Gecko Studios

Background

This was an animation production company launched by Elliot Strange in 1987. The launch of the studio coincided with the early production stages for the syndicated episodes for The Halloween Gang. Strange would be appointed the head writer for the show's syndication package, but sought more creative control due to disappointment with the ABC television network regarding censorship as well as mandates for ongoing animated productions for the 1987 season. Strange would become the executive producer for the show's syndication package, and would launch his own production company and studio to outsource animation production to overseas studios. Initially made to fulfill production obligations on The Halloween Gang, the company would expand to general productions, but found very little success. Compounded by blacklisting by the big three networks, Strange would sell his company, and publish a book detailing his experiences. He would move to Paradise, Nevada and take residence in the MGM Grand Hotel, where he would become a poker player as well as a golfer. He would also launch profiles on deviantArt, NewGrounds and YouTube to produce content, notably a short series known as Lemonade. On February 9th, 2009, Strange was found shot dead in the stairwell at the MGM Grand Hotel. The assailant or assailants has yet to be verified, though popular theories suggest it was due to a business or gambling-related incident.

1st Logo

(1988-1993)

Logo: On a grey background, we see a non-painted girl adorned in a hoodie walking in from the left of the screen. The stacked text "Gecko Studios" in a grey puffy font slides in, catching the girl off guard. She would later get her senses back and lean on the text and give a glazed look.

FX/SFX: Hand drawn animation.

Music/Sounds/Trivia: A female voice saying "Whatev-OH!", "Whatever...." The voice was provided by actress Christa Denton.

Availability: Extinct. Appeared on reruns of syndicated and season 1 episodes of The Halloween Gang on Nickelodeon throughout Halloween night, and debuted on the show's primetime special The Celtic Connection.

2nd Logo

(1998-2000)

Logo: Against a fiery background we see a broken wired fence with a yellow sign containing an angry-looking cartoonish gecko.

FX/SFX: 3D animation.

Music/Sounds: A distorted hard-rock tune, which is actually a sample from the Cattle Decapitation song "The Axe Will Fall".

Availability: Extinct. It was only seen on the short-lived The Halloween Kids. First appeared on the unsold pilot Rockett to Earth.

Background
This was a joint handle launched by Strange and Larry Houston in 1997, used in productions where both would work together; Strange would handle character designs while Houston would handle storyboards. While Gecko Studios itself would become defunct in 2000, the name was used well into 2002 due to legal obligation.

(1997-2002)

Logo: Against a red background with a burning city skyline, we see a torn wire fence with a yellow sign on it, containing an angry-looking cartoony gecko. Above everything is the army-stencil text "STRANGE HOUSTON"

Variant(s): An animated version exists where the logo zooms up as the flames begin to form.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None or the closing theme. The variant had a distorted chip-tune, ending with a woman saying "Now look at me when I'm talking to you boy!"

Availability: Appeared on the short-lived The Hallows and Green Jean (2002). The animated version appeared on the video game Green Jean 2: Enter the Nega-Jean.