Sunday, April 27, 2008

Cartoon field guide to Dem convention delegates

Kenny Be says: "I am a cartoonist for Westword in Denver. I have been working on a web feature for Westword. It is part field guide and part travel guide for the upcoming 2008 Democratic National Convention to be held in Denver in August of 2008. It is a field guide to help Denver residents identify the delegates from the 56 states and territories of the US. It is part tour guide in that it helps delegates to find the Colorado bars, restaurants and day trips most like home. It is a project that allows me to make fun of/pay homage to everyone in America, while I make fun of/celebrate the city of Denver.
"I started the project in July of 2007, and have added a delegation every week since then. The final delegation of Wyoming will appear two weeks before the convention begins."

How to Recognize a Nevada Delegate:
Nevadans like to claim that their state was named for the Spanish word that means "covered in snow." This, of course, seems deliberately misleading to anyone who has visited Las Vegas during the summer (which starts in February and runs through December). In Spanish, the word nevada can also be translated as "snow job," to describe "a deception or concealment of one's real motive in an attempt to shake down tourists." The second definition is far more believable and can be supported with much evidence. For starters, 90 percent of all America's gold is mined in "The Silver State." (Alaska is the leader in the production of silver.) And then there are the alien conspiracy theories surrounding Area 51 that were created by the state tourism department, and perpetuated by the CIA, to cover up the trillions of dollars spent to buy stealthy, super-secret, hypersonic space planes to spy on imaginary enemies. When trying to identify Nevada delegates in Denver, just remember that as America's foremost deliberate misleaders, Nevadans can't help but become oxymoronic oddballs. And their deception will be further concealed by the natural split in state politics. By and large, northern Nevadans will look like college professors who are actually pro-life, and southern Nevadans will look like war veterans who are actually trade-union supporters. The all-inclusive giveaway will be that they all look slightly overdressed, as their summer wardrobes include light, solid-color sweaters needed to guard against the chill of Nevada's air-conditioned indoor climate.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

"Shaun The Sheep--Saturday Night Shaun": These Are The Cartoon Heroes

Wallace & Gromit's wooly chum now has a third DVD collection out. Returning with a further eight episodes of claymation slapstick, Shaun, Bitzer and all their friends prove that them there country folk know how to have a good time.The focus is still on voiceless comedy escapes, hanging on a seven-minute premise.

"Avatar the Last Airbender" Live-Action Movie in 2010; Shyamalan Interviewed

Variety is reporting a July 2, 2010 release date for the first movie in a planned live-action feature film trilogy based on Nickelodeon's Avatar the Last Airbender. The movies will be directed by M. Night Shyamalan, and will drop "Avatar" and merely go by "The Last Airbender" to avoid confusion with the James Cameron movie project Avatar, which is scheduled for release on December 18, 2009.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Ollie Johnston 1912 - 2008

Jerry Beck at Cartoon Brew is reporting that legendary Disney animator Ollie Johnston has passed away at the age of 95. Johnston was the last of Disney's "Nine Old Men," and Johnston's career ran from "Mickey's Elephant" short film in 1936 all the way to The Fox and the Hound in 1981.

"Simpsons" Swept Up in More Controversy

The Simpsons is caught up in more controversy in South America, with Argentine politicians criticizing a recent episode that refers to former dictatorships, Variety reports.In a recent episode, a character refers to "disappearances" under the government of Juan Peron: "When he disappeared you, you stayed disappeared." Variety notes that "disappearances" of that nature were actually a feature of the post-Peron military dictatorship.Earlier this year the government of Venezuela moved reruns of The Simpsons from a time bloc designated for "all ages

Monday, April 14, 2008

Andy Knight, RIP

Animator Andy Knight, a co-founder of the Red Rover studio, has died, Animation Magazine reports. He was 46.Among Knight's directorial credits was Beauty and the Beast: Enchanted Christmas and the CG-animated short "Plumber."

Briefly: "PPG" Gets Int'l Party; Kabillion Gets "Spider-Man"; Nick Exec Gets New Post

Cartoon Network will mark the tenth anniversary of The Powerpuff Girs overseas with live shows and limited-edition merchandise.

"Happiest Gay Couple" Made Happier with Award

Rick & Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in the World won the Pulcinella prize for best television series of the year at the Cartoons on the Bay film festival, Variety reports.The Pulcinella for all-ages TV series went to Water & Bubbles. Other winners included The Bunjies (best European series) and Wanted (best

"Captain Biceps" Getting Toon Adaptation

The comic book Captain Biceps will be adapted into an animated series, c21 Media reports. The series, which is being developed by Futurikon for France 3, is about a superhero who battles the Super Bad Guys. The action-comedy is being aimed at the 6- to 12-year-old demographic.-->

Special Screenings for "Code Geass," "Lucky Star," "Delgo"

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion and Lucky Star will get free screenings at the ImaginAsian Center on Saturday, April 26, Bandai Entertainment has announced.The screening of the first two episodes of each series will be followed by a Q&A and autograph signing with cast members Steve Blum,