I bought this new video from Warner Home Video. Overall, a good collection of Bugs cartoons, all the major directors are represented - even Avery and Clampett!

If you don't own any other Bugs videos, this is really worth it. If you do own a few, you may be disappointed with some titles repeated from previous videos. There are, however, enough new-to-video shorts to make it worthwhile including: "Foxy By Proxy" (Bugs outwits a dumb hunting dog), "Rabbit Rampage" (Jones' "Duck Amuck" sequel with Bugs in Daffy's role), and "Rabbit's Kin" (the great cartoon with Pete Puma"). You should be able to find it at Wal-Mart for about $10 (despite anything Amazon.com says, it is NOT a 3-tape set and does NOT star Chevy Chase).

* = new to VHS

"Big Top Bunny"* - Robert McKimson
"Tortoise Beats Hare" - Tex Avery
"Water, Water Every Hare" - Chuck Jones
"Rabbit Rampage"* - Chuck Jones
"The Abominable Snow Rabbit"* - Chuck Jones
"Rabbit's Kin"* - Robert McKimson
"Foxy By Proxy"* - Friz Freleng
"Bugs Bunny Gets the Boid" - Bob Clampett
"My Bunny Lies Over the Sea" - Chuck Jones
"Baton Bunny" - Chuck Jones/Abe Levitow

The folks at Warner Home Video got lazy and only listed 6 of the 10 cartoons on the back of the box. Of course, they also cover it up with the free picture frame (a cheap cardboard frame which is pretty worthless).

While I'm talking about the new LT videos, also be sure to pick up a copy of "Tweety: Tweet and Lovely". An excellent Tweety and Sylvester collection with many cartoons which have never been released to video before (including "Fowl Weather", "Rebel Without Claws", "Tugboat Granny", and "Hawaiian Aye Aye").

---Jon

Paul Dini Writes "Simpsons" Comic!
Sun Oct 31 13:23:56 1999

Well, sorta...

I picked up the TPB "Bart Simpson's Treehouse of Horror: Heebie-Jeebies Hullabaloo!" last night, and just finished reading it. The first comic in the book, "Sideshow Blob", is credited to Paul Dini! It's a pretty good story, with some highly imaginative artwork by veteran "Simpsons Comics" artist Bill Morrison.

The book as a whole is kind of hit-or-miss, but all in all, I'd recommend it to any 'Simpsons' fan, if only for the inbetween material featuring Kodos & Kang (some funny, funny stuff). As usual with 'The Simpsons', it's the little things that make it so wonderful (when Homer & Marge hide in an abandoned mine shaft, he sign reads "Contrivance Bros. Coal Mine: Conveniently Abandoned Since 1912"). There's also a nice scene which depicts all the Springifeldians in Hell, except for two who are on the elevator to Heaven: Lunchlady Doris & Troy McCLure, out of tribute to their deceased voice actors, Doris Grau & Phil Hartman.

---Craig M.
Looking forward to tonight's "Treehouse of Horror" ep as well...

More MiB, Less TBCS!
Sat Oct 30 19:51:55 1999

Judging by the recently-updated KTLA schedules, it would appear that TBCS will be disappearing from Saturday mornings as of next week to make way for an additional MiB ep (probably to be replaced by 'Max Steel' in January). And beginning the following week (the week of Mon., 11/18), the weekday afternoon schedule will be changed: B/S will be pushed up to the 3:30 slot, Pokemon moved down to the 4 PM slot, and 4:30 will alternate between BB Mon., Wed., & Fri., and MiB Tues. & Thurs.

It also appears that next week, there will be an extra half-hour of Pokemon, in addition to the regular morning and afternoon half-hours, but thankfully that appears to be a one-week occurance...

Oh, and BTW, I didn't want to make a separate post regarding this after agreeing with Harl on the "don't post stuff about Brian's page here" thing, but I didn't want to e-mail Brian over such a trivial thing as this, so while I'm here, I may as well ask--is anyone else having trouble accessing the Press Releases? I was looking for some info' there this morning, and couldn't access any of them...go fig..

---Craig M.
Happy Halloween!

'Oblongs' Info
Fri Oct 29 12:36:07 1999

"The Oblongs" is a new primetime animated series set to premiere next fall. This is what Animation Artist had to say about it:


Film Roman has announced that it will begin production for a new television animated series called "The Oblongs" that will be distributed by Warner Bros. for air on The WB Network in the 2000 season.

