely his ranch and the Golden Cud Mine, in the care of his daughter. Sends her a letter every year on the anniversary of his departure. Mayor Bulloney and Sheriff Terrorbull attempted to have him declared legally dead in an attempt to seize the Golden Cud Mine for themselves. Ultimately, he appeared only as a Hasbro action figure in the Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa toyline, though the producers may have had plans for an in-person appearance later in the show, had it continued. His name is a play on that of the infamous and ill-fated George Armstrong Custer, who died at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. |
|
Saddle Sore: a scorpion, and one of Sheriff Terrorbull's comically inept henchmen. He is slightly smarter and braver than Boot Hill Buzzard, but only just. (Voice: Jim Cummings). |
|
Boot Hill Buzzard: 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: ill-tempered demonic skeletal cow. He is the ghost of a greedy silver miner named Tom Duggery, who, after striking it rich on his claim at Skull Mountain, was trapped by a cave-in during a terrible thunderstorm. Now his ghost haunts the abandoned mine tunnels, dealing harshly with those who dare to invade his domain. It is said that no one leaves Skull Mountain alive. However, this did not stop Cody Calf and his friends Jake and Carly from trying to find Duggery's lost cache of silver. (Voice: Jim Cummings) |
|
Evil-Eye Jacques: Evil skeletal black cat from the Halloween episode Skull Duggery Rides Again. Speaks with a gravelly French-accent. The phantom feline shoots lightning bolt death rays from his one good eye. |
|
Dark Fang: Skull Duggery's owl-ghost sidekick. Dark Fang's power's include hypnotism and being able to generate a howling wind with his wings, which can freeze objects and people solid or cause them to prematurely age at a rapid rate. His voice is reminiscent of Dracula and actor Bela Lugosi. |
|
Mules Burne: a diminutive donkey with a French accent and a Captain Nemo complex. Captain of a huge airship, he is a maniacal scientific genius who plotted to take over Moo Mesa by kidnapping all of its inventors to help him construct a gigantic robotic cowboy suit. His name is a play on that of famous French author, Jules Verne. |
|
Swifty Buckhorn: an overconfident jackalope. He and Cowlorado apparently grew up together and have been rivals (especially when it comes to the ladies) since childhood. Never misses an opportunity to put Cowlorado down, by calling him "boy" or "son", etc. |
|
Shock Holiday: an apparently faceless bison outlaw who wields twin lightning-guns. In reality, though, his faceless appearance is provided by a fur mask which covers his entire face. His name is a play on that of famous gunslinger Doc Holliday. |
|
Roy Beans: a red wolf outlaw who wields a chili-bean-shooting shotgun. One of Shock Holiday's henchmen. His name is a play on that of Wild West figure Roy Bean, the so-called "Hangin' Judge". |
|
Boar Brothers: twin wild boar outlaws who wield clubs. They are members of Shock Holiday's gang. Possibly meant to parody the infamous Ford Brothers, who killed the outlaw Jesse James. |
|
Bat Blastagun: an ill-tempered brown bat who wears a suit and a derby hat. Despite being a confirmed outlaw, he also wears a marshal's badge (possibly taken from a lawman he killed, although it's also possible he's a lawman-turned-bad). Has a peculiar habit of replacing words like "thanks" with "fangs", as in "Fangs-alot!". His name is a play on that of famous gunslinger and lawman Bat Masterson. His voice is reminiscent of actor Jack Nicholson. |
|
Sid Arachnid: a tarantula. One of Bat Blastagun's henchmen, he found the comet shard which Bat later used to shrink the lawcows. Sid's voice is based on the SNL character Father Guido Sarducci. |
|
Gil A. Monster: a gila monster with a cockney accent. Another of Bat Blastagun's henchmen. |
|
The Rawhide Rattler: a rattlesnake who wears a Union Army cap. Typically rides coiled around Gil A. Monster's neck, he is yet another member of Bat Blastagun's gang. |
|
Dr. Wolfgang Wolfenstein: a mad scientist wolf with a creepy moutaintop laboratory, he was able to successfully use the comet shard found by Bat Blastagun's henchmen to create a shrink-ray, which was later used against the lawcows and eventually, all of Cowtown as well. His name is most likely a play on that of Mary Shelley's famous character Victor Frankenstein, though it is possible he could also be named for the popular Castle Wolfenstein games or even American particle physicist Lincoln Wolfenstein. |
