Released on April 11, 1936, and directed by Tex Avery, The Blow Out is a fast-paced Looney Tunes short starring Porky Pig in an early heroic role. This was Avery’s second cartoon for Warner Bros., and it already showed signs of the anarchic humor that would define his work.
The cartoon follows Porky as he gets caught up in the hunt for a mysterious “Mad Bomber” terrorizing the city. All Porky wants is a nickel to buy an ice cream soda, but instead he ends up foiling a dangerous criminal—with slapstick, misdirection, and explosive results.
🎬 Why is it worth watching?
- One of the earliest examples of Tex Avery’s breakneck pacing and visual gags
- Features Porky as a determined, brave underdog, rather than just a stuttering punchline
- Clever use of suspense and cartoon logic, blending crime-thriller tropes with comedy
- A glimpse into the pre-Bugs Bunny era, when Porky was Warner Bros.' top star
🧠 Trivia & Legacy:
- This cartoon marks a major stylistic shift at Warner Bros.—moving away from Disney imitation and toward irreverent, gag-driven humor
- The villain is a parody of contemporary pulp-fiction criminals, foreshadowing later cartoon bad guys
- Features inventive sound effects and music by Carl Stalling, who had just joined the studio
- Notable for being one of the first Warner Bros. cartoons to showcase Avery’s love of subverting expectations and ending on a high-energy punchline