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September, 2012:

Dog with a Blog

Admit it: You’re gonna notice a title like that, yes? Dog with  a Blog is a new mid-season replacement sitcom series picked up  by the Disney Channel.  Here’s part of the press release: “In the premiere episode, Bennett [the dad] adopts a shelter dog in the hopes that it will inspire Tyler and Avery [the siblings] to get along and bond over taking care of him. That happens – to some extent – when the kids discover that their seemingly ordinary dog can talk.  From that moment on, Tyler and Avery agree on one thing: Stan’s ability to speak must be kept a secret from everyone, even their parents. As the kids learn to work together to keep Stan’s secret safe, they soon find that his canine point of view, whether in the home, in the yard or in the park, helps them navigate their new sibling situation and, ultimately, becomes the tie that binds the family.” The series comes to Disney Channel on Friday, October 12th. Starting on September 18th, regular posts from the talking and Internet-savvy dog himself will be available at SeeStanBlog.com.

image c. 2012 The Disney Channel

An Elephant… Forgotten

Word has come out of Florida a few days ago that Digital Domain are closing down their new animation studio, Tradition, effective immediately, and will instead focus their California and Vancouver, Canada studios on movie special effects. Tradition was an attempt by Digital Domain (a well-known special effects house created by Stan Winston, Scott Ross, and director James Cameron) to follow in the steps of another FX house, Sony Pictureworks, into the realm of animated features (as Sony did successfully with Open Season, Surf’s Up, and other films). Now, 300 people have been let go in Florida, and — from a furry fan perspective, perhaps another sad thing — work has stopped on The Legend of Tembo, Tradition’s first film, which would have followed the adventures of a young elephant. Cartoon Brew have been following this story closely, so check it out — but be prepared for some harsh words.

image c. 2012 Digital Domain

The Easter Kangaroo…?

In case you haven’t caught wind of it yet, Dreamworks Animation will release their new feature film Rise of the Guardians on November 21st.  And already the character of the Easter Bunny — voiced by Hugh Jackman, and referred to in the story as Bunnymund — is turning quite a few heads in furry fandom. Now the tie-in merchandise is beginning to show up. First out the gate is a new full-color graphic novel from Ben Lichius and Marcelo Ferreira, Rise of the Guardians: The Hidden Truth and Other Stories. It goes like this:  “North. Bunnymund. Sandman. Tooth Fairy. They are the make-believe characters that populate the imagination of children the world over. But young Jamie believes otherwise. They’re all real, and he’s been collecting the ‘evidence’ to prove it! When Jamie’s friend, Toby, comes over to spend the night, he finds Jamie’s ‘Weird Stuff’ scrapbook full of copious notes and samples about unexplained phenomenon, and the talk turns to Jamie’s stories of near-miss encounters. It soon becomes evident, however, that Toby has a pretty amazing story of his own to tell.” Ape Entertainment will release this new trade paperback on October 23rd, and you can pre-order a copy at Barnes & Noble.

image c. 2012 Ape Entertainment

The Return of Inspector LeBrock

Bryan Talbot from the UK has become quite well known among furry fans and comic book fans for his graphic novel series Grandville. Set in an an alternate steampunk universe of talking animals, where Britain is under the rule of France, the series follows the adventures of the deadly badger detective Inspector LeBrock.  Recently, Mr. Talbot announced the upcoming release of the third book in the series, Grandville: Bete Noir. “The baffling murder of a famed Parisian artist in his locked and guarded studio takes the tenacious Detective Inspector LeBrock of Scotland Yard and his faithful adjunct, Detective Ratzi, into the cutthroat Grandville art scene to track the mysterious assassin. As the body count mounts and events spiral out of control, the investigation points to Toad Hall, where a cabal of industrialists and fat cats plot the overthrow of the French State . . . by use of steam-driven automaton soldiers!”  Dark Horse Press will release Grandville: Bete Noir in hardcover on December 12th. Check out The Fandom Post for a preview.

image c. 2012 by Bryan Talbot

Pi-Rats Beneath the Street

We don’t look at a lot of board games around here (how anthropomorphic can you get with them, really?), but now and then something catches our interest.  One such thing is Sewer Pirats. It’s a new 4-player board game created by Andreas Pelikan, with artwork by Marina Fahrenbach, and published by Heidelberger Spieleverlag (whew!). Here’s how they describe it: “In Sewer Pirats, deep underground in a maze of domed caverns, narrow tunnels, and piped passages, a motley cast of rodents, insects, and other vermin sail the treacherous waters of human refuse aboard bizarre vessels in search of discarded booty. In order to claim the best haul from the abandoned flotsam, players must make careful use of the unique abilities of their crews’ rats, cockroaches, weasels, and other critters. Don’t settle for less than left-over fast food and dumped toys. Go for your goal to become a true legend among the sewer pirates.” Apparently out for a while now in Europe, the game has only recently become available in North America. Check it out at Board Game Geek.

image c. 2012 Heidelberger Spieleverlag

Disney Animation — From the Ground Up

There’s a new book coming around, simply called A Disney Sketchbook. Edited by Ken Shue, it’s been getting considerable buzz prior to its release. Here’s the publisher’s summary: “The Disney Sketchbook is a glorious, collectible coffee-table book showcasing the rich visual development art by Disney animators over the more than eighty-year history of the Walt Disney Animation Studios (originally Disney Feature Animation). The sketchbook appears as if Disney’s animation artists have passed it among each other through the years, from the early beginnings of the Studios’ work, through the present day. Frequently, current artists have drawn their concepts alongside earlier characters that have influenced their work. In brief but potent text, the current Disney animators will reflect on the inspiration of the artists who have preceded them, going back to the “first generation” of animators who created the Silly Symphonies and early cartoons, to the first Golden Age of Disney animation (Snow White to The Black Cauldron) to the present second Golden Age (The Little Mermaid onwards).” Harper Collins will release A Disney Sketchbook in hardcover on October 9th.

image c. 2012 Harper Collins