Lubbock Comics Connections: Jim Smith

Time for another entry in our semi-regular series on current and former Lubbockites who’ve worked in comics, cartooning, and animation. We’ve already taken a look at Dirk West and Alex Ross — time to look at someone from the field of animated cartoons: Jim Smith.

Not a name you’re probably real familiar with, right? Born James Carl Jobb in Lubbock in 1954, Jim Smith is an animator and musician. After working for years on a variety of different cartoons, he worked on Ralph Bakshi’s acclaimed “Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures” with his long-time working partner John Kricfalusi — better known to cartoon fans as John K.

Smith later briefly worked on “Tiny Toon Adventures,” and then along with Kricfalusi, Bob Camp, and Lynne Naylor, he founded an animation studio called Spümcø. He also co-created “Ren & Stimpy” and “The Ripping Friends.” Spumco’s brand of subversive, gross-out humor strongly influenced lots of different cartoons, including “SpongeBob SquarePants,” “The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy,” “Cow and Chicken,” “Drawn Together,” and many, many more.

As I’ve already mentioned, Smith is also a musician. In the “Ren and Stimpy” theme at the beginning of the show, Smith is the guy playing the hot licks on the guitar.

March 11, 2009 · Filed under Jim Smith, Lubbock's Comics Connections, Ren and Stimpy

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  1. david smith Said,

    May 1, 2009 @ 3:50 pm

    I am jim smith’s father. I am so proud of jim. He is a food man and a special son. to know him is to love him. he is the oldest of my (4) sons. I nust say he gets his talent from his Mother.

  2. Hero Sandwich » Lubbock’s Comics Connections: Will Terrell Said,

    June 29, 2009 @ 9:01 am

    […] in comics, cartooning, and animation. We’ve already taken a look at Dirk West, Alex Ross, and Jim Smith — and since we’re getting closer and closer to the Lubbock Comic Book Expo on May 2, […]