Character Study: Captain Caveman

UNGA-BUNGA!!

Hello there, fellow toonsters. Ever since Stefan reformatted this page, he has given us a chance to do anything retro, especially doing "What ifs", retro reviews on cartoons and gaming and the very subject of what I am doing today, character studies. And since we are in the subject talking about retro cartoons, I will do one particular character, straight from the Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera. In this character study, I will talk about this very prehistoric superhero. NO! I am not talking about THAT superhero (which I will draw parallels to), I am talking about the OTHER prehistoric superhero. I am, of course, refering to...

Captain CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVEMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!

Let's begin, shall we?

History: First appeared in Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels on September 10, 1977, Captain Caveman, or Cavey to his friends, was a furry prehistoric superhero, thawed out by the aforementioned Teen Angels, Brenda, Taffy and Dee Dee, who travel across the world solving mysteries ala Scooby-Doo, but also parodying Charlie's Angels. He later appeared on Scooby-Doo's All-Star Laff-a-Lympics, where he was a part of the Scooby Doobies. It wasn't until the 80s, with the Flintstone Comedy Show (aka Flintstone Funnies), where we learn where Cavey originated from. It was established in his own segment that Captain Caveman was the chief hero and protector of the town of Bedrock, a straight parody of Superman, if you will, since Cavey's day job was that of a copy boy named Chester, working at this universe's version of the Daily Planet, the Daily Granite. Then, later, around the mid 80s, he appeared in The Flintstone Kids, where he is partnered by his own son, Cavey, Jr.. Although underrated for the most part, Cavey is best known for one thing, yelling out his name when he goes out into battle. He voice is so loud, he can shatter the sound barrier. OUCH!

Design: Judging from how he looks, he was based on Rock and Gravel, the Slag Brothers, from the original Wacky Races, except for being a bit more active and more funny. That and adding a leopard-print cape. And as Chester the copy boy, Cavey wears glasses and a bow tie, which changes to his aforementioned cape when need to.

Profile: Physically, he is 4', weighs about 200 lbs. black eyes and brown fur all over. Personality-wise, he is both brave and silly, kind-hearted and stupid, heroic and clumsy. He has superhuman strength, he has gadgets and dinosaurs inside his fur and most used item, his trusty club, which grants him the ability to fly, just like Thor's hammer, Mjonir. But unlike Mjonir, Cavey's club often malfunctions every once in a while. He has no known relatives besides his mother and his own son, Cavey, Jr.. And above all else, he was voice by the late, great Mel Blanc. When he said his own battlecry in the recording room, he did it only once and the rest, as they say, was history.

Parallels to Other Characters: Cavey may be a prehistoric superhero, but he wasn't the first. That title goes the very hero who was the original Captain Caveman before Captain Caveman came to be and that is the mighty Mightor. Where Cavey was clumsy and overzealous, Mightor was brave and heroic when fighting rogue dinosaurs, monsters and other evil-doers and his club doesn't break down and it shoots beams of light. So in a sense, while the Captain Caveman segments parodied Superman, Cavey himself is a parody of Mightor himself, right down the club. Did I forget to mention that Mightor had a drago-saur for a companion? Cavey should have one, too, since he had so much dinos inside his fur anyway.

Crossover Ideas: Not much ideas with Cavey here. However, on the subject of both he and Mightor, there should be a crossover or two featuring the two prehistoric superheroes. For instance, what if Cavey and Mightor switch places with each other in their own parallel worlds. Or Mightor ends up meeting Cavey in modern times with the Teen Angels while pursuing a dangerous villain who has transcends dimensions. Think of the possibilities.

And that concludes my character study of Captain Caveman. In this day of age, where Scooby-Doo and Tom & Jerry are being milked alot, we definitely need more love for the other Hanna-Barbera characters and Captain Caveman here is a start. I will leave now with a clip from one of his shorts where Cavey, as Chester, does his quick change into the aforementioned hero himself. Till next time, toonsters. Stay Frosty!