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The Star Wars Expanded Universe Was a 36-Year Fever Dream, From Which We Are Now Waking

The Star Wars Expanded Universe Was a 36-Year Fever Dream, From Which We Are Now Waking

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Yes, you have spent up to 36 years reading books, watching shows, reading comics, and playing video games featuring the Star Wars Expanded Universe. You think the first expanded universe novel, 1978’s Splinter of the Mind’s Eye, is a classic, Thrawn is awesome, Kyle Katarn is cool, and Boba Fett did a lot more than go Wile E. Coyote into a Sarlaac pit. But the official word today is that the expanded universe was, for the most part, fan fiction with good production values. “While Lucasfilm always strived to keep the stories created for the EU consistent with our film and television content as well as internally consistent, Lucas always made it clear that he was not beholden to the EU. He set the films he created as the canon. This includes the six Star Wars episodes, and the many hours of content he developed and produced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. These stories are the immovable objects of Star Wars history, the characters and events to which all other tales must align,” the statement

Why “Space Jam 2” Is a Really Bad Idea

Why “Space Jam 2” Is a Really Bad Idea

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On February 21st, the Internet lit up, as Deadline posted about the strong possibility of there being a sequel to the ironically loved (or fundamentally loathed) 1996 film Space Jam. That made the Internet light up for obvious reasons, especially with the accompanying report that LeBron James was going to be attached to the film, replacing Michael Jordan (which makes sense, because Space Jam turns 18 years old this year). And . . . this is a really, really bad idea. Let me tell you why. 1. LeBron James is not Michael Jordan. In 1996, Michael Jordan was one of the most beloved people in sports, perhaps the most beloved. He made the NBA what it was in the late 90’s, and no one has been able to match him since, the closest being Kobe Bryant (and, admittedly, LeBron James). LeBron James is a great player. Perhaps the greatest in the current NBA. But he is not Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan was well-liked and admired by many people, and, at

Samurai Jack: Beyond Nostalgia

Samurai Jack: Beyond Nostalgia

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Talk to anyone of school age in the nineties, and they’ll lay so much nostalgia on you, it might be nauseating. The millennials are invading your tumblrs and buzzfeeds with “OMG, xx is twenty years old now!” and “Random things you forgot about from the year 19XX”. Chances are, a lot of those things don’t hold up. In 2001, Genndy Tartakovsky created Samurai Jack, a show based on a samurai warrior thrown into a dystopian future by the demon he is sworn to defeat. Unusual for a cartoon at the time, Samurai Jack relied on a more cinematic approach to storytelling, using scene changes, a dramatic score, and visual cues to tell the story in addition to dialogue. In fact, some episodes rely less on dialogue and more on visual, lending the show to easy translation for other markets. Despite being intended for children, Samurai Jack appeals heavily to older teens and adults. The references to Japanese and Hong Kong cinema are evident (counting the nods to Toshiro Mifune’s Sanjuro

Yu-Gi-Oh! Returns to DVD/Blu-Ray

Yu-Gi-Oh! Returns to DVD/Blu-Ray

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For a show that has seen a lot of changes and ownership in the past decade, Yu-Gi-Oh! has a lot of legs. Being a part of The CW’s Vortexx block and the Nicktoons lineup, the series is finally returning to the home entertainment market this September. Cinedigm  and 4K Media Inc. (the Konami-owned manager of the franchise)  have partnered to bring the worldwide franchise Yu-Gi-Oh! into the home entertainment marketplace for the first time in five years. Plans include a strategic rollout of all 600+ episodes of the popular series onto DVD and BluRay in the US and Canada, followed by distribution on digital and VOD platforms. This marks an ongoing resurgence of the brand in the past year including expanded TV distribution and a renewed licensing program. Cinedigm and 4K Media officially launched the home entertainment program for Yu-Gi-Oh! during Comic-Con International: San Diego. The first DVD release, Yu-Gi-Oh! Classic Season 1 Boxset, will be available September 10, 2013. The Yu-Gi-Oh! anime series originated from the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga series created by Kazuki Takahashi. The Japanese collectible trading card game,

Berserk: The Golden Age Arc II – The Battle For Doldrey Now Available on DVD/Blu-Ray

Berserk: The Golden Age Arc II – The Battle For Doldrey Now Available on DVD/Blu-Ray

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VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, beckons anime fans to join the battle-hardened mercenary, Guts, for a new action-packed anime feature film epic as it announces the debut of BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC II- THE BATTLE FOR DOLDREY on DVD and Blu-ray. The new release, which is available now, is rated ‘M’ for Mature Audiences and carries a DVD MSRP of $19.98 U.S. / $24.98 CAN and a Blu-ray MSRP of $24.98 U.S. / $27.50 CAN. Bonus features include a production art gallery, theatrical trailers, an “Aria” Live Concert conducted by BERSERK score composer Susumu Hirasawa, and an interview with BERSERK voice actors Aki Toyosaki and Minako Kotobuki. “A friend should never rely on another’s dream…he must have a reason for living that goes beyond me… For me to call a man ‘my friend,’ he must be my equal in every aspect.” Three years after joining the Band of the Hawk, Guts is shocked to hear Griffith’s words. He

Time Warner’s Growing Complacency

Time Warner’s Growing Complacency

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Full disclosure: I’m a huge fan of Time Warner Entertainment. I grew up watching Hanna-Barbera cartoons on the USA Cartoon Express every evening and waking up early to watch them every Saturday morning. I’ve been a Superman and DC Comics fan since I was a little kid watching Superfriends and reruns of the 60s Batman series and the 70s Wonder Woman series every week. I got used to Turner Time on Superstation WTBS every afternoon and watched the USA Cartoon Express, which was filled with old-school Hanna-Barbera shows, every evening and Sunday morning. The animated creations of Termite Terrace, MGM, Fleischer, and Hanna-Barbera are ingrained in my DNA, and my modern tastes for animation grew because of the 90s revival of Warner Bros Animation, the brief rebirth of Hanna-Barbera, and the emergence of Cartoon Network. That shield has brought a lot of good things to me over the years. Like I said, I’m a fan. Been a fan for as long as I can remember. Warner Bros, DC Comics, and

