It's the months without an "r." This is a time when we all should learn to relax from the stress in our lives. This is also a time for reflection on the year that was as well as graduate to another level. This is also a time to just have fun, and that's what I plan on doing around here at CNX.
On tap first, the mega expansion of Toonami. It all goes down on Monday, June 3 when the Toonami lineup gets revamped for the first time in what seems like forever. Hamtaro, a show destined to be as big as, if not bigger than, Pokemon (which is sort of running out of steam in this country), is making its US debut on Toonami. Expect to hear the names Bijou, Penelope, Boss, Howdy, Dexter, Oxnard, Snoozer, Pashima, Cappy, and others in the months ahead. Along with Zoids, Powerpuff Girls, Batman Beyond, Dragonball Z, and Dragon Ball, the Toonami block has been transformed with the return of the original launch hour, 4 PM EST/PST. Prior to Toonami's relaunch, Sailor Moon makes her triumphant return to Cartoon Network, for the second time, outside of the Toonami block at 3:30 PM EST/PST. The series is starting over from episode one and will continue all the way to the final episode of SuperS. After that, who knows? Well, Saturdays at 10 AM are taken over by Toonami for most of the early afternoon, with Samurai Jack, Max Steel, Zoids, Justice League, Dragon Ball Z, and Dragon Ball. Man, summertime is becoming exciting times
for Toonami.
Oh, one more thing. You think that the return of third hour is cause for celebration? It gets better. A major transformation of Toonami will happen in September with new episodes of Dragon Ball, DBZ, and the debut of a revamped Masters of the Universe and Transformers: Armada. Old school rhythm with new school rules. I like that.
Speaking of old school, the comic industry gets this thing called the Revolution. Children of the 80s are in abundance in the comic industry, and the chance to work on 80s icons is becoming a reality. Image Comics' G.I. Joe comics are not only very popular with the fans of the original series, but have also inspired a slew of revamps courtesy of former and current Image Comics players. Dreamwave, a Canadian-based studio that recently bolted from Image Comics, has anime-inspired Transformers titles (that's right, titles) coming out very soon to a comic store near you as well as working on images for ADV Films like posters for Evangelion, Robotech, and maybe a comic based on Bubblegum Crisis. Top Cow, an Image Comics-based studio that has become a major Hollywood player with franchises like Witchblade, Rising Stars, and Tomb Raider (Top Cow has a minor stake in Eidos), is launching a respectable adaptation of the heroes and villians of G-Force courtesy of Alex Ross in the new series Battle of the Planets. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which was published by Image for a while and coming back in a new Fox Box series in January, has gone back to its Mirage Studios roots in a new series. Wildstorm, a former Image studio now owned by DC Comics, is relaunching the Thundercats franchise with a one-shot by Danger Girl creator (and G.I. Joe cover artist) J. Scott Campbell followed by a mini-series with art from former Deadpool artist and current Superman artist Ed McGuiness. The Revolution's influence is only growing stronger by the day.
Ah, Broken Glass Studios, Voltron could've been big. You guys had a great masterplan for the franchise. Pity World Events Productions, the franchise owner, has no idea what to do with the original series, abandoning it altogether.
Man, these next few weeks going to be are exciting times around here at CNX. New articles, new sections, a couple of new Absolution Station issues, and something called Satellite are on the horizon. Stay tuned, and watch this spot. I'll see you guys and gals around.
Until we are one, later.
Jeff Harris
Webmaster
ODU Class of 2002
May 24, 2002
