Tagged: Cartoon

Transformer Title Fight: Devastator!

Transformer Title Fight: Devastator!

  • News
  • June 19, 2009

Transformers… more than meets the eye. This, we know. But what happens when the mighty all-spark malfunctions and sends the Michael Bay Monstrosities to wage war against the Autobots and Decepticons of our shared youth? We’ve got a few battles in our back pocket ComicMixers… let’s let ’em duke it out, shall we?

Round Three: Green and Purple Devastation Vs. The Rainbow Bright Beast

Face it… if it’s a robot, or even robot-like, and from Japan? It can combine with any other robot-like device, if it wills it. Case in point? The mighty Decepticon combiner Devastator! In the cartoon and comics, 6 construction vehicles (after a long day building stuff and whistling at a passing Arcee) formed a mighty bot of devastation. The only issue? Despite being of normal bot intellect in their own robot-modes… the combining somehow stupified Devastator into a veritable Green Hulk. But why? Because my fellow fans… the early combiner technology didn’t have the capability of decision making! All six parts of Devastator had to agree on an action before doing it. So, even with robo-brains… the cartoon version of this mighty bot could beat you up at recess, but would probably need to cheat off of you during class.

Little is known thus far about the Bay-birthed-behemoth. But what we do know is this: the new Devastator is a veritable giant, standing ten stories tall! Coincidently this robotic hulk also wears purple around his midsection. Interesting, no? In explosions-over-exposition land (the Bay of Robots if you will)… Devastator is made (we question this, but wikipedia is helping today…) of 6-10 possible construction bots, all found in the Egyptian desert. When combined, this new bot forms a more “Gorilla-esque” tower of power. Who apparently has a thing for sucking up sand… and Autobots into it’s giant craw. Past this, we can only assume that this combiner will be loyal to Megatron, and do a ton of damage. It will be nice to see Michael Bay actually blow stuff up. He tends to do quiet films, and this fan for one thinks he would do better to let some shrapnel fly in a cloud of fire and ash.

So folks, who wins? Will the first Generation Green Meanie pound the Sand-Sucking Sycophant into submission? Only you, the cosmically-conscious Comic Mix commenters can conclude! Now cast your votes!

… And don’t forget to vote in the previous rounds, for the Buzz-worthy Bumblebee, and then for your favorite Vocoder-voiced-villain, Soundwave!

ComicMix Quick Picks – what day is it? March 32nd?

What it’s been like here recently…

cartoon from www.weblogcartoons.com

Just way too much stuff to go through, and we’ve been very busy with the print announcement and rushing to get things ready for the Previews catalog, and I have dozens of tabs open to blog about and consolidate. Wheeee!

So this will be more of a high-speed link dump from the last few days. Onward:

  • The cast and crew of Battlestar Galactica at the United Nations – "We are all Cylons. We are all Colonials." Alex Epstein’s take on the last episode of BSG: Seriously? That’s What You Got? My favorite comment on the finale, from Sabrina: "There can be no more spoilers for BSG, because they spoiled it themselves."
     
  • Don’t forget tonight’s Family Guy/Star Trek The Next Generation crossover.
     
  • Non-comics link of the day: John Mellencamp on The State of the Music Business:
    Over the last few years, we have all witnessed the decline of the music business, highlighted by finger-pointing and blame directed against record companies, artists, internet file sharing and any other theories for which a case could be made. We’ve read and heard about the "good old days" and how things used to be. People remember when music existed as an art that motivated social movements. Artists and their music flourished in back alleys, taverns and barns until, in some cases, a popular groundswell propelled it far and wide. These days, that possibility no longer seems to exist. After 35 years as an artist in the recording business, I feel somehow compelled, not inspired, to stand up for our fellow artists and tell that side of the story as I perceive it. Had the industry not been decimated by a lack of vision caused by corporate bean counters obsessed with the bottom line, musicians would have been able to stick with creating music rather than trying to market it as well.
    Hmm– maybe it is a comics link after all.

  • ‘The Phantom’ will be on SciFi or SyFy or whatever they’re calling it. Impress me: get Billy Zane to do cameos.
     
  • Speaking of SciFi’s name change: SciFi Founder Hates Syfy, Issac Asimov would have hated it, and yo9 for the win.


  • Dharma wants you… since the 70’s apparently.
     

Anything else? Consider this an open thread. (Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.)

ComicMix Quick Picks – February 4, 2009

* Personally, I don’t think this cartoon needs a caption. But Michael Cavna does, and he’s running a contest for it– the best one gets the original art. So Write a Caption, Win a Cartoon.

