View Askewniverse
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The View Askewniverse is a fictional universe created by Kevin Smith, featured in several films, comics and a television series; it is named for Smith's production company, View Askew Productions. The characters Jay and Silent Bob appear in almost all the View Askewniverse media, and characters from one story often reappear or are made reference to in others. Smith often casts the same actors for multiple characters in the universe, sometimes even in the same film.
The View Askewniverse is centered on the towns of Leonardo and Red Bank, both located in Monmouth County, central New Jersey. Chasing Amy also takes place partly in New York, and both Dogma and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back involve road trips.
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[edit] Media
Smith's recurring characters, motifs, and settings first appeared in his debut movie, Clerks. Since then, the main canon has consisted of six movies, in addition to several short films, comic books and a short-lived animated TV series. The following is a complete list of media in which the View Askewniverse has been portrayed. Note that Jersey Girl is currently the only film directed by Smith not to take place in the View Askewniverse, although it does take place in New Jersey.
[edit] Films
[edit] Main Films
- Clerks. (1994): The first in the series of the View Askewniverse, follows a day in the lives of two clerks, Dante Hicks and Randal Graves.
- Mallrats (1995): Takes place one day before the events in Clerks., the film is about two guys, Brodie Bruce and T.S. Quint, who hang out at a mall after being dumped by their girlfriends.
- Chasing Amy (1997): A straight man, Holden McNeil, falls in love with a lesbian, Alyssa Jones, against his best friend's (Banky Edwards') advice.
- Dogma (1999): The world ends if two angels enter a church in New Jersey and it is up to Jesus' Last Scion, Jay, Silent Bob and the thirteenth apostle to stop them.
- Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001): Jay and Silent Bob try to stop a "Bluntman and Chronic" movie from being made.
- Clerks II (2006): Roughly ten years after Clerks., Dante and Randal are now employed in the fast food industry.
- Clerks: Sell Out (2007): Continuation of the animated series.
[edit] Other
- The Flying Car, a short film produced for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
- Clerks: The Lost Scene, an animated short produced for the Clerks. X 10th anniversary DVD, based on a scene previously offscreen in the original movie and only seen in the comics.
- Scream 3, the third and final film of the Scream trilogy, Jay and Silent Bob make only a quick cameo appearance.
[edit] Comics
- Clerks. (comic), a three-part comic book series published in the late '90s, continuing the adventures of the film's main characters.
- Chasing Dogma, a four-part series about Jay and Silent Bob's adventures between the events of Chasing Amy and Dogma. Many elements of the comic would end up in the film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.
- Bluntman and Chronic, the comic "created" by Holden McNeil and Banky Edwards in Chasing Amy, published to coincide with the release of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.
- "Jay and Silent Bob in Walt Flanagan's Dog", a story in Oni Double Feature #1.
- "Bluntman and Chronic in The Derris Affair, Part 1," published in Oni Double Feature #12.
- "On the Perils of Cinema", a one-page Clerks. comic in the November 1999 issue of Talk magazine.
- Where's the Beef?, 20-page comic bridging the gap between the events depicted in the opening scenes of Clerks II.
[edit] Television
- Clerks, a live-action pilot based on the film Clerks. (This production did not involve Kevin Smith and as such is not considered part of the View Askewniverse)
- Clerks: The Animated Series, six-episodes featuring characters from the movie Clerks.
- Degrassi: The Next Generation. In five episodes, Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes appear as themselves as part of a story arc involving the production of a fictitious View Askewniverse film entitled Jay and Silent Bob go Canadian, eh?.
