Smokey Joe Cartoons
Smokey Joe Cartoons was established in 2023 as a subsidiary of Martin Films. Originally titled Martin Animation in 2022, the origins of many of these characters go back much earlier than you think...
The Slackers
What originally began as a live-action high school project eventually evolved into a short animated film. In 2012, Stan, Danny, Ryan, Katie, and Lewis all made their debut in the now-lost short film "Slackers." The characters were much more vulgar and aggressive compared to their 2025 counterparts. The animation was much simpler (lol), and the film ended with half of the cast killed off (yikes).
A sequel was planned but eventually scrapped, leaving the characters in limbo for over a decade. In 2023, it was announced that through Smokey Joe Cartoons, the Slackers would be getting a complete overhaul and rebooted.
The characters' personalities and attitudes have significantly changed since the 2012 short. For example, Stan is less aggressive, Danny is less vulgar, and Ryan is more confident in himself. in 2025 the boys made their offical Smokeyburgh Debut in the Dennis Hill Saga.
Turning Youth
Meet Kevin, Joe, Troy, and David— their origins date back to 2009. Created as blatant South Park clones, the boys lived in the small town of "Queensferry," not to be confused with "South Queensferry." The lost web series had nine episodes and featured a wide variety of cast members, including Freddy and Heidi.
Before "Slackers," there were plans to revive the boys in a webcomic, but that never materialized.
Despite their longer absence, the gang is back, fully redesigned with new personalities. for better or for worse, they finally returned in 2025 making a supporting apperance in The Dennis Hill Saga.
Hard Labour
The newcomers are the crew members of Potter Burger, with no past origins or previous incarnations to speak of. However, the concept of these characters dates back to early drafts.
Originally, the idea was to have the characters work in a supermarket, similar to Tesco or ASDA (Walmart for Americans). The name "Hard Labour" stuck because the characters were meant to be worn-out workers who spent their mid to late 20s in retail, dealing with difficult customers. I'm sure most people can relate, right?
Dennis Hill (2024 - Present)
On July 19th, 2024, the first Dennis Hill cartoon debuted on YouTube: Cinema Worker. It featured our bald, sarcastic protagonist working in a cinema and ended with him drinking on the job. The short was simple but effective. What was originally intended as a one-off spiraled into a fully-fledged series with a serialized storyline.
Throughout 2024, two more shorts were produced, introducing new characters to the Smokey Joe universe and establishing Dennis as the official face of the franchise—much like SpongeBob or Mickey Mouse, if they had major depression and became alcoholics.
In July 2025, Dennis returned for his fourth short film, Office Worker, after a nine-month hiatus—his biggest adventure yet. The film introduced him to other major players in the Smokeyverse, was a massive success, and is even set to debut on the big screen in November 2025 at the St Andrews Film Festival.
The Slackers Strike Back
In 2026, The Slackers will return in a mini-series set a few months after the events of Dennis Hill’s Office Worker. Stan, Danny, and Ryan face the challenges of their final year of high school, along with unsettling new changes that upend their world—plus a little love story and a twist or two to keep things exciting.
The Hillfather
Dennis Hill will return for another adventure in 2026—this time with more action and guaranteed violence, plus an offer you definitely can’t refuse.
Are movie parodies still a thing these days? Ah well… screw it!
