First of all, it’s worth noting just how similar Left 4 Dead 2 is to the original game in terms of gameplay. While there are plenty of subtle changes that fans will notice, the meat of the game is exactly the same as before. You play in a team of four through various movie-inspired levels, taking on the zombie horde that stand between you and your extraction. The concept is simple: If you stick together, it’s easier to stay alive, but if you play as a lone gunman, you’ll die faster while sabotaging your team.

The level they played was called The Parish and followed on from the same mission that they saw at E3 exactly one month ago. Like the original Left 4 Dead, each level is presented with a movie poster, and this level’s tagline was “This time it all goes South.” It’s a reference to the level’s location in New Orleans, where you fight it out in a suburban setting before crossing a bridge to make it to an escape helicopter.

So what’s actually been changed for this sequel? Well, the most obvious new addition was the melee combat, with frying pans and axes available in the demo they played. They were only effective within close proximity to the enemy, but, boy, are they effective when you are. The axe is capable of lopping off limbs (dismemberment is another new feature of the game), while the pan makes a highly satisfying thud on impact. The most interesting melee weapon has yet to be shown–the chainsaw is an amazing prospect, so Valve is making us wait until later in the year before we get our hands on it.

Luckily, they were able to sink our teeth into plenty of other new features. There are now weapon upgrades available at random points in the game–they came across an incendiary upgrade that made our machine gun bullets set fire on impact. You only get about 50 of these fire-spewing shots per upgrade, but they certainly make short work of the standard zombies. Then there’s the brutal new enemy called the Charger, who picks you up and slams you to the ground repeatedly until your teammates come to rescue you.

The game was at its most tense during the gauntlet run–a term Valve used to explain the bridge section at the end of the level they played. Basically, a never-ending mass of zombies stand between you and the escape helicopter, so you have to work with your teammates to fend off the horde while slowly making your way across the bridge. Despite a liberal amount of gun turrets and ammo stockpiles, it’s incredibly difficult to make it across, and if one of your team members die, there’s no way to bring him back into the game. No wonder they died a few times trying to make it across here, but they loved the difference this made to the end of the level, as well as the tension it created.

Valve was cagey about the difficulty level that was set up for our demonstration; but whatever Valve selected, it was damn hard. On our first run-through, they barely made it to the first safe house. On our second run-through, they made it about halfway across the bridge. On our final attempt, this time on the PC rather than Xbox 360, only one of our teammates made it to the helicopter–the rest of us died trying to get there. As hardened Left 4 Dead players, they found it a little bit frustrating, but it was no less addictive for the jump in difficulty.

Left 4 Dead 2 is shaping up really well, and with four new characters, the group dynamic has changed once again. They played as Coach, a huge dude with an attitude; and Rochelle, a smaller female character. There was also the white-suited Nick and the jocklike Ellis. They loved our time with the game, especially playing with other journalists in the LAN setting. While Left 4 Dead 2 certainly doesn’t do anything drastically different, they’re confident that it will offer another highly addictive experience of the zombie apocalypse. The full game is out on the PC and Xbox 360 in November, and they should be able to bring you more between now and its release.

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Before Son Goku hit the television series in the memorable Dragon Ball Z cartoon animation series, he appeared in the manga of Weekly Shonen Jump magazine on December 3, 1984. The inspiration behind Son Goku, according to his creator Akira Toriyama, was the character of Sun Wukong in the story Journey to the West.

It was eventually revealed that Son Goku was not human at all (although there was a bit of a hint when as a child Son Goku was a monkey-tailed boy). Hailing from a superpowered alien race, the Saiyans, Son Goku introduced us to different fashion statements from human and Saiyan culture throughout the various sagas of the Dragon Ball universe. So let’s take a look:

Young Blood. To many people, Son Goku was that cute monkey-tailed boy from the prequel-like cartoon animation Dragon Ball. His fashion apparel would be the gi, which was an allusion to Chinese culture with its orange wardrobe emulating martial artist monks. Among his accessories was a Nyoi-bo or the Power Pole which is a magic staff which can adjust its length according to the needs of Son Goku. Of course there also was the magical Kinton Cloud which was Son Goku’s primary mode of transportation when he was young.

At this phase in the life of Son Goku, he was still a bit unaware of his status as an alien Saiyan – and the burden of fighting mega-powered aliens. So he was more carefree back then. This was more different when he became an adult. To mark this growth, Toriyama gave Son Goku a change in hairstyle…

Adult. Well, that change of hairstyle was there but not so much. But it was an important aspect of this adult phase in my opinion. The adult Son Goku had more of the same form of hair as his young counterpart but Toriyama and the team of animators made it grow a bit.

After this though, that hair has been steady as Velcro.

Yes, the hair would flow with the wind but it would never grow. His archrival/friend Vegeta once explained that this is really how the hair of Saiyans are – excellent way for the animators to explain this pragmatic drawing move. After all, it is easier to draw characters with the same length of hair. Here’s a video of Son Goku in action:

In the follow-up cartoon animation series Dragon Ball Z, Son Goku was still toting the same gi uniform but this time he had a blue undershirt. Not much change but that has been part of what made Son Goku’s appearance so memorable. At this time however, Son Goku was shown the potential of his power and thus he had less reliance on his old trusty Power Pole and the Kinton Cloud. At this time Goku decides to go with the minimalistic fashion look.

Oozaru Mode. Part of the narrative devices used to show that Son Goku is an alien is his transformation into a giant monkey whenever a full moon is lurking around. So that was the reason why the monkey tail was there all along and it was not a senseless accessory. There’s not much to rave about this look of Son Goku, other than its raw bestiality, but the creators of Dragon Ball made this Oozaru mode later into the series. Moreover, Toriyama and the rest of Dragon Ball’s animators did try to give us varying hairstyles throughout the series. We’ll get back at it in the second installment of this article:

For one, Second Life, powered by the company Linden Lab, has been successful in embedding itself in the consciousness of popular culture as one of the premiere brands when it comes to virtual worlds. Presently it has an estimated user base of 650,000 active residents as of May 2009 and its chief product officer Tom Hale believes that interest has continue to be solid if not spectacular.

As far as popularity is concerned, Second Life is still lagging behind Blizzard’s World of Warcraft. But there is a marked difference between the two. World of Warcraft, or WoW to its fervent followers, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) while Second Life focuses more on the social aspect of the virtual world interactivity. Second Life even ranks ahead of Lord of the Rings Online and Dark Messiah of Might and Magic so it must be doing something right.

