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Fantasy

I Take A 7-1/2…

Dec 2nd, 2015
by rodney.
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This is direct from Animation Magazine’s web site: “Brown Bag Films and Cyber Group Studios have launched production on Gilbert & Allie, a new animated series that has been acquired by Disney Channel EMEA. Created and directed by Bronagh O’Hanlon, Gilbert & Allie is an odd-couple supernatural comedy about the sparks and spells that fly when a teenage girl discovers she has wizardly powers. Unfortunately, those powers can only be harnessed in partnership with an ancient and extremely grumpy magical rabbit that just wants to retire. Produced in France and Ireland, Allie’s adventures as a wizard-in-training facing the everyday challenges of a teenage girl will be animated in CG, while her visits with Gilbert to the magical realm will be created in 2D. Aimed at ages 8-11, the series will launch on Disney Channel in Europe in 2017.” Aw, those European kids, they get everything! We’ll let you know if we hear any word of Gilbert & Allie being released in North America between now and then.

image c. 2015 Brown Bag Films

image c. 2015 Brown Bag Films

Shhh! (Gesundheit!)

Nov 23rd, 2015
by rodney.
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Animation World Network has a recent article about two more new animated shows that were presented at MIPCON this year — both of them produced by m4e in Germany. Wissper is “… a CGI animated TV-series aimed at young girls ages 4 to 7. Wissper is a perfectly normal little girl, but she has a very special talent: She is the only girl in the world who can talk to animals! Creatures of all shapes and sizes seem to instinctively know that when they have a problem, Wissper will find the solution. This makes Wissper’s house the first port of call for animals in distress.” The first set of episodes are supposed to premier world-wide before the end of December. And then, there’s Atchoo! Another animated series, this time targeted at slightly older boys and girls.  You see, there’s this young boy named Teo, with an unusual attribute: When he gets excited or upset, he sneezes… and instantly turns into an animal.  Different each time. “The series offers loads of comedy, gags and funny dialogues, but all the fun is aimed at communicating an important message, that difficulties, fears and diversity are not necessarily all bad, but can engender endurance and originality.” That’s what they said folks! Atchoo! is scheduled to hit the world in 2017.

image c. 2015 m4e

image c. 2015 m4e

The Girl and Her Magical Forest Friends

Nov 22nd, 2015
by rodney.
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Recently (October) it was once again time for MIPCOM in France, where dozens of TV production companies seek out international distribution for their new shows.  Including lots of animated TV series — including several of furry interest. Among them is Deer Little Forest, which is actually part of a large international marketing campaign aimed at very young kids.  (Check out their web site to see what we mean.) Among the many places you’ll find Deer Little Forest is an animated TV series created by King Rollo Films. “Deer Little Forest is a preschool brand created by Henries’ Award-nominated illustrator Jo Rose, currently being developed for licensing, publishing and television. The world of Deer Little Forest stars the irrepressibly enthusiastic Flo and her band of charming, silly, helpful and wise woodland buddies: Bodhi Bear (never shy to lend a helping paw), Rowan the Philosophical Fox (yogi and Japanese gardener), Barley-Crumb Badger (usually unearthing an interesting factoid under a rock), Lockhart Deer (relentlessly toot-tooting his horn and crashing about in glee), and local boy best friend Toby (the city slicker charmer).” You can see a preview of the TV series over on Vimeo. Turns out there’s also a Deer Little Forest app available.

image c. 2015 King Rollo Films

image c. 2015 King Rollo Films

Ingredients For Adventure

Nov 8th, 2015
by rodney.
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Southern California author and artist James J. Cartwright (creator of the Hamsters! comic, which we previously reviewed here) has returned with his first novel for kids, The Rabbit Chef and the Phantom Pepper. He illustrated the front as well, of course. “Cass the Rabbit is on an ambitious hunt for the legendary ingredient, the Phantom Pepper, so she can finally complete the greatest bowl of chili the forest will ever know. Cass is a rabbit who wants to be a master chef. Between her pesky brothers and mishaps in the kitchen she just can?t get her recipes quite right. Luckily, her best friend Jay the Fox is there to convince Cass to venture away from her cozy rabbit hole and into the depths of the treacherous forest in order to find the one veggie that can complete her spicy chili in time for the Harvest Festival. But that forest is full of secrets that aren’t ready to be discovered. Can she find the Phantom Pepper? Is it a good idea to steal from The Old Witch? And what really lurks deep down the forgotten road? This rabbit wants to be the top chef in the woodlands but is too busy cooking up trouble on her cuisine quest.” James wrote and published Rabbit Chef himself. It’s available now over at Abe Books.

