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Fantasy

Kitty Kat Maniac

Visiting the Long Beach Comic Con we stumbled across the works of Melissa Douglas, also known as the Kitty Kat Maniac. She majored in digital media at the Otis College of Art and Design, and since then she has worked for animation studios like The Three Legged Legs and Twistory Studios. At her web site (artchamacallit.com) you’ll find many examples of her work — both original stuff, and stuff saluting her favorite cartoons and games. And of course there are also links to her stores where you can find many of her illustrations available not only as prints and stickers, but also on t-shirts, blankets, key chains, and more.

image c. 2016 by Melissa Douglas

image c. 2016 by Melissa Douglas

Creatures of Many Worlds — Through One Girl’s Eyes

According to Bleeding Cool, Image Comics have a new full-color graphic novel for young adults on the shelves called Afar. Here’s what Image says: “Critically-acclaimed, Russ Manning nominated Shutter artist Leila Del Duca teams up as co-creator and writer alongside artist, colorist, and letterer Kit Seaton (The Black Bull of Norroway, Eve of All Saints) for an original graphic novel, Afar. In Afar, Boetema suddenly develops the ability to astrally project to other worlds, unintentionally possessing the bodies of people light years away. Inotu, her inquisitive brother with a pension for trouble, finds himself on the run after he’s caught eavesdropping on an illegal business deal between small town business tycoons and their cyborg bodyguard. When Boetema accidentally gets someone hurt while in another girl’s body, the siblings are forced to work together to solve the problems they’ve created on their planet and others.” As you can see from the sample images, many of the worlds our young heroes “visit” are quite interesting for furry fans. Check out the Bleeding Cool article to learn more.

image c. 2016 Image Comics

image c. 2016 Image Comics

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Dem Bones, Dem Bones…

Franky, we think Cartoon Books put this announcement best. We’ll just pass it along to you: “25 years after the first black & white issue of the self-published comic book BONE appeared on comic shop shelves, and over a decade since the concluding chapter comes a new (and completely superfluous!) adventure featuring the Bone cousins! Ride along with the boys and their friend Bartleby the Rat Creature as they brave the dangerous journey across the desert back toward Boneville in their rickety cow cart. Creator Jeff Smith is back for another laugh with Fone Bone, Phoney Bone and Smiley! Also included is the complete text of The BONE Companion fully illustrated for the first time! It’s written by award winning comics historian Stephen Weiner. All this plus rare behind the scenes photos & memories, and an afterword by the author thanking the comics community and the readers all add up to make this a truly special commemorative volume of BONE to add to your collection!” As with any work in the Bone universe, there are lots of not-human characters to be seen here. Want to see it for yourself? Find out more over at Comics Alliance.

image c. 2016 Cartoon Books

image c. 2016 Cartoon Books

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Two French Kids and Two Magical Creatures

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir is a French animated TV series by Thomas Astruc and ZAG Animation, which premiered in 2015. It tells the story of two high school kids in Paris, Marinette and Adrien, who inherit the powers of Ladybug and Cat Noir — charged with defeating the evil spirits that turn ordinary people into dangerous criminals. Each of them has joined up with a Kwami, a good magical spirit who transforms them into their super-selves for a limited time. The series was dubbed in English and it’s been running on Nickelodeon in North America — as well as released on DVD by Shout! Factory. What’s more, now Action Lab have now produced a new full-color Miraculous comic book series.

image c. 2016 ZAG Animation

image c. 2016 ZAG Animation

Walt’s Dragon(s)

Disney animator Tom Bancroft (The Lion King, Brother Bear) has helped to bring out a new book that fans of fire-breathing winged reptiles should definitely notice: It’s called The Art of Disney’s Dragons. “Imagine if one sketchbook had been passed down through the decades from one Disney artist to the next, with each one making a contribution before leaving it in the talented hands of another. That idea was the inspiration for The Art of Disney’s Dragons. The drawings contained within this volume represent the entire range of dragon-themed development art from animators, live-action studio artists, and Imagineers. Inside find playful pencil studies of Mushu; color concepts on Figment (who was green before he became purple!); bold pencil layouts on Maleficent, and the latest character explorations of Elliot from the new Spring/Summer 2016 live-action film Pete’s Dragon. Tom Bancroft, often recognized in Disney circles as being lead animator on Mushu the dragon in Mulan, writes the book’s introductory essay.” It’s available now in hardcover from Disney Editions, and there’s a sneak peak over at Stitch Kingdom.

image c. 2016 D23.com

image c. 2016 D23.com

More Rabbits With Attitude

There’s a temptation to say “Only in manga, folks…” Check this out: “Kokuryuu Kaguya was only a little boy when he witnessed his father murdered by demons. He spent years trying to convince people about what he witnessed, but was dismissed as a traumatized child with an over-active imagination. Now a teenager, Kaguya still remembers what happened. One day, Kaguya is struck by a mysterious light and meets a young woman named Mao—a skillful warrior wearing bunny ears—who rescues him from a demons’ attack, then demands to know what planet he’s from! Kaguya finds himself inducted into a secret organization of other-worldly individuals whose goal is to defend Earth from monstrous invaders. Reborn as a Battle Rabbit, strange powers awaken within Kaguya which allow him to fight these creatures and seek vengeance for his father’s death.” Battle Rabbits is written by Yuki Amemiya and illustrated in black & white by Ichihara Yukino. Now it’s been released as a trade paperback in North America by Seven Seas Entertainment.

image c. 2016 Seven Seas

image c. 2016 Seven Seas

Open That Umbrella

Here’s one we missed: Just this year DHX Media (home, of course, of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic) premiered a new animated TV series for preschoolers. “Rainbow Ruby is the story of a spunky, resourceful little girl who magically transports to Rainbow Village, a whimsical land inhabited by her toys, and transforms into different jobs to help save the day! This CGI-animated preschool series takes the childhood fantasy of dolls come to life, and mixes in an aspirational heroine who proves that you can be anything you want to be!” The series has been showing in Canada on the Family Channel. Not sure if it’s broadcast in the US or not! Check out the trailer over on Vimeo.

image c. 2016 DHX Media

image c. 2016 DHX Media

Living in the Fridge?

And once again, a young lady who finds herself in over her head — in the kitchen! This time it’s Malice in Ovenland, published by Rosarium, written and illustrated in full color by Micheline Hess. “Lily Brown is a bright, curious, energetic young girl from Queens, New York. When her mom forces her to stay home for the summer and do chores, Lily fumes. Little did she know that the greasy oven in the kitchen was going to give her more excitement and adventure than she could possibly handle.”  Apparently that involves a visit to a land of giant lizards and other fantastic creatures. Now Rosarium have released the Malice in Overland graphic novel, collecting the first four issues of the comic in hardcover. Check out the new trailer on YouTube.

image c. 2016 Rosarium Publishing

image c. 2016 Rosarium Publishing

Update on: Nelbert

A little while ago we made mention of Nelbert the Introvert, the first children’s book written and illustrated by Disney Animation lead character designer Shiyoon Kim (Zootopia, Big Hero 6). A recent article on Cartoon Brew said that the book is now available at Mr. Kim’s web site. In fact Mr. Kim actually went so far as to direct an animated ” teaser trailer” for the book. Inspired by the likes of Disney animator/illustrator Bill Peet, Nelbert tells the story of a shy dragon who likes to play chess. Mr. Kim created a set of custom “brushes” in Photoshop to use in the creation of his book. They’re also available for sale on his web site.

image c. 2016 by Shiyoon Kim

image c. 2016 by Shiyoon Kim