* "Mike Gold is not human." Yeah, we know. (BTW, KC, is your chronology off? I started in ’88 and you were already there, and I started the same week Dooley did.)

* Joystiq has early impressions on Batman: Arkham Asylum.

* I will pay cash if someone will slip this Cornify script onto Warren Ellis’s website. It’ll go along with his kids page.

* Superhero Game: Homespun Superheroes

Anything else? Consider this an open thread.

ComicMix Politics: Ted Rall presents ‘The Bushies’

ComicMix Politics: Ted Rall presents ‘The Bushies’

  • News
  • January 17, 2009

Ted Rall and David Essman have released a new short animated political cartoon called "Behind the Rubric: The Bushies", a surrealist, rock-n-roll-super-group spin on the outgoing George W. Bush’s resume, along with what happens now that the band is breaking up…

Only mildly unfair and rude. Which for Ted Rall is pretty good.

Troy Little’s ‘Angora Napkin’ Headed for Animation

Troy Little’s ‘Angora Napkin’ Headed for Animation

  • News
  • December 3, 2008

Troy Little’s graphic novel Angora Napkin is being adapted as an animated project to air on Canada’s Teletoon in March of 2009. 

IDW will publish the book as a 152-page hardcover in January and the publisher describes the book as “an adult comedy about a girl band pop trio.”
 
Little (Chiaroscuro) is involved in all aspects of the production of the Angora Napkin animated pilot.

Teletoon, in a Canada wide search for new and original adult animation ideas, selected Angora Napkin to be developed as an animated pilot. “The idea of Angora Napkin was originally developed by Nick Cross and me as an animated series so it’s really interesting to see the project come full circle” Little said in a release.  “We’ve teamed up with Mugisha Enterprises to produce the cartoon.  Both Nick and I are putting many hours into the cartoon and are involved in all aspects of production to ensure the unique look of the show remains fresh and creator driven”.

Troy believes the timing of the book and cartoon will do much to compliment one another and help draw attention to the product. “Angora Napkin is one of those quirky little concepts that could potentially draw a cult status. It’s very subversive humor coupled with a healthy dose of sex and violence”.

Angora Napkin graphic novel synopsis:

Halloween is upon us! Historically this ancient event has been identified as the day in which the boundary between the living and the dead becomes unstable. It is on this fateful night that we find Beatrice, Molly, and Mallory, the pop music group known as Angora Napkin, running behind schedule for their performance at the big Halloween bash. Taking a short cut on a dark, twisting mountain road, the girls cross paths with one of the wandering dead. Undaunted by such an unusual encounter, they offer him a lift to a secret underground party. It is here that they are introduced to a lonely, misunderstood zombie boy named Dennis who they unwittingly convince to eradicate life on Earth in order to keep the party of the undead going for all eternity! Will Angora Napkin be able to set right the horror they’ve unleashed upon humanity and still make the show on time, or will we all become worm food in the wake of the zombie apocalypse?

Mixing it Up: Johnny Zito and Tony Trov

Mixing it Up: Johnny Zito and Tony Trov

  • News
  • October 6, 2008

Welcome to Mixing it Up where breakout creators create things, break things, and hang out. Every week, David Gallaher experiences the world beyond comics to discuss the influences, hobbies, and thoughts of your favorite artists and writers. This week, David heads to Philadelphia for the Zombie Prom with Black Cherry Bombshells creators, Johnny Zito and Tony Trov.
 
In torrential rain, this intrepid writer ventured boldly to the City of Brotherly Love, where he met up with Johnny Zito and Tony Trov, the ever-eclectic writers behind the apocalyptic zombie webcomic, Black Cherry Bombshells . Decked out in the finest horror make-up, the duo was prepared to show their dates the night of their unlives at the Zombie Prom.
 
"Of course, it would rain on Zombie Prom. It rained on zombie homecoming and zombie spring fling too. Man, what is up with this school, it’s like the zombie seniors are cursed," Johnny Zito quips.
 
"This is our first year at Zombie Prom, but we did the Zombie Pub Crawl on Easter last year," Tony Trov adds.
 
The two start playing off of each other like an expertly crafted comedy duo. Even in zombie make-up, it’s the kind of synergy that is refreshing in this day and age. 
 
Zito flashes a ghoulish smile, "In the Spring, we weren’t prepared for how serious people take their zombie make up."
 
Trov nods in agreement, "Yeah, I made a conscious decision then and there that I would be a master of latex in time for prom. This stuff is an old family recipe: Toilet paper, corn flakes and modge podge. Repeat."
 
