Icebox Animation
icebox Animation is an animation company founded in 1999 by Steve Stanford, Jonathan Collier, Howard Gordon, Rob LaZebnik, Scott Rupp, and Tal Vigderson. The founders stated that the company was created to capitalize on the inherent "freedom of the medium" which they felt stifled creativity of writers due to the confining restrictions of the studio system and traditional media. The most noteworthy online animation creations of the company are the controversial animated cartoon Mr. Wong and Queer Duck. Many of the founders such as Rob LaZebnik and Jonathan Collier have written and continue to contribute to and write for shows as The Simpsons in traditional media. The company has paired with Mondo Media in a number of shows. The original Icebox.com shut down in February 2001 after the company failed to secure additional operating capital. It was reported Icebox.com had been spending upwards of $1.4 million a month prior to its demise. Later in 2001, the site was re-established as Icebox 2.0, LLC after several company founders bought the assets of the failed original venture, including the icebox.com domain name. The scope of the new company was greatly scaled down from its predecessor. Many of the animated shorts on the new site were viewable only on a pay-per-view basis. The pay-per-view feature has since been removed, although many episodes of Mr. Wong Senior House and Twisted are not viewable on the site, instead Mr.Wong only available for purchase on DVD. Currently, most of the content from the website is now available via the official YouTube channel, called Icebox. On June 5, 2018, Icebox.com moved their website to Icebox.tv. The website is currently offline. Dogs Playing Poker, a show based on Icebox's series Poker Night, premiered as a series of shorts on FOX on January 9, 2021.
 | |
Type of site | Animation |
|---|---|
| Available in | English |
| URL | www.iceboxanimation.com |
| Registration | Optional (previews only) |
| Launched | June 1, 1999 |
| Current status | Active |
icebox Animation is an animation company founded in 1999 by Steve Stanford, Jonathan Collier, Howard Gordon, Rob LaZebnik, Scott Rupp, and Tal Vigderson.[1][2] The founders stated that the company was created to capitalize on the inherent "freedom of the medium" which they felt stifled creativity of writers due to the confining restrictions of the studio system and traditional media.[3][4][5]
The most noteworthy online animation creations of the company are the controversial animated cartoon Mr. Wong and Queer Duck. Many of the founders such as Rob LaZebnik and Jonathan Collier have written and continue to contribute to and write for shows as The Simpsons in traditional media.[6][7][8]
The company has paired with Mondo Media in a number of shows.
The original Icebox.com shut down in February 2001 after the company failed to secure additional operating capital.[9] It was reported Icebox.com had been spending upwards of $1.4 million a month prior to its demise.
Later in 2001, the site was re-established as Icebox 2.0, LLC after several company founders bought the assets of the failed original venture, including the icebox.com domain name. The scope of the new company was greatly scaled down from its predecessor.
Many of the animated shorts on the new site were viewable only on a pay-per-view basis. The pay-per-view feature has since been removed, although many episodes of Mr. Wong Senior House and Twisted are not viewable on the site, instead Mr.Wong only available for purchase on DVD.
Currently, most of the content from the website is now available via the official YouTube channel, called Icebox.
On June 5, 2018, Icebox.com moved their website to Icebox.tv. The website is currently offline.
Dogs Playing Poker, a show based on Icebox's series Poker Night, premiered as a series of shorts on FOX on January 9, 2021.[10]
Animated series
[edit]As of 2004, Icebox had produced 22 animated web series.[11]
- Queer Duck
- Mr. Wong[12]
- Meet the Millers
- Hard Drinkin' Lincoln[13]
- Poker Night
- The Elvis and Jack Nicklaus Mysteries
- The Adventures of Jesus and His Brothers
- Garbage Island
- Hidden Celebrity Webcam
- Supermodels
- Twisted
- Midge And Buck
- Heaven
- Senior House
- Starship Regulars
- Navy Bear
- Superhero Roommate
- Zombie College[14]
- Murry Wilson: Rock 'N' Roll Dad
- Weekend Pussy Hunt[15]
- Animal Hospital[16]
- Investigators[17]
Film
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "The Net's red-hot upstart". Salon. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
- ^ "Senior Staff Bios". www.icebox.com. Archived from the original on 2001-11-01. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
- ^ Robischon, Noah (2000-06-23). "Drawing Power". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
- ^ "Steve Stanford of Icebox.com on Internet cartoons". CNN. 2000-09-10. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
- ^ "Icebox deal puts animation in your face". CNet. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
- ^ "Will Icebox Halves Staff, Gets Sued & Sells Toon To Fox". Animation World Network. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
- ^ Healey, Jon (2001-02-08). "Animation Site Icebox to Close at Week's End". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
- ^ "Can Icebox Heat up Online Animation?". Business Week. Archived from the original on May 11, 2000. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
- ^ Vickers, Amy (2001-02-09). "Icebox.com to close". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
- ^ Milligan, Mercedes (Jan 8, 2021). "Watch: Fox Debuts Denis Leary's 'Dogs Playing Poker'". Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ Graser, Marc (2004-01-19). "Edgy Web series find new life on homevid". Variety. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
- ^ Liu, Marian (2000-07-31). "Funny or Racist? 'Mr. Wong' Draws Mixed Reaction". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
- ^ Gallivan, Joseph (2001-02-08). "SUSPENDED ANIMATION - ICEBOX CARTOON SITE PUT IN DEEP FREEZE". New York Post. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
- ^ Swanson, Tim (2000-07-09). "Icebox". Variety. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
- ^ "John K's Weekend Pussy Hunt Debuts On July 22, 2000". Animation World Network. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
- ^ "Animal Hospital Premieres On Icebox". Animation World Network. Retrieved 2025-08-06.
- ^ "Investigators". icebox.com. Archived from the original on 2003-04-09. Retrieved 2025-09-02.