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This new children's series from Jibjab mixes drawn animation, CG, stop motion, and live-action.

The post Netflix Announces ‘Ask the Storybots,’ An Original Series from Jibjab appeared first on Cartoon Brew.

Dynamite Entertainment has established a new partnership with Humble Bundle. The two collaborators will offer a deal called the “Best-Selling Authors Bundle.”

Customers can choose between the publisher or a non-profit as the recipient of their money. They will have three charity options: the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Doctors Without Borders (a.k.a. Médecins Sans Frontières), and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Here’s more from the press release: “The ‘pay what you want’ model offers readers the chance to unlock over 120 comics, and over 3,500 pages of content. This will give graphic lit fans access to: Charlaine Harris’ Grave Sight Part 1 by Charlaine Harris, The Shadow Vol 1: Fire of Creation by Garth Ennis and Aaron Campbell, Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thomson: Hopcross Jilly by Patricia Briggs, The Complete Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Leah Moore, and John Reppion, Sherlock Holmes: Year One by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Scott Beatty, The Spider Vol. 1: Terror of the Zombie Queen by David Liss and Francesco Francavilla, and Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Echoes by Tom Clancy. As the bundle progresses, there will be a running average.”

  Announced today at the Television Critics Association’s press tour, Kevin Smith will be the latest director of note to join the CW’s lineup of behind the camera talent, as he will helm an episode of The Flash airing in May. No other details about the episode were revealed at this time, but given its […]

You’ve all heard the story, in the late 90’s, Tim Burton was scheduled to direct a Superman film entitled Superman Lives, which was to be written by Kevin Smith and star Nicolas Cage as the Man of Steel.

It was to be a radically different take on Superman that makes Man of Steel look traditional by comparison. It also never came to be for a number of different reasons. With The Death of Superman Lives: What Happened?, a new documentary by AMC Movie Talk’s Jon Schnepp, this fascinating chapter in this history of DC’s biggest icon is explored in depth.

Check out the trailer below for the film, which opens in select theaters on May 1st and expands on July 9th.

The Death of “Superman Lives”: What Happened? delves into one of Hollywood’s most enthralling ‘what could have been’ stories. In 1996, Warner Brothers engaged Kevin Smith to write the screenplay (‘Superman Lives’). Director Tim Burton assembled an elite group of artists to work on Superman Lives, including Nicolas Cage as Superman. Warner Brothers scrapped the project shortly before principal photography began.

This documentary, directed by Jon Schnepp, features interviews with director Tim Burton; producers Jon Peters and Lorenzo diBonaventura; screenwriters Kevin Smith, Wesley Strick, and Dan Gilroy; production designer Rick Heinrichs; special effects artist Steve Johnson; storyboard artist Tim Burgard; costume designer Colleen Atwood, and many more. This film delivers an inside look into what would have been the most original, unexpected and cosmic Superman movie ever made.

Sounds like something I need to see. On a related note, Superman vs. Hollywood is a great book that digs into this subject and all of the projects that came before and after (stopping short of Man of Steel).

Here’s a run down of what Kevin Smith is up to, including news that Comic Book Men will be renewed for a fourth (!) season. Smith is also developing a late night talk show based on his Hollywood Babble On podcast with Ralph Garman. And Finally, there will be a Comic Book Men SPIN-OFF somehow related show starring Asbury Park co-runner Robert Bruce, a regular guest star on CBM:

Frequent castmember Robert Bruce will be the focus of the companion series, which is not being billed as a “spinoff.” Produced by Original Media, with Charlie Corwin and Smith executive producing, the series would take Bruce outside of Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash (as highlighted on Comic Book Men), on a cross-country search for collectibles and fanboy items at estate sales, auctions and flea markets.

Bruce is interviewed about his new venture at 13th Dimension where he’s also a contributor.

Now word is really spreading:

I wanna get Fingered on FAT MAN ON BATMAN. Hear @marctnobleman is just the man to do it! amazon.com/Bill-Boy-Wonde… Wanna talk Bill Finger, sir?
— KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) April 15, 2013

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…and then take a long long time to finish them.

Just kidding. This new buddy pictures in the making will tour four cities as part of the UcreateComics Big Break Tour, starting in NYC on May 4th, 2013. (That’s also Free Comic Book Day.)

And who is UcreateComics, you ask? According to the PR “a new company with “a million dollar fund for comic book development” — which explains how they were able to hire Smith and Adams. UCreate is “is hoping to find the next Adams or Smith at the event.”

“UcreateComics is trying to enable people to move forward and to learn the things they need to be professional artists and storytellers and then to reward them for it. And, at the same time, give them the opportunity to see their work published.” Adams explains.

