In This Week in Animation News, I’ll take a look at the previous week in the world of animation in order to get you caught up on everything you might have missed. It’s your one-stop shop for news regarding cartoons, anime, and animated web series. We’re talking movies, TV shows, digital shorts, and everything in between!

For the latest animation stories we’ve already covered on the site this week, take a look at the following links. Then, check out a selection of new stories below. Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments!

'Batman: Gotham by Gaslight' Coming to Blu-ray Soon

A clip from within "Batman: Gotham By Gaslight" -- featuring Selina Kyle moving quickly through the dark alleys of Gotham City ... with Jack the Ripper close on her trail.

 

Batman: Gotham By Gaslight is now available on Digital, and arrives on Blu-ray & DVD starting February 6, 2018.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will host the Los Angeles premiere of BATMAN: GOTHAM BY GASLIGHT on MondayFebruary 5, 2018 at The Paley Center for Media, but unfortunately all fan tickets are sold out. This promises to be a big event for the Bat-fans out there!

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Image via Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
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Image via Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
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Image via Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

Go Behind the Scenes at Aardman Animation's Studio for 'Early Man'

[EMBED_TWITTER]https://twitter.com/aardman/status/956870950825463808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw[/EMBED_TWITTER]

'Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry' Arrives on Blu-ray

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Image via Funimation

Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry - Enter the Dragon Cry, a magic staff rumored to possess the power to destroy the world. For years it's been safely guarded in the Kingdom of Fiore until Zash, a traitor of Fiore, steals it. Luckily, the task of recovering the Dragon Cry is the perfect job for the wizards of Fairy Tail - Natsu, Lucy, Erza, Gray, Wendy, and the cats!

FREE storybook with preorder purchase! You can pre-order here!

Bring home Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry on Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack & Digital HD 3/6.

'Static Shock' Season 3 Available Soon on DVD; Phil LaMarr Looks Back

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Warner Archive Collection (WAC), a champion of classic super hero animation, next brings Static Shock: The Complete Third Season to DVD with a special two-disc package that will be available starting January 30, 2018 through wb.com/warnerarchive and your favorite online retailer. Pre-orders are now open.

Phil LaMarr, the enthusiastic voice of lead character Virgil Hawkins and his super hero persona Static, has many fond memories of the important third season of the popular animated TV series, which saw integral changes and important guest appearances for Static Shock.

In Static Shock’s fateful third season, the character shifted to an impressive, tricked-out new costume, and his partner-in-crime-fighting Richie developed powers of his own as he became the super hero Gear. The African-American super hero took an enlightening trip to his Africa, shared an episode with Superman, and combined forces with the Justice League.

“In the third season, everything sort of got spruced up,” recalls LaMarr, known far and wide for his voice performances in Samurai Jack, Futurama and Family Guy, and his live-action roles for MADtv and Pulp Fiction. “The writing was just as good as ever, but they really raised the stakes. Static’s costume went from homemade to a legitimate super hero costume, Richie became his own super hero in Gear, and that meant there was less sitting back at headquarters – we started going on a lot more duo-action adventures.”

LaMarr and Jason Marsden, the voice of Richie/Gear, had already developed a strong camaraderie working closely together on the Disney animated series, The Weekenders. Their on-screen/in-booth rapport in Static Shock was a natural extension of their “real life” relationship.

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Image via Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

“Static Shock provided a second opportunity to play partners and best friends – which was great because we were already good friends,” LaMarr says. “Our friendship on the show was authentic. And there’s nothing better than getting paid every week to work with your friend."

LaMarr says he truly coveted the role of Static – a super hero who spoke to his personal aspirations and cultural upbringing.

“As a comic book guy, Static was a dream come true – a character who really felt real to me,” LaMarr says. “I always thought Static would be what I would be if I got powers as a teenager. I loved Spidey and Bats, but I never wanted to be them. There are tortured souls, and everything they do is informed by that guilt. For Static, the worst problem was having to do homework.

“Moreover, it was so great to finally have a Black super hero who didn’t have ‘black’ in his name. I could relate to him. Here’s a kid who is smart, who’s trying to do the right thing, dealing with relatable problems whether it was family or school or friendships. Despite that fact that it was a cartoon that revolved around super heroes, it felt real to me.”

