'toon

Kid appeal spells success. Perhaps, given the current economy, Merrill Lynch should retire its legendary bull and hire that old ’toon favorite, Bullwinkle.

Last month, with the unveiling of the film’s principal cast, the fans’ worst fears were realized, prompting self-proclaimed “Avatards”—chief among them ‘toon titans Yang and Kim—to launch a protest that’s generated torrents of both support and criticism.

Ever since he took his future wife, Anna, to see 2001’s “Monsters, Inc.”, for their second date, the Elgin, Ill., resident, 32, has used the latest release from the top-of-the-line ’toon factory to celebrate a milestone.

Disney Animation takes a page out of Pixar’s well-worn playbook for “Wreck-It Ralph,” a screwball farce with a novel setting and more edge than your average Disney ’toon.