So with this high ranking, is Second Life falling into the trap of complacency?

Well, not quite. Second Life is still following through the success which it cultivated when it started in 2003. Hale details the battle cry of Linden Labs as:

“We want to make Second Life more accessible to anyone to communicate and share Second Life through the Web”

There is actually nothing new with this development curve but hey, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

So what are they up to for their sixth birthday?

Linden Lab has just released the beta of their new dashboard. Again, nothing revolutionary here but if it enhances the virtual world experience of users then that can only improve the flow of virtual citizens. So the battle plan here is to just expand on the success.

By that, Second Life plans to hook itself up with more dating sites. Now that’s really upping the ante when it comes to virtual socialization. Second Life is just planning to turn itself into one huge hub for the archipelago of dating sites in the web. So you see how brilliant a company can get by introducing convenience to an old but interesting concept.

Another enhancing in place would be to augment the voice services of Second Life. As a glorified matchmaking service, Second Life has seen its consistent share of users by integrating voice services within the world. Now Linden Lab plans to make it easier for “families and friends” to communicate with each other.

I’m thinking it will lean more on those who wish to create families and total strangers. But it’s all cool. That’s what social virtual worlds are known for, by the way.

Furthering the “social” in social networking, Linden Lab also launched the adult-only part of Second Life which goes under the term Zindara. Apparently, the only boundary protecting young children and adults is the age verification service called Aristotle. Let’s hope this service is top notch and as intelligent as its namesake or we can find several loopholes for child protection online – definitely a no-no for many vigilant online groups for child safety.

For its sixth year, this is a phase in the development of the virtual world Second Life where they may find that it is more difficult to sustain getting to the top spot than getting there in the first place.

Bets are high that it is Megan Fox.

Understandably, these rumors are strongly fueled by the recent box-office blockbuster success of Michael Bay’s Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. But there can be more to the film than meets the eye regarding the selection of Fox. Here is a test for your own eyes:

Fox is being called in the media as an Angelina Clone, Angelina Jr., or Angelina 2.0. She is truly a deadringer for Jolie with the frame, the sex symbol status, and the attitude. Fox can even match up a bit in the luscious lips category. Angelina Jolie is the most influential person according to Time Magazine so that’s not a bad point of comparison for Fox.

Probably one of the more noticeable bases for the comparisons lies in the tattoos of the two celebrities so let’s take a look:

Jolie has about thirteen known tattoos. It includes the Tennessee Williams quote “A prayer for the wild at heart, kept in cages.”She also has the Latin proverb “quod me nutrit me destruit (what nourishes me destroys me).”

On the other hand, Fox has the Shakespeare quote “We will all laugh at gilded butterflies” besides a poem she composed “There once was a little girl who never knew love until a boy broke her heart.”

On to the more intimate tattoos, Jolie has geographical coordinates on her upper left arm to indicate where her children and adopted ones hail from. For her part, Fox has an imposing Marilyn Monroe tattoo on her left lower arm.

Rumors state that Angelina Jolie is not really happy about the news on the casting decision. A source from The Sun states: “Angie was intent on reprising her role. She feels it’s something she helped define and feels robbed that it looks likely to be handed to someone who she considers less capable than her.”

Of course this did not come from Jolie herself so we should not take this as gospel. For all we know, these are just wild speculations and controversy stewing by tabloids in Hollywood. But it is at least an indication that conflict seems to be brewing.

As for Fox at least she does not lack in the humility department.

“I think it’s a lack of creativity on the media’s part. Because I have tattoos and dark hair and I was in an action movie? That’s as far as the similarities extend. I’m not the next anyone.”

Furthermore:

“I haven’t had the opportunity to meet her and I try to avoid that because I’m afraid,” and “She’s a powerful person and I bet she would eat me alive,” Fox remarks, “I’m sure she has no idea who I am. But if I were her, I’d be like, ‘Who the f*** is this little b*llsh*t brat who was in Transformers that’s going to be the next me?’ I don’t want to meet her. I’d be embarrassed.”

The way we see it: Angelina Jolie is so beautiful and influential that she can still play the part even though she is already on the young side of thirty. But since the third film is planned to be a prequel of the 2001 initial release, Megan Fox can give it a go to try to show younger looks.

However, if you can have the real thing, why not? Here is to hoping Angelina Jolie returns.

The Melbourne International Animation Festival is one of the largest animation festivals in the world. It usually screens around 350-400 films each year in competitive, student, curated & retrospective programs.

About THE SPINE
For THE SPINE, Landreth joins forces again with producers Steve Hoban (Copperheart Animation), Mark Smith (Copperheart Animation) and Marcy Page (National Film Board of Canada), who had collaborated with him to make RYAN (2004) — Oscar winner for best animated short. THE SPINE is a poignant story of redemption that takes us into the relationship between a man and a woman trapped in a spiral of mutual destruction. Dan and Mary Rutherford, married 26 years, sit unhappily in a couples’ group counselling session. Angela, another troubled participant in this group, wonders why their marriage has become so lopsided, so twisted. But when Mary leaves Dan, he undergoes a beautiful transformation. What will happen when she returns? Director and scriptwriter Landreth has created an insightful and daring look at the ways individuals evolve, adapt and break.

THE SPINE was produced by the National Film Board of Canada in association with Copperheart Animation and C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures, with the creative participation of Autodesk Canada Co. and Seneca College School of Communication Arts. NFB.ca/thespine.

“Walt Stanchfield has contributed so much to the animation industry through his incredible body of work and the mentorship of a generation of phenomenal animators,” said Bobby Beck, chief executive officer and cofounder of Animation Mentor. “This panel is an amazing opportunity to hear the best animators of our time talk about the influence Walt had on their life and work as well as share insightful lessons that are highlighted in the book, DRAWN TO LIFE.”

About the Comic-Con International Panel
Date: Thursday, July 23
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Room 32AB, San Diego Convention Center
For more information about Comic-Con International, visit http://www.comic-con.org/cci/

Moderator
Don Hahn, The Walt Disney Studios
Don Hahn is a two-time Academy Award nominee and film producer responsible for producing some of the most successful Walt Disney Animated films of the past 20 years, including BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and THE LION KING.

Panelists
Glen Keane, Walt Disney Animation Studios
Glen Keane is an animator, author, illustrator and director. He is currently executive producer and animation director for Disney’s Rapunzel. Keane is best known for his character animation in Disney classics, including THE LITTLE MERMAID, ALADDIN, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and TARZAN.

