If you’ve never seem this series, you should check it out. Easily one of the best re-inventions of a property I’ve ever watched. It perfectly blended and updated the mythology of the original series/toy line and updated for a modern audience. So sad to see this show  canceled before it was done.

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I’d expect more details will be revealed at the Marvel Animation Panel from 4:30-5:30 at the San Diego Comic Con. Here’s the full release:

CULVER CITY, CA (7/15/09) - Marvel Entertainment Inc., has partnered with renowned Japanese animation studio Madhouse (Paprika, Tokyo Godfathers) to create four all new anime versions of classic Marvel Super Heroes. Get an exciting first glimpse of two of the planned four series at this year’s Comic-Con International, the country’s leading comics and popular arts convention. The Marvel Animation Panel will be held on Friday, July 24, and will include an exclusive first look at official teaser trailers for two of these new series, hosted by writer and multiple-Eagle Award winner Warren Ellis, who will appear to discuss writing the all new adventures of these re-imagined Super Heroes.

These Marvel Anime TV series are being created as a way of merging the beloved Marvel Super Heroes of western culture with the bold animation tradition of Japan. The resulting product will be four visually groundbreaking anime series featuring popular Super Heroes redesigned and repurposed as emerging from the fabric of Japanese culture. The series is expected to begin appearing on the Animax channel in Japan in spring of 2010.

The Marvel Animation Panel with run from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Friday, July 24, at the San Diego Convention Center. An autograph signing with Ellis will follow the panel at Marvel’s Comic-Con booth #2429.

Madhouse, Inc., established in 1972 with offices in Tokyo, Los Angeles and Beijing, is one of the top animation studios in the world working exclusively with some of Japan’s top anime directors. They have created many well-known titles such as worldwide hits Ninja Scroll, Vampire Hunter D, Trigun,Tokyo Godfathers, and Metropolis, Japanese successful TV series such as “Death Note” and “Nana”, as well as Paprika (an Official Selection at the 2006 Venice Film Festival) and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2007 Japanese Academy Award for Best Film – Animation) Marvel Entertainment, Inc. is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 5,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in licensing, entertainment (via Marvel Studios and Marvel Animation) and publishing (via Marvel Comics). Marvel’s strategy is to leverage its franchises in a growing array of opportunities around the world, including

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It’s like they’re making this specifically for Carter. He’s been gung ho on LEGO for a while, but I’ve been holding off. They’re still too small. Secondly, he’s obsessed with Ben 10, which I can understand. Ben 10 is an inherently cool concept and it’s been executed very well. Perfect for kids his age and older.

Here’s the full info from Cartoon Network and LEGO. With this being released now, I’m guessing we might see a preview next week at San Diego Comic Con.

Cartoon Network Enterprises (CNE) and The LEGO Group today announced a global agreement that adds the Ben 10 franchise to the world’s leading construction toy manufacturer’s portfolio of only the best licenses in construction toy form.   The deal marks the first time the two companies have partnered on product development, and will bring Cartoon Network’s global sensation boy brand to life in a full line of construction toys based on the popular Ben 10 Alien Force adventures.
Featuring never-before-seen LEGO^® elements and a new twist on the LEGO building system, LEGO Ben 10 Alien Force is sure to bring novelty and excitement to the construction toy category and provide a dynamic way to engage consumers in the core propositions of transformation and action for which the Ben 10 property is known.

“Over the past four years, Ben 10 has established itself as a global brand that continues to expand and thrive in different categories and markets,” said Christina Miller, vice president, Cartoon Network Enterprises. “Expanding this relationship with LEGO, the leading construction toy brand, is an exciting opportunity for Ben 10 that will continue to build towards years of future success at retail.”

”We’re thrilled to expand our very successful partnership with Cartoon Network to now include licensing and product development,” said Jill Wilfert, vice president of licensing and entertainment for LEGO Group. “There is such a natural synergy between fans of the LEGO brand and the loyal audience that Cartoon Network engages, and Ben 10 Alien Force is the perfect property on which to base a new way to build and play with LEGO elements.”

The LEGO Ben 10 Alien Force line is scheduled to launch in the construction toy aisles in the U.S. in spring 2010, and will roll out in additional territories thereafter.

As one of the top-rated Cartoon Network original series for boys since debuting in April 2008, Ben 10 Alien Force is the latest chapter in the continuing Ben 10 saga and picks up the story five years later when 15-year-old Ben Tennyson chooses to once again put on the OMNITRIX and discovers that he can transform him into 10 all new aliens. Joined by his super-powered cousin Gwen Tennyson and his equally powerful former enemy Kevin Levin, Ben is on a mission to find and save his missing Grandpa Max by defeating the evil DNALIENS, a powerful alien race intent on destroying the galaxy, starting with planet Earth.

The first-ever CNE licensed product in the LEGO portfolio builds upon an existing and powerful relationship between the toymaker and Cartoon Network. Most recently, they partnered to promote the LEGO CITY Building Competition via on-air promos driving children to the LEGO CITY website (http://city.LEGO.com) to build and submit their creations for a chance to star in an upcoming LEGO CITY initiative.  In October 2008, Cartoon Network featured an exclusive BIONICLE® on-air video and an exclusive online game at CartoonNetwork.com to promote the toy line at the start of the holiday shopping season. LEGO Group has also premiered two exclusive mini movies – LEGO Indiana Jones™ and the Raiders of the Lost Brick and STAR WARS™ Revenge of the Brick – as commercial events on the network while also creating custom games on CartoonNetwork.com, all supported by on-air promos.

