ZIB

Lackadaisy is a 2023 American adult animated gangster comedy short film based on the webcomic of the same name by Tracy Butler. It was directed by Fable Siegel, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Butler, and follows the rivalry between the titular Lackadaisy and Marigold gangs: two bootlegging groups who are smuggling alcohol during the Prohibition era in 1927. It was the first film released by Iron Circus Comics. Butler debuted the Lackadaisy webcomic in 2006, receiving accolades from various comic book and literature award ceremonies. The concept for the webcomic was inspired by her research of St. Louis' history, interest in jazz music, and sketches of characters she drew back in high school. The Lackadaisy webcomic received attention for its resemblance to the art styles of Walt Disney and Don Bluth. With the concept of a Lackadaisy short film being in Butler's mind for years, she developed its pitch and reached out to animator Fable Siegel, who had a background in self-styled comics and various animated series. Butler also connected with Iron Circus Comics publisher Spike Trotman, with Siegel giving Butler's pitch to Trotman at a Comic Arts Los Angeles festival. The short film based on Lackadaisy was announced in 2020 through a Kickstarter campaign, with the intention to produce a ten-minute animated short. The funds raised nearly four times its budget, extending its production. With more than 160 artists involved, Lackadaisy emphasized visual imperfections, using details created by various animators and cleanup artists. The short film features visual influences from Art Deco, Art Nouveau, and impressionist styles, as well as its storytelling being inspired by Don Bluth's works. Butler and Siegel balanced human and feline characteristics in the characters, using occasional feline behavior throughout the short film. Lackadaisy was released to YouTube on March 29, 2023, and was crowdfunded through a Kickstarter campaign. It was met with widespread critical acclaim for its animation style, storytelling, characters, and historical accuracy. The short film was compared to Hazbin Hotel as a pilot episode, and caught the attention of Ralph Bakshi, Tyson Hesse, and Lilly Wachowski. The first season of the web series based on the short film is currently in development, with co-production from Glitch Productions.