Anime’s original hero gets a computer-generated update in the 2009 film “Astro Boy,” now out on DVD. Astro Boy was created by Japan’s Osamu Tezuka, the godfather of manga, or Japanese comics. The 1960s “Astro Boy” animated series is often considered the first anime.

Astro Boy is a superpowered robot created by Dr. Tenma (voiced by Nicolas Cage) in the image of his late son, Toby. Using Toby’s DNA as a template, Tenma builds Astro Boy, powered by the blue core energy discovered by Tenma’s colleague, Dr. Elefun (Bill Nighy). After being implanted with Toby’s memories, Astro Boy initially believes himself to be Toby. Tenma thinks Astro will help him get over his son’s death, but it does the opposite, reminding him of his own responsibility for the death of his son.

So the jet-propelled Astro (Freddie Highmore) leaves the floating Metro City to find his own destiny on the Earth below. Earth is a wasteland of junk and debris, where robot repairman Hamegg (Nathan Lane) houses a cast of runaways and orphans, including Cora (Kristen Bell).

Astro doesn’t disclose his identity as a robot, however, and soon finds Earth might not be the safest place for his kind. Meanwhile, the warmongering President Stone (Donald Sutherland) of Metro City wants Astro back, so the blue energy core can be used for Stone’s own weapons.

The animation by Imagi Studios (“TMNT”) is watchable though not up to Pixar standards. The voice acting similarly is a bit dull in places. But there’s enough happening here, especially in the design, score and action, to keep the youthful target audience engaged.

— Matthew Price

Glad to see the classic Avengers getting their animation due, and cool to see the 70s-style Avengers logo getting some love.

Two big Whedon-related announcements have come out today.

First, according to SciFi Wire, Joss Whedon’s “Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Season Eight” comics could be coming to the Web as motion comics webisodes.  For anyone who hasn’t yet read the comics, they are quite good. I’m not completely sold on motion comics as yet (I have, so far, always preferred the original comic), but it should be a good way to share “season eight” with those who might prefer it in this format.

In other Whedon family news, Zack Whedon, one of the writers of “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog,” announced via Techland that he will be writing a new Terminator comic-book series for Dark Horse.

“I am not a big-time, famous dude and yet now I am choreographing action sequences set in a post-apocalyptic future overrun by evil cybernetic organisms hell bent on destroying the human race. How is that possible?! I’ll answer your question, Made-Up Person. It’s possible because in comics it doesn’t cost 150 million dollars to tell that story. They can put an idiot like me in charge!” Zack Whedon writes.

While it’s been a rough month for Whedonites with the cancellation of “Dollhouse,” maybe this will ease the sting somewhat.

- Matt Price

The 1988 “Superman” animated series was the first version of the character to come to television since comic-book writer/artist John Byrne’s noted revamp of the character in the 1986 “Man of Steel” miniseries. In the new “Superman” comic-book line, Byrne and writer Marv Wolfman introduced the idea of Lex Luthor as a corrupt industrialist instead of mad scientist. That characterization is followed up here, as Wolfman was the animated series’ head story editor.

Even though the Christopher Reeve film series was over by the time this series aired, after the dismal failure of 1987’s “Superman IV,” the 1988 animated series still paid homage to those films. Luthor’s assistant, Jessica Morganberry, is a version of the film’s Miss Tessmacher, and Luthor, though an industrialist, speaks in a manner consistent with Gene Hackman’s Luthor from the films. Furthermore, the theme song for the Ruby-Spears “Superman” uses a bit of the famous John Williams “Superman” score. The series calls back to Superman’s past in another way, too: The opening narration was the same as the 1950s “Adventures of Superman” television show.

Superman/Clark Kent was voiced by Tulsa-born Beau Weaver, who later voiced Mr. Fantastic in the 1990s “Fantastic Four” animated series.

Each episode of “Superman” featured an 18-minute Superman adventure followed by a 4-minute segment called “Superman’s Family Album,” which touched on his days as a youngster in Smallville.

While “Superman,” produced by Ruby-Spears, only lasted one season, it provided an intermediate step between the silliness of the “Super Friends” of the 1970s and the more modern take of the 1990s series.

— Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Neil Patrick Harris guest-stars as villain “The Music Meister” in tonight’s episode of “Batman: The Brave and the Bold.”   “Mayhem of the Music Meister” guest-stars Neil Patrick Harris as the Music Meister, whose power makes those around him break into song and do his bidding.

“Brave and Bold” is always a fun half-hour, and “Meister” is no exception. While the plot’s pretty thin, it’s a lot of fun to see the proceeding turn into a musical.  Black Canary, voiced by Grey DeLisle, is the show-stopper, singing about her unrequited love for Batman, but NPH gets to show off quite a bit as well.  “He Drives Us Bats” is a take on Batman from the villain point of view that’s quite catchy, besides.

The soundtrack goes on sale Saturday on iTunes.

- Matt Price

Jill Schulz

Jill Schulz, daughter of Charles Schulz, talked to The Oklahoman about the Peanuts comic strip and the plans for the 60th anniversary.

Matt Price: What do you think accounts for the enduring popularity of the Charlie Brown characters?

Jill Schulz: My Dad was a great observer of people throughout his entire life and I know he had great empathy for children and how cruel they can be to each other on the playgrounds and neighborhoods. I know my Dad had a great understanding and very clear memories of what it is like learning to fit in and negotiate social interaction even as a child, which is something we all go through whether we were a very shy child or the leader of the group. In the comic strip we are always seeing the challenges between the characters, their personalities ,and situations which are so familiar to us all, it gives us a chance to relate and say “oh, yeah, my sister is crabby” or “yes, I feel alone at lunch time,” … and of course who doesn’t experience the Little Red Haired girl or some other kind of rejection in their lifetime. These are issues that have been and will always be there for everyone ,which I believe is why Peanuts has become such a timeless strip for all of our generations.

MP:  What kind of events are planned for the 60th anniversary?

JS: Because my Dad created over 18,000 comic strips touching on so many themes and covering every season of the year—from Charlie Brown’s lovelorn Valentine’s Day to Snoopy as the Easter Beagle, from baseball season to Peppermint Patty’s dread at the beginning of the school year, from Linus and the Great Pumpkin right through Christmas and Charlie Brown’s pathetic little tree—we decided to celebrate for a full year.  We’ve kicked things off with the look-a-like contest this fall.  We’re also celebrating at various baseball stadiums around the country.  Earlier this month, we celebrated with The Mets at Citifield.  Next spring, we have stadium events planned with the Twins, the Giants and the Angels.  In November, the Gaylord Opryland Resort will unveil ICE! A Charlie Brown Christmas, which is a colorful, interactive ice sculpture experience.  My Dad’s beloved story will be told with two million pounds of ice!

Also in November, we’re introducing Celebrating Peanuts: 60 Years, a commemorative coffee table book from Andrews McMeel Publishing, and for the holidays, there will be 60 Years of Snoopy Plush at CVS, featuring five different Snoopys looking just as he did in each of the five decades my Dad drew him. But this is just the beginning…there are a host of other events and collectibles in the works for 2010; stay tuned for details!

MP:  Garth Brooks, an Oklahoman who is a judge for the contest, announced recently he’s coming out of retirement. How have Brooks and his wife Trisha Yearwood been involved with the photo contest? Are they longtime fans of the characters?

JS: Yes, they are Peanuts fans!  They are also great role models for parents today and advocates for children in general.  And, they know the work involved in posing for the camera—not to mention getting your kids to do it!   And It was great to hear that Garth was going to be performing again!

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, created in the 1980s by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman, have been bought by Nickelodeon for approximately $60 million.  Nickelodeon plans to develop a new CG animated series with the Turtles, and a new feature film is in the works with Paramount.

Nickelodeon is part of MTV Networks, which is a division of Viacom Inc.  The rights to the Turtles had been owned by The Mirage Group and 4Kids Entertainment, Inc.

Nick now owns global intellectual property rights to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  While the release doesn’t specifically indicate comics, global intellectual property rights would tend to include comic books.

The new animated series is expected to debut in 2012, as is the new motion picture.  Merchandising rights go along with this deal, and Nickelodeon announced it planned to continue to work with longtime Turtles license-holder Playmates Toys.