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The official info from Marvel:

Marvel is pleased to unveil the incredible covers to Strange Tales #2. Featuring the talents of Peter Bagge, Max Cannon, Jacob Chabot , Jonathan Hickman, R. Kikuo Johnson, Matt Kindt, Michael Kupperman, Tony Millionaire and Jim Rugg presenting Marvel’s greatest heroes like you’ve never seen before, it’s no surprise that everyone’s talking about Strange Tales! The second issue of this landmark Marvel Knights series features two covers—one starring the green Hulk and one starring the red Hulk, both by the iconic Peter Bagge! And did we mention it’s 48 pages with no ads?

"The tremendous amount of creative energy that these incredible talents have brought to bear on their individual contributions has made for some of the most fun Marvel stories ever told,” said series editor Jody LeHeup. “The quality of their work simply cannot be overstated. And with issue two we have even more of it to share with the world. All the creators involved have poured their passion for these characters onto every page and the end result is nothing short of amazing. I cannot wait for this book to be in stores so everyone else can be as excited about this project as all of us are.”

Now’s your chance to experience the Marvel Universe through the eyes of the best and brightest indie talents! Don’t miss Strange Tales #2 this October!

If you want more Strange Tales goodness, head on over the THE BEAT Blog and check out their exclusive images featuring M.O.D.O.K. by Nick Bertozzi and the Black Widow by Matt Kindt. It’s amazing looking stuff.

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No info is available for the project, titled Sullivan’s Sluggers, but what more do you need to see than the amazing looking preview art (featuring Baseball players and monsters) below. Check them out:

More preview art at: http://s282.photobucket.com/albums/kk267/Smithrex/

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Iron Man: Armored Adventures follows a teenaged Tony Stark in is battle against Stane, the Mandarin, and many other villains.

Teen genius Tony Stark has just finished his greatest invention: the Iron Man armor. But before he gets to show his dad, Tony’s world is shattered. His father, his home, his entire life are all gone, and Tony is left picking up the pieces. But with a little help from his friends Rhodey and Pepper, he begins to unravel the mystery surrounding the attack on his father. And as IRON MAN, Tony Stark takes his first steps toward becoming a hero. Volume 1 includes the first 6 episodes of the massively popular series.

Look for Iron Man: Armored Adventures – Volume 1 on DVD and Blu-Ray on October 20, 2009. The DVD has a $16.95 SRP, and the Blu-Ray has a $29.95 SRP.

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However, the announcement isn’t the most interesting piece of news if you ask me. The plot details offered with Marvel’s release actually gives us a few bits about the plot for Thor that we previously did not know.

Marvel Studios expands its film universe with a new type of superhero: Thor. This epic adventure spans the Marvel Universe; from present day Earth to the realm of Asgard. At the center of the story is The Mighty Thor, a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.

So Thor is banished from Asgard and forced to live on Earth as punishment for an arrogant action. Interesting. More interesting is the final sentence: “the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.”

This is purely speculation, but what if…

Thor’s actual fall from grace, banishment and time on Earth were the plot for the film, with the invasion from Asgard leading into the Avengers movie.

While it’s fun to hope, I doubt this will be the case—since The Avengers will be preceded by Captain America: The First Avenger, it’s more likely that Cap’s film will tie more closely into The Avengers than Thor’s film.

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One of the highlights of the 2009 HeroesCon was meeting artist David Wachter—who drew me an awesome Hawkman and Hawkgirl commission—and checking out his The Guns of Shadow Valley comic. Along with writer James Andrew Clark and letterer Thomas Mauer, the trio created one of the most intriguing and anticipated books I picked up at the convention.

The story itself is great:

Somewhere in the mysterious Shadow Valley lies a secret that could forever change the face of the frontier. To protect that secret, a posse of gunmen with special abilities must come together and defend against a tribe of ghostly warriors, an advancing army led by a deranged Colonel, and the perils of the valley itself.

Add to that the amazing art of David Wachter, and this book/web comic has success written all over it.

It looks like I won’t have to wait long to read more Guns of Shadow Valley. Starting July 21, you’ll be able to read it for free at http://www.gunsofshadowvalley.com

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Well, after seeing the below Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends cake, I began to think more and more about a Superhero Cake feature. GWS tends to feature sci-fi, Star Wars and horror cakes – so I’ll stick to strictly superhero fare. I’m not sure how often I’ll post them, but here’s the first:

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As the premiere date grew close, the expanded descriptions I saw of the show made it seem less interesting. The social cliques and soap opera like plot points described turned me off and I didn’t tune in.

Shortly after, I kept hearing about the show on Twitter and other forums. About how fun it was and that it was a decent show. Still, I didn’t tune in. I figured it was too late to catch up on a short-lived, serialized show.

Now the CBS has announced Harper’s Island: The DVD Edition, I’ll gladly check out the show that so many were talking about.

I’ll definitely be posting a review when I do. For now, check out the newley revealed cover art.

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