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Creator Genndy Tartakovsky gives a preview of his darker, grittier "Samurai Jack" reboot for Adult Swim.

The post Go Behind-The-Scenes of The ‘Samurai Jack’ Revival With Genndy Tartakovsky appeared first on Cartoon Brew.

The world's largest gathering of animation artists reveals more of its 2016 programming line-up.

The post Annecy Announces ‘Zombillenium’ and ‘Samurai Jack’ Previews, Plus John Kricfalusi Masterclass appeared first on Cartoon Brew.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Genndy Tartakovsky talks to Cartoon Brew about the challenges of making "Hotel Transylvania 2" and what he's trying to do next.

There's no official "Samurai Jack" film coming anytime soon, but that's not stopping fans from creating their own work.

Even though I was never quite in love with the considered-a-classic Samurai Jack TV show, I’ve been infatuated by Samurai Jack the comic book since before Issue 1. The stoic, solemn character interacting with a colorful world works, in my opinion, better in sequential form than it does on the screen. Writer Jim Zub is a big reason why. That’s why I was excited to talk to him yet again, this time about wrapping up his continuation of Samurai Jack with Andy Suriano and other artists.

Art by Andy Suriano.

You said you felt like you could write Samurai Jack forever. What makes the character and the series feel so endurable to you?

Genndy and his crew put together a really powerful alchemical mix of elements when they created Samurai Jack. It’s a genre melting pot, fusing martial arts, fantasy, science fiction, and just about any other type of genre fiction you can imagine. It can be downright silly at times but also surprisingly deep and philosophical. That incredibly broad range, all of it “in-play,” is a wonderful sandbox to play in. It continually generates new ideas and I don’t think I could ever run out.

How was the pre-established history of Samurai Jack a challenge?

Over four seasons the Samurai Jack animation crew tackled a slew of amazing iconic concepts, so a lot of my initial brainstorming would slam up against something that had already been done. At first that was intimidating but over time it became a blessing.

How was it a blessing?

It forced me to push further and come up with unexpected approaches to the stories. It also convinced me that the best way for us to continue Jack’s legacy was to keep moving forward, coming up with new characters and situations instead of only re-using bits from the show.

Art by Andy Suriano.

Given that he worked on the original animated series, what was your collaboration like with Andy Suriano?

It was a real dream come true. No matter what crazy stuff I came up with, Andy was always there ready to take it to the next level with his art and design. The wilder he got with it, the more I wanted to push things with the next issue. We fed off of each other’s excitement.

Andy didn’t use the line-free style of the cartoon, but he channeled the look and feel of the show while optimizing it for the comic page. It wasn’t about rigidly following a model sheet. Andy’s work is all about translating that motion and energy to the page.

Did it take getting used to working with somebody who had been involved with the property since almost the beginning?

I kept expecting Andy to tell me I was doing it wrong, that I was doing something too weird or that “Jack wouldn’t do that”, but that didn’t happen. We just hit the ground running and Andy was 110% supportive of my story ideas. It was genuinely one of the most enjoyable projects I’ve ever worked on and Andy was a huge part of the reason why.

Have you talked about doing other work together?

Yeah, absolutely. At Emerald City Comicon last year we actually talked about the fact that this would end at some point and we should do other stories together. I know he’s super busy with his animation day job and working on Cosmic Scoundrels, but I really do hope we get to build more awesome stories real soon.

An issue Jim did with guest artist Christine Larsen. Art by Andy Suriano.

How is your working relationship different with fill-in artists?

Carlos Guzman, our awesome Editor at IDW, handled most of the fill-in stuff. I would write ahead not knowing who would be doing those one or two part stories and he cast artists based on their strengths.

I pushed really hard to get Brittney Williams on for the two part Scotsman story because I’m crazy about her artwork and felt she’d be a perfect fit. She did a great job.

