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Archive for the 'Toons' Category

Japanese TV mascot invades 7-Eleven stores

November 7th, 2009, 12:22 am by Jayson Peters

domoup_01

Ever heard of Domo?

Those not in the know are probably scratching their heads after visits to 7-Eleven convenience stores. That’s because Domo, the mascot of Japan’s NHK television station, has expanded his empire to include Slurpees, bad coffee and truly terrible hot dogs. The gassy, meat-loving, apple-hating, egg-born cave-dweller can be seen on 99 cent coffee cups and other products. (You can check out lots of pictures at Top Cultured, or just head on down to your local 7-Eleven.)

It’s not Domo’s first foray into American retail: In 2008 the character was used in Target’s Halloween promotions.

Those meddling kids of Mystery Inc. ‘Doo’ it again

September 14th, 2009, 11:49 am by Jayson Peters
He doesn't eat much -- really. Image: Cartoon Network

He doesn't eat much -- really.

The world may still be trying to figure out what state Springfield, home of The Simpsons, is in — but another cartoon mystery has been solved.

Scooby-Doo: The Mystery Begins, a live-action prequel to the Hanna-Barbera cartoons and the live-action films that came out in the first half of the decade, debuted Sunday night on Cartoon Network, and it firmly places the locale of Coolsville, home to the meddling kids and their dog, in Ohio. Read the rest of this entry »

Holy father, Batman! Adam West takes up cape and cowl again

August 5th, 2009, 11:33 pm by Jayson Peters
Adam West

Adam West

Adam West, who played the Caped Crusader in the campy 1960s television series Batman, is returning to the franchise in the next season of Cartoon Network’s Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

The 80-year-old actor, who has made a new career for himself in voice-over work such as playing himself as the mayor of Quahog in Family Guy, will reportedly play Thomas Wayne, the father of the Dark Knight’s alter-ego Bruce Wayne. Playing mother Martha will reportedly be former ’60s Catwoman Julie Newmar.

West returned to Gotham in 1992 for an episode of Fox’s Batman: The Animated Series, playing the Gray Ghost, a washed up television hero who helps his biggest fan — Batman — solve a crime.

Welcome back, old chum.

Source: Collider.com

LEGO goes to infinity and beyond!

July 25th, 2009, 10:12 pm by Jayson Peters

The Disney Blog (not an official Disney blog, but a darn good one) talks a bit about the LEGO Toy Story Mini Figures that debuted this week at San Diego Comic-Con.

What caught my eye was the Army Men — complete with a rifle:

ts-gam-sm

Is LEGO further easing their stance against weapons in the hands of its MiniFigs that led to the rise of third-party accessories from companies like BrickArms? Or was the money to be had in an alliance with Disney-Pixar just too good to pass up?

‘The Simpsons’ honor Michael Jackson

June 28th, 2009, 8:41 pm by Jayson Peters

simp_bartsingle08_fSo The Simpsons on Sunday night got into the act of honoring Michael Jackson — who, you might have heard, died on Thursday.

The venerable primetime cartoon didn’t air the 1991 episode in which Jackson — uncredited — provided the voice of an obese white man who was institutionalized because he thought he was Michael Jackson. Instead, it aired the planned encore episode “Wedding for Disaster,” but replaced the opening couch gag segment with the 1990 rap music video “Do the Bartman” – which references Jackson several times. This was followed by a dedication to Jackson, with an image of the character he voiced in the aforementioned episode.

Read the rest of this entry »

The King of Pop’s forgotten pop culture empire

June 25th, 2009, 10:07 pm by Jayson Peters

Michael Jackson was so much more than music videos, money troubles and legal problems.

moonwalker1

Remember this?

Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker rocked arcades and home video game consoles in 1990. The game, a tie-in to the Moonwalker film, features Michael going after kidnapped children with the help of Bubbles the chimp (who gave him the ability to turn into a robot) and the magical power of dance, baby.

It’s one of the first games I can remember having the odd but cool 3/4 perspective that was also used in the popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game.

Read the rest of this entry »

‘Transformers’ brothas — more than meets the eye?

June 24th, 2009, 9:48 pm by Jayson Peters

ADDITION Film Transformers-Jar Jar AgainFirst there were the allegations that Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace was a racial caricature in the vein of Stepin Fetchit. Now a pair of jive-talking, illiterate, bling-toothed Autobots are launching even more negative stereotypes into the sci-fi universe with the release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

I haven’t seen the movie yet, but an Associated Press story goes into a lot of detail exploring the issue. The characters are called Skids and Mudflap. One is voiced by a black man, the other voiced by a white man. Kids interviewed seem to like the characters. Academic types who haven’t even seen the movie pretty much condemn them as inappropriate.

I seem to remember the robots in the original Transformers cartoon in the ’80s having speech patterns that seemed out of place for alien beings that looked like tractor trailers. Then again, they learned everything they knew about Earth from a scan of our media.

Then again, it was just a cartoon.

Twentysomething Mutant Ninja Turtles invade Science Center

June 22nd, 2009, 11:22 am by Jayson Peters

tmnt

They’re not really teenage anymore, right? But they’re still young at heart.

The Arizona Science Center will come out of its shell on Saturday to welcome the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and their Party Bus full of video game stations and ice cream bars. The raucus reptiles are shell-ebrating their 25th birthday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in downtown Phoenix. The event is free and open to the public. Read the rest of this entry »

The most ‘Up’-lifting story of them all?

June 21st, 2009, 12:01 am by Jayson Peters

Parents — and I am one of them — are more aware today than ever of the power Hollywood has over our habits, our time and our money. They say movie studios are heartless corporations only looking to make a buck.

Colby Curtin Disney Pixar Up Orange County Register

Colby Curtin

For once “they” are wrong — and so am I.

On Thursday, The Orange County Register, the flagship publication of my employer, Freedom Communications, published a story about a 10-year-old Huntington Beach, Calif., girl named Colby Curtin. Like many people of many different ages, Colby was enchanted with the Disney-Pixar film Up ever since she saw it advertised.

But Colby was dying of vascular cancer. She would not make it to a movie theater. A family friend contacted Pixar, and the CGI animation company actually sent a representative to the Curtin home with a DVD of the movie for a private viewing. He even brought gifts: Up merchandise such as plush toys and a poster, and an “adventure book” like the one seen in the movie.

By the time of the special screening, Colby was in so much pain she could no longer open her eyes — but the miracle would not be denied. Colby’s mother described the action for her, as if it were a bedtime story.

Read the rest of this entry »

Atomic Comics in Mesa holds ‘Transformers’ contest

June 16th, 2009, 8:20 pm by Jayson Peters

Transformers Revenge of the FallenAre you in your Prime?

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen opens June 24, and to celebrate Atomic Comics in Mesa is hosting a costume and “robotic dance move” contest 6 to 7 p.m. Friday, June 19. The prize pack includes a screening pass, movie T-shirt, comic book and Atomic Comics gift card.

The store’s address is 1120 S. Country Club Drive, No. 105, on the northwest corner of Southern Avenue and Country Club.

Transform and roll out!

See also: ‘Transformers’ toys live up to big-screen robots

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