You know, I could swear I wrote something about Legion of Super Heroes, before, but I can’t find it now. So it’s possible that I just imagined the whole thing. I have a very active imagination, you know. (Some of my previous imaginings include such far-fetched scenarios as being all caught up on the laundry and neither of the children getting sick for the entire winter. Ha!)

Anyway, if I had talked about Legion, it most likely would’ve gone something like this: Wah wah wah, I am sad about Teen Titans being cancelled, but there is a small chance that Legion of Super Heroes will fill this hole in my heart.

(I’d like to tell you it would’ve made more sense than that, but I’m afraid that’s pretty much what I would’ve said.)

I don’t know if they’ve truly filled the hole, but they are just the kind of entertainment that someone who, say, grew up on Super Friends and later enjoyed Teen Titans might really get into. Its roots are in “old school” comics, while still bringing in plenty of what makes a modern kids’ show appealing.

if you haven’t seen it, don’t take my word for it—check out the recent interviews over at CBR’s The Comic Reel.

First, producer James Tucker talks about how gratifying the project has been:

“Having worked most of my animation career on the DCUA shows, I wasn’t expecting the fan reaction to be so positive,” Tucker told CBR News. “I was thoroughly prepared to stay away from the message boards for the duration of the series, but I couldn’t help myself and peeked the Sunday after the premiere. One of the most gratifying things about the positive response has been the amount of parents who say they are enjoying the show with their kids. ‘Legion’ is the perfect property to do a light-hearted, child friendly take on and I’m glad we didn’t over think the premise or mess around with the formula too much.”

And then he reflects on one of the differences between Legion and Titans:

“I think it’s the fact that this is a group made up of the best of the best. Not anyone can be a Legionnaire. In the comics in particular, it was a grueling process just to be accepted. So in that way it’s probably the only book that mirrors what it feels like to be in high school, on the cusp of adulthood and striving to be the best, and fit in with your peers. Oh, and also all the crushing that goes on between the members really echoes the feelings of being teenagers. Titans, on the other hand, originally, was about sidekicks who formed their own group to get out the shadows of their mentors. That has more to do with parent/child relations. I suppose Legion is the idealized version of teenhood in a structured high school setting, which is something that was a particularly good fit for the kind of show KidsWB has wanted for a while.”

Next, Story Editor Rob Hoegee weighs in on the important matters:

When asked how he chose which characters to focus on, Hoegee, explained, “It’s a lot like casting a sitcom. You look at who works well together and go with it. We knew Superman would always be standing at the center, so a large part of the decisions were based on creating a team around him. They needed to be equally iconic. One look at them should give you a pretty good idea of who they are and what their power is - or at least set your imagination off to work. I love all of the characters, but Bouncing Boy and Brainiac 5 I have a special fondness for.”

And he finishes out the interview with a teaser, so take note if you’re a fan:

“Lots of new characters, that’s for sure,” he said of what to expect. “We’ve got a two-part season finale that promises to be a real knockout. We actually get a bit epic in the last three episodes, with writing duties split between Amy Wolfram, David Slack and myself. As far as hints, I’ve noticed in the fan feedback to our ‘Timber Wolf’ episode many were wondering why we set the story on the planet Raal instead of Zoon. This wasn’t an oversight. You’ll find our why in episode 9.”

I dunno. It all sounds good, and we do enjoy the show. But I can’t help feeling that it would be even better if they added in a super hero monkey. Right? Who’s with me?

It wouldn’t be October without the ritual viewing of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. I watched it every year, in childhood, as far back as I can remember. My children are more than happy to carry on the tradition. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the show’s debut, and you can settle in to watch it on ABC on Tuesday, October 25th at 8:00 pm (ET).

(Or, apparently, you can watch the entire thing on YouTube. Technology—is there anything it can’t ruin? Fine; watch it on YouTube if you must, but I recommend a 13″ television in a basement rec room—while wearing your pajamas, natch—to obtain full nostalgia.)

While you’re waiting for next Tuesday night, may I suggest a few thematic distractions?

Snoopy.com held an essay contest in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Great Pumpkin, and you can read all the winning essays if you’re in need of some warm fuzzies and a few chuckles. My favorite is this one, about a first date on Halloween.

