The Venture Bros. episode
Handsome Ransom
Season 4
Orig. Airdate	Oct 25, 2009
Writer(s)	Jackson Publick
Director	Jackson Publick
Production #	4-40
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[edit] Overview

The Monarch once again manages to kidnap Hank and Dean and demands ten million dollars for their release. However, a past nemesis of The Monarch, Captain Sunshine, throws a wrench in The Monarch's diabolical gears of villainy and rescues Hank to make him his new sidekick. Hank is all too happy to leave his honky father in an act of teen rebelliousness, but will he enjoy the life of a teenage sidekick?

[edit] Rundown

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[edit] Fun Facts

• Captain Sunshine was voiced by Kevin Conroy, who is most well known for voicing Bruce Wayne/Batman in Batman: The Animated Series. The episode is rife with Batman references:
  • The giant Monarch penny, first seen in Shadowman 9: In the Cradle of Destiny(Also A Batman reference as Batman has a giant penny decorating his cave.)
  • Captain Sunshine's insistence to replace Wonderboy is likely a reference to Batman's constant replacement of Robin- the original Robin was Dick Grayson (who left), replaced by Jason Todd (who died), replaced by Tim Drake (who also left), replaced by Stephanie Brown (who faked her death), replaced by Damian Wayne.
  • Pete White calls himself Bruce White when knocking on the door to Sunshine's home, an obvious reference to Bruce Wayne. He then calls Billy his "ward", a title which Bruce Wayne always gave to Dick Grayson in the early comics.
• There are a number of other comic book and superhero references throughout:
  • Sunshine's tells The Monarch "You're not fighting a boy now!" just as Superman said "You're not fighting a woman, now!" in his first appearance.
  • "...or your boys will follow the rainbow bridge to Valhalla" is a reference to Marvel's Thor.
  • The "Sanctum Solarium" (which Hank describes as 'almost as cool as the Batcave') references Dr. Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum.
  • The narrator in the final battle scene mimics Ted Knight's narration for the Superfriends cartoons.
  • (As he is threatening Captain Sunshine with the artificial sunshine gun built by Dr. Mrs. The Monarch) The Monarch quotes ABC's animated cool guy Timer: "I'll be 'having a fun time, eating sunshine, on a stick!'"
• Sunshine's compound looks like Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch, with a secret hatch sundial replacing the floral clock, and at least a Ferris wheel to match Neverland's amusement park.
• When the Monarch is in Wonderboy's costume and is approaching Captain Sunshine saying "Come and get it," (after implying that Captain Sunshine had a sexual relationship with his former sidekick), he is making the American Sign-Language sign for vagina. As can be seen (from the Monarch's point of view) in the screen-cap for the episode on this page.
  • Captain Sunshine's implied sexual relationship with Wonderboy could also be a reference to Batman and Robin's controversial sexual relationship dating back from the 1950's.
• Wonderboy is also a Robin reference as Robin is somtimes called The Boy Wonder.

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