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This link (http://www.newsarama.com/tv/010902-Ani-Shorts-Best-TV.html) is a list of animated shows that a writer at the Newsarama web site thinks was the best of 2008. While I agree with some of their choices, some of them are bad choices. The best ones for all ages I saw this year here in the states are Avatar the Last Airbender, Star Wars: the Clone Wars, Spectacular Spider-Man, and Batman: the Brave and the Bold. Avatar was by far the best epic story told in cartoon form I have seen in a very long time. They could have taken a simple story and just made it kiddy and rather simple, but instead they took the high road and made it something that all ages could enjoy. There is supposed to be a live action version of the movie coming out next summer and I'm not sure if it going to work out that well in the translation from cartoon to live action. Star Wars: the Clone Wars really is what the Clone Wars should be all about instead of what the Cartoon Network came out with years ago before Revenge of the Sith. At first, I thought the cartoon would not last long. The animation I thought was a bit bad, but then I sat down and watched an episode. That episode was "Rookies" and it showed one of the things that my older brother told me a long time ago. He said, "Clone Troopers are much better working on their own than having a Jedi leading them." I also find it a bit disconcerting that they decided to use the Asajj Ventress, which was something that was more than likely created for the old cartoon series rather than them coming up with an original character. I'm willing to overlook that because she has only been in two episodes of the series so far and not played that big of a part. Spectacular Spider-Man is probably the best super hero show for kids. Peter Parker comes off somewhat likeable, but I must say I have a few quibbles with the voices they chose for some of the villains. There's only one really intense set of episodes and that is when Peter gets the Venom symbiote and tries to break its grip on him. The show also has an opening theme that is so catchy you'll find yourself singing it every time you see something Spider-Man related. Batman: the Brave and the Bold is an okay look at the Batman universe with him teaming up with a new hero (or heroes) each week. I kind of like it because it's not the whole grim and dark look at Batman like Batman: the Animated Series from the 1990's, or The Batman series from a couple years ago. I think that the episode that will touch your heart the most is the Christmas episode with Red Tornado. The only reason I cannot give this one an ultimate recommendation is because of the animation style. The animation just seems a bit blocky for my taste, but the choice of Dietrich Bater as the voice of Batman was a good choice because he has just the range to voice someone like Batman.
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Final Crisis?
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DC Comics put out the final two issues of Final Crisis last month and that brings to a conclusion the company's big crossover event of 2008. Issue six had Batman killing Darkseid with a gun, and Batman's subsequent death because of it. Apparently everything that happened in the issues of Batman, Detective, Robin, Nightwing and Batman and the Outsiders led up to this. Guess what, I read all the issues of those books that were supposed to cover the Batman R.I.P. arc, and not a lick of it made sense. This was supposed to lead to Batman killing Darkseid with a gun? Killing alone was very out of Batman's character and then to do it with a gun too; what was Grant Morrison thinking?
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Muppets in Comics?
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According to this link (http://www.newsarama.com/comics/010927-Muppets-Boom.html) from the Newsarama web site, Boom! Comics is putting out a Muppets comic starting in March 2009. It appears that it is being both written and penciled by Roger Langridge who apparently gets around in the world of kids comics. There are some covers and interior art on the page that I have linked to and it looks okay. It's not photorealistic like some of the art that I have seen for some books, but for the audience they are trying to reach it looks good enough. I'm willing to put it onto my pull list and see what it is all about. Cover price will be a kid friendly $2.99.
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The Incredibles Coming to Comics?
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According to this link (http://www.newsarama.com/comics/010926-Incredibles-Waid.html) from the Newsarama web site, Boom! Comics is also putting out a comic based on the Disney/Pixar movie The Incredibles. According to the interview with Mark Waid, the book will be an ongoing title starting in March 2009. The book will be done in four issue arcs with them leading to a bigger arc later on. I think this is an idea that should have been capitalized upon way back when, when the movie came out on DVD and was a hit four years ago. Granted there were not companies like Boom! Comics back then, but I figure some company would have scooped it up by now. It will also be a kid friendly $2.99.
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Dark Knight Oscar Nom's.
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This article (http://www.newsarama.com/film/010922-OscarNoms.html) on the Newsarama web site claims that the mega-blockbuster The Dark Knight was shut out of the Oscar Nominations. Let's look at what they were nominated for:
That's seven total nominations and at least a shoe-in in one category. So that is not a shut out. A shut out is what Wall-E was nominated for; Best Animated Film and Best Original Screenplay. I understand that The Dark Knight was shut out of other categories like directing and other acting roles, but be glad you got what you did when you did. You don't see the people who made Iron Man complaining about how they were shut out even though it was a much better movie, in my opinion, than TDK. The Oscars will be handed out February 22 on ABC.
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Cartoon Network to Show Live Action?
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It looks like that the Cartoon Network is branching out from their cartoon roots and into live action programming. I would like to walk up to the people who decided to do this sort of thing and kick them in the junk. You are the Cartoon Network, you built a reputation on airing cartoons of all sorts, and you are now going to make one day a week, starting in 2010, a night of live action programming. I understand the need to grow as your audience grows, but I just cannot seem to wrap my brain around the fact that the CARTOON NETWORK will be showing live action shows outside of the occasional Garfield movie or some other live action movie during the holidays. I'm going to have some first cousins by the middle of this year and I want them to experience the Cartoon Network at its best, not with some lousy live action stuff. Granted they will not be able to appreciate it until five or six years down the line, but I have to hope don't I? That's all for this month, if you have any comments or questions feel free to e-mail me.
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