I would be remiss if I didn’t direct you to It’s Just My Show, Charlie Brown, a fabulous podcast in which Bill Melendez (director and the voice of Snoopy) talks all about the show. (This one is part 1 in a two part series, and I’ve stuck a post-it on my head to help me remember to go back and check out the second part, which will be about A Charlie Brown Christmas.)

Last (but certainly not least), blogcritics.org has a great review of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: The Making of a Television Classic up, exploring all the intricacies of the relationships between the characters. It concludes:

This is not a world of 2-D stereotypes, but a small corner of living, breathing humanity rendered with genius, and that is why we cling to it so, even now.

Is that why I still love it? And all this time I thought it was because of Charlie Brown’s perfect delivery of the greatest line ever: “I got a rock.” Huh. Yeah, I guess that other stuff is good, too.

Although Japanese animation is typically hot in American markets, it’s always a gamble, bringing a new property into the mainstream media and hoping it will become successful. It was only natural for VIZ Media— one of the most comprehensive companies in the field of manga publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content—to license Naruto and bring it to Cartoon Network’s Toonami just over a year ago. But has it paid off?

Critics say that it absolutely has. It came right out of the gate with high ratings, and remains one of the most popular shows on Toonami. Plus, it’s currently VIZ Media’s best-selling manga property. And really, what’s not to like?

From the Wikipedia entry:

Naruto is a manga by Masashi Kishimoto with an anime TV series adaptation. Its main character, Naruto Uzumaki, is a loud, hyperactive, adolescent ninja who constantly searches for approval and recognition, as well as to become Hokage, who is acknowledged as the leader and strongest ninja in the village.

(That is such a coincidence, because my son is a loud, hyperactive, wishes-he-was-adolescent ninja-wannabe who wishes he was the strongest ninja on the playground! I mean, what are the odds?)

If you’re not already a Naruto fan, you’ve probably been living under a rock. And if you’re already following the show (and perhaps the comics and other merchandise), I have two great pieces of news to share.

First, Volume 7 of the Naruto manga has been declared this year’s Quill Award recipient in the Graphic Novel category. For the unfamiliar, the Quills are:

an initiative launched with the combined support of Reed Business Information and NBC, and is designed to act as an industry qualified “consumers choice” program to honor excellence in writing and publishing, recognizing the creators of great literature, and promoting reading and literacy initiatives. The Quill Awards celebrates the best books of the year in nineteen popular categories, ranging from romance to biography to graphic novels.

(In other words, it’s not only a prestigious award, it’s really, really cool.)

Second, just in time to enjoy the spoils of the Quill announcement, the new official Naruto merchandise store has opened its doors. The store is a joint effort between VIZ and Ty’s Toy Box, and VIZ was only too happy to give Ty’s some love in a recent press release:

“We sought a partner who could provide an overall brand experience for our dedicated and passionate fans,” said Carol Roeder, Vice President, Consumer Products for VIZ Media. “Ty’s Toy Box has a proven track record with their ability to market, sell, and build properties in the online environment and we are excited to be working with them.”

What could be better than that? Other than being the strongest ninja in the village, that is….

True story: Once upon a time, I bought a new television from a large electronics chain, and what should’ve been a simple purchase turned into a protracted comedy of errors spanning multiple weeks. It was, bar none, the absolute worst customer service experience I have ever had—primarily because the company in question didn’t care how inconvenient or idiotic they were being, or, indeed, how unpleasant my dealings with them had become.

In the aforementioned example, I not only told everyone I knew, but I blogged about it (several times). I work hard for my money; I want to give it to companies who appreciate my business. Bottom line: I haven’t shopped there since, and still actively campaign against others patronizing that establishment.

Another true story: Once upon a time, a great little company in Kentucky was diligently preparing for the upcoming Halloween season with all the costumes kids might want. They ordered everything they would need to be ready, and then catastrophe struck.

(Here is where we segue from “once upon a time” into “this week.”)

Ty’s took a large number of pre-orders on the extremely popular Deedee Doodlebops costume in size 3T/4T, and for the first time their supplier was unable to come through with the promised merchandise. (The actual letter can be read here in PDF format.)