image c. 2015 James Cartwight

image c. 2015 James Cartwright

The Young Shall Lead the Way

Nov 6th, 2015
by rodney.
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Back in 2014, illustrator Katie Shaw got busy on a life-long dream of creating her own comic, based on the works she loved growing up. The result is Dragon Child, an on-line black and white fantasy comic created, written, and drawn by Katie, that is also available in paper form. Over the past year she’s been appearing at various comic conventions in the western USA to introduce people to her work. What’s the story? When the dragons of the world gather from the four corners to decide what to do about the growing impact of humans, a young girl named Ryu Kodomo discovers that she has caught the attention of an elf named Chase — and a precocious young “dracling” named Embyr. The comics and much more background material can be found at the official Dragon Child web site. Did we mention that Katie sells plush dragons too?

image c. 2015 Katie Shaw

image c. 2015 Katie Shaw

One More Time with the Armored Bears

Nov 4th, 2015
by rodney.
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According to an article over at i09, the BBC have given the green-light to another go at adapting Philip Pullman’s well-known and controversial fantasy series His Dark Materials. As you may recall, New Line Cinema attempted to adapt the first book in the series, The Golden Compass (known as The Northern Lights in Europe) into a movie back in 2007. It did poorly at the North American box office — but better in Europe, where Mr. Pullman’s work is more of a known commodity. This time around though the BBC intends to adapt the work as an 8-part TV miniseries, which is probably a good move given the novels’ complexity of plot. What we don’t know yet (besides a targeted release date) is if that 8-part miniseries is meant to cover the entire trilogy or just the first book. We’ll find out! If you didn’t know, His Dark Materials describes a parallel world where humans have their souls as animal companions that talk to them — and they share the world with talking bears who make armor and fight.

image c. 2015 New Line Cinema

image c. 2015 New Line Cinema

Doggies and Dragons for You

Nov 2nd, 2015
by rodney.
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Ed Swanson and his wife Nitha Swanson are crafters from Southern California who specialize in making various cloth items for sale at street fairs and conventions. Items including: Life-sized dachshunds and not-life-sized dragons (well, unless your dragons are very small!) in various colors. Including some rather psychedelic-colored leopard prints. Head on over to their web site and see what else The Dragon Flame Shop has to offer.

image c. 2015 The Dragon Flame Shop

image c. 2015 The Dragon Flame Shop

Rats! And Brujas! And Monsters!

Oct 31st, 2015
by rodney.
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[A late Happy Halloween to you all! Here’s hoping it found you happy and safe.]

One day, brothers Amadeo and Carlos Lucero walked into the deep, dark woods near their home in Algodones, New Mexico… and encountered a deep, dark magic. Attempting to flee, suddenly Carlos finds himself transformed into a black and white calf! That’s the set up for Under the Cottonwood Tree (El Susto de la Curandera), a new full-color “Latino fairy tale graphic novel” by Paul Meyer, Carlos Meyer, and Margaret Hardy. Watch as our heroes encounter dangerous owls, talking rats, and magical spirits as they seek to un-bovine young Carlos. Under The Cottonwood Tree is set to be published soon, but the UTCT website has several preview pages up already.

image c. 2015 4 Publications

image c. 2015 4 Publications

The Little Ones Shall Inherit The Earth

Oct 29th, 2015
by rodney.
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Late in 2014 there appeared a new full-color very anthropomorphic comic called Squarriors, written by Ash Maczko and illustrated by Ashley Witter. “In a post-human world, two tribes of animals find themselves on the brink of war. Will they survive and find peace, or follow humanity into extinction?” For reasons not clear, humanity has vanished and been replaced by various forest animals, lead by the squirrels… and engaged in deadly, very bloody battles over territory. Now that the first 4-issue story arch has been completed, later this month publisher Devil’s Due is releasing them all together as a single trade paperback. Take a look at their web site — but be warned: When we say bloody, we mean it.

image c. 2015 Devil's Due

image c. 2015 Devil’s Due

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