For Tasty’s “A Parody Show” I had to go back to my Pop-Fiction series of invention and bust out a new cult classic mash up of The Smurfs meet The A-Team which inevitably became titled S-TEAM. As a child of the 1980’s I was obsessed with cartoons and action hero shows. It was a span of time that bore prodigal TV hits to the younger generation. That of which became infused in my sense of humor and ingrained with pre-pubescent explorations of blowing things up and breaking bones. It was an era of Saturday Morning religion and after-school specials. Two of my favorite hallmarks in the world of 80’s television had to come together nearly 20 years later to give a self-satisfying gush of love and ode to the innocuous entertainment which is still the very fiber of my being to this day.
As with all my Pop-Fiction works, there is a semblance of not only the relationship regarding the time period, television, and moral stories but also a deep reflection on the actual characters, their personalities, and their roles within each TV series. S-Team is no different and explores the nature of the characters from both The Smurfs and The A-Team to be congruent when depicted as a visual illustration based on the identity and characteristics of each persona. I virtually coalesced the two shows key players with their collateral match from each iconic program. Below is a breakdown of the characters from each show along with why they fit the role of the correlating anima.
PAPA HANNIBAL SMURF “He holds a test tube in one hand with a gun in the other.”
Hannibal : Leader of the A-team Lieutenant-Colonel/Colonel John “Hannibal” Smith, whose plans tend to be unorthodox but effective. He is distinguished by his unflappable demeanor, even when in peril. His whit combined with his constant cigar-smoking, his black leather gloves, and his many comic disguises made Hannibal a master tactician. “I love it when a plan comes together!”
Papa Smurf : Papa Smurf is the leader of the Smurfs, and the only Smurf who wears red. Papa Smurf brings the Smurfs to safety in times of danger and crisis. Everyone in Smurf Village turns to Papa Smurf when things go awry. Papa is always busy making magical spells and potions in his laboratory. Papa would be the pimp of Smurfette…or so it is fabled.
FACE SMURF “He is dangerously good looking and prides himself on his good looks.”
Face Man : Lieutenant Templeton “Face” Peck, usually referred to simply as “Face,” is a smooth-talking con-man who serves as the team’s appropriator of vehicles and other useful items. Face is the most gentle member of the A-Team, generally attempting to avoid conflict. His interests tend towards more cultural facets, such as country clubs, art purchasing, wine tasting, and lovely women.
Vanity Smurf : Vanity Smurf is never without a mirror in sight. Vain to an extreme, Vanity is constantly worried about his appearance. Vanity wears a flower in his cap and is demonstrably effete.
H.M. “Jokey” SMURF “He is the jokester who loves to irritate B.A. and is also insane!”
Murdock : The team’s pilot is Captain H.M. “Howling Mad” Murdock, who has been declared insane and resides in a Veterans Administration mental institution for the show’s first four seasons. He is the most childish of the A-Team as shown that he often plays video games in his room and likes watching cartoons. He often “channels” a certain character for the duration of a mission (much to the chagrin of B.A.) or becomes fixated on a particular subject to the point of obsession. He also frequently refers to his invisible dog, “Billy”. B.A., uneasy with Murdock’s unusual behavior, is easily annoyed by Murdock and regularly refers to him as a “crazy fool”.
Jokey Smurf : Jokey is known for his peculiar laugh and loud, exploding “gift boxes”. Whenever you hear “get ready for a surprise!”, you’d better be ready to duck and cover your ears – BOOM! I picture H.M. Smurf handing over an exploding gift box to B.A. Smurf and then getting a royal beat down!
B.A. SMURF “He is the bad-ass of the bunch who sports the mohawk, camo, and lots of gold chains.”
B.A. Barracus : Strong man and mechanic, Sergeant First Class Bosco Albert “B.A.,” or “Bad Attitude,” Baracus(Mr. T). B. A.’s distinctive appearance and confrontational attitude usually lead to a direct approach to problems, which often involve either his skills at hand to hand combat, or his mechanical talents. B. A.’s legendary black and metallic grey GMC Vandura van used by the A-Team, with its characteristic red stripe, black and red turbine mag wheels, and rooftop spoiler, has become an enduring pop culture icon. When B. A. lends the van to Captain Murdock, Murdock concludes that B. A. has tuned the van’s suspension to compensate for the added weight of his gold jewelry
Hefty Smurf : Hefty Smurf is the strongest Smurf in the village. He’s also the only Smurf to sport a tattoo (a red heart)! Hefty is friends with Handy and can often be seen lifting weights or exercising. Hefty Smurf has incredible strength and often is seen doing a lot of the heavy work in the village. He also has a tattoo on his arm of a heart with an arrow through it. His favorite activity is lifting weights, and is often the one to kick Brainy out of the village.
SMURFETTE “All the Smurfs want her. She is the only female and rightfully belongs to Papa.”
Anne Sanders (season 3 episode 4 “Fire!”) – The A-Team is hired by a female firefighter who is capable of challenging Hannibal. The sexual tension between the two rises throughout the episode, and Hannibal gives in to a short fling with the woman. She is not seen afterward again. I originally thought of using the show’s reoccurring reporter, Tawnia Baker, as she was close with the entire A-Team. However, due to the sexual nature of Hannibal and Anne Sanders in that singular episode it seemed equally proper for character placement.
Smurfette : Smurfette is a female smurf who was created by Gargamel. In the cartoon she originally had black hair, though this turned blonde when she became “good”. Until the creation of Sassette she was the only female Smurf in the village. Smurfette, indebted to Papa Smurf for saving her from Gargamel’s curse, is the ‘mama’ of the Smurfs.
S-Team Gallery: The gallery of photos below are details of the illustration which includes a bit of my process for producing such a work. The creative process involves mixing media which includes graphite (rendered drawing), oils (dropping in texture, tones, and flat color), and color pencils (to define edges, contrast, form, and full color spectrum).
I had the S-Team illustration framed in a classic dark blue frame for Tasty’s The Parody Show. The frame perfectly matches the dark blue hues in the smurfs. The piece is matted and ready for a nostalgia-happy buyer!
LTD ED prints of S-Team are available. For purchase inquiries please contact me. nick@beerymethod.com
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