Art: Cartoonbrew: John Kricfalusi x The Simpsons Opening (Video)

Last year, The Simpsons commissioned an opening couch gag from British street artist Banksy that contained a cockeyed look at the working conditions of overseas animators. This year, which marks the show’s remarkable 23rd season, the producers of the mustard-family went a step further and debuted a new couch gag last night by Ren and Stimpy creator John Kricfalusi.

With news of a Simpson’s end in sight due to a dispute between voice actors and management, it’s all the more reason to celebrate the subversiveness that still permeates the longest running American sitcom. John Kricfalusi, notably of Ren and Stimpy fame, was brought in to provide a couch gag much like British artist, Banksy, did last season. The result was a 35-second opening that broke countless Simpson “on-model” patterns, and gave the viewer a look at an evolved John K. style of animation. Check out the interview about the process and pain that went into the historic gag, as well as some rudimentary sketches that took the blending of 1990′s zeitgeists from the planning stage and into reality. - Hypebeast

Take a look John Kricfalusi's sketches along with more animated composites after the jump...