"My purple velvet tux and Tony’s plaid suit are on the cheap from Philadelphia Aides Thrift. On 5th just off South Street," Zito notes, concluding the pre-prom activities.

(more…)

Ted Rall Gets Animated

Ted Rall Gets Animated

  • News
  • September 19, 2008

It’s been a good week for cartoonist / columnist / bon vivant Ted Rall.

The Mad Magazine regular and incendiary editorial cartoonist was named president of the American Association of Editorial Cartoonists. GIven how some newspapers are dropping their local editorial cartoonists in an organized effort to trim down their page count while chasing away their readership base, the position is perfect for an advocate/rabble-rouser like Rall (and, of course, I say that with the utmost respect).

Now he’s got himself his first animated editorial cartoon.

Ted wrote and drew a four-minute cartoon revealing what President Barack Obama’s first day in office might be like. In typical Rallian fashion, what you see might not please Obama’s supporters. Or McCain’s, for that matter.

Animation was provided by David Essman, a student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (ahem; my alma mater) and it’s available at YouTube… and, of course, by clicking right here.

 

 

Instant Obama cartoon

Instant Obama cartoon

  • News
  • September 7, 2008

We just received this cartoon, along with a note from Larry Hama (G.I. Joe, Bucky O’Hare, among others) saying:  "I emailed Dick Codor  who had just signed up to go to Philly to register voters, and I remarked "all we have to do is convince everybody under 25 to tell their grandparents that "if you don’t vote for Obama, hey, we’re gonna get pregnant and addicted to heroin," and within 20 minutes he sent back this cartoon!"

For the record, this argument worked on my father.

Online Animation: An Olympic Train Wreck?

Online Animation: An Olympic Train Wreck?

  • News
  • August 7, 2008

Cartoonist / animator / musician Joe Fournier has been doing some sweet stuff online, including this clever black-and-white cartoon about Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympics… something about a… train wreck?

Joe’s illustrations have appeared in all sorts of places – Playboy, Forbes, Premiere, and all sorts of newspapers – and he plays a vital role in the burgeoning online animation field. His cartoons have been seen on the Sci-Fi Channel, at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival, and the National Gallery of Art.

It’s good stuff. Check him out. 

Interview: Greg Weisman Talks ‘Gargoyles’

Interview: Greg Weisman Talks ‘Gargoyles’

  • News
  • July 17, 2008

When I was younger, there was a Disney cartoon that my friends and I loved and which impressed our parents with its maturity and layered story-telling. The series was called Gargoyles, and it told the story of a clan of warrior creatures from 10th Century Scotland who are brought to modern-day New York City via magical manipulation. Led by the noble gargoyle Goliath, the creatures find themselves to be strangers in a strange land, forced to hide while trying to find their new place in the 20th century. Soon enough, they wind up becoming superheroes, protecting the same humans who either fear them or don’t believe they exist.

Although the series lasted only two seasons (followed by the short-lived Goliath Chronicles series, which is considered apocryphal), its fan base remains extremely loyal — so much so, in fact, that a convention for Gargoyles fans, called the Gathering of the Gargoyles, has been held each year for more than a decade now. In recent years, we’ve seen much of the television series finally released on DVD, and Slave Labor Graphics has begun publishing an ongoing Gargoyles comic book series and spin-off miniseries, Bad Guys, headed up by series creator Greg Weisman and picking up where season 2 left off.

I spoke with Weisman (who also serves as story editor for the new Spectacular Spider-Man animated series) during the most recent Gathering of the Gargoyles event, and we chatted about the clan of winged Scottish warriors that he created so long ago and what the future holds for them. 

COMICMIX: So, we’re at the 12th annual Gathering of the Gargoyles convention. You have the new comic book series from SLG and the Bad Guys spin-off coming out now. You’re even talking about future spin-offs. All of this says there’s a decent fan base. So what’s happening that we still only have the first 26 episodes of season 2 on DVD?

GREG WEISMAN: Well, there’s a lot of turnover at Buena Vista Home Entertainment. You’ll have people there who are interested in the project and then you’ll have new people come in who aren’t so much. The ugly truth of it is that Season One sold very well, and the Season Two, Vol. 1 DVD did not sell so well. Even if, ultimately, it sold as well as the first season, we sort of lost Disney’s attention. So we need to get their attention all over again, and the best way to do that is by making sure that we continue to sell the DVDs that exist, show them that the comics are selling well. Gargoyles is SLG’s best-selling comic.

(more…)

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