This Sunday In LA: You’re Invited To An ‘Ultraman: Rising’ FYC Screening, Q&A, And Reception

Finn and Jake (Click to enlarge.)
Finn and Jake (Click to enlarge.)

What if Popeye ditched his predominantly-spinach diet? What would the Ninja Turtles really look like considering their enthusiastic pizza consumption? What if Ariel discovered an appetite for seafood?

For The Famous Chunkies, artist Alex Solis has taken it upon himself to reinterpret 110 of the world’s most beloved pop culture characters, including a host of cartoon stars, as gargantuan junk food-guzzlers rippling with their own overindulgence. The satirical art project will be launched in book form tomorrow night alongside a gallery art exhibition.

The fatties on display include gluttonous versions of Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse, Papa Smurf, Finn & Jake, and the decidedly over-sugared Powerpuff Girls. Get a sneak peek at them and others in our gallery below.

Solis has written that the inspiration for the series came while watching a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie with his daughter:

We noticed that despite their strict pizza diet, the turtles could tirelessly fight crime and battle villains. This is pretty common with characters in other cartoons and comic books—they somehow have amazing superpowers despite eating super bad-for-you junk food. I thought this could be sending mixed messages to kids. I created this series to raise awareness about unhealthy eating habits. I wanted to show what these characters would actually look like if they ate so much junk food.

The Famous Chunkies runs April 16–28 at the iam8bit gallery (2147 W. Sunset Blvd) in Los Angeles. The opening night reception will take place Thursday April 16, 7pm-11pm. For more info, see the Facebook event invite.

Speed Racer (Click to enlarge.)
Speed Racer (Click to enlarge.)
Shredder (Click to enlarge.)
Shredder (Click to enlarge.)
Sailor Moon (Click to enlarge.)
Sailor Moon (Click to enlarge.)
Raphael (Click to enlarge.)
Raphael (Click to enlarge.)
Powerpuff Girls (Click to enlarge.)
Powerpuff Girls (Click to enlarge.)
Popeye (Click to enlarge.)
Popeye (Click to enlarge.)
Papa Smurf (Click to enlarge.)
Papa Smurf (Click to enlarge.)
Optimus Prime (Click to enlarge.)
Optimus Prime (Click to enlarge.)
Mickey Mouse (Click to enlarge.)
Mickey Mouse (Click to enlarge.)
Ariel (Click to enlarge.)
Ariel (Click to enlarge.)
Leonardo (Click to enlarge.)
Leonardo (Click to enlarge.)
Donatello (Click to enlarge.)
Donatello (Click to enlarge.)
Charlie Brown and Snoopy (Click to enlarge.)
Charlie Brown and Snoopy (Click to enlarge.)
Care Bear (Click to enlarge.)
Care Bear (Click to enlarge.)
Bugs Bunny (Click to enlarge.)
Bugs Bunny (Click to enlarge.)