Sergio Quijada was a huge Jack fan who peppered us with fan art until we couldn’t help but bring him on board. I’m really glad he had the chance to do the two part “Master of Time” story.

Were you involved in the decision to give Suriano an issue to write and draw on his own?

That was factored in early on. Before I was brought on board there was talk of Andy writing and drawing the whole series, so we wanted to make sure Andy could get a story idea he had percolating down on the page. The dialogue free “Caves of Crystal Calamity” story from issue 8 is also one I scripted based on Andy’s story idea.

The issue Andy wrote and drew on his own. Art by, naturally, Andy Suriano.

As a long-time fan of Samurai Jack, what did you think of Andy’s issue 18?

It was great! It felt weird reading a Samurai Jack comic I didn’t have a hand in, but that’s what made it so cool. Andy built a cool action set piece and just went wild with it.

Zub’s longest-running series, Skullkickers, is ending soon after 36 issues. Art by Edwin Huang and Misty Coats.

Samurai Jack is your second-longest work, behind Skullkickers, and your longest on a property that you don’t own. What did you take away from doing a more lengthy run?

It was really nice settling in with a concept, almost indulgently so at times. Weird little ideas I’d brainstorm had time to gestate and I didn’t feel like I had to cram everything in all at once. Almost every story idea I included in my original pitch for the series found its way to the printed page at some point during the run and a lot of other little details or in-jokes made it in there too.

Samurai Jack #20 is such a definitive way to go out. With such a strong ending, would you feel comfortable returning to the character, if given the chance?

Absolutely. “Mako the Scribe” is definitive in a lot of ways and delivers a possible ending to the series, but it’s also cast in the far flung future. Andy and I had a bunch of other story ideas bubbling around in our heads that would happen before that big ending.

When I finished writing the 5 part “Quest For the Broken Blade” story I thought I’d gone as big as I could go with Jack and possible threats he could face, but within a few weeks I came up with a new 5 part epic that would have originally been issues #21-25. If Cartoon Network or IDW ever want us to do that story as a mini-series, standalone graphic novel, or animation (Genndy – Call me! :) ) I’m there in a heartbeat.

An amazing series even for people who have never been to a Disney theme park. Art by John Tyler Christopher.

Between Samurai Jack and Figment, you’ve had a lot of success breathing new life into older concepts. Are there any other forgotten or ignored properties that you’d like to revitalize next?

That’s hard to say. Samurai Jack and Figment weren’t properties I sought out and yet they became near and dear to me during the pitching/writing process. I enjoy the challenge of digging in with something unexpected and finding aspects that resonate with me (and hopefully readers too).

What do you think you added to the character of Samurai Jack during your run?

That’s a really hard thing to answer because the show was already a modern classic before I ever came along. We did our damnedest to build on the amazing work done on the show and tell entertaining stories that pushed Jack to new limits. In the end our contribution is up to the fans and Genndy Tartakovsky to decide. I hope people look back on these stories fondly and that they have a really long shelf life.

What new lessons did you learn from the experience?

A lot of my previous comic work was dialogue and sound effect heavy. I was afraid of letting a panel fall silent, like I was somehow not doing my job properly if there wasn’t a bunch of text jammed in there. Working on Jack opened me up to the strength of silence. He’s the silent stoic center while everything else is loud and crazy all around him.

More than that though, working on Samurai Jack recharged my creative batteries. Right before the Jack gig came along I hit a real low point in my writing career. I was supposed to take over Birds of Prey for the New 52 and when that inexplicably crumbled I genuinely felt like I’d missed my big chance and wouldn’t be able to get out of that slump. Writing Samurai Jack reminded me that this crazy creative career is more than just one opportunity. Making work I’m proud of over the long haul is the true measure of success.

 The entire Samurai Jack series written by Jim Zub is available now. Find Jim on his website, Twitter and Tumblr.

