<span class="SFPTagline"> From SCIFIPEDIA </span>

The Tick is the creation of artist/writer Ben Edlund.

Appointed protector of a metropolis known only as the City, The Tick is an over-the-top, nigh-invulnerable superhero big on heart but short on brains. With him always is former-accountant-turned-sidekick, Arthur. Arthur has no superpowers but bought his flying moth suit at an auction at the estate of eccentric millionaire inventor Montinero Vatos. With the suit's wings retracted, Arthur is often mistaken for a bunny rabbit.

The first incarnation of The Tick was a black-and-white comic, produced for New England Comics whenever time permitted during Edlund's years of study at the Massachusetts College of Art. Between 1986 and 1994, there were only 13 issues of the series produced, but during this time The Tick accumulated a significant following. Then, at a pivotal battle in the storyline, Ben began writing the series as an animated cartoon for the Fox Television Network, which then ran from 1994 to 1996.

Due to copyright issues and the move from indie comic to the Saturday morning cartoon, several characters in the original series were replaced. Potential love interest Oedipus (an Electra parody) no longer appeared nor did a Superman-ish character known as The Caped Wonder (aka mild-mannered reporter Clark Oppenheimer). The most notable additions to the Fox Television cartoon were Die Fledermaus (an uber-misogynistic take on the Batman mythos) and American Maid (a Wonder Woman parody that Die Fledermaus referred to as “America’s favorite domestic”).

In 2001, Fox also produced a live-action version of The Tick, starringPatrick Warburton (best known for playing Elaine’s boyfriend David Puddy on Seinfeld). Once again, due to ownership issues of the characters, several more line-up changes took place. Die Fledermaus became a Hispanic superhero named Bat Manuel, played by Nestor Carbonell (known for his character Luis Rivera on Suddenly Susan) and American Maid became another Wonder Woman send-up, this time named Captain Liberty.

Edlund went on to become a producer and screenwriter for Angel, Firefly, and Point Pleasant.