|
Judge O. Verrule: Moo Mesa's circuit court judge. Unlike "Judge" (Mayor) Bulloney, he seems to be an honest jurist. Presided over the trial of the Cacklin' Kid. His name is play on the judicial power to overrule a legal objection in court. |
|
The Cacklin' Kid: cocky, short-statured coyote outlaw and former member of the Bayin' Bunch. Got his name from his annoying habbit of talking a mile-a-minute about anything and everything. Had a falling-out with the rest of the gang after he stole a cache of gold bars from the Bayin' Bunch's leader, The Scavenger. He is based on actor Joe Pesci. |
|
The Scavenger: the lean, mean and ruthless leader of a gang of coyote outlaws known as the Bayin' Bunch. Forged a brief alliance with Sheriff Terrorbull after Moo Montana interfered with his attempts to get revenge on the Cacklin' Kid for stealing his gold. |
|
Chomp: a heavyset coyote outlaw; member of the Bayin' Bunch. Weapon of choice is a pistol which fires teeth. |
|
Sawbones: a coyote outlaw with bushy eyebrows; member of the Bayin' Bunch. So-called because his weapon fires a miniature crosscut saw. His name is taken from an old west slang term for a doctor (in those days, doctors routinely performed amputations of damaged limbs). |
|
Warden Gordon Borden: the Warden of Moo Mesa's Sinquitten Federal Prison. His name is taken from Borden Milk Products, makers of, among other things, Elmer's Glue. |
|
Fast Willie Weasel: Horse-thieveing outlaw who steals Tornado in the episode The Fastest Filly in the West. |
|
Stinky & Cheesy: Fast Willie Weasel's two rat henchmen. |
|
Dog-Eared Earle: Earle is chased across the prarie in the beginning of the episode The Down Under Gang. He is saved by Cow Belle and her boys and then hustled for all his loot. |
|
Cow Belle: the outlaw queen. Along with her sons, operated a secret underground city for outlaws known Sidewinder City in the episode The Down Under Gang. Is also an associate of the Masked Bull and Mayor Bulloney. She is possibly based on gangster-era crime mother Ma Barker; her name is possibly meant as a parody of female Wild West outlaw, Belle Starr. |
|
Butch Cowsiddy: Card throwing gambler son of Cow Belle. His name is a play on that of famous outlaw, Butch Cassidy. |
|
The Lone Grunger One horned hoodlum ( his one horn is broken) son of Cow Belle. His name is a play on that of the famous Western radio, TV and pulp-fiction hero, The Lone Ranger. |
|
The Sundazed Kid: Musclebound son of Cow Belle. Uses whips as weapons. His name is a play on that of famed outlaw, the Sundance Kid. |
|
Don Juan Iguana: Green lizard gang member of the Down Under Gang. He spies on Moo Montana. |
|
Sally Sue Holstien: Cowlorado's love interest in the beginning of the episode A Sheepful of Dollars. |
|
The Great Bovini: the rotten ringmaster of a cirus which visited Cowtown in the episode Circus Daze. Possesed a mysterious glowing green gem, which had some kind of supernatural hypnotic power, enchanting those who looked upon it. Bovini used this power to manipulate the citizens of Cowtown into committing crimes for him. The circus was a cover to enchant as many people as possible without arrousing suspicion. Incredibly, Boot Hill Buzzard was immune to the jewel's power, being simply too dim-witted for it to have any effect. |
|
Bulloono the evil clown: The Great Bovini's uni-cycle riding clown prince of crime. Is actually very afraid of Bovini. Tried to kill Dakota by putting him in a cage with a wild gorilla. |
|
Captain Longhorn Silver: tough pirate captain in the tradition of Blackbeard that terrorizes Misty Swamp with his ship. Said to "eat lawcows for breakfast....and spit them out for lunch". Has wicked-looking silver hook in place of his left hand and larger than normal black horns. Hangs out in the river town of New Portleans. Cooperated with the Masked Bull in an attempt to eliminate the lawcows. His name is a play on that of Long John Silver, the pirate captain in Robert Lewis Stevenson's famous pirate adventure novel, Treasure Island. |
|
River Rat Rosie: Throws Cowlorado to the ground outside the River Rat Saloon after he makes a pass at her in the episode Cow Pirates of Swampy Cove. Her looks are deceiving; takes no gaff off of anyone (a useful trait in a tough river town like New Portleans). Rosie is based on actress and sex symbol, Mae West. |
|
