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What to Read If You Miss Watching Saturday Morning Cartoons

Escape adulthood with a deep dive into the animated shows of your youth. Pairs perfectly with your favorite sugary cereal.

Pocket Collections

Corrie Evanoff

Read when you’ve got time to spare.

Image by Oleksandr Khoma/Getty Images

The Inside Story of ‘Animaniacs’: How We Got Yakko, Wakko and Dot

Steven Spielberg might have produced the zany kids’ show, but it was creator Tom Ruegger’s three kids who gave the Animaniacs life.

An Oral History of ‘Batman: The Animated Series’

The show that defined the Dark Knight for a generation, in the words of its creators and stars.

‘Pepper Ann’ Was the Most Underrated Feminist Cartoon of the 90s

Pepper Ann was the groundbreaking 12-year-old heroine of her eponymous TV show. Creator Sue Rose and writer Nahnatchka Khan explain how Pepper Ann impacted a generation of girls.

The 9 Unbreakable Rules of the Wile E. Coyote/Road Runner Universe

From Chuck Jones himself.

Night of the Sentinels: The Oral History of X-Men: The Animated Series’ Risky Debut

The creators of X-Men: The Animated Series reflect on their pilot episode, “Night of the Sentinels.”

Disney's ‘Gargoyles’ Was The Most Adult Children's Show Ever Made

Gargoyles walked so that Game of Thrones could run.

Disney’s ‘Recess’ Was the Best Social Philosophy Cartoon of All Time

Recess wasn’t about pushing diversity; Recess was just diverse.

Bad Beets: The Rise and Fall of Doug Funnie

The boy from Bluffington lived a charmed life—until the spotlight faded away.

The Surprising Story Behind the Making of ‘Captain Planet’

The ’90s cartoon show was based on real issues and real people.

BONUS READ: The Pre-Captain Planet Eco-Heroes of Animation via JSTOR Daily.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles History (in a Half-Shell)

After nearly 40 years and a Netflix film, a look at what continues to make these cartoon heroes so appealing.

Letter of Recommendation: ‘Pinky and the Brain’

“Are you pondering what I’m pondering?”

Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask Taught Me About Love

An anime romance between a heroine and a himbo was my original OTP.

Nickelodeon’s Early Days Were ‘Loose and Crazy,’ Says Rocko’s Modern Life Creator

The cartoon belonged to a very different version of the channel.

Who’s Your Master of the Universe? Every Single He-Man Series, Ranked

Who’s your Master of the Universe? You might think you know the best He-Man, but you don’t.

The Magic School Bus Made the World Safe for Weird Teachers

Everyone has a Ms. Frizzle in their lives.

Meet the Men Behind Saturday Morning’s Most Memorable Cartoons

Zoinks! Hanna-Barbera once dominated kids’ Saturday schedules.

BONUS READ: 21 Oral Histories of Your Favorite ’90s Movies

Dig into the gossip, high jinx, and behind-the-scenes struggles that went into the making of your favorite 1990s classics, from Clueless and Independence Day to Swingers and Good Burger.