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shares a comedic sensibility with the Nickelodeon DNA, with added layers of action and fantasy that have kept this property an evergreen favorite with multiple generations of audiences,” said Cyma Zarghami, President, Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group, in a news release. “We are extremely happy to have the opportunity to be able to focus on this property and creatively re-introduce it to a new generation of kids.”

Paramount noted the Turtles could provide the studio a superhero franchise.

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a property that maintains a very passionate global fan base, is rich with opportunity for a tentpole movie, and is exactly the right property for us to work together with Nickelodeon,” said Adam Goodman, President, Paramount Pictures.

Is this insurance for Paramount to grab some of the superhero audience after its deal with Marvel expires? Maybe.  If so, $60 million could be seen as a bargain in a few years.

UPDATE: Peter Laird explains on his blog that while he hadn’t been actively seeking a buyer for the Turtles, this opportunity came along, and “the stars lined up.”

“I know that many fans are concerned with how the TMNT will be treated now that they have a new owner,” Laird writes.  “I am also concerned, but I have faith that the new owner will treat the property with due respect and make the most of it. And the simple fact is — I didn’t have it in me any more, and the property DESERVED a new owner. Now it has one, with powerful roots in the entertainment business. I am actually quite excited to see where they take TMNT.”

- Matt Price

EW reports that in “Truth or Square,” a one hour Nickelodeon special airing at 8 p.m. Eastern on Nov. 6, will feature SpongeBob SquarePants getting married to Sandy Cheeks the squirrel.

The episode will be narrated by Ricky Gervais and guest-stars a host of celebrities: Rosario Dawson, Craig Ferguson, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, LeBron James, Pink, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and Robin Williams.

The wedding is a flashback as SpongeBob and pals are trapped in the Krusty Krab freezer during the “eleventy seventh” birthday of the Krusty Krab, EW reports.

First Archie, now SpongeBob?  Maybe marriage is big this year.   Sorry, Spider-Man.

Check out Entertainment Weekly for the video.

The Man of Steel and the Caped Crusader team up in this direct-to-DVD animated film based on the comic books by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness. Loeb has plenty of screenwriting experience, as the writer of “Teen Wolf” and “Commando,” and his story translates relatively easily to film. The screenplay was adapted by Stan Berkowitz, who also adapted Darwyn Cooke’s “Justice League: The New Frontier” into an animated movie.

McGuinness’s blocky, muscular style is recreated in the style of the movie, which is heavy on action but lighter on character development.

The movie reunites Tim Daly, who voiced Superman on “Superman: The Animated Series,” with Kevin Conroy, voice of Batman in “Batman: The Animated Series.” The two hadn’t worked together since 1998’s “World’s Finest” animated movie. (George Newbern took over the role of Superman for the “Justice League” animated series.)

The United States, in the throes of wars and recession, turns to an exonerated Lex Luthor, who is elected U.S. president. Luthor fixes the immediate problems but also insists all superheroes work solely for him. When a giant Kryptonite meteor threatens Earth, Superman and Batman — now “public enemies” in Luthor’s regime — are forced to come up with their own plan to save the planet.

The first half of the movie zips along, but the ending isn’t as strong.

It’s great to hear Daly and Conroy working together on their signature characters, but the film doesn’t exceed the past decade of animation with Superman and Batman.

— Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Cartoon character Mr. Magoo marks 60 years of adventures today.

Mr. Magoo has starred in Academy Award-winning theatrical shorts, three hit television series, the first ever animated holiday TV special and a live action movie.

Here are more fun facts about Mr. Magoo:

- United Productions of America (UPA) first introduced Quincy Magoo in the 1949 animated short, “Ragtime Bear.”

- Mr. Magoo made his comic-book debut in 1952, and starred in a dozen issues from Dell Comics.

- Mr. Magoo’s voice was created by Jim Backus (“Gilligan’s Island”), who portrayed Magoo for more than 30 years.

- UPA produced 52 Mr. Magoo theatrical shorts.  Four were nominated for Academy Awards, and two won: When Magoo Flew (1955) and Magoo’s Puddle Jumper (1956).

- Leslie Nielsen played Mr. Magoo in the 1997 live-action film.

Whether “Spectacular Spider-Man” returns for a third season is up in the air, after a recent report from IGN.com that Sony had returned the “Spider-Man” live-action rights to Marvel. It’s not known if Disney, which recently bought Marvel, will continue to produce the show, which airs on Disney XD. But fans can check out an entire season of probably the best modern animated take on Spider-Man in “Spectacular Spider-Man Season 1.”