"The Oblongs" is the second animated prime-time series that Film Roman has added for the 2000 television season. Just last month the company announced that it will co-produce its proprietary animated project "Doomsday" for UPN with Howard Stern Productions & ATG.

"The Oblongs," based on characters, who appear in Angus Oblong's book titled "Creepy Susie and Thirteen other Tragic Tales for Troubled Children," are a twisted family with a variety of physical and emotional abnormalities caused by the toxic conditions which abound in the industrial valley they call home.

"It's so exciting to see my characters come to life. I'm thrilled to be working with Film Roman; the same people who produce 'The Simpsons,' 'King of the Hill,' and 'Mission Hill,'" said Oblong. Oblong describes his stories as "a modern, morbid, politically incorrect version of the classic Dick and Jane books of my childhood."

The series follows the daily lives of these peculiar "valley" people as they try to fit in with the pretentious, beautiful and affluent people who live in the hills above them.

"The show is about being pathetic and trying to fit in, and I think everyone can relate to that," said Oblong. "Fans who love the classic comic strip `Life in Hell' and chuckle at things that make other people squirm will be right at home with 'The Oblongs.'"

In making the announcement, Mike Wolf, Senior VP of Production at Film Roman, added: "This is one of the most daring and smart social satire the studio has helped bring to life. We are excited to be in business with Oblong Productions and to have another show on The WB Network. I think 'The Oblongs' are going to capture the imagination of a big audience on The WB Network."

The prime-time series will be executive produced by Jace Richdale ("The Simplsons"), Bruce Helford and Deborah Oppenheimer ("The Drew Carry Show"). Angus Oblong will serve as the series' supervising producer for the show. Mike Kim will serve as supervising director. Mike Kim was also a director on "Mission Hill," the WB's first animated comedy series, and "Dilbert."

Film Roman has a number of additional proprietary animated television programs in active development including "Til The Fat Lady Sings," by Norman Lear and John Baskin, and "The Cabbisons," with Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla.

---Rembrant

Wakko's Wish Press Release
Fri Oct 29 02:35:24 1999

With the boards down yesterday, I couldn't post this anywhere except to alt.tv.animaniacs. I'll just repost it here to save myself a little time retyping it.

Okay, most Animaniacs fans are aware that the new release date for Wakko's Wish is December 21st. But what you probably didn't know was that WB Home Video actually seems to be putting a little effort into marketing it. Included with the video will be "a free, exclusive on-pack spinning toy featuring the movie's stars -- Yakko, Wakko and Dot", and www.warnerbros.com is also having some sort of contest with "exciting prizes including free copies of 'Wakko's Wish'.

See Time Warner's Official Press Release for more details.

One annoying detail of this article is that the PR states that"Animaniacs fans can visit the "Wakko's Wish" web site at www.warnerbros.com", only there is no such website there. Romey, Siren and myself all searched the warnerbros.com with nary a result. We can only assume it's under construction or they just plain didn't know what they were talking about. As always, WB needs to get its act together. I've sent e-mail inquiries to Warner Home Video and to the press release people. Hopefully I'll have something to report to you soon. But this press release is from Oct. 26th - they advertise for a site that doesn't even exist?

*sigh*

Well, here's looking forward to December 21st.


---Gookie
--wonders if the WB will ever do anything right.

Rob & Moe To Host Annie Awards
Wed Oct 27 08:59:22 1999

I thought Siren would've posted this by now, but I can't wait any longer. If anyone reading this happens to live in the Glendale, California area and also plans to attend the Annie Awards on November 6, please take pictures and sneak in a voice recorder too, if possible. Then please let us see and hear them. And to have it hosted by two of today's most prolific voice actors is cool times two (or twenty).

For me to be able to attend an event hosted entirely by "the comedy stylings" of Rob Paulsen and Maurice LaMarche would be like one of the best dreams I ever had. Gosh, I wish I could afford that trip. How exciting. And plus, Iron Giant's nominated for 15 different categories. It's only the coolest event ever if you're an animation fan.

Interestingly enough, AWN's Annie Awards page has pics and brief articles, even QuickTime movie clips for nearly all entries. All of them have their own page, except for one - guess... Yep, Iron Giant got screwed again. You'd think with it being nominated for 15 categories there'd be more content there than just a passing reference to it.

Anyway, I don't wanna throw a damper on this good news. But if any of you are somehow able to attend this event, please give us the full details when you get back. And I wanna see lots of pictures too. Dang, I wish this event would be done as a live webcast, like the Emmys were. Dang. Dang. Dang. Dang. Dang.


---Gookie