Eric Goldberg, Walt Disney Animation Studios
Eric Goldberg is an animator and film director who is currently supervising animator for Disney’s upcoming 2D feature THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG. Creator of ALADDIN’s Genie, he was the supervising animator for Phil in HERCULES and co-director of POCAHONTAS. Goldberg is also the author of the book CHARACTER ANIMATION CRASH COURSE.

Tom Sito, Professor and Animator
Tom Sito is a 30-year veteran of animated film production. He divides his time as a professional animator and adjunct professor of animation at University of California Los Angeles and University of Southern California and lecturing on animation.

Ruben Procopio, Masked Avenger Studios
Ruben Procopio began his animation career at Disney at age 18, where he trained under Eric Larson, one of Disney’s legendary “Nine Old Men”. His film credits include THE LITTLE MERMAID, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, ALADDIN and THE LION KING. In 2003, Procopio founded Masked Avenger Studios, which provides sculpture, design, comics and animation services.

Published for the first time, DRAWN TO LIFE is a two-volume collection of the legendary lectures from longtime Disney animator Walt Stanchfield. For over 20 years, Walt helped breathe life into the new golden age of animation with these teachings at the Walt Disney Animation Studios and influenced such talented artists as Tim Burton, Brad Bird, Glen Keane, and John Lasseter. This book represents the quintessential refresher for fine artists and film professionals, and is a vital tutorial for students who are now poised to be part of another new generation in the art form.

In addition to traditional and paperless animation capabilities, Studio 5 enables you to:

– Create stop-motion animation using your favourite characters
– Speed things up with Time-lapse Imagery o Live View/Image Capture lets you see images exactly as they will appear in your movie
– Change your backgrounds using Chroma Key Screens (Green and Blue Screens)
– Position and align elements perfectly using Onion Skinning
– Use Rotoscoping to take advantage of actual imagery to better position your characters
– Improved Image Playback Optimization increases speed
– Annotation Layers for feedback
– Easily export your animation directly to YouTube or Facebook
– Import Flip Boom Classic and Animation-ish projects to bring them to the next level
– Enhanced colourful User Interface

“We are proud of this latest release as it testifies to Toon Boom’s commitment to deliver easy-to-use applications that inspire, develop and stimulate creativity. Knowing how educators and hobbyists have used Toon Boom Studio over the years, we are confident version 5 will fire up their love for animation even more,” shared Joan Vogelesang, President and Chief Executive Officer at Toon Boom.

New Curriculum for Educators The new curriculum is divided in two, each part designed to meet the needs of different educators:

– Art Curriculum — Created for the arts program to support educators teaching basic animation courses. It covers the complete set of animation techniques available in Studio.
– Cross-discipline Curriculum — Designed for teachers of traditional subjects such as Science, Languages or Geography. It allows students to use selected animation applications to learn traditional topics in an exciting and motivational new way. Each curriculum is designed to be easy to follow and includes a variety of sample material. The curriculum is included free with lab-packs or site license orders.

“For the past 30 years, Nickelodeon has delivered a variety of animated programming from different voices, and the Nickelodeon Animation Festival reflects our continued efforts to cultivate fresh talent from the global animation community and to nurture creative partnerships,” said Keith Dawkins, Nicktoons Network General Manager and Senior Vice President, Nickelodeon Programming Partnerships. “Our new name signifies new energy and an even bigger pipeline of creativity as we tap into the heritage and innovation of the Nickelodeon brand name and its reputation for quality around the world.”

To offer even more creators the opportunity to enter this year, the new “15 Seconds to Fame” Award requires only 15 seconds of animation of an outstanding and funny character in any style. Chosen by the Nickelodeon television development team, the winner will receive $5,000 to be applied to the creation of a new original animated short in conjunction with and commissioned by the Nickelodeon development team. The Nick development team will provide additional production and budget support to complete a full 2 minute short.

Entries for the general submissions categories may be in any style of animation but cannot exceed 10 minutes in length. Submitted shorts will be chosen by a pre-selection jury of celebrities and animation experts and prizes will be allotted in the following four categories: Grand Jury Award ($10,000); Student Award in partnership with mtvU ($2,000); Producer’s Choice ($5,000); and Viewer’s Choice Award ($5,000), which will be chosen by viewers’ online votes.

Additionally, the “I Got Game” contest, in partnership with AddictingGames, invites game enthusiasts to submit a drawing of an original game idea and character. The winning entry will be made into a free online game for AddictingGames.com, the largest youth-targeted free online game site in the U.S.

Select shorts will be showcased during the exclusive two day live event at the Nickelodeon Animation Studios in Burbank, Calif. And in November, Nicktoons Network will feature select shorts on air and festival nominees on www.nick.com/naf.

The Nickelodeon Animation Festival, the largest festival of its kind, showcases animators from around the world who submit their original animation, ideas and characters. Last year, the festival received over 4,500 submissions — the most to date — from animators around the world, including South Korea, Turkey, Malaysia, Austria, Pakistan and South Africa.

Green and Senreich host the celebration throughout the nine-city roller rink tour across America, featuring performances by one of the hottest bands today, Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen recording group Gym Class Heroes, in addition to special ROBOT CHICKEN guests including the show’s writers and producers, celebrity guest stars, ROBOT CHICKEN-themed activities and games and exclusive Adult Swim merchandise. Adult Swim’s ROBOT CHICKEN: STAR WARS EPISODE II Roller Skating Tour kicks off in Los Angeles August 1. A preview party, which is also open to the public, will take place on July 25 in San Diego with a guest DJ.

“Our show is so much fun, we want to invite everyone to have fun with us,” says Seth Green. “Grab your friends, your couple’s skate partner and some kneepads. We’re coming to your town! Or at least to a major market somewhat close to your town.”

“When Seth first pitched the idea of throwing roller skating parties around the country, I rolled my eyes and laughed at him,” says Matthew Senreich. “I said, ‘That’s crazy talk.’ Now that we’re actually going to do it, I’m in awe of its absurdity and can’t wait to attend. It fits with the randomness of our ROBOT CHICKEN show. Why not throw roller skating parties across the U.S.?”

Adult Swim’s ROBOT CHICKEN: STAR WARS EPISODE II Roller Skating Tour schedule:

* July 25, San Diego, Calif.: Skate San Diego-Preview party minus the band but with a guest DJ and extra Comic-Con awesomeness

* August 1, Los Angeles, Calif.: Venue TBA

* August 2, Las Vegas, Nev.: Rancho Crystal Palace Skating Center

* August 4, Denver, Colo.: Skate City Westminster

* August 6, Kansas City, Mo.: River Roll Skate Center

* August 8, Indianapolis, Ind.: Skateland

* August 10, Richmond, Va.: Roller Dome Skating

* August 12, Philadelphia, Pa.: Jamz Roller Skating Center

* August 14, New York: Venue TBA

*Dates and times are subject to change.

