Category Archives: Cartoons
The Dark Knight Returns Returns in Part 2
If you want more proof that Peter Weller is a terrible Batman, here’s a trailer for Part 2 of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns:
I was moderately OK with Part 1, as you can see in my review. The worst part of the film was Peter Weller as Batman. You can hear it in the first lines of that trailer. His voice is so flat and emotionless. Batman is better than that.
Well Part 2 promises to include Superman and the Joker, though Superman still just looks like normal, everyday Bruce Timm Superman, another drawback of these animated adaptations. Frank Miller had such a unique style to his art for the original comics. I wish they’d tried to replicate that look for these. Oh well, what can you do? At least Ben Linus is voicing the Joker. That should be fun.
Also, we’ve now learned at NYC Comic-Con that the next two cartoons will be Superman: Unbound, based on Geoff Johns’ recent Brainiac reboot story, and Justice League: Flashpoint, based on the alternate reality tale that brought us into the New 52. Which makes me wonder if all future DVDs after that will be based on New 52 stories. That might be cool.
Animated Perry Bible Fellowship!
I am a huge, longtime fan of The Perry Bible Fellowship, a cartoon by fellow Syracuse University alumni Nicholas Gurewitch. Well he’s been posting a few of these animated shorts, which he directed, on Facebook, so I thought I’d share. I don’t think he animates them himself, and they’re made for the BBC, but it’s still probably the closest thing we’ll get to an animated Perry Bible Fellowship!
My Little Pony-Con Song by voice actresses from the show
Every once in a nightmare moon, you get a programme like MLP: Friendship is Magic. With its stars and producers freely interacting with the Internet at large and catering to a fanbase that’s grown into the millions, MLP has established itself as a classic show in the same vein as the Powerpuff Girls and Dexter’s Lab despite only beginning its third series.
This is where we mention Brony-Con. Or rather, I’ll let the show’s voice actresses do it for me:
At Least DC Animation Has Some Artistic Integrity
Marvel Comics is getting back into the animated DVD movie game. But whereas DC Comics are actually producing adaptations of classic and popular comic book stories, Marvel is just going to slap a few superhero names together and expect the lingering popularity of The Avengers to help coast them into a few bucks.
Next year, we will be treated to Iron Man & Hulk: Heroes United. Because why bother coming up with a clever name when the ‘&’ symbol exists.
Look kids, it’s your two favorite Avengers!
Based on that article in Entertainment Weekly, there doesn’t appear to be any creativity whatsoever in this project. It’s as if Marvel saw that DC’s DVD movies were still selling, so they quickly pooped out the most basic story imaginable, then decided to link to into a vague resemblance of the hugely popular The Avengers movie. DC Comics made an adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns, arguably the greatest Batman story ever told. Marvel is going to just randomly stick Iron Man and the Hulk in a room together.
Remember when Hulk stole the show in The Avengers? We sure do!
And the most hilarious thing is that everyone is quick to point out that this isn’t an official, in-canon sequel to The Avengers. It’s just made to look that way, and the fans are more than welcome to think of it that way, even though it’s not.
To quote Marvel TV head honcho Jeph Loeb:
“We welcome people to interpret any way they like,” says Loeb. “In tone and character, we want to follow our best leader.”
Can you say ‘cash grab’?
The story is going to be about Iron Man and Hulk teaming up to fight the Zzzax, which is a classic Hulk villain that is basically just a living electricity monster. Loeb says that Hulk and Iron Man are going to, at first, think that each other is to blame. So it sounds even more like we’re going to get he most basic superhero story ever: heroes meet, they fight, then they team up to fight the villain.
Wow, really creative there Marvel.
He’s not Robert Downey Jr. this time, but still, Iron Man, right?
DC Comics destroyed Marvel in the animated DVD movie business years ago. Whereas DC was putting out real adaptations of their classic comics, as well as quality solo hero movies, Marvel was flailing in the wind with loose adaptations and original stories that tried desperately to appeal to kids. Like Avengers: Next. But at least that had some modicum of creativity. This new project is as basic and pathetic as you could get.
But that’s just my opinion. Don’t mind my angry rate. I just hate it when one of my favorite entertainment companies in the world revels in creative bankruptcy.
The DVD will come out April 23.
A Million Murdered Robot Souls!
I told you I was going to have to keep an eye on those James Lee Animation people. Behold, Tar Boy!
My girlfriend was checking out their Youtube channel after that awesome Batman vs. Bronies cartoon, and she found this gem from all the way back in 2009. It’s a pretty nifty cartoon, and wickedly diabolical, about a fella named Tar Boy and his vicious revenge!
I wish beyond all wishes that I had this kind of artistic talent. Instead, I was blessed with a writing ability. So I guess the universe balances out somehow.
Henchman-4-Hire 