MATT CHATS is a weekly interview series with a person of prominence and/or value in the comic book industry. Find its author, Matt O’Keefe, on Twitter and Tumblr. Email him with questions, comments, complaints, etc. at [email protected].

This week at The Beat our staff members were particularly swamped with new books — between Archie comics ending their titular title and DC in the midst of a huge line-wide reboot, we had our work cut out for us at the Stately Beat Manor. After a hearty week of article writin’, when we heard that Ulu Vakk (A.K.A. Color King) was in town, we actually decided to go seek out his company. Vakk’s color ability is a scream to utilize in public. He’s always turning random things different colors! Unfortunately, he went a bit too far when he toyed with our comics, making us believe that the coloring of the individual issues of some our favorite collections were wrong. However, the act that which actively banished the Color King from the Stately Beat Manor was when he spoiled this week’s Archie #666. Folks, avoid these spoilers and be sure to pick up all of our titles in the upcoming staff picks:

Alex’s Picks:

Archie #666

Writer: Tom DeFalco Art: Dan Parent, Fernando Ruiz, Pat and Tim Kennedy

On the eve of the game-changing ARCHIE #1, an all-star cast of Riverdale’s finest creators join forces to celebrate one of the longest-running comic series ever in the much-loved Archie style! Take a look back at Archie’s wonderful life and the many lives he’s lived in a zany, heartfelt and hilarious adventure that will be a must-have for fans old and new—and a can’t-miss, one-of-a-kind collector’s item. A dazzling journey through the world of Archie with plenty of winks and nods to what’s come before, ARCHIE #666 caps off a legendary run of comic excellence while opening the door to the next thrilling chapter—featuring six covers celebrating Archie’s vibrant history.

Even if this issue was spoiled by the Color King, this comic is worthy of critical reception for a number of reasons — the first being that the title is the last entry into the Archie franchise after the titular character took a bullet for Kevin Keller. The second including that it’s now time to reflect on the history of the character before the massive relaunch happens with Mark Waid and Fiona Staples.

Secret Wars #3

Writer: Jonathan Hickman Penciller: Esad Ribic

ALL THE DEVILS DANCE!

I hate to be a Marvel zombie, but even the Color King can’t get enough of Secret Wars by Jonathan Hickman. The series has been breaking some new ground in the Marvel Universe, really taking advantage of how to bend mythology that is already established into incredible new directions. Let’s see if this newest issue of the event can live up to the praise.

Airboy #1

Writer: James Robinson Artist: Greg Hinkle

When acclaimed comics author JAMES ROBINSON (Starman, Fantastic Four) is hired to write a reboot of the 1940s action hero Airboy, he’s reluctant to do yet another Golden Age reboot. Just what the hell has happened to his career–?! His marriage?! His life?! Hey, it’s nothing that a drink can’t fix.

Having read the first installment of Airboy, I can say for all intensive purposes that this comic is not for children. It is however, for fans of James Robinson, who has had a very interesting career from coming back to comics after his legendary Starman run in the 90’s. The story is all about him breaking the landscape of comics in a really interesting way. I guarantee that this first issue will include at least a few aspects of the creator that you didn’t see coming.

Public Service Announcement: DO NOT LET YOUR CHILDREN NEAR THIS COMIC BOOK!

Matt’s Picks:

Samurai Jack #20

Writer: Jim Zub Art: Andy Suriano

FINAL ISSUE! A scribe named Mako has heard many strange stories of the great hero known only as ‘Jack.’ Mako’s journey to record the truth of the samurai reveals a fascinating look at his legacy and possible future: Jack the King. Jack the General. Jack the Legend.

Because I had an interview with artist Andy Suriano this week and have one with writer Jim Zub next week, I was privileged enough to receive an advance copy of the last issue of the newest iteration of Samurai Jack. It does not disappoint, great for fans of the comic, but also perfectly suitable for fans of the animated series, even if they skipped the previous nineteen issues. It impressively offers closure without necessarily being a final chapter. Highly recommended.