At each event, all ages are welcome, admission is free and doors open at 8 p.m. Patrons with an early entry-voucher will be admitted one hour earlier. Early-entry vouchers can be found in the new ROBOT CHICKEN: STAR WARS EPISODE II DVD, which will arrive at retail on July 21. More information about the tour can be found at AdultSwimPresents.com.

Building on its tremendous broadcast success, the highly anticipated DVD release of ROBOT CHICKEN: STAR WARS EPISODE II features 15 minutes of never-before-seen footage. The sequel once again combines the satirical sensibilities of Seth Green and Matthew Senreich’s Stoopid Monkey Productions Emmy Award-winning ROBOT CHICKEN with the unforgettable moments and favorite characters of the STAR WARS universe. Winner of three Annie Awards, including Best Animated Television Production, the ROBOT CHICKEN: STAR WARS EPISODE II DVD includes both the original broadcast version and extended version of the special, along with more than 90 minutes of bonus features.

In addition to the roller rink tour and new DVD, the final nine brand-new episodes of ROBOT CHICKEN’s fourth season will premiere on Adult Swim beginning July 26 at 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). Created by actor/producer Seth Green and Matthew Senreich, ROBOT CHICKEN uses stop-motion animation to bring pop-culture parodies to life in a modern take on the variety/sketch show format. The series is created in conjunction with ShadowMachine Films’ Alex Bulkley and Corey Campodonico.

More than 4,000 fans will have the opportunity to see GREEN LANTERN: FIRST FLIGHT on the big screen five days before the latest DC Universe film is distributed on DVD and Blu-Ray Hi-Def. The film will premiere in the San Diego Convention Center’s Ballroom 20 at 8:00 p.m.

A panel comprised of filmmakers and voice cast will be presented on the following day, Friday, July 24. Details on that panel and its participants will be announced next week.

Acclaimed actor Christopher Meloni (LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT) fills the lead voice of Hal Jordan aka Green Lantern. Meloni is joined by fellow Emmy Award nominee Victor Garber (MILK, TITANIC) as the villainous Sinestro, Tricia Helfer (BATTLESTAR GALACTICA) as the voice of Boodikka, and Michael Madsen (RESERVOIR DOGS) as Kilowog. The cast also includes Juliet Landau (BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER), John Larroquette (NIGHT COURT), Kurtwood Smith (THAT ‘70S SHOW), and David Lander (LAVERNE & SHIRLEY).

Produced by animation legend Bruce Timm, GREEN LANTERN: FIRST FLIGHT is helmed by heralded director Lauren Montgomery (Wonder Woman, Superman Doomsday) and scripted by four-time Emmy Award-winning writer Alan Burnett (The Batman).

GREEN LANTERN: FIRST FLIGHT finds Hal Jordan recruited to join the Green Lantern Corps and placed under the supervision of respected senior Lantern Sinestro. The earthling soon discovers his mentor is actually the central figure in a secret conspiracy that threatens the philosophies, traditions and hierarchy of the entire Green Lantern Corps. Hal must quickly hone his newfound powers and combat the treasonous Lanterns within the ranks to maintain order in the universe.

A co-production of Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation, the illuminated hero’s first-ever full-length animated film is set for release by Warner Home Video on July 28, 2009. GREEN LANTERN: FIRST FLIGHT will be available as a special edition 2-disc version on DVD and Blu-Ray Hi-Def, as well as single disc DVD.

Ren and Stimpy, as can be remembered, was one of the important cartoon animation series to show that it is possible for cartoons to succeed in cable television. Moreover, their brand of flamboyant humor opened the gates for cartoon animation shows which were more progressively morbid: Beavis and Butthead and South Park.

Beavis and Butthead is a titular cartoon show featuring two teenagers from the hip and cool Music Television Network (MTV) who are proficient at nothing except crude and vulgar jokes. South Park, from the Comedy Central upped the ante a bit with a more relentless sense of humor.

Ren and Stimpy started on August 11, 1991 on Nickelodeon and was a beacon for indecent humor. Ren (Marlin T. Hoek) is an Asthmahound Chihuahua which is violently psychotic. Stimpy (Stimpson J. Cat), on the other hand, is a fat, red and white Cornish Red Cat who is obese and brain-damaged. So that doesn’t prove to be a good combination for a tandem and it only results in chaos and controversies regarding its mostly adult-oriented content.

As far as chaos is concerned, however, Beavis and Butthead is a stand out. Having a cartoon series about two characters whose lives revolve around the television, nachos, heavy metal music and failed efforts to win women and make money is a perfect recipe for disaster – and that’s just what Beavis and Butthead is all about.

Created by Mike Judge for MTV, Beavis and Butthead was a hit from 1993 to 1997 – culminating in a full-length feature film in 1996 entitled Beavis and Butt-head Do America.

Beavis and Butt-head are said to reflect the values of Western media in their airhead lifestyle but it amounts to several dosages of good fun for viewers. They do all sorts of blunders with their lack of work ethic in trying to earn money, especially in Burger World where they have served bugs and dead mice for example. Here is a video to show you just how ridiculous they are:

South Park upped the game when it was released in 1997 in Comedy Central. Created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, South Park is an excellent case study of a show with dark humor at the forefront. It features four children Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormick as they go about their lives in the town of Colorado.

The boys are mostly the voices of reason – powered by strong words of profanity – in the show because their town is populated with gullible, irrational and hypocritical people. This is a subtle way of the show by showing the distorted views of morality and society. However, beyond this the show is populated with absurdist techniques, violence, sexual content and satirical portrayals of celebrities.

South Park has never missed earning high ratings and this even scored them the feature-length musical film entitled South Park: Bigger Longer and Uncut. Apart from this, Parker and Stone have a contract to create fourteen new episodes a year up to the year 2011.

These three cartoon animation series hailing in the 1990s have successfully secured their niche in the shock-and-awe cartoon animation annals. Ren and Stimpy, Beavis and Butthead and South Park may seem pointless to some but they usually pack a punch and a subtle message with each hardcore take.

