When it comes to the direct-to-video original animated films set in the DC Universe, we knew that there was a sequel coming to Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1, but Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has released news of additional titles planned for 2013. First, here’s the trailer for Dark Knight Returns Part 2, highlighting [...]

I really wanted to see more of Iron Man and Hulk after their camaraderie together in The Avengers, but this version is Animated Doesn’t have the right voices (Tony sounds too young) and Focuses on the superheroic side instead of the wacky adventures of two super-smart scientists Still, good to see them providing more with [...]

Marvel Entertainment and Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan are following up their Iron Man Anime series with a new feature-length direct-to-DVD animated film. Iron Man: Rise of Technovore is due for release in spring 2013. It’s produced by Madhouse in Japan. According to the press release, the film explores a confrontation between Iron Man and the [...]

The Cartoon Network is bringing back classic cartoon antagonists Tom and Jerry in a new series. The Tom and Jerry Show will run a half-hour, composed of two 11-minute shorts in each episode. No release date has yet been announced. As the network describes it, each episode will feature Tom the cat and Jerry the [...]

We’re introduced to bad-ass old Bruce Wayne as he’s driving a formula 1 racer down the city streets of Gotham. I was reminded of Paul Newman, the gorgeous silver fox actor famous for also racing cars, but I’m not sure any younger watchers will get the reference. However, since the race is referred to as [...]

Review by Roger Ash I first became familiar with animator Bill Plympton’s work back in the ’80s, when I saw some of his shorts including “Your Face”, “25 Ways to Quit Smoking”, and “How to Kiss” as part of animation festivals. I appreciated their hand-drawn, scratchy look and Plympton’s wacky, off-beat sense of humor. I [...]

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 The latest original DC animated movie is Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1, out yesterday. No review for you this time — due to my move and the resulting confusion over address changes, I didn’t get a copy — but here are some images. I figure we [...]

As I predicted, the fourth and final Joss Whedon-written Astonishing X-Men arc, Unstoppable, will be available from Shout! Factory in motion comic form on DVD on November 13. Astonishing X-Men: Unstoppable Astonishing X-Men Blu-ray Box The three previous releases are Gifted, Dangerous, and Torn. In case you’d like to get all four in one handy [...]

Looney Tunes Super Stars: Porky & Friends The Looney Tunes Super Stars line of character-focused cartoon DVDs — which has covered so far Pepé Le Pew, Foghorn Leghorn, Tweety and Sylvester, Road Runner & Wile E. Coyote, Daffy Duck, and of course Bugs Bunny — is continuing in November with Porky & Friends. There are [...]

Viz has announced that their new anime channel Neon Alley will be launching exclusively on the Playstation Network and the PS3 game console this Fall. They’ve also snagged the famous pirate series One Piece for the channel. Episodes will air uncut with English dubs. Other new content announcements include Blue Exorcist, Nura: Rise of the [...]

According to Collider.com, Warner Bros. and the WWE will be teaming up for a new Scooby-Doo animated movie in which the gang solves a mystery at Wrestlemania. Wrestlers such as Triple H, John Cena, Kane, The Miz, and more will lend their voices and animated appearances to the film. So will Vince McMahon. (I bet [...]

Review by KC and Johanna Carlson Universal is getting the digital copy thing right. They allow customers to choose their preferred formats and provide both streaming and download options with a single code. The Lorax For UltraViolet format, you can choose whether to redeem through Universal, Flixster, or Vudu, plus you also get to pick [...]

How to Train Your Dragon, the 2010 animated DreamWorks movie (that I still haven’t seen yet), has inspired quite the franchise. The film is the story of Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel), a Viking teen who befriends the dragon he’s supposed to kill. There has been a short direct-to-DVD Christmas sequel set, Gift of the [...]

Review by KC Carlson Recently released from Warner Archive is the Complete Series of The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan as a two-DVD set featuring all 16 episodes. Chan Clan first aired on September 9, 1972. Placing it in the Hanna-Barbera universe, the show was preceded (in 1971) by Help! It’s the Hair Bear [...]

Viz Media, manga and anime publisher, announced that they will be launching a new anime channel this fall. Neon Alley is a bit different, though, because you won’t get it through your cable or satellite provider; it will be delivered through game consoles. (Specifics not available, but I’m assuming/hoping this means all the major ones, [...]

Disney has released the following images from Paperman, a short directed by John Kahrs that will run before Wreck-It Ralph when it debuts on November 2. I think it looks terrific, and I like the idea of a lovely romance. Here’s the official plot description: Using a minimalist black-and-white style, the short follows the story [...]

Out today is Superman vs. the Elite, and to promote the movie, Warner Home Video has provided the following interview with writer Joe Kelly. I really liked the movie, both for its character portrayals and the questions it raises about superheroics, and I was glad to see so much attention paid to the story creator. [...]

Perfect tie-in, and a dangerously addictive time-waster. To promote Wreck-It Ralph, coming this fall, Disney has posted a version of the Fix-It Felix game that features prominently in the plot.

Superman vs. the Elite, a 74-minute original DC animated movie, opens with Manchester Black (Robin Atkin Downes) watching one of those immense banks of monitors so popular in comics. Since it was reminding him (and thus us, the viewers) about how depressing the world situation was — war, extreme political viewpoints, living in fear — [...]

Woo hoo! An alternative to dour and violent superheroes is returning to TV. Teen Titans Go! will be airing on Cartoon Network in 2013 as part of the DC Nation. Picking up from the fan-favorite cartoon series that ran from 2003-2006, the series will be made up of half-hour episodes promising to show “the humorous [...]