A British 12-year-old boy died while imitating the heroic leaps of the cartoon character Batman. Tragic incidents stemming from cartoon imitation such as this one occur with alarming frequency. Still, many people choose to ignore violence in children's cartoons. Even some experts don't recognize that cartoons may be harmful. Researcher Wilbur Schramm, for example, says "not all (children's) violence is intended to be taken seriously; the cartoons...are intended to be funny rather than exciting." However, evidence from many other research studies indicates that although cartoons may be intended to be humorous, they mask a potential danger and cause aggression in children. To minimize the effect of the violence in cartoons on children, cartoons must be produced with knowledge of their impact. For example, cartoons should not make use of household tools like knives or other kitchen appliances, nor should they depict actions a child might imitate without a full working knowledge of the consequences. (MP)