Now. What’s a company to do in such a case? Well, I’d say that most retailers in this situation would just point a finger at the supplier, refund your money, and say “Sorry, not our fault.” And, sadly, as long as they remembered to say “sorry” you probably wouldn’t expect much more than that, such is the atrocious state of customer service these days.

The customers who are affected by this shortage are all receiving individual contact from Ty’s customer service representatives, but I thought it was worth noting—for all Ty’s customers—that this snafu is turning out to be a textbook example of “making the best of a bad situation.”

If you’re one of the customers missing a pre-ordered Deedee costume, Ty’s Toy Box is sorry. They are also offering three different options in an effort to help assuage the difficulty this may have created:

• Option 1: Were you ordering large, and think perhaps your child can fit into a 2T? If so, there are still 2Ts available, and Ty’s would be happy to ship one out to you.
• Option 2: In addition to a complete refund, Ty’s will send you a Deedee Doodle wig completely free of charge.
• Option 3: In addition to a complete refund, you may opt to receive a Deluxe Stephanie costume absolutely free (a $39.99 value). This is an unbeatable deal if your child is a Lazytown fan!

All three options also come with an official Doodlebops photo and a coupon good for $5 off your next Ty’s Toy Box purchase of $25 or more.

It’s really unfortunate that this problem arose, but as a parent I am impressed with the care and thought Ty’s Toy Box has put into handling it. And with all due respect to the Ty’s guys (I do adore them, you know), they’re not paying me enough money to buy fake praise. I praise because they’ve earned it, because they’re the kind of company I admire. The industry has tested them and they get a big thumbs-up from this mom for their classy response.

Now. If you’re one of the affected customers and your child opts for either the Deedee wig or the Stephanie costume, feel free to send me a picture if you’d like her to appear here on the blog! After all that, I think we can use a little pink hair around here to lighten things up.

I have a confession to make. I may have just the teensiest little bit of a crush on Craig McCracken, the creator of Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends. It’s just such a wacky and wonderful show, with each character stranger and more enticing than the last. I even forgive him for being the reason that my children now randomly declare (on a more regular basis than I may admit) “I like cereal!” (See also: “I like chocolate milk,” “Television tastes funny!” and “It’s hot in Topeka.”)

One of the things I adore about McCracken is that he posts really fun behind-the-scenes stuff to the Foster’s blog. This past weekend he put up a bunch of beautiful hand-painted versions of the Foster’s house done by Carol Wyatt.

But by far the coolest thing posted to the blog of late is the continuing series about how the show is actually made. This is for the grown-ups (or older kids); little kids probably won’t find it all that interesting, but uber-geeks like me can’t get enough. So far McCracken is up to four parts (and I’m linking them all so that you can go read the whole thing):

Step 1: The Story Meeting
Step 2: The Outline
Step 3: The Script
Step 4: Recording

Did you know that a 22-minute show takes 4 hours to record? Neither did I, until I read about it on the Foster’s blog. And you know I’ll be working that into casual conversation sometime soon, just in case my friends didn’t already think I was some sort of loony cartoon-addict geek. Yeah. You know you wish you were as slick as me.

They’re the Doodlebops, they’re the Doodlebops, they’re the Doodlebops, oooohhhh yeaaaahhhhh….

And they’re on their first-ever tour in the United States. Live. Large and in charge, and bringing your toddler the kind of ecstasy that only a trio of neon-clad, hyper musicians can create. It’s the Doodlebops, but bigger! And brighter!

Of course, you know all about the Doodlebops, because you’re hip. But just in case someone out there is wondering, the Associated Press’ Samantha Critchell was kind enough to answer the most basic of questions: What’s a Doodlebop?

The Doodlebops are singing siblings ââ¬â or at least they play them on TV.

Stars of a Playhouse Disney cable TV show since spring 2005, the Canadian trio has become a favorite of the preschool set throughout the United States. The group, whose show follows them on crazy adventures and on to the concert stage, has just kicked off a national U.S. tour.

You’d think they might want to start out small, but you’d be wrong. The Doodlebops will be hitting 75 cities across the United States this tour season—a grueling schedule even for performers whose fans don’t wear diapers.