Dave’s Pick:

Batman Beyond #1

Writer: Dan Jurgens      Art: Bernard Chang

At last, Batman Beyond gets his own ongoing series in THE definitive future of the DCU! But this isn’t the Beyond you think you know! With the Justice League missing and without Bruce to guide him, this new Batman will need to explore this bizarre world on his own while fighting to raise humanity from an opponent that’s already won.
The heroes Batman knew have failed, the world he knew has been turned on its head, and every step he takes will lead him either toward finding home – or further down the road of disaster!

Admittedly, I stayed away from all the DC weeklies. After 52 everything seemed gimmicky. From my understanding, future Tim Drake has taken over because DC can’t stand to have an Irish Batman. However this week I’m also not looking to do a ton of scrutinizing reading, so the more familiar the better. Jurgens and Chang fit the bill. From the preview this will be some of Bernard Chang’s sharpest work since Deadman. The world of Batman Beyond has been one of those things that feels fresh while at the same time being easy to connect to a world you already know and I can’t wait to see how this creative team ventures through it.

Torsten’s Picks:

BAT MITE #1 (OF 6)

Item Code: APR150177

In Shops: 6/3/2015

SRP: $2.99

[OH PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!  Inferior Five!]

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BIZARRO #1 (OF 6)

Publisher: DC COMICS

(W) Heath Corson (A/CA) Gustavo Duarte

“Hate HARLEY QUINN? Then you will super hate BIZARRO! Bizarro star of worstest comic ever! Go ahead and miss it! If there’s one thing this issue not have it these two things: Jimmy Olsen and Chupacabras!” Don’t miss the start of this six-issue all-ages miniseries!

Item Code: APR150181

In Shops: 6/3/2015

SRP: $2.99

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THE ART OF DISNEY/PIXAR`S INSIDE OUT HC

Publisher: CHRONICLE BOOKS

The Art of Inside Out explores the making of Pixar’s upcoming film Inside Out, an exploration of the most extraordinary location imagined-inside the mind of an 11-year old girl named Riley. Featuring concept art-including sketches, storyboards, colorscripts, and much more, this is the ultimate behind-the-scenes experience of the making of the film. Unlike other Art Of titles, this will follow the development of the movie from concept to final render with no chapter or explanatory text. The focus of the book will be wholly on the development of characters, worlds, and look of the film through the many year long process. This fresh approach will delight Art Of fans and will captivate the imagination of multiple generations of movie goers.

Item Code: APR151920

In Shops: 6/3/2015

SRP: $40.00

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BORB GN

Publisher: UNCIVILIZED BOOKS

(W/A/CA) Jason Little

Borb by Jason Little (Shutterbug Follies, Motel Art Improvement Service) is the story of Borb, a severely alcoholic homeless man. Borb is a downtrodden urban Candide whose misfortunes pile up at an alarming rate. The narrative is presented as a series of daily newspaper strips as the author draws on the long and complex tradition of the comic strip slapstick vagabond archetype. At once hilarious, horrifying, and full or heart, Borb depicts the real horrors specific to present-day urban homelessness. Borb is Little’s most complex and challenging work.

Item Code: APR151789

In Shops: 6/10/2015

SRP: $19.95

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THE LEAGUE OF REGRETTABLE SUPERHEROES

Publisher: QUIRK BOOKS

(W) Jonathan Morris

For every superhero hitting the big time with a blockbuster movie, there are countless failures, also-rans, and D-listers. The League of Regrettable Superheroes affectionately presents one hundred of the strangest superheroes ever to see print – from Atoman to Zippo – complete with backstories, vintage art, and colorful commentary. Drawing on the entire history of the medium, the book celebrates characters that haven’t seen the light of day in decades, like Natureboy, Dr. Hormone, Thunder Bunny, and more. It’s a must-read for comics fans of all ages!

