Warner Bros Animation/Family Entertainment/Kids' WB
Compiled by Jason Jones, James Fabiano, Cameron McCaffrey, and Matt Williams
Happy Birthday Bugs
(Used in 1990)
Logo: On a navy blue background, we see the Warner Bros. Cartoons concentric circles logo. An MGM-like ribbon is below it, with a golden-colored WB shield in the center. Bugs Bunny pops out of the circles and the ribbon "shines" with the "WB" transforming into "50". In script below it, "Happy Birthday Bugs" is written out. Bugs then munches on his carrot. This was used for Bugs Bunny's 50th anniversary (a lot of fuss was made from various stations)
FX: The shining ribbon, the scriptwriting, the fading of "WB" to "50" in the shield.
Music: No music, the only sound is of Bugs munching his carrot.
Availability: Could be seen on "Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show" and WB specials during 1989-1990. This logo actually was used on the Lethal Weapon 1990 video release in place of the regular WB shield logo! (And as WB was in the midst of the Time Warner merger at this time, this may explain the LW edit and why this logo has no Warner Communications or Time Warner byline)
Scare Factor: Nothing, this logo is clean.
KIDS' WB!
(1997 movie version)
Logo: On a black background and from a far distance, two figures, the words "KIDS'", and "WB" in the font from the shield logo but weirdly arranged and with an exclamation point at the end, zoom towards the screen. They then collide with the screen and then abruptly move back. The logos then wobble. The standard Time Warner Entertainment Company disclaimer fades in at the bottom of the screen.
FX: The entire animation of the logo, which is all CGI.
Music: No music, but this actually increases the scare factor...
Availability: Can be seen on Pokemon: The First Movie and maybe Pokemon: The Movie 2000 (I'm not sure on the last one-- I've only seen promos on Cartoon Network which have the 1999 shield logo on a space background-- but I also saw PTFM promos on CN with the 1999 shield, so who knows...). This is actually odd, as Kids' WB is actually a television network and not a releasing division of WB...
Scare Factor: High, the fact that this logo has EXTREMELY abrupt animation on a black background makes this logo creepy, even without music!
Warner Bros. Family
Entertainment
(1992-)
Logo: The WB shield is, as usual, posed against the sky, but without a ribbon. Then Bugs Bunny (in a tuxedo) leans over the shield, puts a hoop-like ribbon around it, and spins it around. "A TIME WARNER ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY" appears under the logo as Bugs steps to the left, does the Vanna White Pose, and puts his hand on the ribbon to stop it. The ribbon reads "FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT," and Bugs keeps his hand on it as he leans and eats his carrot.
Variants:
FX: The animation sequence with Bugs and the ribbon
Music: A short version of "Merrily We Roll Along"
Availability: Can be seen on Warner Brother's family orientated films of the era and the abridged TV opener can be seen on mid 90s TV series such as "Taz Mania" and "The Adventures Of Batman and Robin"
Scare Factor: Low
2nd Logo
(1998-)
Logo: A picture of the Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank is seen with a gold tint. The picture "waves" for a bit and then rotates, revealing that it is the WB Family Entertainment shield looking similar to Logo #1, but redone in CGI and reflecting the studio. The logo rotates towards us and zooms out to its usual position, with the company byline fading in underneath. Bugs steps to the left from under the shield and puts his hand on the shield as he leans and eats his carrot, much like on the previous logo.
FX: Just VERY good CGI.
Music: Same as Logo #1.
Availability: Even though the logo is current, this is not very common. It won't plaster many films, but did on the DVD release of Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory.
Scare Factor: None.
Warner Brothers Animation
1st Logo
(1972-1992)
Nicknames: "The Big (\\')," "WB Shield"
Logo: Over a specialty backdrop, we see two Looney Tunes characters (i.e. Bugs Bunny and the Road Runner) standing beside the (\\') [1972-1984] or WB Shield (without the banner reading "Warner Bros. Pictures")[1984-1992], with the company name on top, the owner on bottom. Referred to as "A Warner Communications Company" (1972-1990), and "A Time Warner Company" (1990-1992)
FX: None, it's a still logo
Music: Usually shown with music from the TV show fading out.
Availability: Rare, not seen as much as it used to due to replacement of other logos.
Scare Factor: None
2nd Logo
(1990-1995)
Nickname: "WB Shield Wallpaper"
Logo: Over a wallpaper of little WB shields, we see Bugs Bunny in the spotlight, prompted on top of the company name "Warner Bros. Animation."
FX: Bugs eating his carrot
Music: Usually shown with music from the TV show fading out.
Availability: Appears on various WB TV cartoon specials.
Scare Factor: None
3rd Logo
(1995-2001)
Nickname: "WB Shield"
Logo: Over a set of clouds, the WB shield appears, with the banner reading "Television Animation", and at the bottom of the logo. Referred to as "A Time Warner Entertainment Company" (1995-2001), and "An AOL Time Warner Company" (2001- , with http://www.warnerbros.com/ below the company byline)
Variant: On the Looney Tunes anthology series "That's Warner Bros.!" (1995), the banner read "Classic Animation."
FX: None, it's a still logo
Music: Usually shown with music from the TV show fading out.
Availability: Appears on various WB TV shows on Kids' WB and the Cartoon Network.
Scare Factor: Median, the 1st design of this logo was quite ugly and can be an eyesore to look at.
4th Logo
(2001-)
Nickname: "CGI Shield"
Logo: Same as standard logo #3, the new logo has yet another different cloud background. It has a much better defined Warner Bros. shield logo with an updated banner inscription, like that of the current motion picture version, still reading "TELEVISION ANIMATION" across. Below the shield is "An AOL Time Warner Company", in a new lowercase typeface, with www.warnerbros.com below the company byline.
Variation: As part of the separation of AOL and Time Warner, this logo appears without the AOL-Time Warner byline. This variation can be found on later episodes of Justice League and late first season-second season episodes of Teen Titans, among other shows.
FX: None, again, it's a still logo
Music: Usually the outro of the show's theme music.
Availability: Brand New. Currently seen on "Justice League" on Cartoon Network, look for it everywhere soon.
Scare Factor: Minimal, the design is much improved over the previous logo.