Rocky Bovine: Lily Bovine's treasure-hunter uncle. Spent twenty years searching for the legendary lost treasure of the Concowstadors, only to be trapped by a cave-in shortly after finding it. Was pursued by the outlaw Billy the Kidder, whom he apparently has some history with. His voice is reminiscent of actor Mickey Rooney. |
|
Cawford: Rocky Bovine's pet crow. Ferried a message for help to Lily after Rocky was trapped by a cave-in. Unfortunately, he was sighted along the way by Billy the Kidder, who's henchmen followed him to Cowtown. |
|
Billy the Kidder: ornery goat outlaw with a penchant for bizzare practical jokes and unusual toy-like weapons, which he uses to confuse his enemies. After escaping from prison, he took Lily Bovine hostage and forced her to lead him to her uncle Rocky in order to steal the lost treasure of the Concowstadors from him. Proved very difficult for the lawcows to capture. His name is a play on that of legendary outlaw, Billy the Kid. (Voice: Charlie Adler). |
|
Chester & Lester: Billy the Kidder's two clownish, lizard henchmen. |
|
Wild Bill Barker: the hound dog Editor-in-Chief of Cowtown's newspaper, The Cowtown Gazette. Was in the process of writing an exposé about the Masked Marauders, when his newly-ordered printing equipment was stolen by the outlaws. Later, they returned to kidnap him, afterwards forcing him to print counterfeit money. His name is a play on that of famous gunslinger, Wild Bill Hickok. |
|
Barbara Clawson [aka "Barbwire Babs"]: mountain lion leader of the Masked Marauders, a gang of counterfeiting crooks in the episode No Way to Treat a Lady. As beautiful as she is dangerous, with a nasty temper to boot. The all-girl gang operates out of the Sewing "B" Ranch. To hide the fact that they are women, they wear male clothing and masks when committing their crimes, while acting deceptively gentle and feminine in public to further divert peoples' suspicions. Babs (at least while pretending to be a law-abiding citizen) seems to be largely patterned after country singer Dolly Parton. |
|
Sister Slim: devious pronghorn antelope gal, member of the Masked Marauders. Appears to be Barbwire Babs' second-in-command. |
|
Bess and Tess the Buffalo Gals: twin female bison outlaws who are both built like professional wrestlers. They act as the muscle of Barbwire Babs' gang, the Masked Marauders. |
|
Grits Grizzly: the inept cook of Rooster Cogbull's wagon train, whose specialty was a disgusting, bug-ridden concoction called "Cactus Casserole". Later became wagonmaster after Cogbull was arrested by Moo Montana; a job he was far better suited for. |
|
Rooster Cogbull: seemingly amicable wagonmaster, he was in reality a gold robber who disguised himself as the legendary Cowgoyle monster in order to frighten people away while he stashed his cache of stolen loot aboard one of the wagons. His name is a play on that of the famous John Wayne character, Rooster Cogburn. |
|
Blackjack: A somewhat-shady grey wolf gambler in Cogbull's wagon-train that Cowlorado suspects is the Cowgoyle. Very distrustful of lawcows, which only added to the suspicion. Caught Cody attempting to open one of his trunks (which had a Cowgoyle-like insignia painted on it), which later turned out to house his lucky silver coin. |
|
Big Bucks: a greedy, mean-spirited White-tailed deer outlaw with a coonskin cap and a thick beard. Wields a double-bladed axe. A claim jumper, he terrorized the tent city of Boom Town; litterally tried to bulldoze over the other miners with steam-powered bulldozer of his own construction. |
|
Digalong Dan: a gopher with spectacles, thick eyebrows and a shaggy beard. His weapon of choice is a pistol which fires miniature square-nosed shovels. Grimey Gopher gang member. Helps Big Bucks grab the gold in the episode Boom Town or Bust. His voice and mannerisms are highly reminiscent of actor Peter Lorre. |
|
Stub "Ernie" Mule: Big Buck's sratchy-voiced partner in crime. Has a habbit of chewing on a stalk of wheat and is armed with razor-edged gold pans, which he hurls like a discus. One dangerous donkey in the episode Boom Town or Bust. |
|
Slippery Sam: a lizard outlaw Cowlorado unsuccessfully attempts to capture (with embarrassing results) shortly before finding gold at the the beginning of the episode Boom Town or Bust. |
|
Governor Cudsworth: the Territorial Governor of Moo Mesa. Was attacked by Mules Burne at the Governor's Mansion in a coup attempt. |
| Sadie Wowcow: Lily Bovine's jealous rival from way back in her days as a showgirl. Was brought in by Mayor Bulloney to help him run The Tumbleweed out of business after he discovered that a rich oil deposit lay beneath the saloon. Opened up a rival saloon across the street from Lily's establishment and resorted to every dirty trick in the book to draw her customers away. Her voice is reminiscent of actress Bette Davis. | |