“The crossover episodes with the Justice League were so much fun for me – it was great to feel like Static Shock was part of the legacy of the super hero entertainment that I grew up watching and reading,” LaMarr says. “Associating Static with the Justice League sort of legitimized our little show, putting Static on the same level as supers like Batman, Green Lantern and all the rest. Plus getting to act again alongside my Justice League acting pals – Maria Canals Barrera, Susan Eisenberg, Carl Lumbly, Michael Rosenbaum, George Newbern, Kevin Conroy – was a blast, especially because now they were coming to MY house. It was actually a little weird because we were sitting in the same chairs as we always did when recording Justice League – but now I had more lines. Of course, I had two different characters – Static and Green Lantern John Stewart.”

LaMarr said the dual role – which put him in the unusual position of recording two characters talking to each other – was the first time he encountered that situation in his career.

“I thought the writers wrote those scenes as a challenge for me,” LaMarr recalls. “At least they didn’t have them singing harmony or something crazy like that!”

Static Shock: The Complete Third Season features an all-star lineup of writers behind the scripts: Paul Dini, Dwayne McDuffie, Len Uhley, Ernie Altbacker, John Semper, Courtney Lilly and Adam Beechen. For the Static-Superman team-up episode entitled “Toys in the Hood,” Semper crafted a story that was written by Academy Award winner John Ridley (12 Years a Slave).

An episode entitled “Static in Africa” saw the Hawkins family on vacation in Ghana, where Static teams with a legendary African folk hero to combat a group of bandits. The episode was particularly important to LaMarr.

“Static in Africa was a blast for so many reasons,” LaMarr recalls. “It was a thrill to work for the first time with Michael Jai White and Roscoe Lee Browne, as well as my Justice League castmate Carl Lumbly. Carl and Roscoe are guys whose work I’d seen growing up, and to share a studio with them was fantastic.

“Moreover, it was really cool to be able to explore our roots in a Saturday morning cartoon. I had never seen contemporary Africa on Saturday morning – an Africa that was not unlike our own world. We have super heroes, they have super heroes. Africa wasn’t showed as exotica – it was a world where people like us live. And to me, that was a great part of Static Shock. It wasn’t about that Static was black; but he was black. His life, his world – those were real. And that kind of normalization is what’s key to true diversity.”

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Image via Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

The Static Shock: The Complete Third Season two-disc set includes the following animated episodes:

Disc One

  • Hard As Nails
  • Gear
  • Static in Africa
  • Shebang
  • The Usual Suspect
  • A League Of Their Own, Part 1
  • A League Of Their Own, Part 2
  • Showtime
  • Romeo in the Mix

Disc Two

  • Toys In The Hood
  • The Parent Trap
  • Flashback
  • Blast From The Past

Disc Two also includes the Superman: The Animated Series episode entitled “Obsession” (Season 3, Episode 4), which ultimately served as a prequel to the Static Shock episode, “Toys in the Hood” and spotlighted the first meeting of Superman and Static, featuring the voices of Tim Daly (Superman), Nancy Travis (Darci Mason), Bud Cort (The Toyman) and Joely Fisher (Lana Lang).

'Marvel's Spider-Man' Season 2 Debuts Later This Year

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Image via Disney XD

Disney XD and Marvel Entertainment recently announced that Marvel’s Spider-Man will be returning to the network for season two in 2018. Be sure to check out the conclusion of the

The second season of Marvel's Spider-Man follows Peter Parker in his sophomore year as a more experienced superhero and a more confident student at what was once the intimidating Horizon High School. Picking up where season one left off – in an epic showdown against Doc Ock, the Sinister Five, and Hobgoblin – season two will offer much higher stakes for both Peter and his heroic alter-ego, Spider-Man. He'll also learn how to navigate new responsibilities like working at his local newspaper The Daily Bugle while enduring Doc Ock's series of obstacles in the villain’s attempt to get rid of Spider-Man once and for all. The action-packed season will continue to touch on Spidey's relatable themes, including friendship, loyalty and heroism, while staying true to its signature sense of comedy. The premiere date for the series will be announced at a later date.

Marvel’s Spider-Man season two will join the previously announced Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout and Marvel’s Avengers: Black Panther’s Quest which will be returning to Disney XD with new seasons in 2018.

