The 2012 London Olympic mascots have ar … HOLY MERCIFUL CHRIST

In Larry Buchanan’s 1965 horror film Attack of the Eye Creatures, we learned that cyclops-like beings can mean nothing but trouble. Members of London’s Olympic organizing committee apparently never saw that movie, because they have created these, the official mascots of the 2012 Games, “Wenlock and Mandeville.” (If you’re wondering where your children are, they’re cowering in the closet, covered with shoes and jackets). I’m no expert on these matters, but these mascots seem to pose the question: What if a leech mated with the Pillsbury Doughboy?
Also it’s only a matter of time before Christian groups denounce one of them as being gay.

Most confusing aspect of the design, via BBC News:

In a deliberate homage to London taxis, each has a yellow light on top of its head, with an initial in the middle.

Of course they do.

“We’ve created our mascots for children,” said Locog chair Lord Coe. “They will connect young people with sport, and tell the story of our proud Olympic and Paralympic history.”

“Children told us a number of things: they weren’t that sold on furry animals and they actually wanted a story.”

But not the story of something Sigourney Weaver would finally kill by sending it through the airlock and into space.

As BBC News points out, Wenlcock and Mandeville were designed to be futuristic and interactive, with a backstory previewed in the video here. In addition to marketing them as plush toys, the London organizers want to market games and videos featuring the mascots. But it’s been my experience that anything created and marketed “for the kids” is pretty much doomed before it gets started. Most of the great children’s characters are created with adult sensibilities, and happen to appeal to kids as well. This stuff can’t be forced. And that rainbow they’ve painted in the background there isn’t helping much.
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London 2012 unveils Games mascots Wenlock & Mandeville [BBC News]