|
Miss Cowleen: Cowlamity Kate's attractive cousin, came to town to compete in the Annual Cowtown Cross Country race. Her super-fast racehorse, Tornado, was stolen by the outlaw Fast Willie for a series of Pony Express robberies which the lawcows, whose own horses were unable to keep up, could do precious little to stop. The situation was further complicated by Cowlorado and Swifty Buckhorns' futile attempts to compete for her attention. |
|
Sheriff T-Bone: the aged sheriff of Miller Glen and Moo Montana's mentor. He raised the future marshal as his own and taught him to be a lawman. |
|
Frank & Beans: Moo Montana's childhood friends. After some training by the marshal, became Sheriff T-Bone's deputies at the end of Another Fine Mesa. |
|
Bessie Bluebell: Marshal Moo Montana's first love and Frank and Beans' sister. It is Bessie that sends Moo a telegram to come save his hometown from Bat Blastagun and his gang in the episode Another Fine Mesa. Still seems to carry the torch for him, as when asked why she never married, she replied that "The right bull never asked." |
[edit] Episode guide
Season One:
- Another Fine Mesa: No one cares that it is Moo's 10th anniversary as marshal. Then, Moo receives a telegram from his hometown of Miller Glen, where the sheriff wants Moo to take over. Now Moo must decide between Miller Glen and Cowtown.
- A Sheepful of Dollars: Cowlorado volunteers for Miss Lily's cattle drive, only to find out his cattle are bad tempered sheep.
- A Snake in Cow's Clothing: A mysterious bull arrives in town who has all the women drawn to him and Moo and Dakota are suspicious of him, especially after Miss Lily is robbed.
- Bang'em High: Mayor Bulloney and The Masked Bull make a plan to get rid of Moo, with explosive (literally) results.
- Bulls of a Feather: During an attack on the stagecoach Puma sees that The Masked Bull is actually Sheriff Terrorbull. In order to save his identity the sheriff must break his brother Horribull out of jail.
- Dances with Bulls: Moo and Terrorbull get in a mess when they both try to capture the Gila Gang.
- Legend of Skull Duggery: When Cody, Carly and Jake find a treasure map in Cowlamity Kate's attic, they decide to follow it to find Tom Duggery's lost silver.
- School Days: A new teacher (actually, Boothill Buzzard in drag) has the children help The Masked Bull commit crime through her strange assignments.
- Stolen on the River: In an attempt to get his own deputy star, Cowlorado decides to catch Five Card Cud all by himself, only to fail in a shot of embarrassment as he's rescued by Dakota and Moo.
- The Big Cow Wow: Cody is really excited about going to the Pueblo's annual Cow-Wow with J.R. and Tejua, but a string of robberies by the Hold 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.
- Wedding Bull Blues: When Cowlamity Kate's 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 and her husband will inherit the ranch and his gold, Kate plans to marry Dakota.
- Wetward, Whoa: 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.
- Thoroughly Moodern Lily: When Mayor Bulloney discovers a hidden secret buried deep beneath Lily Bovine's Tumbleweed Saloon he quickly dispatches Lily's arch-rival Sadie Wowcow to run her out of town.
Season Two:
- Billy the Kidder: While the bulls are out on the trail, Miss Lily receives a message from her Uncle Rocky who has found a lost treasure. But when she's taken hostage by Billy the Kidder, the Cowboys and Cowlamity Kate ride out to rescue her.
- Boom Town or Bust: Cowlorado discovers gold on the Mesa and every bull, cow, and calf is looking to get rich quick. Keeping the peace proves difficult enough without Big Bucks and his band of outlaws robbing claims at gun point.
- Circus Daze: The Cowboys are in charge of the Cowlanor Diamond awaiting the stagecoach to Jersey City when The Great Bovini's Circus rolls into town. But when everyone who attends the circus starts acting funny, Moo has to do double duty to protect the diamond while spying on the circus with a little help from Boot Hill.
- Cow Pirates of Swampy Cove: Longhorn Silver and his band of buccaneers have been robbing trains and causing touble on the Mesa's waterways. With a gold shipment and Cody's money for new boots in their possession the Marshal and the Cowboys have to go to Newportleans to track these scoundrels down.
