The Venture Bros.
A Violently Looney 'Toon

WHY THIS Adult Swim's trippy animated series is a cavalcade of absurdity — think The Hardy Boys' gumshoe skills on a date with Jonny Quest's unwitting homoeroticism.

SECRET WEAPON According to co-creator Jackson Publick, it's the ''manly'' pipes of Patrick Warburton, who voices bodyguard Brock Sampson. ''He's the James Earl Jones of humor.''

...ESPECIALLY WHEN HE'S NUDE ''We get a lot of upset 18-year-old guys who are like, 'I really like The Venture Bros., but why does Brock have to get naked?'' notes Publick.

WHERE ARE THE GUEST STARS? ''We tried to get David Bowie to do a voice,'' says Publick, who's hip-deep in production on season 3. ''I would've given anything for him to do that. Except money. We don't have any of that.''