John Bergin is a very interesting illustrator. He’s out there. He’s got a touch of gonzo to his style. He’s a cross between Ralph Steadman, Dave McKean and Tomi Ungerer. Just the sort of chap you’d want to guide you through a dystopian nightmare such as “From Inside,” his animated adaptation to his graphic novel of the same name.
Filed under animation, Comics, Dave McKean, John Bergin, Ralph Steadman, Tomi Ungerer
Batman, meet Uncle Grandpa. Oh sure, we are going to see a full-on Batman at this year’s Comic-Con International in San Diego. But there’s also room for other compelling characters, like sweet little ole Uncle Granpa. It sounds surreal already, doesn’t it? Well, if you like comics greats Don Martin, Gary Larson, and Robert Crumb, as well as Golden Age-era animators such as Tex Avery, then Uncle Grandpa has something for you! Uncle Grandpa debuted on Cartoon Network last September as the #1 telecast of the week among boys 6-11. That says it all, right? You can hear it from Uncle Grandpa himself, Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. (ET/PT). And you can read the new comic book series coming to you from KaBOOM!, an award-winning imprint of publisher BOOM! Studios, and Cartoon Network Enterprises, the licensing and merchandising arm of the network. More details follow:
CHEATIN’ is the latest work from animation master Bill Plympton. If you’re in Toronto on the 15th of June, you’ll want to stop by and catch it at the Toronto Animation Arts Festival International. Hot on the heels of the Toronto Comic Arts Festival, TAAFI is the natural extension to the festivities. But perhaps you’ll catch CHEATIN’ in Lawrence, Kansas or maybe Karkow, Poland. Check out the full screening list here.
Toronto Animation Arts Festival International – TAAFI – celebrates the many forms of animation from around the world, while supporting and nurturing the community that creates them. At TAAFI 2014 (June 13-16), you can immerse your senses in all things animation on Toronto’s Waterfront (Corus Quay & George Brown – Waterfront Campus)!
More details on the screening of CHEATIN’ at TAAFI follow:
Filed under animation, Bill Plympton, Comedy, Humor
“Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Rift, Part 1,” the Nickelodeon and Dark Horse graphic novel, hits #1 on the New York Times Best Sellers List.
This marks the 5th time that Dark Horse Avatar Graphic Novels claim the top spot. A key thing to note for devoted comics followers: this book is written and drawn by Gene Luen Yang and Gurihiru.
Details follow:
Filed under Avatar: The Last Airbender, Comics, Comics News, Dark Horse Comics, Nickelodeon
“Mr. Peabody & Sherman” is the latest postmodern revamp of a modern classic that delves deep into the psyches of characters that were never meant to be analyzed. The original animated TV show is already a pretty subversive treat. Originally broadcast from 1959 to 1964, it simply presents the adventures of a dog and his boy without question. This latest mashup of old and new, from DreamWorks, sets out to answer all those questions about this most unusual dog and boy relationship and turns out to be one sharp and funny movie.
Filed under CGI animation, DreamWorks, Movie Reviews, movies
Kevin Eastman
Many cartoonists have an interest in theater and acting. It’s a natural extension of performing on the page. So, it makes sense for Kevin Eastman, the co-creator of one of the most dramatic teams of cartoon characters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, to expand on his talents. Kevin Eastman will make his voice-acting debut on the TMNT animated series this Sunday, March 2 on Nickelodeon.
Filed under animation, Comics, Kevin Eastman, Nickelodeon, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
IDW reports: Cartoon Network Crossover Causes Cosmic Calamity! Samurai Jack, The Powerpuff Girls, Dexter’s Laboratory, Ben 10 And More Unite In The ‘Super Secret Crisis War’!
Sounds like a pretty big deal. It actually is and IDW is running with it!
Press release follows:
Filed under Comics, Comics News, IDW Publishing
Dark Horse Comics has unleashed quite a monster with this collection of work by Gustavo Duarte. But it’s not just monsters. It’s chickens, pigs, birds, a whole wacky and, quite enthralling, world.
Guatavo Duarte is a new talent with an old soul. As Sergio Aragonés makes clear in the introduction to this book, Duarte has hit the ground running in wordless comics. He is very much in the traditon of the greats, from Otto Soglow to Jim Woodring. Duarte’s comics are truly electric. There’s a live wire quality to them that is complimented by its clean refinement. While very smooth and polished, you get that sensation of a rapidly moving line.
Filed under Comics, Comics Reviews, Dark Horse Comics
BURBANK, CA – DECEMBER 10: (L-R) Songwriter Richard Sherman, director Rich Moore, director Chris Buck, director Jennifer Lee, producer Peter Del Vecho, General Manager, Walt Disney Animation Studios Andrew Millstein, actor Josh Gad, music supervisor Tom MacDougall, Executive director John Lasseter and composer Christophe Beck attend the 90 Years of Disney Animation celebration at Walt Disney Studios on December 10, 2013 in Burbank, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney Animation)
The Walt Disney Company was founded in 1923 in a back room of a real estate office in Los Angeles. By 1928, a little plucky mouse danced and sung his way down the river in “Steamboat Willie” and the rest is history.
On December 10th Bob Iger, John Lasseter, Alan Horn and Ed Catmull hosted a cocktail reception in Legends Plaza on the Disney lot to celebrate 90 years of Walt Disney Animation with Disney legends, filmmakers, artists, and voice talent.
The 90th Celebration celebrated Disney’s animation legacy, its iconic living heroes, artists and filmmakers, while spotlighting the new wave and renaissance of artistry, creativity, and talent at WDAS, most notably evident with WDAS’s 53rd animated feature, FROZEN. A screening of Frozen preceded the event.
Press release and more photos follow:
Filed under animation, Bob Iger, Disney, Floyd Norman, Milton Quon, Walt Disney, Walt Disney Studios
Review: ‘Wide Awake in Slumberland’ by Katherine Roeder
Winsor McCay with Gertie the Dinosaur
What will today look like one hundred years from now? In the world of comics, we have no choice but to include DC Comics’ upcoming “Teen Titans #1” in a time capsule, filed under “sexism.” Many of us today see through a glass darkly. But not all of us. One hundred years ago, Windsor McCay was at the top of his game as America’s preeminent cartoonist. Attempting to see what McCay’s world was like one hundred years ago could provide some interesting perspective.
There were certainly other big name cartoonists and plenty of newspapers but there was only one Winsor McCay. He could dazzle his audience. He was part of the zeitgeist. Much like Chaplin, he did what he did with far more distinction than his competitors. In a new book that attempts to place McCay in context, we get some insights about Little Nemo, Gertie the Dinosaur, and Dream of the Rarebit Fiend, and how they reflected the American dream. And, among the findings, we confront a problematic character named, Impie.
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Filed under animation, Comic Strips, Comics, Winsor McCay
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