“The Spectacular Spider-Man” animated series is based on the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man and is set during his junior year of high school. Supervising producer Greg Weisman (“Gargoyles”) takes the essence of the original “Spider-Man” tales by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, and updates them for the modern era.

Josh Keaton voices Peter Parker and his alter ego, Spider-Man. He brings a healthy dose of fun to the character. This 13-episode set delights in the wisecracking, fun-loving Spider-Man that made the character so popular for so many years. The look is stylized, perhaps anime-influenced, but works well in the context of the show.

“Spectacular” Season 1 introduces modern takes on classic villains, including the Lizard and the Rhino, as well as Spider-Man’s supporting cast: his friend Gwen Stacy, his guardian Aunt May and his rival Flash Thompson. The show provides plenty of action but also shows Peter learning from life lessons, making it an entertaining program for younger and longtime Spidey fans.

— Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Oklahoma native Larry Latham, creator of the Web comic Lovecraft is Missing, talks about his current work, as well as his years working on animated properties from Super Friends to TaleSpin, in this video.

Viz has announced that Monster, the anime based on the mangy by Naoki Urasawa, will air on Mondays beginning Oct. 12 on the Syfy channel.

The show, rated TV-MA, will be rebroadcast the following week on the sister channel, Chiller.

“Naoki Urasawa’s ‘Monster’ weaves an engrossing story of politics, psychological intrigue and murder,” said William Germain, VIZ Media’s Director of Programming Sales, in a release. “The multi-layered plot and mysterious characters that make Naoki Urasawa’s manga a smash hit are adapted wonderfully for the animated series, which remains true to the original story.”

In “Monster,” Dr. Kenzo Tenma saves the life of a young boy named Johan.  Years later, Johan appears to be a serial murderer.  Suspected of being the murderer himself, Dr. Tenma must go on the run, as he attempts to track down a monster.

For more about the “Monster” manga, see http://www.vizsignature.com/monster/.

Click past the cut for the full release.

San Francisco, CA, August 21 2009 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced the debut of the animated Naoki Urasawa’s MONSTER featured by Starz Media’s Manga Entertainment on Syfy beginning on October 12th as part of the latest season of the network’s Ani-Monday programming block. MONSTER is based on the critically acclaimed manga series by Naoki Urasawa that is published in North America by VIZ Media.

New episodes of Naoki Urasawa’s MONSTER, rated TV-MA will air each Monday night on the Syfy Ani-Monday block and will be re-broadcast on SyFy’s sister channel, Chiller the week thereafter. Chiller airs a variety of horror and suspense-themed programs. Check local listings for specific airtimes.

What would you do if a child you saved grew up to be a monster? An ice-cold killer is on the loose, and Dr. Kenzo Tenma is the only one who can stop him! Tenma, a brilliant neurosurgeon with a promising future, risks his career to save the life of a critically wounded young boy named Johan. When the boy, now a coldhearted and charismatic young man, reappears nine years later in the midst of a string of unusual serial murders, Tenma must go on the run from the police, who suspect him to be the killer, to find Johan and stop the monster he set loose upon the world. Conspiracies, serial murders, and secret government experiments set against the grim backdrop of the formerly communist Eastern Europe are masterfully woven together in this compelling work of suspense.

“Naoki Urasawa’s MONSTER weaves an engrossing story of politics, psychological intrigue and murder,” says William Germain, VIZ Media’s Director of Programming Sales. “The multi-layered plot and mysterious characters that make Naoki Urasawa’s manga a smash hit are adapted wonderfully for the animated series, which remains true to the original story. We invite anime and manga as well as mystery and suspense fans to tune in each Monday this fall for an exciting chase as Dr. Tenma tries to catch the Monster!”

“We are very pleased to add MONSTER to the robust anime lineup found on the Ani-Mondays blocks on Syfy and Chiller,” says Marc DeBevoise, Starz Media senior vice president, digital media, business development and strategy. “We believe that this addition will give anime fans a lot to look forward to during the season.”

For more information on Naoki Urasawa’s MONSTER manga series (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens) please visit www.vizsignature.com/monster.