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Image via Disney XD

The Marvel’s Spider-Man season two creative team includes executive producers Alan Fine ("Marvel's The Avengers"), Joe Quesada ("Marvel's Avengers Assemble"), Dan Buckley ("Marvel's Avengers Assemble"), Cort Lane ("Marvel's Ultimate Spider-Man," “Marvel’s Avengers Assemble”), and Eric Radomski ("Spawn," "Marvel's Avengers Assemble"); co-executive producers Stan Lee ("Spider-Man") and Marsha Griffin ("Transformers Prime”); supervising producers Kevin Burke and Chris "Doc" Wyatt ("Marvel's Avengers Assemble," "Marvel's Ultimate Spider-Man"); consulting producer Dan Slott ("Spider-Man: Big Time," "The Superior Spider-Man"); and supervising director Philip Pignotti ("Marvel’s Avengers Assemble").

Eleven Arts Has Some Awesome Giveaways for 'Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha: Reflection' Opening Days!

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha: Reflection fans will want to head to theaters on opening day in order to score some cool giveaways from Eleven Arts. Check here for a list of theaters, showtimes, and ticket orders!

In commemoration of the anime's North American release, all ticket holders will receive 1 of 10* prizes while supply lasts. (*These will be distributed randomly.)

  • February 9th: Sticker (10 characters)
  • February 14th: Badge (10 characters)

Starring Yukari Tamura as Nanoha Takamachi, Nana Mizuki as Fate T. Harlaown, Kana Ueda as Hayate Yagami, Haruka Tomatsu as Amitie Florian, Satomi Sato as Kyrie Florian, Yoko Hikasa as Iris, and Kaori Shimizu as Signum, Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha: Reflection opens in U.S. theaters on February 9th.

Here's the official synopsis:

The story opens on Eltoria, a planet quietly dying from ecological devastation. The Florian family, consisting of a researcher couple and their two daughters, Amitie and Kyrie, stays on the planet in the hopes of restoring it. However, the father (Grants Florian) collapses from an illness, and the family’s dream crumbles. Meanwhile, Kyrie endeavors to save her father and revive the planet, which means she must travel to a "different world, far away." Amitie tries to stop her, but Kyrie ignores her sister’s warning and embarks on the journey with her best friend Iris.

 

Their destination is Japan, a small island country on the planet known as "Earth." Kirie and Iris, looking for the key to revive their planet, visit three girls from Japan. They are: Nanoha Takamachi, Fate Testarossa, and Hayate Yagami. Their encounter will be linked to the battle, which will decide the fate of the two worlds and all who inhabit them.       

 

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Image via Eleven Arts
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Image via Eleven Arts

Anchors Aweigh! Time for a Cartoon Network Cruise!

For the first time, some of the world’s most famous cartoon characters will set sail on their very own cruise liner, Cartoon Network Wave. This fully-branded ship is the result of a partnership between Oceanic Group, Asia-Pacific's leading cruise management company and Turner, the global media giant behind Cartoon Network.

Set to make its maiden voyage from its home port of Singapore in late 2018, the 11 guest-deck, 2,000-guest Cartoon Network Wave will be one vast haven for toon-loving travellers. With the ocean as a backdrop, families will enjoy the world’s first immersive Toon vacation at sea, and an adventure with their favourite Cartoon Network stars.

While there are many existing projects by Turner’s location-based entertainment team including Cartoon Network-branded restaurants, theme parks, waterparks around the world – and even planes and trains – this is the first time anywhere that a cruise liner has undergone a full Cartoon Network transformation.

The theming and entire onboard experience of Cartoon Network Wave is inspired by Cartoon Network’s universe of well-loved characters from iconic shows such as Adventure Time, Ben 10, The Powerpuff Girls and We Bare Bears. This includes a variety of diverse entertainment, activity and recreation features, as well as retail and food and beverage options.

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Image via Cartoon Network

Cartoon Network Wave will be docked at the Singapore Cruise Centre and will sail to 13 popular destinations in the Asia Pacific region including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Australia and Japan. Dates and itineraries for its routes around Asia Pacific will be announced in the coming months.