[edit] Notable Characters
[edit] Recurring Actors
Smith often casts the same actors for multiple characters in the universe, sometimes even in the same film. This is most notable in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, in which several actors play multiple characters from earlier View Askewniverse films. Some of the more notable include:
- Brian O'Halloran (Dante Hicks in Clerks.,Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Clerks: The Animated Series, The Flying Car, and Clerks II; Gil Hicks in Mallrats; Jim Hicks in Chasing Amy; Grant Hicks in Dogma)
- Jeff Anderson (Randal Graves in Clerks., Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Clerks: The Animated Series, The Flying Car and Clerks II; Gun Salesman in Dogma)
- Jason Mewes (Jay in Clerks., Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Clerks: The Animated Series, and Clerks II)
- Kevin Smith (Silent Bob in Clerks., Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Clerks: The Animated Series, and Clerks II; Asian lesbian in one episode of Clerks: The Animated Series)
- Scott Mosier (Angry Hockey Playing Customer in Clerks, Willam Black in Clerks. and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back; Roddy in Mallrats; Tracer Collector in Chasing Amy; bus passenger in Dogma; extras wrangler in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back; Conservative father in Clerks II)
- Walt Flanagan (Woollen Cap Smoker in Clerks and Clerks II, Egg man/Offended Customer/Cat Admiring Bitter Customer in Clerks.; Stage Hand in Mallrats, Walt the Fanboy in Mallrats, Dogma, and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (also appeared as this character in a deleted scene from Chasing Amy)
- Jason Lee (Brodie Bruce in Mallrats and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back; Banky Edwards in Chasing Amy and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back; Azrael in Dogma; Lance Dowds in Clerks II)
- Ben Affleck (Shannon Hamilton in Mallrats; Holden McNeil in Chasing Amy and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back; Bartleby in Dogma; Himself in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back; Gawking Guy in Clerks II)
- Joey Lauren Adams (Gwen Turner in Mallrats; Alyssa Jones in Chasing Amy and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back)
- Shannen Doherty (Rene Mosier in Mallrats; Herself in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back)
- Renee Humphry (Patricia "Tricia" Jones in Mallrats and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back)
- Bryan Johnson (Steve-Dave in Mallrats, Dogma and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (also appeared as this character in a deleted scene from Chasing Amy)
- Ethan Suplee (Willam Black in Mallrats; Fan in Chasing Amy; Gologathan (voice) in Dogma; Teen #2 in Clerks II)
- Dwight Ewell (Hooper X a.k.a Hooper LaMount in Chasing Amy and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back; Kan the Gang Leader in Dogma)
- Malcolm Ingram (Creepy Staring Guy in Mallrats and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Pissing Customer in Clerks II)
- Matt Damon (Shawn Owen Tv Executive #2 in Chasing Amy; Loki in Dogma; Himself in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back)
- Vincent Pereira (Hockey Goalie/Engagement Savvy Customer in Clerks; Startled Pinball Player in Chasing Amy; Quick Stop Customer in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back)
- Ernest O'Donnell (Rick Derris in Clerks;Bystander in Chasing Amy; Cop in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back)
- David Klein (Hunting Cap Smoking Boy/Low I.Q. Video Customer/Hubcap Searching Customer/Angry Mourner in Clerks; Bald Comic Fan in Mallrats)
- Chris Rock (Rufus in Dogma; Chaka Luther King in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back)
- George Carlin (Cardinal Glick in Dogma; Hitchhiker in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back)
- Jennifer Schwalbach Smith (Missy in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back; Emma in Clerks II)
- Harley Quinn Smith (Baby Silent Bob in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back; Kid in Window in Clerks II)
- Alanis Morissette (God in Dogma and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back)
- Grace Smith (Milk Maid in Clerks and Clerks II)
- Virginia Smith (Caged Animal Masturbator in Clerks; Comic Con Woman in Chasing Amy)
- Jake Richardson (Teen #1 in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and Clerks II)
[edit] Motifs
The View Askewniverse has many common plot threads, references, and jokes, which are often mentioned in many of the films, television shows, and other mediums influenced by Kevin Smith
[edit] External links
- The View Askewniverse - Company’s Homepage
- News Askew
- History Askew, archived copy of a fan-assembled timeline, up to the aired episodes of Clerks: The Animated Series.
- Radio Interview with Kevin Smith about the Askewniverse from FBi 94.5 Sydney Australia
| Kevin Smith |
|---|
| Films |
| The View Askewniverse: Clerks | Mallrats | Chasing Amy | Dogma | Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back | Clerks II Other: Jersey Girl | An Evening with Kevin Smith | An Evening With Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder Upcoming: Untitled Horror Project | Clerks: Sell Out Abandoned: The Green Hornet | Superman Lives | Fletch Won |
| Comics |
| Clerks | Walt Flanagan's Dog | Chasing Dogma | Bluntman and Chronic | Spider-Man/Black Cat: The Evil that Men Do | Daredevil/Bullseye: The Target |
| Notable characters |
| Jay and Silent Bob | Dante | Randal | Banky | Alyssa | Leonardo | Bluntman and Chronic | Mooby | Buddy Christ | Brodie | Willam | Minor characters |
| Miscellaneous |
| View Askew Productions | View Askewniverse motifs | View Askew Media | The Flying Car | Clerks: The Animated Series | Clerks: The Lost Scene | Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash | Silent Bob Speaks | Sucks Less With Kevin Smith | My Name Is Earl |
