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Author: John Maher

John Maher is news and digital editor at Publishers Weekly and editor in chief at The Dot and Line, which he co-founded. His work has been published by New York magazine, The Los Angeles Times, and Esquire, among others.
That's All Folks

Tears for Toons, 2016-2020 (and a Long Time Before)

May 1, 2020September 26, 2020 John MaherComments Off on Tears for Toons, 2016-2020 (and a Long Time Before)

John Maher pens his final words on the Dot and Line.

That's All Folks

Why My Parents Banned the ‘Ed, Edd n Eddy’ Catchphrase ‘Buttered Toast’ From Being Uttered in Our Home

April 27, 2020April 27, 2020 John MaherComments Off on Why My Parents Banned the ‘Ed, Edd n Eddy’ Catchphrase ‘Buttered Toast’ From Being Uttered in Our Home

Because I never! stopped! saying it!

Interviews

How Peter Lurye Made ‘The Magic School Bus’ Sing

April 21, 2020April 23, 2020 John MaherComments Off on How Peter Lurye Made ‘The Magic School Bus’ Sing

Have you ever hopped on ‘The Magic School Bus’? Little Richard and Lin-Manuel Miranda have. All aboard! The show’s composer will take you for a wild ride.

The Questing Beast in Arthur Rackham's illustration for Alfred W. Pollard's 'The Romance of King Arthur' (1917). (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
News

Giveth Sir Palamedes and the Questing Beast an Animated Series, Thou Churls!

April 8, 2020August 20, 2021 John MaherComments Off on Giveth Sir Palamedes and the Questing Beast an Animated Series, Thou Churls!

Hark, thou televisual and cinematic executive knaves! I ask thee: whither the Questing Beast!?

kon
Movies

Sometimes All a Cartoon Needs Is Just One Minute

March 31, 2020March 30, 2022 John MaherComments Off on Sometimes All a Cartoon Needs Is Just One Minute

Satoshi Kon’s films are master classes in cinematic editing, and his final work, the minute-long short film ‘Ohayo,’ is no exception.

TV

Hey, All You Normies Who Hate On Jazz. Why Do You Love Cartoon Theme Songs So Much?

March 23, 2020March 23, 2020 John MaherComments Off on Hey, All You Normies Who Hate On Jazz. Why Do You Love Cartoon Theme Songs So Much?

Do you know how many of the best cartoon theme songs are jazz? You cats really gotta get consistent out here.

Interviews TV

How Charlie Adler Became a Cow, a Chicken, a Baboon, and a Devil (Featuring Michael Dorn as a Weasel)

February 21, 2020February 21, 2020 John MaherComments Off on How Charlie Adler Became a Cow, a Chicken, a Baboon, and a Devil (Featuring Michael Dorn as a Weasel)

The voice behind nearly every character in ‘Cow and Chicken’ and ‘I Am Weasel’ discusses his history with two of Cartoon Network’s best and strangest shows.

Interviews TV

“We Got 5,000 Pitches”: How ‘What a Cartoon!’ Was Born

February 18, 2020February 17, 2020 John MaherComments Off on “We Got 5,000 Pitches”: How ‘What a Cartoon!’ Was Born

Fred Seibert, the brain behind the anthology series that launched Cartoon Network’s biggest 1990s cartoons, on how the magic was made.

Movies News TV

What Do “Best Feature” and “Best Indie Feature” at the Annie Awards Even Mean?

January 26, 2020January 26, 2020 John MaherComments Off on What Do “Best Feature” and “Best Indie Feature” at the Annie Awards Even Mean?

A modest proposal for ASIFA-Hollywood and its signature awards.

News TV

Mike Lazzo Leaves Adult Swim

January 9, 2020January 31, 2025 John MaherComments Off on Mike Lazzo Leaves Adult Swim

The executive vice president and creative director of Adult Swim has retired from the network after more than 40 years in entertainment.

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EDITORS PICKS

Sanctuary Lost, Sanctuary Rebuilt

By John Maher

In ‘The Hunchback of Notre-Dame,’ the physical beauty of the cathedral is dwarfed only by the warmth of its living stone.

The Dot and Line’s Best Writing of 2019

By The Dot and Line

Trying to relive 2019? Why!? Whatever, fine. Here's what we wrote about cartoons to try to make it a better year.

A Poem For Rose Quartz, Wherever I May Find Her

By John Maher

Here's one for a mother lost.

batman the animated series eyes gif

Anatomy of an Animated Badass

By John Maher

Nine core qualities that make a cartoon cool.

coco

Here’s Why You Should Watch ‘Coco,’ Which Is Finally on Netflix

By John Maher

The Pixar tearjerker—now on Netflix—should do more than make you cry with its reminders of what tethers us to family. Now go call your grandma.

Watching ‘The Dot and the Line’ Together, One Last Time

By The Dot and Line

"I just housed a whole sleeve of Peeps while this was happening." The editors reflect, and also relax, over the original 'The Dot and the Line' short.

bojack horseman new voice actors

Here’s Where You Know That Voice From Season 5 of ‘BoJack Horseman‘

By Nicole Ortiz

This season featured plenty of fantastic new voices, like Rami Malek, John Leguizamo, and Hong Chau, who voices Pickles Aplenty

25 Years Ago, ‘FernGully’ Taught Us to Love the Earth

By Bruce Bohri

This movie is still a magical thing.

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GREATEST HITS

Twilight of the Gems

By Eric Vilas-Boas

'Steven Universe: The Movie' is out. Let's talk about it.

tower gun violence mass shootings film

How an Animated Film Powerfully Documented Gun Violence in America

By John Maher

Director Keith Maitland and journalist Pamela Colloff discuss the historic University of Texas shooting and how the animated film 'Tower' captured it.

2017 editorial | Editorial by MysteryThemes.