Twitter is not as elaborate as commercial and free virtual worlds with 3D environments. Actually, it is a very simple utility application. It connects lots of Twitter users together under an up-to-the-minute stream of updates from each other. But it is still a community nevertheless because there are trends for primary conversations and the likes.

So how does it work in previous years? Managements, owners and managers usually meet each other behind closed doors to arrange contract negotiations and even workings of trades. Usually, no news announcements are made until the deals are final. The basketball community back then consisted of people in the same geographical location speculating about possible trades and personnel twists.

Not anymore.

Twitter and the World Wide Web in general enabled communities to be updated as it happens. Basketball sports outlets are using Twitter to outwork their opponents for the latest developments. In a trend in recent days, sports stories are using the Twitter accounts of NBA superstars for quotes. This provides an alternative from the quotes in press conferences. For example, when the Lakers won, news outlets used Shaquille O’Neal’s tweet (a Twitter update) in his account The_Real_ShaQ when he congratulated the team.

Other NBA players are using this service to give hints about their possible destination and other personnel moves. Milwaukee Bucks’ Charlie Villanueva (one of the pioneers of Twitter in the NBA when he was caught Tweeting during the halftime of an NBA game) reports that his time may be done in Milwaukee may be done because his contract was not extended. On the other hand, Minnesota Timberwolves’ Kevin Love reported that Kevin McHale was no longer their coach.

Updates such as these serve as fuel to discussions of people in the virtual communities of Twitter. These developments unify this people under the same topic even if they are not physically present to discuss with each other.

Moreover, NBA teams even involve the online fan base in through Twitter. Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey wanted to rally the Rockets fans to show their support for potential free agent signee center Marcin Gortat of the Orlando Magic. Here is a sample tweet:

“Meeting in a few w/ Gortat.Send a note to him NOW at rocketsfanslovegortat@gmail.com .He will receive.Show him how much we want him in Red (color of the Rockets uniform)!”

Another respected mind in the NBA, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, tweeted his presence in New York at the strike of the July 1 clock in order to court the free agent Hall-of-Famer point guard Jason Kidd to return to his team with a new contract. Cuban tweeted that he is already in New York for an important free agent meeting. Even with this transparency, Cuban discussed that there will be no updates yet until conversations are finish.

So we see another important usage of Twitter to involve a virtual community under the same topic. We’ve seen it with the death of Michael Jackson and here in our 3D animation studio Mediafreaks, we think this will be a forward trend with commercial and free virtual worlds from here on out. Interactivity is really the trend in the World Wide Web nowadays.

“Congratulations to the winning games and the developers who created them. We applaud the innovation and creativity of everyone involved in creating such phenomenal online games,” said Dave Williams, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Nickelodeon Kids and Family Games Group. “‘The AddictingGames Showdown’ was born from our knowledge that our audiences are experiencing their entertainment on multiple platforms, so we combined their biggest online activity — gaming — with TV.”

Hosted by ICARLY’s Jerry Trainor, the “AddictingGames Showdown” was created to spotlight the booming online games industry, which grew 23 percent in 2008 and now reaches 86 million players according to comScore. The winners were announced on TV and on the “AddictingGames Showdown” microsite which drew 16 million game plays and 26.5 million page views since its launch on June 3, 2009.

“The AddictingGames Showdown” winners include:

Most AddictingGame
WORLD’S HARDEST GAME
Developer: Snubbyland

Best Performance by a Monkey
BLOONS
Developer: Ninja Kiwi

Most Courageous Stick Figure Stunt
ELECTRIC MAN 2
Developer: DX Interactive

Greatest Escape Game
ESCAPE THE CAR
Developer: Afro-Ninja Productions

Best Game from Planet Random
TATTOO ARTIST
Developer: Gamepill Inc.

Your Mom’s Favorite Game
LET’S GET COOKIN’
Developer: The Article 19 Group

Mostest Edumacational Game
MAGIC PEN
Developer: Alejandro Guillen

Best Performance by a Robot
BUILD A ROBOT 3
Developer: JackSmack

Most Adrenaline Pumping Game
REDLINE RUMBLE
Developer: Shockwave

Poppiest Pop Culture Game
BASEBALL JUICED
Developer: Odd1 Inc.

AddictingGames, the number-one youth-targeted gaming site and one of CNET’s top five gaming sites (December 2008), is the number-one place to reach Men 12 to 24 who are gaming online (source: comScore, May 2009). The site just had its best month ever with 11.9 million unique visitors (source: comScore U.S., May 2009). With 50 new games launching every month, AddictingGames provides games that are fresh, timely and relevant to pop culture.

AddictingGames is part of the Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group portfolio of digital sites, which serves kids, tweens and teens, and parents, and focuses on the pre-eminent activities that its audiences participate in online: games, social networks and community, and video. Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group’s portfolio of digital sites ranks as number one in all key metrics with 28.8 million monthly visitors; 122 million total visits; 1.7 billion page views; and 78.1 minutes for average time spent per visitor, according to May’s comScore Media Metrix.

G-FORCE and TOY STORY MANIA! allow the player to choose to turn on special 3-D features in the games while wearing the enclosed 3-D glasses. Using the anaglyphic 3-D glasses, players will see the action extend forward from their television screens in a three-dimensional perspective while playing the games. Two sets of 3-D glasses will be enclosed in each package for players to experience visuals that seem to pop out from their television sets. The glasses enable both players to experience 3-D during a two-player TOY STORY MANIA! game or for an accompanying family member to view that perspective in G-FORCE. Both standard video game 3-D graphics and the stereoscopic 3-D experiences are offered in the games and can be changed by the player.

“Three-dimensional technology drives the future of entertainment and Disney Interactive Studios is leading the way in video games,” said Brian Leake, vice president of technology, Disney Interactive Studios.”The stereoscopic 3-D innovation in G-FORCE and TOY STORY MANIA! adds to the already fun video game experiences for a wide audience and extends the gameplay by creating entirely new options for players.”

Rob Neuman, a leading expert in 3-D technology and supervisor at Walt Disney Feature Animation, consulted on the 3-D effects in the G-FORCE video game with Disney Interactive Studios and developer Eurocom. Neuman has advised on the 3-D aspects of numerous Disney animated feature films.

“Like the 3-D effects in some feature films, the goal for adding 3-D in G-FORCE enabled the two miniature creatures — guinea pig Darwin and housefly Mooch — to appear to come forward from the screen, which creates a unique experience for the player,” said Neuman.”The dawn of three-dimensional technology in films has taken over the Cineplex and it’s obvious that video games are the next medium to see this trend.”