Wolverine’s not going to be out of the limelight anytime soon.

Hugh Jackman announced at the recent Teen Choice Awards that work has begun on a second “Wolverine” film, to be set in Japan.

Meanwhile, Wolverine is also very busy in animation. The second DVD of the animated series “Wolverine and the X-Men” arrived in stores last month, and selected episodes are available to watch online at Marvel.com or to download from iTunes. The series airs on Nicktoons.

An anime version of Wolverine is in development to air in Japan and the U.S. Also on the way is “Super Hero Squad,” which will co-star Wolverine, scheduled to air on the Cartoon Network.

“The great thing about Wolverine is that he can be in ‘Super Hero Squad’ and be for young kids, and he can be in ‘Wolverine and the X-Men’ and be like in the middle range, and then he can be in (the direct-to-DVD PG-13 animated film) ‘Hulk Vs. Wolverine,’” said Chris Yost, a writer for “Wolverine and the X-Men.”

“You immediately think, ‘This guy’s got knives on his hands; he’s really inappropriate for children.’ But you know, children respond to it. Children love Wolverine, and there’s a good reason for that. He’s a hero. There’s more to him than just violence.”

In “Wolverine and the X-Men,” Wolverine must take charge of the X-Men after an attack on the X-Mansion scatters the team. “With ‘Wolverine and the X-Men,’ we had an opportunity to show you the X-Men’s world as we know it,” Yost said in an interview at Comic-Con International in San Diego. “We know the mansion, we know the Danger Room. … And then immediately the show’s turned on its head by the events of the first episode.”

The attack on the mansion in the first episode is what resets the world from the X-Men we know into a world that shares similarities with the “Days of Future Past” story line from the comic books.

“Everything blows up, and everything is different,” Yost said. “Wolverine’s now in charge, and Scott’s all brooding, and Jean (Grey) and Xavier are gone. It was a very conscious decision to show normal, and then get into what the show is going to be.”

“Wolverine and the X-Men” follows a long, epic journey in Wolverine’s attempts to reunite the team as they deal with mutant prejudice and the threat of Magneto.

“I believe there are things you can do in animation, like with ‘Wolverine and the X-Men,’ the scope and the epic scale of that story, you’re never going to see that in a movie, ever,” he said.

Yost also co-wrote the “Hulk Vs. Wolverine” script with Craig Kyle, and writes the character in the monthly “X-Force” comic book, also with Kyle. Yost said he considers himself lucky to have been able to chronicle Wolverine’s adventures in various media.

“With the DVDs, with the comics, it’s being able to show different sides of this character,” Yost said. “At the end of the day, he’s always a hero.”

- by Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Husband and wife voice actors Yuri Lowenthal (Superman in “Legion of Superheroes”) and Tara Platt (Wonder Woman in “DC Vs Mortal Kombat”) took a few minutes to talk to me at Comic-Con International about their upcoming book, Voice-Over Voice Actor, available for pre-order at BugBotPress.com.

- Matt Price

Actress Tara Platt. (c)2008 John Phillips. Used with permission.

Oklahoma-raised Tara Platt has voiced superheroes, starred in movies and written a book.

Platt is maybe best known as the voice of Temari on the anime hit “Naruto,” but she has also portrayed superheroes Dream Girl (on “Legion of Superheroes”) and Wonder Woman (on the “DC vs. Mortal Kombat” game). She’s also appeared on “Charmed” and “Gilmore Girls.” But it all got started in Oklahoma, where Platt lived from age 7 to 11.

Dream Girl from Legion of Superheroes.

“I remember we went to see ‘Annie Get Your Gun,’ and there were a bunch of kids my age in the chorus,” Platt said. “They were dressed up in fun costumes and singing and seemed to be having a blast. After the show, I turned to my mom and said, ‘I wanna do that.’”

Platt’s mother told her that it takes lots of skill, time and energy to become an actress, but didn’t discourage her.

“She said that if I read the paper and came across an audition listing, that she would take me,” Platt said. “A few months later I saw an ad for the Jewel Box Theatre’s production of ‘Wait Until Dark’ with a role for a 9-year-old girl. I auditioned and got Gloria, and I haven’t looked back since!”

