Warning: Spoilers for Multiversus: Collision Detected #2!Like many long-time Looney Tunes fans, I was honestly shocked to see Bugs Bunnydropping a not-so-family-friendly joke in the preview for the latest issue of Multiversus: Collision Detected, by making a Basic Instinct reference, of all things, but to be honest, I wholeheartedly endorse it. Looney Tunes has always had a bit of an edge to it, and this is just the latest example.
Preview pages for Multiversus: Collision Detected #2 – written by Bryan Q. Miller, with art by Jon Sommariva – contain a reference that will shock some readers with how not-PG it is, while others might just be surprised that Bugs is doing a callback to a movie that came out in 1992.
For me, it raised the question of how much Loony Tunes has ever been PG; as I see it, half the appeal of Looney Tunes is subtle adult humor like this.
I Wasn’t Expecting This “Multiverse” Crossover To Go There With A Full On Basic Instinct Reference
Multiversus: Collision Detected #2 – Written By Bryan Q. Miller; Art By Jon Sommariva
For anyone not familiar with the Multiversus title brand, it refers to a multiplayer fighting game crafted by Warner Bros. housing all of their beloved properties under one roof for knock ’em down action. From DC mainstays like Superman to cartoon staples like Tom & Jerry and even modern fan favorites like Rick & Morty. Every would-be player gets a shot at playing, and beating, their favorite characters under the Warner Bros. banner. The comic book spin-offMultiversus: Collision Detectedfeatures DC’s Trinity trying to make sense of mysterious dreams they share all featuring “the rabbit.”
Looney Tunes
reruns used to play all the time when I was a kid. Heck, a year after I was born,
Space Jam
came out!
Looney Tunes
was bigger than it ever was at that time! The
Tunes
were hard to avoid, and even harder to not
fall in love with. So, I am very familiar with the iconic humor of these characters – and a
Basic Instinct
reference doesn’t feel out of line for Bugs Bunny, or even Daffy Duck.
The first issue ends with Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman all mysteriously crash-landing in front of the home of Scott Free (a.k.a. Mister Miracle) and Big Barda. The fan-favorite DC couple is not home, but their daughter Avia is. However, even she is not alone as the Trinity are shocked to discover that under the Free household is smuggling the same rabbit from their dreams, Bugs Bunny, hiding in the closet. That takes us straight into Multiversus: Collision Detected #2, where Batman is interrogating “the rabbit” to better understand how he is connected to these strange happenings lately.
Bugs Bunny’s Homage To Basic Instinct Was A Shock – But I Loved It
Sharon Stone Would Be Proud
Unsurprisingly, Bugs only responds in quips, mostly about Bats’ costume. Batman retorts that Bugs is naked, to which Bugs crosses and un-crosses his legs seductively, like Sharon Stone does in Basic Instinct. Now, kids, for anyone who wasn’t born in the 90s, trust me when I say everyone wouldn’t shut up about Basic Instinct. People thought it was the sexiest thing ever to see Ms. Stone’s character cross and un-cross her legs while being interrogated while wearing no undergarments. Bugs isn’t about to win Sexiest Bunny of the Year anytime soon, but the connection isn’t exactly appropriate for all ages.
I actually want to use this space to applaud how jokes like this speak to the staying power of Looney Tunes.
That said, I don’t point out the inappropriateness of the joke to condemn Warner Bros. or Looney Tunes or even DC Comics for displaying the jokes. I’m not outraged by this joke, and I don’t think anyone should be – and I’ll do my best to explain why. No, I actually want to use this space to applaud how jokes like this speak to the staying power of Looney Tunes and why the franchise has withstood the test of time for almost 100 years.
Hear Me Out: The Looney Tunes Franchise Has ALWAYS Contained Inappropriate Humor
That Has Always Been Part Of What Makes It Great
Anyone willing to go in the way-back machine to check out classic Looney Tunes cartoons, especially the oldest ones, the kids show is littered with inappropriate jokes. Some of the best Bugs Bunny’s shorts are littered with adult-themed humor. That doesn’t take away from these cartoons still being family-friendly, as jokes like this are made specifically for the parents who are forced to sit and watch these cartoons with their kids. The same applies to parents forced to sit down with their kids to read this comic.
The joke is subtle enough to fly over a child’s head – and the heads of plenty of adults born after 1992 – while being apparent enough for adults who know the film to give them something to laugh at, if the childish humor they’re forced to sit through is too childish to enjoy. Jokes like these are a staple of Looney Tunes, allowing something for every age demographic in the family can enjoy. Had Looney Tunes not regularly made jokes like this in their content, Bugs Bunny and the brand’s run on top would have been over by now.
Catering to all possible age demographics – kids, teenagers, young and fully-grown adults – helps add to the longevity of the Looney Tunes legacy. On top of giving adults something subtle to enjoy, it adds to the replay value for children as they grow up, rewatch their favorite cartoons for the sake of nostalgia, and end up catching jokes they never would have caught when they were younger. Some kid out there who has no idea why Batman raised an eyebrow at Bugs Bunny is going to howl with laughter 10-20 years from now, trust me.
Multiversus: Collision Detected #2 will be available October 2, 2024 from DC Comics.
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a classic American animated franchise produced by Warner Bros., featuring iconic characters such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Porky Pig. Originating as short films in the 1930s, the franchise became a cultural phenomenon, expanding into television, feature films, comics, and more.
