A Nicktoons cartoon about three superheroes with the radical names of Z-Strap, Kewl Breeze, and Elastica, and who are based on Sketchers sneakers. While many think it was a 30-minute sneaker commercial, not only were shoes almost never mentioned, as it went on, it became a dark story, hinting at a vast conspiracy at work. Unfortunately, the show was cancelled before this could be fully explored.
Tropes:
- Alliterative Name:
- Jason James
- Matt Martin
- Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: Metal power! Ice power! ... Hair power?
- Big Bad Ensemble: Stankfoot and Ronson, with both opposing each other while Zevo-3 is caught in the middle.
- Brother–Sister Team: Matt and Ellie. Oddly, they often refer to each other by their superhero handles when in costume. Hell, Ellie calls him by name (middle included) while in costume in the middle of hostile territory.
- Continuity Nod: A recycling flyer Ellie made is briefly shown tumbling through the streets a few episodes later.
- Deadpan Snarker: The (first) talking mutant in "Sacrifice". Even when the group gets captured, his only reaction is "Ah, they beefed up security."
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Stankfoot seems geniunely distraught any time Blacktop is destroyed, even if he always gets better.
- Freak Lab Accident: In addition to being the Zevo-3's origin, it was also what brought about many of their enemies.
- Freudian Excuse Is No Excuse: Crust Sparrow is the leader of the Moloks, a group of mutants who were fused to parts of the Footville Subway System by the Zevo Compound. He rules the Moloks with an iron fist and treats the subway as a kingdom. He believes that the Moloks' mutations were caused by the gods of transformation, so every year he would make a sacrifice to please the gods. Kewl Breeze was planned to be this year's sacrifice. Kewl is rescued by Z-Strap and Elastika, who comes with Crust's own son Bugs, who ran away from the Moloks some time ago. When Bugs asks what happened to him, Crust says his life was ruined, and Bugs fires back that he ruined everyone else's life.
- Helicopter Hair: Elastika can use her hair like propellers.
- I Just Want to Be Special: To quote Matt/Kewl Breeze in the second episode:Matt: What's the point of having superpowers if you can't use 'em?!
- Intoxication Ensues: "Delirium", Jason eats mind-altering fruit. He spends most of the episode totally soused.
- Made of Phlebotinum: According to the official website, Dr Stankfoot's head henchwoman Dark Materia is a sentient collective of Zevo Energy.
- McNinja: Z-Strap's design and acrobatic, athletic fighting style are reminiscent of this.
- Merchandise-Driven: It's a show based on characters in Sketchers shoe commercials. Despite what FCC found in violation of its regulations, this part isn't even mentioned out loud.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Matt is the reason that he and the others are superheroes: a crazed super villain with a penchant for super soldiers is on the loose, the mayor is trying to wipe said superheroes off the face of the Earth, and products of that scientist's mad dreams have destroyed a number of buildings and probably killed a lot of people. All because some boy genius fell for some Schmuck Bait.
- Le Parkour: Z-Strap was able to do this on a skateboard before he even got his powers. He now doesn't need a board; particularly prevalent in "Sacrifice". Although they call it free running.
- Phlebotinum: The Zevo Compound, source of all mutations in the show.
- Product Placement: In spades, most notably in the main characters' superhero identities, each named after a line of Skechers kids' sneakers. In fact, the FCC investigated the show, as it apparently violated the guidelines on distinctions between children's advertising and children's programming.
- Ironically, the shows messaging was very anti-establishment, and paradoxically somewhat anti-capitalist & never mentioned shoes at any point.
- Psycho Rangers: Ronson "sinks" to hiring a team of Zevo mutants in "Career Week", one of which turns out to be Jason's crush, and another of which looks very much like the Skechers Luminators mascot-character.
- Ridiculously Cute Critter:
- The curples in "Which Came First?". They're purple, furry, and roughly the size of a human fist. They're also mind-controlled minions of Dr. Stankfoot.
- The mutant critters in a later episode borderline this and Ugly Cute.
- Sassy Black Woman: Jason's Grams is AWESOME. Half the baddies, should they make their way onto her barge, will be immediately attacked by her. With an axe.
- Secret-Keeper:
- Z-Strap's grandma knows about the team’s secret identities.
- Florence the paramedic seems to know at least that Ellie is Elastica.
- The Starscream: Dark Materia has intentions of getting rid of Stankfoot and controlling all she sees and she's not very quiet about it.
- Steven Ulysses Perhero: Doctor Stanley K. Foot became the supervillain Stankfoot.
- Teen Genius: The young Kewl-Breeze is somehow able to build complex gadgets.
- Token Trio: Jason, the light-skinned black dude, oldest, and leader; Matt, the youngest, the smart guy, and white boy; Ellie, middle age between the two and Matt's older sister, the "girl", and also white.
- You Are What You Hate: Brett Ronson, despite all his anti-mutant hysteria, is yet another victim of the Zevo Compound.