Wonder Woman from DC Vs. Mortal Kombat

Platt lived in Oklahoma while her father attended the University of Oklahoma’s medical school. She said her overall memories of the state are wonderful.

“I ended up going to elementary school there at Wiley Post Elementary,” Platt said. “We did the Sooners’ Run where we pretended we were pioneers and got to run across the school yard and stake out land with our red wagons and toy guns.”

That imagination is still in play today.

“A definite draw to (voice-over acting) is the ability to not be constrained by looks or age or gender,” Platt said. “Anywhere your imagination can take you, you have the possibility of working as a voice actor.”

Tara Platt and Yuri Lowenthal. Photo (c) Boris Kievsky, used with permission

In the English dub of Naruto, Platt voices Temari, the eldest of the Sand Siblings, who bears an iron fan. Naruto is a Japanese show based on the manga of the same name. The show, about a young ninja who seeks to become the greatest ninja of all, has a large fan base in Japan and the United States.

“There are such strong characters, and really so many that there is a character for everyone,” Platt said. “They deal with real issues; it isn’t just a ‘kids show.’ There are major conflicts that Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke and the various other characters … are all dealing with that parallel many things we all must deal with: disappointment, rejection, family conflict, life and death, love, loss and many other important things. I think that is one of the reasons that Naruto is a fan favorite. That and the ninjas, of course!”

Platt’s sharing her knowledge of the voice-over world in an upcoming book. With husband Yuri Lowenthal, also a voice actor, Platt has written “Voice-Over Voice Actor: What It’s Like Behind the Mic,” which comes out this fall and is available to pre-order at BugBotPress.com.

Voice-Over Voice Actor, from Bug Bot Press

“There are tips, exercises and practice copy in addition to the nuts and bolts about the business,” Platt said.

In addition to frequent voice work, Platt takes on other roles in front of and behind the camera. Platt’s film production company with Lowenthal, Monkey Kingdom Productions, recently finished the psychological thriller “Tumbling After.” They’re also working on a documentary about the world of voice-over with director and documentarian Boris Kievsky.

Platt will be in front of the camera in some upcoming commercials and in a live-action sci-fi romantic comedy feature starting next month.

By Matthew Price
From Tuesday’s The Oklahoman

Marvel has released the Planet Hulk trailer that was first shown at Comic-Con International at San Diego. Stay tuned to Nerdage for much more about Planet Hulk and other animated Marvel projects.

- Matt Price

According to TV Shows on DVD, the 1988 Ruby-Spears Superman cartoon will come to DVD this November. In addition to the Superman adventure show, this series contained mini-segments called “Superman’s Family Album,” about growing up in Smallville.

The release will contain 13 episodes on two discs, and a special feature about the rise of LexCorp, the 1980s corporate housing of Lex Luthor, who, prior to the 1980s, had been more mad scientist than corporate raider.

- Matt Price

You can check out my report on the anime portion of the Marvel animation panel at NewsOK.

- Matt Price

SAN DIEGO — Cort Lane of Marvel Animation, Masao Maruyama of Madhouse, Alex Yeh of Madhouse and writer Warren Ellis were on hand at the Marvel Animation panel to discuss Marvel’s forays into the anime world.

Clips were shown of the upcoming “Wolverine” and “Iron Man” projects, which will be written by Ellis.  Ellis indicated “Blade” and “X-Men” would be the other two properties developed for this project.

Lane said the project was “a re-imagining of key Marvel characters in the anime format.”

Yeh, translating for Maruyama, said the company was aiming for “a perfect marriage of traditional anime with Marvel characters.”

Ellis said he enjoyed the freedom, and money, he’d been given in animation.

“You get to do visual narrative with very few hurdles between you and the audience,” he said.

The Iron Man story will be set in Tokyo, Ellis said, and is about an unexpected clash of cultures and the history of weapon design.

Wolverine has its basis in the 1980s miniseries by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller.

Blade, a character Ellis said he’d never written before, would have ties to London and a more novelistic approach.

The X-Men was the final anime mentioned as being in development at the panel.

- Matt Price

Yuri Lowenthal

SAN DIEGO — Voice over actors Yuri Lowenthal and Tara Platt will officially announce publication of their book, “Voice-Over Voice Actor: What It’s Like Behind the Mic,” this weekend Comic-Con International in San Diego.