Exosquad – Seeds of Deception – Season 1, Episode 2 – Video

Exosquad – Seeds of Deception – Season 1, Episode 2 – Video

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In Seeds of Deception, the Exosquad fleet continues to engage the Tethysian Pirates. Takagi of Able Squad is injured in the battle. In the episode’s second story line we’re introduced to Sean Napier, a Chicago cop and former Exotrooper. The Neosapien Governor of Mars, Phaeton is delivering a speech when an assassin takes aim at him. Napier, who is on guard duty at the event, is injured while saving Governor Phaeton. The Napier story line exposes the deep racial tensions between the Terrans and Neosapiens. Back on the battlefront,  the pirates remain free when Able Squad is commanded to withdraw. Exosquad is set early in the 22nd century. Humans have expanded into space and made leaps and bounds in the field of genetic engineering. An interplanetary war has begun between the homosapien Terrans and the Neo Sapiens, an artificially created slave race that has rebelled against its creators after many years of cruel and sub-human treatment. The leaders of the Neo Sapien rebellion fight under the guise of freedom, but with

Exosquad – Pirate Scourge – Season 1, Episode 1 – Video

Exosquad – Pirate Scourge – Season 1, Episode 1 – Video

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In Pirate Scourge, The General Assembly commissions Exosquad to eliminate the Tethysian Pirate menace after the pirates attack a freighter. Exosquad is set early in the 22nd century. Humans have expanded into space and made leaps and bounds in the field of genetic engineering. An interplanetary war has begun between the homosapien Terrans and the Neo Sapiens, an artificially created slave race that has rebelled against its creators after many years of cruel and sub-human treatment. The leaders of the Neo Sapien rebellion fight under the guise of freedom, but with the intent of supplanting the human race. Exosquad largely follows the story of the Able Squad, an elite unit of mech pilots comprised of Terrans and one Neo Sapien. The show was ambitious and mature for a children’s show in its attempts to blend action, sci-fi, the acknowledgement through story of the existence of racism and the fight for universal equality and acceptance. The Exosquad episode, Pirate Scourge, originally aired on 9/18/1993. It has a run time of 22:26.

Nickelodeon Announces Upcoming Animation Slate and New Model for Discovering and Cultivating Talent

Nickelodeon Announces Upcoming Animation Slate and New Model for Discovering and Cultivating Talent

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On Tuesday, May 7, Nickelodeon Animation Studios provided a special presentation to give an early look at their next generation of animated shows.  The presentation was opened by Nickelodeon’s President of Content & Development, Russell Hicks who introduced the presentation with a retrospective montage of Nickelodeon from its early years to today.  Hicks announced Nickelodeon’s initiatives with their Shorts Program and also SpongeBob SquarePants Shorts Program, in which fans will be allowed to pay tribute to SpongeBob with their own shorts based on the cartoon. Next up, Jenna Boyd, Nickelodeon Animation’s Senior Vice President of Animation Development, talked more about their Shorts Program; a new way for up and coming creators to showcase their animation which Nickelodeon could eventually translate to a series.  Many of the shorts will be aired on Nickelodeon or streamed on Nick.com.  A reel was shown of the various Class of 2012 Nick Shorts.  One of the shorts showcased is now being developed as a full series for Nickelodeon in Pam & Sid’s Port-a-Party.  The full

The Time Bugs Bunny Saved Duck Dodgers. Twice.

The Time Bugs Bunny Saved Duck Dodgers. Twice.

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Ask any fans of classic Looney Tunes to list their favorite theatrical shorts and it’s nearly guaranteed that Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century (1953, directed by Chuck Jones and written by Michael Maltese) will be included in there somewhere. Animation guru/historian Jerry Beck of CartoonBrew.com gave it the #4 slot in his 1994 book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons, and of course it made the cut again in Beck’s 2010 compilation, The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons. And if that still doesn’t convince you and you’re up to the task, try counting how many times Duck Dodgers is mentioned when Jerry asked for feedback in compiling his “100 Greatest” list. In 1980, Warner Bros produced the first of three sequels, Duck Dodgers and the Return of the 24½th Century (again with Jones directing and Maltese writing). And in 2003, Duck Dodgers deservedly got his own TV series, jointly produced by Warner Bros Animation and Cartoon Network. What many Looney Tunes fans may not know is that there was another sequel

Tom & Jerry: The Friendly Feud

Tom & Jerry: The Friendly Feud

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Cartoon icons Tom & Jerry have been trying to kill each other for more than 70 years. Their weapons of choice include “everything from axes, firearms, explosives, traps and poison” [- Wikipedia.org] in attempt to maim, maul and murder each other. With such a long and glorious tradition of cartoon violence, I don’t understand how anyone could watch a T&J ‘toon and get the impression that they are BFFs. But apparently the designer of this key chain decided they were. And this T-shirt too… …and this kids’ book: ..and even an ad for a Windows Phone app: Of course you could accuse me of being too literal, but that’s part of my nerd heritage. And even arguing that cats and mice are natural enemies is just more nerd rage (although Japanese scientists found a way to make cats and mice marginally friendly). It’s just that when I think of friendship, a cartoon cat and mouse trying to off each other over and over again is the furthest thing from my

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