Item Code: APR151910

In Shops: 6/3/2015

SRP: $24.95

[Are these actual heroes from the Golden Age? So they might be in the public domain?!]

There are a lot of licensed comics out there that lack a certain legitimacy. Whether they’re good or bad, they’re not the main version of those characters and those worlds, and they’re usually created by people who weren’t involved in the original. IDW’s Samurai Jack circumvents that sense of not feeling like the “real” thing not only by continuing where the animated series left off but also with art by Andy Suriano, character designer of the Samurai Jack TV show. I spoke to Suriano about how it felt to wrap up the comic with Issue 20, along with other projects he’s involved in.

For a day job you’re working on cartoons of Mickey Mouse, who is Disney’s flagship character but has lately been off a lot of viewers’ radars. Does that give you a chance to experiment and get away with more?

I wouldn’t say Mickey Mouse is ever off anyone’s radar, but yes, Disney has been very supportive and encouraging with the type of designs, humor and stories we’ve been doing–playing to the strength’s of our team as well as the climate of today’s viewer, all the while keeping them timeless.

You were considered to write the series as well as handling art duties. How did the plans you laid out in your pitch differ from what you and Jim Zub did together with the series?

I think my stories were more stand alone that intersected occasionally versus Jim’s more connected, linear story arcs, which fit better with the direction they wanted for the book. I’m happy Jim landed the gig because he did a terrific job. But I am happy that a couple of my stories still made it into the final product with issues #8 and #18 which I got co-writing and writing on, respectively. 

What unique elements do you think Zub added to Samurai Jack that weren’t there before the comic book series started?

Well, Jim brought the AWESOME that IS Jim to the series. He came on board with actually more knowledge about the episodes I worked on than even I did. I think he took the rules and framework of what we established with the animated series, and quickly took ownership of the character and was able to expand the mythos in a fun way.

In your mind, what are the most crucial elements of any Samurai Jack story?

Action. Humor. Visual storytelling. 

Zub mentioned that he’s seen you draw a Samurai Jack sketch in less than 10 seconds. How long does it take you to draw a whole page?

It’s not about the time in which I do a drawing, it’s what I put into it. I purposely decided early on to use a more kinetic line quality on the book to intimate a sense of movement and speed, that was so integral to the animated series. It was my way to try and “animate” the stationary printed page. 

A number of pages of Samurai Jack (such as Page 4 of #20) contain multiple actions but don’t use typical panel arrangements. How do you manage to keep everything coherent?

Ha! I close my eyes and hope for the best! Confusion to the reader or viewer is what will kill you, so I experiment a lot in the layout phase and see what works the best–and what leads the readers eye the best, to hopefully create a fluid, organic and fun experience. 

Is Samurai Jack #20 your final stamp on the character, or would you return for more?

If IDW and Cartoon Network decided to do more and asked Jim, Josh and I back, we’d be back!

What did you take away from more time with the property?

I just enjoyed getting an opportunity to live in that world a little bit longer.

After two years revisiting Samurai Jack, where do you go from here?

Well, thankfully I still have my day job on the new Mickey Mouse shorts at Disney, I actively contribute to the new TMNT series at Nickelodeon and I do a weekly webcomic with homestarrunner.com creator Matt Chapman called Cosmic Scoundrels which I encourage you and anyone reading to check out and help us spread the word! 

You can find Andy Suriano on social media like Twitter and Tumblr. Check in next week for my interview with Samurai Jack writer Jim Zub!

Our first look at Genndy Tartakovsky's "Hotel Transylvania 2."

A look at the work of Don Shank, Cartoon Brew’s Artist of the Day.

When Samurai Jack burst onto the small screen in 2001, it introduced a boldly imaginative visual style to the often dreary realm of television animation. Other series have tried to imitate the flattened, angular graphics pioneered by the UPA studio during early ’50s. Samurai Jack succeeds in recapturing the essence of the UPA shorts because creator Genndy Tartakovsky and his artists understand that these highly stylized visuals require equally stylized movements.