UcreateComics’ million dollar comic book development fund provides breakthrough opportunities for creators. Everyone can pitch concepts and vote at this online community of writers, artists, and fans. Winning concepts are turned into comic books, with writer and artist members competing for paid scripting and illustration contracts.

Who is behind UCreateComics? Developing.

UPDATE: Wow this is not a cheap date. The chepaest ticket is $170 with 40 $249 VIP packages available.

Also, the people behind UcreateComics are:

Doug Duncan, CEO, President, and fund manager.  Doug has a proven track record in software and entertainment industry startups. A serial entrepreneur, he has spent time as a merchant banker and as a successful restauranteur. On a charity climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, he met Donald Lanouette and became intrigued with the UcreateComics concept, ultimately leading to a dynamic partnership. He looks good in tights and a cape.

Donald Lanouette, founder, creative director, and fund manager. Donald’s love of comic books goes way back. He was part of the group of talented teens who founded Nightwynd Comics which, as Aircel Comics, became one of North America’s largest independent comic book publishers in the 1980’s. Donald then moved into TV and publishing, managing creative and production teams.


Pretty much what the headline says. Both shows experienced very good ratings by airing after the behemoth hit THE WALKING DEAD, and both will return, in a similar time slot, but as 16 half hour episodes.

The Talking Dead is a talk show hosted by the Nerdist Chris Hardwick featuring interviews with WALKING DEAD cast and crew members.

“Talking Dead has been an amazing experience, and I cannot pile enough hugs and thanks onto AMC for renewing it,” Hardwick said in a statement announcing the news. “I CAN’T WAIT for Season 3 of Walking Dead, so that we can finally talk about Rick meeting [SPOILER] and [SPOILER]-ing him with a heavy-duty [SPOILER] at the [SPOILER]. And let’s not forget all the rest of the [SPOILER]s getting in on the action! [EXPLETIVE] me! It’s going to be great.”

COMIC BOOK MEN is a bit more contentious — the Kevin Smith-produced show about guys standing around talking in a comics shop was the recipient of nearly universal fear and dread, with many finding it more horrifying than the zombie feasts and close-up friend killing of THE WALKING DEAD that preceded it.

“Pinch my fat ass, ’cause I must be dreaming!” Smith said in a statement. “A thousand thank-yous wouldn’t cover the gratitude I’m feeling right now. And as you might imagine, everyone at SModcast Pictures is in love with everyone at AMC today! Rest assured, Walt, Bry, Mike, Ming and I are suited up and ready to hit the ice for our second season with Team AMC.”

“AMC set out to build shows around authentic characters and original worlds, and Comic Book Men really delivers on both of these,” said Joel Stillerman, AMC’s exec vp original programming, production and digital content. “Talking Dead is just great synergy, and it gives our audience a destination to continue the conversation about The Walking Dead. We are thrilled that Chris is back to lead the discussion. He is genuinely knowledgeable about the genre and truly entertaining.”

Previously, Smith has hinted a female would join the all-male store line-up in the second season—which would at least defuse one of the biggest criticisms of the show.

Just guessing here, but the half hour format will probably see the program turn into a more Pawn Stars/American Pickers/Storage Wars type-show that revolves around the value of stuff that customers bring in—stuff most likely planted by the producers but it’s TV after all. As long as they don’t just sit around fantasizing about the Invisible Woman, we’ll be happy.

Are you looking forward to seeing the mancave that is Secret Stash evolve into a place full of well rounded human emotions? Well, that could happen.
It seems that ratings were better than expected, for the show featuring Kevin Smith and four employees/customers of his Redbank, NJ comics shop. AMC President and CEO Joshua W. Sapan mentioned that the show had done well in a recent earnings call. “Then we did this second show called, the Comic Book Men, which was somewhat similarly designed to take advantage of people very interested in the genre content that The Walking Dead represents. So, it features Kevin Smith, who is a bit of a – if I can use the word, fanboy icon, who directed Clerks and it examines the world of people who are very interested in that genre of content, and it too exceeded our expectations and performed very strongly.”

There had been some talk that a female cast member might be introduced in a second season, something which might break up the cellar-dwelling stereotypes that the show tends to reinforce with its present lineup.

Combined with chat show The Talking Dead’s strong ratings, it sounds like the Sunday night nerd-a-palooza of Walking Dead, Comic Book Men, and Talking Dead may return intact when Walking Dead is back with Michonne and the Governor.

Walking Dead season three debuts in October.

We may have drooled over this photo (of the guys of “The Hunger Games.” What do you think of Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson as Gale and Peeta? And why do we have to wait so long for this movie?? Speaking of books we’re... Read the rest of this post