Ty’s Toy Box isn’t just bringing you hot new Doodlebops merchandise, they’re committed to going the extra mile for their customers. Which is why Ty Simpson himself went to Madison Square Garden to hang out with the colorful trio and help kick off the tour. Research, you understand.

(I dunno… I think Ty looks a little washed out in the picture. Maybe we can get him a nice chartreuse blush….)

And here we see a shot of the actual performance:

(From that distance, they actually don’t scare me so much. Except the guy with the big head there… he still scares me. Yes, the average toddler is braver than me. Hush.)

And just in case you’re wondering if anyone else was there with Ty:

(Hey, those Doodlebops are kinda popular!)

With 75 tour stops, there’s bound to be one near you. You can check their tour schedule and start planning for your own close encounter of the Doodlebops kind.

(By the way, whether you’ll be attending the tour or not… have a Doodlebops fan at your house? A little birdie told me we might be giving away a Doodlebops prize pack here on the blog. Stay tuned for your chance to win!)

Happy Columbus Day to my fellow American readers! (Hey, happy Columbus Day to my non- American readers, too, but you know, it’s a national holiday here and… well… not, elsewhere.) Today we celebrate the discovery of our fine country by a man who wasn’t very good with directions. Excellent.

Perhaps you already have plans for the day, but if you don’t, never fear. Around here, the kids are off school and most folks are off of work. The possibilities seem endless. But maybe all you’re really in the mood to do is your best couch potato impersonation. Or maybe you (like me) are feeling generous; the usual “one half-hour show and that’s it” edict of the school week can wait another day. If that’s where you’re at, Cartoon Network has you covered.

Today (Monday, October 9th) Cartoon Network is showing five and a half solid hours of Ben 10! Heaven for your little alien fanatic, no? Not that I’m suggesting you allow your kid(s) to watch the entire thing… that would be… well, excessive. But what a great day to record some extras for an emergency (what? you’ve never had a Ben 10 emergency at your house?) or pick out a few favorite episodes to watch.

The episode schedule is as follows:

2:00 Grudge Match
2:30 Secrets
3:00 Gwen 10 (this is my daughter’s favorite)
3:30 Hunted
4:00 Framed
4:30 Camp Fear
5:00 Kevin 11
5:30 Ghost Freaked Out
6:00 Big Tick
6:30 Dr. Animo and the Mutant Ray
7:00 Back With A Vengeance

I can think of many worse ways to spend a day. And really, how many Columbus Day sales does a person need to go to before a few hours with a smattering of alien invaders sounds preferable? Not too many, I’d argue.

Someone has decided that they will not rest until I am forced to eat my words when it comes to Ash Ketchum and his gang. I don’t know who that person is, but I sort of want to kick him. In the shins. Hard.

Listen; I am happy disliking Pokémon. It doesn’t bother me. I am content to twitch a little every time my son sighs with contentment, having located Pikachu on the television. I do not want to like it. I am at peace with my staunch refusal to appreciate creatures who speak via repetition of their own names.

But this. This! It may be too much for me:

Pokemon USA on Wednesday announced Pokemon Learning League, a Web-based series of lessons on language arts, math, science and life skills aimed at kids ages 8 - 12. Available as a free trial through the end of the year, the service will commence a $95 annual subscription fee (for families; separate fees are licensed for classrooms and school use) starting in January.

The Web-based learning series utilizes Adobe Flash technology, so itââ¬â¢s Mac and PC-compatible. The program features characters popularized by the seemingly endless series of Pokemon card games, TV shows, video games and toys, but is based on current education research and is aligned with curriculum standards, according to the developer.

I went and played around with it a bit, and I have some terrible news.

It looks… really, really cool. There! I said it! It’s Pokémon and it’s awesome! Are you happy now? I admitted it. This is totally something I can get behind, as a parent, because it leverages children’s interest in the story to lead them through the same sort of work that many kids would shun as boring without a familiar character tie-in.

I’ll definitely be checking back as the site is updated with more functionality, and also keeping an eye out for schools adopting the system for classroom use.

But I’m still going to twitch whenever one of those creatures opens his mouth, no matter how educational it is. Just see if I don’t.