The ongoing battle between heroic Jack and the evil shape-shifter Aku simultaneously evokes and spoofs the conventions of anime and Western live-action film. Long ago, Jack nearly destroyed Aku in a duel; in desperation, the wizard hurled the samurai far into the future, where Aku’s word is law. Jack fights robots, monsters, bounty hunters, etc. as he seeks to return to his own time, so he can prevent Aku’s rise to supremacy.

Check out the Samurai Jack DVD Set on Amazon

Make sure to click the source links since there are more images from each site!

Source: http://www.retornoanime.com/navaja-suiza-13-samurai-jack/

Source: http://squidgy.tumblr.com/post/1533854635/samurai-jack

Source: http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/samurai-jack/images/24714239/title/samurai-jack-screencap

Source: http://www.deviantart.com/morelikethis/collections/194863755?view_mode=2

Source: http://floobynooby.blogspot.com/2011/03/samurai-jack-background-art.html

Source: http://floobynooby.blogspot.com/2011/03/samurai-jack-background-art.html

Source: http://livlily.blogspot.com/2010/10/samurai-jack-tv-series-20012004.html

Source: http://livlily.blogspot.com/2010/10/samurai-jack-tv-series-20012004.html

Source: http://livlily.blogspot.com/2010/10/samurai-jack-tv-series-20012004.html

Source: http://themagicofanimation.tumblr.com/post/38643409851/animationtidbits-samurai-jack-scott-wills

Source: http://themagicofanimation.tumblr.com/post/38643409851/animationtidbits-samurai-jack-scott-wills

Source: http://themagicofanimation.tumblr.com/post/38643409851/animationtidbits-samurai-jack-scott-wills

Source: http://animationbgs.blogspot.com/

Source: http://animationbgs.blogspot.com/

Source: http://animationbgs.blogspot.com/

Source: http://animationbgs.blogspot.com/

Source: http://animationbgs.blogspot.com/

Source: http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/scott-wills

Source: http://madaboutcartoons.blogspot.com/2007/07/samurai-jack.html

Samurai Jack Painting Demos:

Source: http://blog.signalnoise.com/2010/09/22/samurai-jack-background-designs/

Source: http://blog.signalnoise.com/2010/09/22/samurai-jack-background-designs/
Pinterest Samurai Jack Background Art Link here.
And here…
And another link here…

Fans of Cartoon Network’s Samurai Jack are finally being tossed a bone. Nine years after the series finale of Genndy Tartakovsky’s show, IDW Publishing has announced a new comic book featuring the continuing adventures of Jack, the dimensionally displaced warrior and his epic quest to destroy the wicked overlord Aku.
Written by Jim Zub (Skullkickers) and illustrated by Andy Suriano, the new comic will pick up where the series left off, beginning with a five-issue storyline called Rope of Eons. Suriano, who designed characters for the show, reflected on returning to the popular character via press release: “Returning to Samurai Jack is such a personal experience and labor of love for me. It’s like stepping through a time portal back to characters I know as friends and a world that really launched my animation career.”

The first issue of Samurai Jack, which will begin in October, will feature a variant cover by show creator Genndy Tartakovsky, as well as one by Rob Guillory (Chew).

(via Comic Bastards)

heyoscarwilde:

The original background artwork from the television series Samurai Jack by illustrator Scott Wills :: via animationbgs.blogspot.com

There are obvious benefits to attending an animation school, but for those who are unable to do so, the wealth of how-to material about creating animation continues to grow on-line. Some noteworthy examples:

Bill Wray posted a beat board he drew from an episode of The Mighty B! that shows the planning involved in producing a TV cartoon.

And below, a series of instructional videos that Scott Wills created to guide the Korean background painters working on Samurai Jack.

More videos by Scott Wills after the jump.