- How the West was Shrunk: Bat Blastagun and the boys are back, and bent on revenge. They find a shard of the comet and take it to Dr. Wolfgang Wolfenstein, who unleashes its powers.
- Night of the Cowgoyle: In search of an outlaw, Marshal Montana, Dakota, Cowlorado and Cody accompany a wagontrain through the Valley of Darkness where a mysterious creature has been attacking them and everyone's a suspect.
- No Face to Hide: Shock Holiday and his gang haven't just been stealing from trains, they've been stealing the whole dadburn train. Over a drink, Moo makes a bet that he can catch Holiday before Sheriff Terrorbull or he'll resign his post as Marshal. But when the Sheriff gets to Holiday first, Montana and the Cowboys have no choice but to leave town.
- No Way to Treat a Lady: Moo is stunned when the shipment of gold bullion they are guarding is left by thieves in favour of stealing supplies from The Cowtown Gazette. However, he's distracted by a house warming for a new lady in town.
- Skull Duggery Rides Again: Risen from the undead, Skull Duggery and his super-natural posse head to Cowtown to wreak havoc and disrupt the Halloween celebrations.
- The Cacklin Kid: After defecting from the Bayin' Bunch, the Cracklin Kid argees to help the lawcows find his former friends in exchange for not serving jail time. But after a few days on the trail his gift for gab is almost more than the cowboys can bare.
- The Down Under Gang: The cowboys are dumbfounded as every outlaw they chase seems to disappear into thin air. With Cowlorado hidden in a strongbox, they hope to find the location of Sidewinder City.
- The Fastest Filly in the West: The Annual Cowtown Cross Country Race is coming up quick and Cowlorado's interest leaves Marshal Montana and Dakota short handed. Competing for first place and Cowlamity's cousin's effections he's little help in stopping Fast Willie from robbing the Pony Express.
- The Wild Wild Pest: Airship captain Mules Burne seeks payback from the inventors at the Invention Convention. Once he's captured Moo Mesa's scientific community, he uses them as a workforce to build his most diabolical creation yet.
 |
Please help improve this article by expanding this section. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. Please remove this message once the section has been expanded. This article has been tagged since January 2007. |
[edit] Arcade game
In 1992 Konami released Wild West C.O.W.-Boys Of Moo Mesa, an arcade game based on the series. The game was never ported to a home console like many arcade games would be and still are. The game allowed characters to play as the Cowlorado Kid, the Dakota Dude, Marshall Moo Montana and, introduced for the first time, the shotgun-toting Buffalo Bull. C.O.W.-Boys creator Ryan Brown worked closely with Konami on the game's development.
The game had a simple story - the kidnap of Lily Bovine by The Masked Bull, requiring a rescue. The game was a co-operative side-scroller similar to Konami's classic franchise-based side-scrollers for The Simpsons and X-Men (both of which shared the C.O.W-Boys' fate of never coming to a home console), allowing up to four players to play at once. The game had a simple two button control system; the player could either attack (in this case shoot) or jump.
As well as simply shooting, the player could use both attack buttons together to charge at enemies and obstacles (normally barrels) and spin upward, hitting enemies above. Shooting the chickens that flutter past grant the player with additional power-ups. Some, like the boxing glove power-up, use the same two-button command; others make you invincible or give you additional bullets or increased weapon power.
Each level was made up of a scrolling (though only 3, 'Sheeza Butte' 'Jane Meadow' and 'Mine' automatically scroll) main level, each with a different theme and often level-specific dangers and enemies, a sub-boss (or in 'Cowtown's case many) that requires a good deal of shooting, all of which are fought in this main level area, then a boss area, the size of the screen, where the boss does battle. Most enemies will only need to be shot once, though some will need to be shot out of their hiding places or disguises (some are cacti, some barrels, etc.). The skeletal cows in 'Ghost Town' require multiple shots; however, only the player and bosses have life bars.
The player's life bar is split into three sections, each needing multiple hits to deplete entirely. Boss life bars are not split, but they will react differently (and more desperately) as their health bars become a third, half, and almost depleted.
While the game forced the player to start at the 'Hideout' level every time, one could afterward choose the order in which he played the following five levels before opening the final seventh level once all of these were completed. This was unusual at the time, when most games tended to move the player on from one level to the next in a certain order.