G-FORCE, inspired by the film of the same name from Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films, will be available in 3-D on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system on July 21.

TOY STORY MANIA!, exclusive for Wii, is inspired by the popular new four-dimensional attraction in both Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort. Players can experience their favorite moments from the attraction in eye-popping 3-D from the comfort of their living rooms with family and friends. The popular Pie Throw game from the attraction is represented in the TOY STORY MANIA! training level, and five additional levels based on the attraction are available as unlockables in the game’s story mode. TOY STORY MANIA! will be available in Fall 2009.

G-FORCE is a fast-paced action-platform game featuring a unique team of specially trained guinea pigs that use high-tech gadgets and specialized talents to complete a dangerous secret mission. Players control Darwin, the G-Force team leader, and housefly surveillance commando Mooch. Darwin and Mooch team up with the rest of G-Force to use their unique high-tech gadgets, stealth mastery, and pint-sized teamwork to save the world from a robot army of evil household appliances. G-FORCE features innovative gameplay with a unique sense of scale and puzzle solving that requires players to manipulate environments or enemies, including evil household appliances like waffle irons, water coolers and vacuum cleaners to complete their mission.

Published by Disney Interactive Studios, the G-FORCE game for consoles and Windows PC is being developed by Eurocom. Handheld versions are being developed by Keen. G-FORCE is rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB).

Directed by Academy Award-winning visual effects master Hoyt H. Yeatman Jr. — G-FORCE takes audiences on a high-octane thrill ride, proving once and for all that the world needs bigger heroes.

TOY STORY MANIA! for Wii showcases an array of entertaining games inspired by the new Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort attractions, while featuring the iconic characters and humor from the popular Disney-Pixar TOY STORY franchise. In addition to rapid-fire shooting galleries adapted from the attraction, the game includes new and original galleries and a series of mini games, all hosted by beloved characters from the movies. Three-dimensional versions of some of the galleries and games from the attraction can be unlocked for an entirely new gameplay experience. Published by Disney Interactive Studios and developed by Papaya Studio, TOY STORY MANIA! is rated E for Everyone by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB).

YU-GI-OH! 5D’S is the latest series in the hugely successful YU-GI-OH! kids’ franchise. Over 18.1 billion Yu-Gi-Oh! trading cards have been sold. The cards have been translated into seven languages and sold in 51 countries worldwide. Approximately six million 6-8 year olds collect and play the trading card game across the globe.

The latest series features new duelists, vehicles (called Duel Runners), competition and challenges. Domino City has been transformed into a futuristic metropolis where duelists battle it out in high-octane contests called Turbo Duels. In this environment, the winners and losers are no longer determined only by skill and strength, but also by speed.

YU-GI-OH! 5D’S launched on RTL2 in Germany in March 2009 and initial ratings for the show have been strong. YU-GI-OH! 5DS has averaged an 19.5% market share for kids ages 6-13, and an impressive 33% market share for boys ages 6-13. The 5D’s trading card game launched in Germany in August 2008. 5D’s toys, which will be distributed by Upper Deck, are scheduled to be available in September 2009 at outlets including Kaufhof, Karstadt, Toys”R”Us, Vedes, Muller, Duo Schreib & Spiel, Idee und Spiel, Metro Real and Spiele Max,, and on the web at amazon.de.

CTM Concept-TV & Merchandising GmbH will work with 4Kids to further develop the YU-GI-OH! 5D’S licensing programme throughout Germany.

CTM Concept-TV & Merchandising GmbH, a subsidiary of the media group TMG, has handled licensing campaigns for global characters and brands since 1995. CTM specialises in launching custom-designed 360-degree cross-media and cross-marketing campaigns and promotions. CTM currently represents the YU-GI-OH! GX property in Germany.

“CTM spearheaded and continues to run a successful licensing campaign for YU-GI-OH! GX, in Germany” said Sandra Vauthier-Cellier, Managing Director of 4Kids Entertainment International Ltd. “We are confident that CTM will create and implement a strong licensing program for what is already proving to be an incredibly popular brand in Germany.”550

“How useful is this popularity of Hello Kitty is to people and in popular culture?”

For the few who may have not heard of Hello Kitty, she (most girls would like to think it’s a she) is a fictional pink-loving cat cartoon character created by Ikuzo Shimizu in Japan during the year 1974 for the Japanese company Sanrio. Before all the lucrative character licensing deals, Hello Kitty was just a design for a vinyl coin purse. But how did she captivate the consciousness of so many people throughout the years? Here’s a preview why:

Pink and that cuddly appearance makes for a very inspired value to the description cute. And this has given Sanrio a very winning formula amounting to about a billion dollars a year.

Take note, a year. That’s how cuddliness earns.

As an animated cartoon character, how can Hello Kitty help use this charisma to significantly impact this world? Here are a few thoughts for our 3D animation studio here at Mediafreaks.

Fashion Consultant. Hello Kitty really doesn’t have much advice to give to its followers but to wear pink. That alone is enough insight to motivate thousands and thousands of lady fans all over the world. Of course it helps when an A-list Hollywood celebrity such as Mariah Carey adopts Hello Kitty as a fashion statement.

Tourism. Hello Kitty can easily be a symbol for beauty, order, relaxation and all those positive traits rolled up in one. Little wonder why Japan used Hello Kitty as an ambassador of goodwill for the countries of China and Hong Kong.

Unity and Positive Vibrations. Watch any of the animated series involving Hello Kitty from the early America-produced Hello Kitty’s Furry Tale Theatre, to the Hello Kitty and Friends anime aired in Tokyo and CBS United States in 1001 to Hello Kitty’s Paradise in 1993 – and it is very relaxing to watch. It just oozes of that positive aura which has united many fans all over the world. The global following of the cartoon character can be harnessed to promote and support worthy causes which leads us to…

Champion for Advocacy. With that cuddly appearance and cuddly charisma, Hello Kitty can serve well as an advocate for a very important cause. In fact, the United Nations has already recognized this special ability of Hello Kitty. The cartoon character has already been awarded with the title of UNICEF Special Friend of Children. I think Hello Kitty can capture the attention span of little girls almost instantly.

Moreover, a Taiwanese hospital tried to harness this Hello Kitty charisma by creating a maternity hospital bearing Hello Kitty’s likeness. Hau Sheng Hospital, 150 kilometers south of Taipei, is adorned by among others, a gigantic Hello Kitty dressed as a pink doctor. Recovery rooms, nurseries and elevator doors – there’s never too much Hello Kitty in this hospital. Hello Kitty’s charisma made the hospital an even better place to stay for these mothers and mothers-to-be.

