Oklahoma comics creators launch web series “Howling at the Gates”
Two Oklahomans are working on a weekly webcomic aimed at bibliophiles with a love for classical history. With a strip that aims to mix high and low culture in humorous ways, “Howling at the Gates” introduces a mad scientist, her boyfriend, and their time machine.
Cartoonist David Simpson retires from Urban Tulsa Weekly; Oklahoma Cartoonists Hall of Fame retracts honor
Editorial cartoonist David Simpson has retired from the field after allegations of plagiarism surfaced last month. The former Tulsa World cartoonist had been cartooning for Urban Tulsa Weekly, who announced his retirement in the Nov. 3-9 issue.
The Oklahoma Cartoonists Hall of Fame, housed at the Toy & Action Figure Museum in Pauls Valley, has removed Simpson from the Hall of Fame.
The museum web site states:
Due to the recent revelation of another apparent incidence of plagiarism on the part of David Simpson, who had been inducted into the Oklahoma Cartoonists Hall of Fame in 2005, before he had been terminated by the Tulsa World for plagiarizing another cartoonist’s work, the Oklahoma Cartoonists committee now hereby announces the formal retraction of that honor.
- Matt Price
DVD review – Young Justice Season One Vol. 2
Young Justice Season One, Vol. 2 DVD
Superheroic proteges get top billing in “Young Justice,” the Cartoon Network animated series featuring Robin, Superboy, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Miss Martian and Artemis.
Thundercats fans can attempt to win replica Sword of Omens at Comic-Con
Warner Bros. has announced that fans at Comic-Con can enter to win a replica of the Thundercats’ Sword of Omens at next week’s Comic-Con International in San Diego.
Here’s more info, from Warner Bros:
Sergio Aragones of MAD magazine looks back at career
Considered one of the world’s fastest cartoonists, Sergio Aragones and his team had plenty to choose from for his entry in the book series “Mad’s Greatest Artists.” “Sergio Aragones: Five Decades of His Finest Works” features cartoons from throughout the Mad Magazine artist’s career, dating back to the early 1960s.
“Rocky and Bullwinkle” was expression of Jay Ward’s humor
Rocky and Bullwinkle (Classic Media)
Jay Ward was around in television animation from the beginning: His “Crusader Rabbit,” co-created with Alex Anderson, was the first animated program created specifically for television. And his designs are still seen today; a version of the “Cap’n Crunch” character he created is still used to publicize the Quaker Oats cereal.
But the most perfect expression of the animation producer’s sense of humor lives on in “The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show.”
Yuri Lowenthal: Nerdage’s #7 actor
Yuri Lowenthal
Versatile live-action and voice actor Yuri Lowenthal comes in at No. 7 on Nerdage’s list of actors with geek appeal. It’s not just one role that lands Lowenthal this high on the geek appeal list: It’s a boatload of them.
Lowenthal voiced Ben Tennyson aka Ben 10 in “Ben 10: Alien Force” and “Ben 10: Ultimate Alien.” He’s also been the voice of Superman in “Legion of Super-Heroes.” Adding to his superhero resume, he portrays Iceman in the current “Wolverine and the X-Men” animated series and voiced Mister Miracle on “Batman: The Brave and the Bold.”
Lowenthal has provided many voices in anime; notably in “Naruto” he voiced ninja-in-training Sasuke Uchiha.
In live-action television in 2009, he appeared in a two-part series of episodes in “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.”
With wife Tara Platt, he’s written a book on voice-over called “Voice-Over Voice Actor: What It’s Like Behind the Mic.”
So it’s clear Lowenthal stays busy; he also does video-game voice acting, for games including “Watchmen: The End is Nigh” and “Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones.” Lowenthal talked about voice-over acting in a 2009 interview with NewsOK:
“It’s all voice acting whether you’re doing an animated series or a video game, or any of those kind of jobs,” Lowenthal said. “They all have their different techniques. For video games, you’re in a booth, by yourself. Only on one or two occasions ever have I gotten to record with other actors at the same time for a video game. I guess it’s just more efficient for them to do one character at a time.”
Coming up for Lowenthal are the films “The Arcadian” and “A Guy, A Girl, A Space Helmet.”
- Matt Price
“Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1980s, Vol. 1” DVD review
Saturday Morning Cartoons of the 1980s vol. 1
Warner Home Video’s “Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1980s, Vol. 1” makes me want to pour a big bowl of sugary cereal and sit down for a few hours of relaxation through questionable animation.
The shows included on the DVD aren’t the best of the 1980s, though they are nostalgic fun for those who grew up in the era. Included are 11 episodes of mostly short-lived cartoons:
“The Biskitts”: These were the Smurfs of CBS (though not nearly as successful) as cute, tiny dogs attempted to keep the king’s treasures safe from the king of a rival land.
“The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley”: Based on Martin Short’s “Saturday Night Live” character, the dorky Ed Grimley had a 13-episode animated run in 1988.
“Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos”: This 1986 five-episode run inspired a comic-book series and an action-figure line. Oklahoma-born Norris introduced each episode in a live-action segment, then wrapped it up at the end.
“Dragon’s Lair”: Based on the fantasy video game that featured art by former Disney animator Don Bluth.
“The Flintstone Kids”: Like the Muppet Babies, only here it’s the Flintstones as kids.
“Goldie Gold and Action Jack”: A socialite and reporter have adventures.
“The Kwicky Koala Show”: One of the final shows directed by Tex Avery.
“Mister T”: An animated version of the “A-Team” star coached a gymnastics team and solved mysteries. The live-action Mr. T provided introductions and wrap-ups.
“Monchichis”: Cute monkey-like creatures starred in this show based on the Mattel toy line imported from Japan.
“Thundarr the Barbarian”: Popular with comic-book fans, as the show was created by Steve Gerber (“Howard the Duck”) and featured production design from Jack Kirby and Alex Toth. Thundarr was a Conan-inspired adventurer in a post-apocalyptic world.
There’s also a bonus featurette in the DVD set called “Lords of Light!: Thundarr the Barbarian.”
— Matthew Price
He-Man finds writers
According to the Heat Vision blog, Mike Finch and Alex Litvak, who wrote the script for the “Predators” reboot, will write the “Masters of the Universe” script for Columbia.
“Masters of the Universe” featured He-Man, Skeletor and other highly muscled sword-and-sorcery characters in the land of Eternia. Warner Bros. departed from the project after being unable to come to agreement with Mattel on the direction of the property, according to Heat Vision.
According to a 2009 MovieTickets.com poll, He-Man was the most desirable 1980s animated property to be re-made into a film.
- Matt Price
Check out other He-Man stories, including interviews with Dean Stefan of the 2000s cartoon series, from Nerdage.
Post Office to honor Bill Mauldin
The Oklahoman‘s David Zizzo recapped the career of World War II cartoonist Bill Mauldin, who will be honored on a U.S. postage stamp in March, in this NewsOK article.
“Bill Mauldin’s cartoons during the war were a major source of morale enhancement,” Mike Gonzales told Zizzo. Gonzales, As curator of the 45th Infantry Division Museum in Oklahoma City, sent photos to the Postal Service, one of which was used to create the stamp.
Gonzales recounted the popularity of Mauldin among the troops.
“Everybody knew that nobody touched the Bill Mauldin cartoon until everybody had a chance to read it,” Gonzales said. “There were some guys who didn’t read anything in the paper except the cartoon.
“‘Willie and Joe’ were of tremendous significance to soldiers over there.”
Check out the entire article at NewsOK.
- Matt Price