It’s no secret that I love Halloween. Perhaps even more than my kids do. I love all holidays, really, but there’s just something wonderful about Halloween. There’s the candy, of course. Then there’s the nationally-sanctioned emphasis on all things gross and macabre. The kids can spend hours debating the perfect costumes. I get to wear my glow-in-the-dark skeleton earrings. What’s not to like?

But this year, a dark specter casts its shadow over the upcoming Halloween festivities, and I don’t like it one bit. This is a (usually) uncomplicated and simple holiday, and while some may say it’s not a big deal, I think it’s a Very Big Deal Indeed.

Have you heard? The grinch trying to steal Halloween this year is… fungus.

Heading out to the pumpkin farm and selecting just the right specimens for jack-o-lanterns may be a part of your family’s tradition, but be advised that this year the pickings may be quite slim (and expensive, to boot):

Two types of fungus or rot have affected crops from the Midwest to New England, causing pumpkins to develop mold in some spots and then begin decomposing, said Daniel Egel, a Purdue University Extension plant pathologist. The entire inside of the pumpkin eventually rots until the shell falls apart.

A combination of high temperatures and record rain in August has helped the fungi flourish, Egel said.

Nina Kent, co-owner of Kent’s Cucurbits in White County, said one variety of her pumpkins has about 85 percent loss because of the rot.

Halloween without pumpkins? Why, that’s like Christmas without Santa Claus. Or America without baseball and apple pie. No, I’m not crying… there’s something in my eye. Stop looking at me.

The pumpkin shortage has actually been a hot topic of conversation ’round these parts. (I live in a small town, okay? Not a lot happens here.) Parents are being encouraged to skip the jack-o-lanterns this year. But I say no. NO! Are we going to let a little fungus stand in the way of our need for holiday-appropriate vegetable decoration? I should hope not.

So. A couple of suggestions: First of all, pumpkin growers are hurting due to the crop loss, so by all means buy pumpkins if you can (assuming they have some healthy ones to purchase). Second, get creative. If you can’t get suitable pumpkins, look to other squash and decorative gourds for your Halloween needs. Craftygal has some great ideas for decorating pumpkins or suitable pumpking substitutes, many of which don’t even involve carving (which has the added bonus of being a bit easier with little ones).

Don’t let the fungus get you down. You need to stay strong, so you, er, I mean, your kids, can get more candy.

Thanks to Toon Zone for pointing out this recent article in the New York Times (registration required). I know a lot of us have made plenty of jokes lately as one animated film after another seems to churn out the same plot several times over. (Hey, how about a movie about… some animals! Some displaced animals!)

The NYT article discusses the future of the industry in light of some recent box office flops:

If there is a shakeout and fewer animated movies are made, animators without a brand name or those who do not produce high-quality movies will probably be hurt most.

“There are a lot of movies out there,” said John H. Williams, a producer of “Shrek” and chief executive of Vanguard Animation. “The question is, ‘Who are the people who are going to be getting the funding?’”

I particularly like how they went straight to the industry experts for the skinny:

Natalie Ward, 13, who was out shopping with her grandmother, Bonnie Ward, in Hollywood recently, was unimpressed with the latest offerings. “There are so many movies with animals,” she said, pursing lips tinged blue by the icy neon drink in her hand. “The ones about cows are too, like, I donââ¬â¢t know ââ¬â boring.”

(It is my dream to someday be quoted in the New York Times declaring something to be “like, I don’t know — boring.” Them noting the color of my lips at the time is completely optional.)

If the industry interests you, the entire article is worth a read. Pixar and DreamWorks look to be “safe” given their size and clout, but smaller filmmakers may not be so lucky. Also discussed is DreamWorks’ recent split from Aardman Animation. Why should that matter to you? Well, it might, if you’re a fan of Wallace and Gromit. If the smaller players in the realm of big-picture animation find themselves on shaky ground, will our favorite canine hero still have a distribution home in the U.S.?

So, on the one hand, look for a bit more diversity in upcoming animated offerings. On the other hand, look for a bit of moving and shaking and maybe a falling away of some of the newcomers to the field (which, in and of itself, could lessen diversity).

Bottom line, it looks like we’ll just have to stay tuned.