Husband and wife duo Yuri Lowenthal and Tara Platt will give insider tips and in-depth discussion in this  ‘How To’ book.

“So many people have asked us how we got into [VO] and how they can do it too,” Lowenthal said in a release. “And in the book we do our best to tell them all
about what we’ve done.”

Lowenthal’s credits include Superman (Legion of Superheroes), Ben (Ben 10: Alien Force) and the Prince (the Prince of Persia series of video games).

Platt has portrayed Wonder Woman (DC vs. Mortal Kombat), Dream Girl (Legion of Superheroes), and Temari (Naruto).

Preorders are available at www.BugBotPress.com.

- Matt Price

SAN DIEGO — The Warner Bros. animated film Green Lantern First Flight debuted for around 4,000 excited fans in Ballroom 20 at Comic-Con International.

Producer Bruce Timm introduced the film, and led viewers in a recitation of the Green Lantern oath.  Tricia Helfer, who voices Boodika, provided a taped introduction.

Christopher Meloni voices Hal Jordan, who goes on his first Green Lantern Corps mission in “First Flight.”

The film has a “Training Day” vibe, as Jordan is trained by the stern Green Lantern Sinestro, who, as comics fans will know, harbors a secret.

There are definite changes from the comic-book continuity, and some plot holes have to be willfully ignored.  But it’s nice to see characters like Kilowog, Ch’p and of course Hal Jordan come to animated life.

- Matt Price

Five more episodes of the “Wolverine and the X-Men” cartoon series come to DVD with “Deadly Enemies.” Logan still is attempting to re-form the X-Men after an attack left Professor Xavier in a coma.

Fortunately for Wolverine, Xavier now can communicate with him from the future. Xavier’s future gives Wolverine hints to events he must stop with his X-Men crew.

In “Overflow,” the Shadow King takes over the mind of Storm, and the X-Men must prevent the destruction of Africa by the powerful mutant. Cajun mutant Gambit makes his first appearance in “Thieves’ Gambit,” in which he’s hired by an anti-mutant group to steal a power-inhibiting device. And the blue, elfin mutant Nightcrawler comes to the forefront in the swashbuckling episode “X-Calibre,” which pays tribute to comic-book writer Warren Ellis’ take on the character. Bruce Banner and his alter ego guest-star in “Wolverine vs. The Hulk.” Finally, the team must work together to stop a dangerous, exploding mutant in “Time Bomb,” an episode that again brings the X-Men into conflict with the Brotherhood of Mutants.

“Wolverine and the X-Men” pays homage to classic X-Men tales like “Days of Future Past” while making a cartoon modern audiences also can enjoy.

- Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

MTV brings one of the greatest things it ever aired online to MTV.com.  The Maxx, based on the excellent comic-book series by Sam Kieth, features the Maxx, who lives in two worlds: as the protector of the Outback, and as a homeless man in a large city. But which is reality and which is the dream?
If you haven’t seen this series, it’s worth checking out, as it’s not available on DVD. Also worth getting are the comics, now available in trade paperback format from WildStorm.

- Matt Price

After playing Spider-Man’s friend Harry Osborn in “Spider-Man” video games, Keaton was excited to get the nod to play Spidey himself.

“I actually auditioned for Harry Osborn, and for Eddie Brock and Venom,” Keaton said in a phone interview. “I’m quite happy I got picked as Spider-Man. I love the other characters, but I mean, it’s Spider-Man!”

As a fan, Keaton appreciates the feel of “Spectacular Spider-Man,” which often harks back to the earliest stories by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, who created the character.

“Those are the stories that pretty much defined who Spider-Man was going to be,” Keaton said. “Granted, there’s some great stories that came later on, but they were all taken from that source material. They were all a twist that were given to the original story.”

“Spectacular Spider-Man” has been credited for developing the humorous side of the Spider-Man mythos. In the original stories, Spider-Man often taunted his villains with wisecracks as he was defeating them.

“That’s what I really wanted to do my best to bring back to Spidey, was the
wisecracks and the humor,” Keaton said. “I know there’s a trend to get really dark and brooding, and there’s a time and place for that; however, it can’t be forgotten that one of the big things that defines Spidey is his sense of humor.”

