The wordgossamer means any sort of thin, fragile, transparent material. In particular, it can refer to a kind of delicate, sheergauze or a light cobweb. The name is meant to be ironic because the character is large, menacing, and destructive.[7]
Part of this plot was repeated in the 1952 Jones cartoonWater, Water Every Hare[11] in which the monster's character is referred to as "Rudolph" or simply "Monster". In need of a live brain for his giant robot, the mad scientist (this time a caricature ofBoris Karloff) releases Rudolph from his chamber on a mission to capture Bugs Bunny; the monster shows a sudden burst of joyousness and quickly sets out when the mad scientist promises the reward of "spidergoulash" for capturing the rabbit.
The monster next appears inDuck Dodgers and the Return of the 24½th Century in 1980. This is the first cartoon where the character is called "Gossamer", and is so named byMarvin the Martian.[8] Jones gave the monster this name "because he's the opposite looking of gossamer. He's a big, hairy thing."[7]
In the 1995 short film,Carrotblanca, Gossamer is seated at a table.
A toddler version of Gossamer appeared in theBaby Looney Tunes episode "Stop and Smell Up the Flowers". He frightens the other Baby Looney Tunes trying to get lemons from them. Gossamer is also a friend of BabyPepé Le Pew.
Gossamer appears inThe Looney Tunes Show, voiced byKwesi Boakye. Gossamer here is the opposite of previous portrayals, being a timid and kind child. He has a bond withDaffy Duck, who serves as a sort of mentor and father figure to him despite Daffy’s rivalry with Gossamer’s motherWitch Hazel.
Gossamer appears in the 2021 filmSpace Jam: A New Legacy. He appears as a member of the Tune Squad during the basketball match against the Goon Squad where he was briefly burned by Wet-Fire's fire form. During the second half of the game, Gossamer's fur was briefly used to absorb Wet-Fire's water form.Foghorn Leghorn had to wring out Gossamer afterwards.
Gossamer appears inBugs Bunny Builders, voiced again by Fred Tatasciore. In the series, like inThe Looney Tunes Show, he spoke but this time he is an adult.
Gossamer features inMultiVersus as an unlockable ringout animation effect.
^Beck, Jerry; Friedwald, Will (1989).Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons. Henry Holt and Co. pp. 234–235.ISBN0-8050-0894-2.
