Seth Green

The comic book permeates all levels of popular culture. This sporadic feature reviews some recent examples from the world of digital video discs (compatible with DVD-ROM-enabled computers and home entertainment centers) and also includes a recommended sequential-art reading list to extend the multimedia adventures.

’Robot Chicken’ - (Warner Home Video, $29.99)

Actor Seth Green and Wizard Entertainment’s former editor, Matthew Senreich, turned their fascination with comic books, pop culture and action figures into a hit show on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim program block.

Its first season is available on a pair of DVDs that will assault viewers with brief, tasteless comedic moments inflicted upon helpless action figures who come to life through the classic stop-motion animation process.

The smorgasbord of skits seen in 20 episodes caters to the channel-surfer mentality and leaves no pop-culture icon untouched.

Take the famed Transformer Optimus Primus: Here he stars in a public service announcement for prostate cancer. Batman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, the Falcon, Catwoman and the Hulk (with character puppets either culled or reproduced from the 1970s Mego action figures) star in a "group living" reality show. The scarecrow gets knifed in an HBO "Oz" takeoff, while Boo Berry, Franken Berry and Count Chocula judge an "American Idol"-style competition.

Normal people probably will not be able to stomach the DVDs’ five hours of this stuff, but each viewer will find his own comfort level in the wide range of topics, religions, cultures and superheroes mocked to extreme levels.

Bonuses include an outrageous number of deleted scenes, alternate takes and story pitches that reveal not only Mr. Green’s obsession with the project but his energetic creativity and his passion to target nearly anything taboo.

Most impressive among the extras is the behind-the-scenes feature that finds that Mr. Green cajoled such celebrity icons as Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Phyllis Diller, the late Don Knotts and Sarah Michelle Gellar to lend their voices to the proceedings.

Read all about it: "Robot Chicken" is not available in a sequential-art form, but its roots lie in a feature of Wizard Entertainment’s Toyfare magazine. Its Twisted Toyfare Theater offers action figures interacting, with dialogue bubbles, presented in a comic-book-panel layout. Of course, Wizard has compiled the insanity, and readers can find six full-color, 104-page volumes available at bookstores ($12.99 each).