Several fans had tried to homebrew port the game to Sega Mega Drive and Super Nintendo.
The Levels:
Hideout: A simple short level in a western themed town. The ever first boss of that stage is Sheriff Terrorbull, whom can be fought in a barn.
Mine: The main level is set on a constantly-moving and jumping mine cart line with enemies firing from a parallel line above. This comes to a sudden end and throws the player back down to a saloon where he fights Five Card Cud (called Five Card Stud in the game). Cud fights with cards, and even turns into a giant one which takes damage when shot, with you on a platform below that swings more as Cud takes more damage.
Ghost Town: The first part of Ghost Town is a ghost town, with a ghostly green sub-boss. After defeating him, the player moves on to a graveyard overlooked by a demonic cow head and featuring skeletal undead cow enemies, culminating in a fight with Boothill Buzzard. Buzzard first battles the player with a 'buzzard swing,' a swing held aloft by a flock of purple buzzards that the player must shoot down. He then battles the player on foot, using what resembles a combination between rifle, which he shoots a single yet powerful fireball at you, and a shuffle, which he smack you around with. It is hinted that Buzzard might actually die in the end of the battle, since his soul leaves his defeated body.
Sheeza Butte: An all-flying level, the player is held aloft by an eagle, giving him movement of the whole screen to avoid some level-specific enemies such as swarms of bees, chomping jaw rockets, and hot air balloons. The level is set alongside a railroad track until Saddle Sore's giant scorpion boss area. Saddle jumps around and shoots at the player with bullets from the gun on the tip of his tail and throws acid balloons. He can also shoot out his own claw, acting like a projectile-boomerang.
Jane Meadow: The level consists of walking and flying sections (the flying section being almost identical to Sheeza Butte). The boss is 'Bullet Train,' a locomotive that has to be taken apart piece by piece.
Niagra Desert: A three-part level, beginning in a desert, then moving to a cave for a large snake sub-boss, before entering an enemy-filled fort, and finally culminating in a fight against the Mexican spider villain Sid Arachnid who attacks only from above, firing down with webs or knives. He also can do a rolling-attack or rolling jump-attack once he is on the ground.
Cowtown: Though the final boss is, eventually, The Masked Bull (in Skull Mountain), the player must first fight his way through Cowtown's buildings, where there are literally dozens of enemies per room and section.
[edit] 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.
The C.O.W.-Boys teamed up with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to stop a wild western menace from Moo Mesa in issue #21 of the Mirage Studios title "Tales of the TMNT."
They will be returning in a upcoming issue, number 32 of Tales of the TMNT.
"“The Eye of Aga-Moo-Tou (a reference to the amulet of Doctor Strange).” The turtles go up against the Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa! When a powerful mystic amulet falls into the hands of the wizard Savanti Romero, a rootin’ tootin’ race to save two worlds begins… and hero battles hero!"
http://www.ninjaturtles.com/html/upcoming.html
[edit] 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 came out with a line of themed fruit snacks. Bath products by Tsumura International were also available, as well as lunch boxes by Thermos Company. 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, collectible cups) were made by Kid Stuff.
[edit] Action figures
In 1991 Hasbro Toys produced a series of ten action figures and one vehicle. 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, a company called Kid Stuff manufactured a set of 3 inch tall action figures for it's Moo Mesa Kid's 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.
[edit] Code-of-the-West Sayings
Listed below are most of the C.O.W. sayings quoted by Moo Montana and others during the show's run.