Keaton also likes some of Spider-Man’s serious story lines, including the “Master Planner” plot that will be part of Season 2. Could something such as “Kraven’s Last Hunt,” which featured a despondent supervillain capturing Spider-Man, eventually become part of “Spectacular Spider-Man” lore?

“I’m really hopeful that we’ll get five seasons, and after that start doing some direct-to-DVD movies where we’ll explore some of the more mature-themed Spidey stories,” Keaton said.

Another bonus of becoming Spider-Man is to have action figures based on your performances.

“I have all of the toys. I’m actually looking at them right now,” Keaton said. “I have all of the Spider-Man toys from McDonalds, and they’re sitting next to my 12-inch wisecracking Spider-Man talking doll that does this,” Keaton said, and then a doll with his voice said: “Oh, what’s a poor Web-head to do?”

Laughing, Keaton said, “I’m a huge geek. I love this stuff.”

- By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Season 7″

Season 7 of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” featuring the heroic, anthropomorphic turtles who battle evil with their ninja skills, is being released in four parts, or “slices.” There are 27 episodes in the season.

Paying homage to the Turtles’ fondness for pizza, the season is broken down into the Leonardo slice (part 1), the Michelangelo slice (part 2), the Donatello slice (part 3) and the Raphael slice (part 4). Each slice contains a small action figure of the selected turtle.

Season 7 is the last of “Turtles” cartoons with the original intro. Starting with Season 8, perhaps inspired by “Batman: The Animated Series,” the Turtles became more action-oriented. There are hints of that here, as in the 14th episode, “Night of the Dark Turtle,” in which Donatello becomes a caped avenger.

The first 13 episodes on these DVDs feature the Turtles visiting different locations in Europe. In the episode “Ring of Fire,” Turtle foes Krang and Shredder make some meta-commentary, as Shredder states he doesn’t need to see the map to Lisbon, Portugal.

“It’s not for you; this is the educational portion of the show,” Krang replies.

- Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer bring back their Jonny Quest parody “The Venture Brothers” for a third season, now on DVD. And while the show still has many laugh-out-loud moments, the increasingly “uncensored” nature of the show may make some uncomfortable.

“The Venture Brothers” of the title are Hank and Dean Venture, boy adventurers who fail at nearly everything, but are often bailed out by their superstrong bodyguard, Brock Sampson (Patrick Warburton). Dr. Thaddeus Venture, the brothers’ father, is a scientist and former boy genius who struggles with feelings of inadequacy, as he’s never become the hero his father was. This season’s focus is on Dr. Venture’s arch-villain, the Monarch, and his girlfriend, the manly voiced Dr. Girlfriend.

While the first two seasons of “The Venture Brothers” had moments of adult innuendo, the third season goes for full-frontal, with a lot more strong language and non-blurred-out animated nudity.

There are also fewer extras, which makes the DVD set feel less authoritative, though there are commentaries on the episodes. The packaging of the set remains top-notch, as the DVD menus have been made to resemble early 1980s video games. The season, presented on this DVD in 16:9 ratio, maintains its funny moments, but falls somewhat short of the quality of the first two seasons.

- Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

NewsOK’s own BAM shares her reaction to the Toy Story 3 trailer she saw at the preview for Pixar’s Up.

The teaser is just that, a quick peek into the next film, so it doesn’t offer too much information.

But it makes several impressions: Sheriff Woody (voice of Tom Hanks) and Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) are still trying to one-up each other. Jessie the yodeling cowgirl (Joan Cusack) and Bullseye the horse are still as action-packed as ever. Long-suffering Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles) and squawky-voiced Mrs. Potato Head (Estelle Harris) remain married. Hamm the Piggy Bank (John Ratzenberger) and Rex the Dinosaur (Wallace Shawn) are still up to their hijinks in the trailer.

Check out her full writeup at BAM’s blog!

- Matt Price

Via The Film Stage

Check out this rejected Cartoon Network pilot for “Plastic Man.” Pretty cool stuff; I found it via Comics Alliance.  While there unfortunately won’t be more of this Plastic Man, TV Shows on DVD announced last week that the complete 1970s “Plastic Man” will be released on DVD on Sept. 21.  This pilot will be included on that DVD as well. Check out the art for the box cover after the jump.

– Matt Price