“When new mums feel anxious and lost about how to deal with their new babies, Hello Kitty can make them more relaxed and reduce their sense of discomfort while giving birth,” said Tsai Tsung-ki, owner of the hospital who sought Sanrio’s help on this immense project.

The hospital was completed in 2006 and has delivered an estimated 2,000 babies. That’s some Hello Kitty indoctrination there. Here is more with a 3D animated short clip of Hello Kitty:

It may sound simple but you really have to outsmart the opposition.

Metaplace is one of these virtual worlds. It doesn’t have the same user-base firepower as the aforementioned examples but it did itself a favor when it announced that users can now embed their blogs within this virtual worlds.

Blogs? Now why would you spend your time blogging away in a virtual world?

Well, it all comes down to further interactivity. Once immersed in a virtual world you can get to interact with fellow users. Similar with real world, you would want to expand your communication options from the traditional modes of in-game chat and even VOIP.

So is the blog embedding capability worth the hype it is trying to generate? The new feature should be placed in the context of the entire world. Metaplace after all is an MMORPG designed in Flash and part of the thrills of a game is trying to surmount challenges and tell your friends about it. Metaplace has given their best effort in making sure that the entire world is worth the visit once you get past the blog embedding feature.

First and foremost, Metaplace really gives it to the users to fully customize not only their appearances as avatars but of the whole world as well. According to Metaplace founder Raph Koster, everything in the game is streamed directly from the server, meaning one can literally change anything in your world.

So are you the secretive type who wants to keep the entire world you created all to yourself? I hate to break your bubble but the whole point of virtual worlds is a higher level of interactivity with other online users. In short, spread the fun. You worked hard to achieve the look of your world and avatar so let others see it and rate it. Tell them about it and invite them to visit your site thanks to the blog posts you will embed to your world.

There are about 30,000 worlds now in Metaplace according to Koster and it’s never too late to add to this total. Don’t fear that the world you will create will be restricted to a template or a cookie cutter. Koster is proud to say that the possibilities are endless when it comes to Metaplace worlds. There are even those which used Metaplace as a tool for educating schoolchildren.

When Metaplace lobbied the idea of embedding blogs into your world, there is an underlying thought of openness to the entire community – and that is the goal of Metaplace to users and their individual worlds. Create your world and share it – whatever you create, even for profit, Metaplace won’t ask for a cut. Well, it’s really all for you.

The openness feature of Metaplace can be undermined a bit however if it does not clearly point out a solid plan to protect the privacy of children. As of late, the first line of defense would be to indicate one’s date of birth and if they are not yet in the mature range, mature worlds will be rendered invisible. But this one has many possible loopholes so here’s to hoping this area will be thoroughly solidified. Do note that Metaplace is not the only one with this problem. Almost all MMORPGs have this issue.

It was a stellar evening for “The Dark Knight” as the Christopher Nolan film garnered five Saturn Awards at the 35th Annual Saturn Awards. The film was named Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film. The Warner Bros. release also received awards for Best Writing: Christopher Nolan & Jonathan Nolan, Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, Best Music: Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, and Best Special Effects.

Also receiving multiple Saturn Awards were “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and “Iron Man” which won three Saturn Awards apiece.

“Battlestar Galactica” proved to be the most decorated series of the evening with three Saturn Awards including Best Syndicated/Cable Television Series, Best Actor on Television: Edward James Olmos, and Best Actress on Television: Mary McDonnell. “Lost” received the Saturn Award for Best Network Series. Show co-creator, J.J. Abrams accepted the award on stage.

The highlight at the awards ceremony were the special awards presented throughout the evening. Actor Lance Henriksen received the Life Career Award for his strong body of work in film and television. Actor Ed Harris presented the award to Henriksen on stage.

Genre icon Leonard Nimoy was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in film and television which covers five decades. Mostly known for his portrayal of the Vulcan, Mr. Spock, Leonard’s accomplishment extend to many more projects including the series, Mission Impossible, Columbo, and the recent show, Fringe. Presenting the award was top filmmaker J.J. Abrams, who recently directed the hit film, Star Trek, for Paramount Pictures.

Many genre leaders were in attendance including: Michael Emerson and Mark Pellegrino (from Lost), Zachary Levi, Justin Hartley, Kevin Feige, Jack Coleman, Cristine Rose and Adrian Pasdar (from Heroes), Scott Porter, Ann Robinson, Sean Faris, Carlos Bernard (24), Kristin Bell, Andrea Roth, Casper Van Dien, Kevin Sorbo, Jim Parsons & Simon Helberg (from The Big Bang Theory), Larry Cohen, Frank Darabont, Greg Cannom, Michael Biehn, Jennifer Carpenter, Dean Devlin, Edward James Olmos, Tom DeSanto, Vince Gilligan, Aaron Paul (from Breaking Bad), James Newton Howard, and Hans Zimmer. This year’s reception was hosted by Entertainment Weekly. The Afterparty was sponsored by Highlander Films.

The 35th Annual Saturn Awards were presented by The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, a non-profit organization created in 1972 to honor, recognize and promote genre entertainment. The Academy was founded by noted film historian, Dr. Donald A. Reed, who passed away in 2001. Robert Holguin currently serves as President of the Academy. Mark Altman is Co-President of the Saturn Awards.

Best Science Fiction Film:
IRON MAN

Best Fantasy Film:
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

Best Horror Film:
HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY

Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film:
THE DARK KNIGHT

Best Actor:
ROBERT DOWNEY, JR.
(Iron Man)

Best Actress:
ANGELINA JOLIE
(Changeling)

Best Supporting Actor:
HEATH LEDGER
(The Dark Knight)

Best Supporting Actress:
TILDA SWINTON
(The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
Best Performance by a Younger Actor:
JADEN CHRISTOPHER SMITH
(The Day the Earth Stood Still)

Best Director:
JON FAVREAU
(Iron Man)

Best Writer:
CHRISTOPHER NOLAN and JONATHAN NOLAN (The Dark Knight)

Best Music:
HANS ZIMMER and JAMES NEWTON HOWARD (The Dark Knight)

Best Costume:
MARY ZOPHRES
(Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull)

Best Make-Up:
GREG CANNOM
(The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

Best Special Effects:
NICK DAVIS, CHRIS CORBOULD, TIMOTHY WEBBER, PAUL J. FRANKLIN
(The Dark Knight)