- A bull ought to hang his hat where the fire's warm, and the folks are friendly. ("Another Fine Mesa")
- A fox'll keep raidin' the henhouse, 'till the rooster's cock-a-doodle-dooed. ("Another Fine Mesa")
- Listen to an old bull, and he'll learn ya a new trick! ("Another Fine Mesa")
- Never wear red britches around a bull with sharp horns. ("A Sheepful of Dollars")
- Ya can't keep the bear from tastin' the honey. ("A Sheepful of Dollars")
- It's not the type of herd ya got, but how nicely they travel. ("A Sheepful of Dollars")
- Even the most beautiful wind can turn blistery. ("A Sheepful of Dollars")
- No herd's too small for a real cowboy. ("A Sheepful of Dollars")
- A snake in cow's clothing is still a snake. ("A Snake In Cow's Clothing")
- Ya can't call a bull a weasel, less'n you see him steal your eggs. ("A Snake In Cow's Clothing")
- If ya get a big head helpin' people, your hat won't fit. ("Bang 'Em High")
- Trophies may look good on the shelf, but they don't make the sagebrush grow. ("Bang 'Em High")
- If ya wait long enough, every snake'll shed his mask. ("Bulls of a Feather")
- Don't go stickin' your nose in a prairie dog's hole, less'n it's invited. ("Bulls of a Feather")
- You can only knock a person down if he let's you believe he's a dummy. ("Bulls of a Feather")
- Two bulls who lock horns don't get anywhere. ("Dances With Bulls")
- A cowboy starts the task well and steers it through. ("The Legend of Skull Duggery")
- Even if ya are on the right track, if ya just sit there, you're gonna get run-over. ("The Legend of Skull Duggery")
- It takes a big bull to admit when he went astray. ("The Legend of Skull Duggery")
- A cowboy's only wrong when he can't admit it. ("School Days")
- Bein' lost is just a matter of perspective. ("Stolen on the River")
- A plowed field keeps the weeds at bay. ("The Big Cow-Wow")
- When you give-up your favorite pair of boots to get a good horse, everybody rides away happy. ("The Big Cow-Wow")
- Sometimes a lizard has to change his color to save its spots. ("Wedding Bull Blues")
- A sleepin' deputy can't avoid bad dreams. ("Wedding Bull Blues")
- Doin' right is its own reward. ("Wedding Bull Blues")
- When the water turns to dust, ain't no use washin' up for dinner. ("Wetward, Whoa!")
- Just 'cause things ain't goin' good, don't mean ya stop goin'. ("Wetward, Whoa!")
- A bull's best friend is his horse. ("Billy the Kidder")
- A bull's never poor, as long as he's got good friends. ("Boom Town or Bust!")
- A fish out of water will always look for another way to swim. ("Cow Pirates of Swampy Cove")
- If the boot fits, wear it. ("Cow Pirates of Swampy Cove")
- It's not how big ya are that counts, it's how big your heart is. ("How the West Was Shrunk")
- Sometimes the answer's in front of your nose, and sometimes it jumps up and bites you from behind. ("Night of the Cowgoyle")
- Don't bite-off more than you can chew. ("Night of the Cowgoyle")
- When you've lost fair-and-square, it's time to own-up and pack-up. ("No Face To Hide")
- There's always time to stop and smell the roses. ("No Way To Treat A Lady")
- It isn't always smart to take the bull by the horns, 'specially when you're wearin' red. ("Skull Duggery Rides Again")
- A young varmint is like a stalk of wheat: it might grow crooked, but in time, it can be straightened-out. ("The Cacklin' Kid")
- It ain't over 'till the fat heffer moos! ("The Cacklin' Kid")
- No matter how much you want the day the end, the sun don't come down any faster. ("The Down-Under Gang")
- If ya ride the same trail together, you'll be friends 'till the end. ("The Fastest Filly in the West")
- Always be prepared. ("The Wild, Wild Pest")
- The bigger they are, the harder they fall. ("The Wild, Wild Pest")
Additional C.O.W. sayings, not used on the show, were featured on the packaging for various figures in the Hasbro toyline:
- Always steer your friends in the right direction.
- Always keep your barn clean so it won't look like a pig sty.
- Never lock up an innocent bull.
- Always wash behind your horns.
- Never chew your cud with your mouth open.
- A real C.O.W.-Boy never cusses.
- Always leave a little grazing room for unexpected guests.
- Never sit down in a cactus field.
- Always clean up after your horse.
- Never kiss a horse unless you mean it.
- Always start each day with a glass of moo juice.
- Always finish your grub before you leave the table.
- Always tip your horns to a lady.
- It's rude to drool on the salt lick.
- Stand tall, be brave, and never take any bull from a bully.
- Never horn-in on another bull's territory.
- Never act like a bully.
- Always wear clean underwear to a showdown.
- Never wear your spurs to bed.
- Always bring a bale to get out of jail.
- Never play tag with a rattlesnake.
- Never mistake a snake for a lasso.
- On a desert trail, a scorpion always has the right of way.
- Never wear your boots to bed (or in the shower).
- Never hit a cow.
- Always eat your prairie veggies.
- Never steal another cow's horse.
- Never cheat at cards.
- Never drink from another bull's trough.