Bringing to life the world’s first Cartoon-Network themed cruise Oceanic Group formalised its partnership with Turner in a signing ceremony this morning in Singapore, marking the official launch of Cartoon Network Wave, the world’s first Cartoon Network-themed cruise and Singapore’s first homegrown contemporary cruise product.

Adult Swim's 'Robot Chicken: The Walking Dead Special' Arrives on Blu-ray This March

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Image via Adult Swim

Adult Swim's Emmy Award-winning series, Robot Chicken, presents the hilarious parody of AMC's The Walking Dead with The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who's Walking, arrives on Blu-ray and DVD March 27th, and the soundtrack arrives March 23rd!

​From creators Seth Green, Matthew Senreich and their Stoopid Buddy Stoodios partners, John Harvatine IV and Eric Towner, along with The Walking Dead creator and executive producer Robert Kirkman and showrunner and executive producer Scott M. Gimple, the 22-minute special is a brilliant parody that joins the two fan-favorite television series. ​With an all-star line up including The Walking Dead cast, fans surely won't want to miss this!

The all-star lineup in this horrifyingly hilarious special includes The Walking Dead cast Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Danai Gurira, Melissa McBride, Lauren Cohan, Steven Yeun, Sarah Wayne Callies as well as Nerdist Industries CEO and Talking Dead host Chris Hardwick and Breckin Meyer (Rat Race, Road Trip).

Highlighted by exclusive commentary from Gimple, Green, Kirkman, Senreich and director Tom SheppardThe Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who’s Walking Blu-ray and DVD collections will also feature a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the special.

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Image via Adult Swim

DVD Special Features:

  • Behind-the-Scenes Making of The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who’s Walking
  • Commentary featuring Scott M. Gimple, Seth Green, Robert Kirkman, Matthew Senreich, and Tom Sheppard

In anticipation of the DVD special, Adult Swim will release The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who’s Walking soundtrack on Friday, March 23rd featuring four tracks from the special. The digital album will be available for purchase in digital music stores including iTunes, Google Play and Amazon, as well as on all major streaming platforms including Spotify, Tidal, Pandora and others.

Album Tracks:

Welcome to Terminus:

  • Main Vocals: Daniel Radcliffe / Singing
  • Background Vocals: Whitney Loveall /Singing
  • Background Vocals: Tom Sheppard / Singing

Do the Negan:

  • Main Vocals:  Jeffrey Dean Morgan / Spoken
  • Background Vocals: Whitney Loveall /Singing
  • Background Vocals: Tom Sheppard / Singing

Someplace:

  • Main Vocals: Michael Rooker / Singing
  • Background Vocals: Melissa McBride / Singing

Dale Dale the RV King:

  • Melissa McBride plays Andrea
  • Norman Reeds plays Dale
  • Main Vocals: Tom Sheppard / Singing
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Image via Adult Swim

Frederator Achieves 10 Billion YouTube Views in 2017

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Image via Frederator

Frederator announces today that its multi-channel network, The Channel Frederator Network, did 10 Billion views on YouTube in 2017. The network also added 400 channels this last year. That's crazy, crazier even than Frederator's many, many insane animated creations.

Frederator created The Channel Frederator Network in 2013. For four years it has grown 70% year over year and is the home of some of the biggest animation channels on YouTube including Butch Hartman, D0MICS, FilmCow, Jaiden Animation, and many of The Kindergarten collective of channels. The network also includes channels from artists, journalists, gaming, and many other categories of YouTube videos. Frederator programs its own channels on YouTube, including Channel Frederator (which started as a podcast in 2005), Cartoon Hangover, and video game-centric The Leaderboard altogether do 30MM views a month.

Kenneth Ash, Director of Networks at Frederator, “This is a huge milestone for us, and we are very proud of all of our network members, and the MCN team. Channel Frederator Network isn't just a network for animators and cartoonists, but a home for all types of artists or any channel that embodies cartoons and animation. We look forward to the new year, and will be focusing on those types of channels to grow even further.”

Jeremy Rosen, Frederator Networks’ VP of Programming & Networks, says, "Our goal has always been to build great relationships with our members. Many of our members have been with us for years; we're part of their lives and they ours. It has been a fantastic year for our members and I am overjoyed to have a great team in Kenny, Andrea, and Marley working with them; and great partners like Paladin and Bent Pixels to help us all do our best."