Best International Film:
LET THE RIGHT ONE IN

Best Animated Film:
WALL-E

Best Television Series:
LOST

Best Syndicated/Cable Television Series: BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

Best Presentation on Television:
THE LIBRARIAN: THE CURSE OF THE JUDAS CHALICE

Best Actor on Television:
EDWARD JAMES OLMOS
(Battlestar Galactica)

Best Actress on Television:
MARY MCDONNELL
(Battlestar Galactica)

Best Supporting Actor on Television:
ADRIAN PASDAR
(Heroes)

Best Supporting Actress on Televison:
JENNIFER CARPENTER
(Dexter)

Guest Starring Role on Television:
JIMMY SMITS
(Dexter)

Best DVD Release:
JACK BROOKS: MONSTER SLAYER

Best DVD Special Edition Release:
STEPHEN KING’S THE MIST (2 disc Special Edition)

Best DVD Classic Film Release:
PSYCHO (Universal Legacy Series)

Best DVD Collection:
THE GODFATHER-THE COPPOLA RESTORATION

Best Series on DVD:
MOONLIGHT

Best Retro Series on DVD:
THE INVADERS

The Life Career Award:
LANCE HENRIKSEN

The Lifetime Achievement Award:
LEONARD NIMOY

The Visionary Award:
JEFFREY KATZENBERG

Here was the teaser trailer of Wall-E to remind us:

SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES is based on the popular Jeph Loeb/Ed McGuinness comic series/graphic novel. Animation legend Bruce Timm (SUPERMAN DOOMSDAY, GREEN LANTERN) is executive producer. Michael Goguen (JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE NEW FRONTIER) is supervising producer. Sam Liu (THE BATMAN) is directing a script written by Stan Berkowitz (JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE NEW FRONTIER).

In the film, United States President Lex Luthor uses the oncoming trajectory of a Kryptonite asteroid to frame Superman and declare a $1 billion bounty on the heads of the Man of Steel and his “partner in crime,” Batman. Heroes and villains alike launch a relentless pursuit of Superman and Batman, who must unite — and recruit help — to stave off the action-packed onslaught, stop the asteroid, and uncover Luthor’s devious plot to take command of far more than North America.

The movie reunites the lead voices of Superman, Batman and Lex Luthor from the landmark SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES and BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES. Tim Daly (PRIVATE PRACTICE), Kevin Conroy (BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES, JUSTICE LEAGUE) and Clancy Brown (THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION) reprise their roles as Superman, Batman and Lex Luthor, respectively.

SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES – 2 Disc Special Edition version will have more than three hours of incredible bonus features, including:

– Featurettes
– The Blackest Night: Inside the DC Comics Event: Behind-the-scenes of BLACKEST NIGHT, the epic DC Super Hero event in which the dead shall rise.
– A Test of Minds: Superman and Batman featurette with Jeph Loeb, giving viewers a fresh and revitalized look at the team-up of Superman and Batman working together despite their often competitive and challenging relationship.
– “Dinner with DC: With Special Guest Kevin Conroy”: Reprising his role from BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES, Kevin Conroy joins the crew for dinner to discuss their creative approach and what the Superman/Batman team-up means. The evening will be hosted by Voice Director Andrea Romano, Producer Bruce Timm and DC’s Gregory Noveck
– Extended Sneak Peak at Next DCU Film
– Digital Copy Download
– Widescreen (1.78:1)
– Two Episodes of JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED hand-picked by animation legend Bruce Timm

SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES Blu-Ray versions will have more than three-and-a-half hours of bonus materials, including all the great extras from the 2-disc Special Edition as well as two additional episodes of JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED and two episodes from JUSTICE LEAGUE, both personally selected by fan-favorite Bruce Timm.

“Warner Premiere is excited to continue this successful partnership with DC Comics, Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Home Video to present feature-length PG-13 animated original films with the filmmaking and celebrity voice star power of SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES,” said Matt Bierman, Senior Vice President Production, Warner Premiere.

“Based on the past success of SUPERMAN DOOMSDAY and BATMAN GOTHAM KNIGHT, we know the pairing of the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight — pitted against both their DC Super Hero colleagues and the entire rogue’s gallery of DC villains — will offer fans the level of entertainment normally reserved for the big, summer blockbuster films,” said Amit Desai, WHV Vice President of Family, Animation & Partner Brands.

“This is the ultimate film for DC animation lovers featuring not only the cornerstone characters of comic book and Saturday morning heroes, but also returns the seminal voices of those characters — Tim Daly, Kevin Conroy and Clancy Brown – in a story that explores the Superman/Batman dynamic and allows Lex Luthor to shine in ultimate villainy,” said Gregory Noveck, Senior VP Creative Affairs, DC Comics.

Lassie, a brave and loyal collie dog, first appeared in Eric Knight’s 1940 novel, LASSIE COME-HOME. She was so well received that, in 1943, MGM Studios debuted the canine heroine in her first silver-screen appearance alongside Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor, followed by 10 more feature films in the 40’s and 50’s -the first eight of which grossed over $285 million. Alongside Peter O’Toole, Samantha Morton and Peter Dinklage, in 2005, Lassie lit up the big screen in a critically-acclaimed new feature film.

In 1954, Lassie made her small-screen debut in an Emmy Award-winning television series that continued to air for 19 seasons-making it one of longest-running series in television history. In total, Lassie has appeared in 691 television episodes airing continuously in more than 100 countries. She has also been the title character in a popular radio show and in books that have been published in multiple languages. She even has her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Today, Lassie promotes pet health with her own all-natural line of dog food and treats, Lassie Natural Way(TM), and she remains a popular brand for merchandising and consumer products. In August 2009, the United States Postal Service will unveil a classic “Lassie” postage stamp.

Tapaas Chakravarti Chairman & CEO of DQ Entertainment Plc commented on behalf of DQ Entertainment group and its French & Irish affiliates, “Our association as production and distribution partners with Classic Media after the successful debut of hi-end CGI “Casper’s Scare School” now gets into another long term artistically and commercially fruitful relationship with the co-development of heart-warming TV series in 3D animation. We are happy also that we will draw on the creative and commercial experience of Classic Media, M6 and ZDF Group along with our other French and Irish affiliates for this great co-development, which commercially means beginning of a new era for DQ Entertainment Group.”

Partners include Classic Media, Inc.-the owner of the Lassie brand-DQ Entertainment’s affiliate in France and Ireland, M6/France, and ZDF/Germany, resulting in a UK-Eire-German-French-Indian co-development endeavor.