[edit] Puns
The C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa is filled with witty bovine and Western-related jokes and word humour including:
- Moo: Marshal Moo Montana, Geronimoo (Geronimo)
- Bovine: "Brave bovines," bovine (benign) benevolence, Lily Bovine
- Bull: Sheriff Terrorbull (terrible), The Masked Bull, Mayor Oscar Bull'oney (baloney or bologna)
- Cow: C.O.W stands for "Code of the West". Cowllege (college), as in "We'll give it the old cowllege try!" Cow-wow (pow-wow), a gathering of Native Americans.
- Calf: Calf-Pint (half-pint).
- Miller Glen: Moo Montana's home town; play on the name of big-band era musician, Glenn Miller.
- Zane Grain: play on the name of famed western author, Zane Grey.
- Cowgoyle: gargoyle.
- Tire Flats: flat tire.
- Curious Gorge: a play on the name of children's book character, Curious George.
- The Joan River: a play on the name of celebrity talk show host, Joan Rivers.
- Fort Sox: supposedly the location of Cowlamity Kate's gold depository (actually, a ruse by Cody Calf to trap the Masked Bull); a play on Fort Knox, the US National Gold Depository.
- Buck Finn: a book Cody reads in Stolen on the River; play on the Mark Twain classic Huck Finn.
- Nelson's Eddy: home port of the riverboat Dixie Trixie; play on the name of singer Nelson Eddy.
- Sheeza Butte: play on the term, "She's a beaute!"
- Little Bow Peak: play on the nursery rhyme, Little Bo Peep.
- The Jane Meadow: Play on the name of famous actress Jayne Meadows.
- The Rudy Valley: Play on the name of Rudy Vallée who was a famous singer, actor, and bandleader.
- Strawberry Short Cut:
- The Jean Marsh: play on the name of British actress, Jean Marsh.
- The Minnesota Flats: play on the name of famous billiards-player, Minnesota Fats.
- The Burt Park: play on the name of famous television game show host Burt Parks.
- The Looey Pasture: play on the name pioneering microbiologist and chemist, Louis Pasteur.
- The Steve Canyon: play on the name of writer-artist Milton Caniff's famous comic adventure character, Steve Canyon.
- Cow-Lamazoo: play on the town of Kalamazoo, Michigan.
- The DeKelley Forest: play on the name of Star Trek actor, DeForest Kelley.
- Oxnurd: play on the city of Oxnard, California
- Hudson Rock Quarry: play on the name of movie actor, Rock Hudson.
- Calvin Cud perfume: play on the name of fashion designer, Calvin Klein.
[edit] Theme Song
A comet raised a mesa to the western skies,
with the sound of a thousand cattle drives!
A chosen few would see the light,
and fight the wrong with right!
Up on the mesa,
High above the clouds, there's a world apart from all the rest.
On Moo Mesa,
Live the real C.O.W.-Boys,
Standin' up for law and order,
and livin' by the Code of the West.
Cleanin' up the territory,
Keepin' evil on it's toes,
Takes a different breed of ridin', ropin',
brave heroes!
On Moo Mesa,
Live the real C.O.W.-Boys,
Standin' up for law and order,
and livin' by the Code of the West.
On Moo Mesa!
[edit] Other appearances
In issue #21 of the Mirage Studios Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the C.O.W.-Boys chase Sheriff Terrorbull through a portal that leads them into New York City. There they meet Master Splinter and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles who aid them in capturing the villainous Terrorbull.
The C.O.W.-Boys return in issue 32 of Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles where they 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. 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 it's alternate cover by Andre Ponce, Ryan Brown and Steve Lavigne. It also has a special message from the arts center on the inside front cover.
The C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa make a cameo appearance in episode #120 of the 2003 TMNT animated series. The 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 Cowsiddy, Stub and Slick Willie Weasel, all of whom first appeared in the 1992-1994 Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa animated ABC television show.
First airing on Saturday, August 12 of 2006, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Fast Forward's third episode involved young Cody Jones's Robodojo being taken over by a living computer virus. The Robodojo was similar to the Danger Room in Marvel's X-Men, generating holographic settings and characters to interact with. In this third episode, the virus created a wild west setting, which featured several characters and settings from the Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa television series.
[edit] External links
- Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa
- Cow Boys of Moo Mesa
- Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa merchandise
- Collection of images of the Wild West C.O.W-Boys of Moo Mesa Hasbro toy line
- Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa on YouTube
Categories: Articles to be expanded since January 2007 | All articles to be expanded | Animated television series | Fictional cattle | Western video games | Disney Channel shows | Children's television series | 1992 television program debuts | 1994 television program series endings | 1990s American television series | Television programs featuring anthropomorphic characters
