We can't ever go back to Arizona!

Adult Swim on the Cartoon Network has long been a staple for the late night munchie-loving crowd. But while network lynchpins Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Sealab 2021 have slipped into absurdist mediocrity, Frisky Dingo is quietly assuming the throne as the smartest, funniest and downright most ridiculous cartoon on AS.

Frisky Dingo is brought to you by the creators of Sealab- Adam Reed and Matt Thompson. They are proving adept at tearing down the cliches and archetypes of cartoon plots and characters. But most of all, they produce some awfully funny programming.

Frisky Dingo tells the classic story of the diametrically opposed supervillian and superhero. The supervillain, Killface, is hell bent on destroying the Earth with his $20 billion Annihilatrix. But like so many supervillains he just can't seem to overcome the gross incompetence of his underlings. He's also got quite a few cost overruns.

Superhero Awesome-X is the crime fighting alter ego of billionaire playboy Xander Crews. Crews is a petulant, easily distracted, selfish version of Bruce Wayne. Unlike Batman, Awesome-X's secret identity is a poorly kept secret. In the second episode, he uses his secret identity to cover up a late night rendezvous with a prostitute from his reporter girlfriend. In doing so, he unwittingly exposes Awesome X to the hooker ("Xander Crews, you're Awesome-X!" "ooooh...Oh boy.").

Frisky Dingo's plot is pointedly convoluted. The show is not about the actual hero/villain showdown. It's about all the trials, tribulations and headaches that come with the behind the scenes world of the superhero and supervillain. Single father Killface desperately wants to destroy mankind. He also wants to provide a nurturing atmosphere for his emotionally troubled, mumbling son Simon. And here he's got a $20 billion dollar doomsday device, but no funding for TV advertising. He grudgingly resorts to a direct mail campaign, the "dry hump of marketing." One of the many headaches he must deal with is that the Annihilatrix just might be causing cancer, at least according to the lawsuit of his project manager Phil.

Xander Crews has to deal with the financial burden of his crime fighting force/fraternity, the Xtacles. When Awesome-X defeats all the bad guys in town, suddenly the Awesome-X brand of Crews Enterprises is not so profitable. He's got to find a villain quick so he can market his line of Awesome-X action figures. Killface is the logical choice, but tricking the villain into signing a licensing deal proves extremely difficult. Crews Enterprises Chairman of the Board, Stan, admonishes Xander for turning all of the company's production lines into toy factories - "250 years this company has been in your family, and from slaves and smallpox blankets to soft core porn and semiconductors, it's always made a profit! And in one fell idiotic swoop, you've ruined it!"

And from there the plot goes on dozens of tangents. Characters are introduced and killed off. Shots are taken at everything from live action role players to corporate health care to product tie-ins ("How about that new Scion TC!"). Killface's best laid plans for destruction are ruined by small twists of fate and the stupidity of the world around him. Xander Crews is hilariously immature and a great parody of the billionaire playboy character ("My murdered parents wanted me to be happy and this can make me happy, Stan- fiscal sales of Awesome-X dolls!"). All of it grows more ridiculous by the episode. Season 2 turns into a presidential campaign between the Democrat Killface and Republican Xander Crews. I won't give away any spoilers but the twist at the beginning of Season 2 is brilliant stab at the pet issues of politicians.

Adult Swim may have the image of only appealing to the college aged male, but Frisky Dingo is too good to ignore. Along with fellow late night show "The Venture Bros.," Frisky Dingo is worthwhile viewing for fans of smart, elaborate, absurdist humor. Season 1 is available on DVD, and Season 2 is available from iTunes.