I liked the “vintage” comment, so going back even further to Bakshi’s inspiration for Avatar.

I’ve read that Bakshi tried to get Bodé to collaborate on Wizards but it didn’t happen so he just did his own version. I can’t find that source again; I’m pretty sure it was in a biography of Bodé, though.

In any case, the homage is clearly evident.

    • 𝕽𝖚𝖆𝖎𝖉𝖍𝖗𝖎𝖌𝖍@midwest.socialOP
      3·
      2 days ago

      Fun fact: they were contemporaries, and despite the fact that Wizards is clearly derivative, Bodé later dedicated a comic to Bakshi. I don’t know if that says something noble about Bodé, but it’s nice to hear a story for once that could easily have been acrimonious, but instead was handled with grace.

      It probably doesn’t hurt that Wizards was not widely shown, and although it did well where it was shown, and it turned a neat profit, it was still only 64th in grossing rank of films in '77. So Bodé didn’t endure hearing about how rich Bakshi was getting off Wizards, and was spared thinking he should get a slice.

      Or, maybe Bodé was just a really cool guy. He died young, and there had developed a bit of a cult around him even while he was alive, so it’s hard to say. I like to think he was up there among the pantheon of Genuinely Good People, with Mr. Rogers and Bob Ross.