Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow is the newest animated film produced by Marvel Comics & Lions Gate Entertainment. The movie was set to debut in July, but had been pushed back until this month. Here are some quick story details:

The children of the Avengers must rise up to their parents' legends and stop the villainous android Ultron in Marvel's next feature length animated movie. But with the world in peril, can these inexperienced young heroes save the day?

Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on September 2, 2008.

Official Press Release

A new and special manner to present original content to a captive and devoted audience has been created by The New York Anime Festival (NYAF) who today announced that the short story Vampire Hunter D: The Wanderer's Ship by Hideyuki Kikuchi will be published inside its Official Guide Book. Vampire Hunter D: The Wanderer's Ship has never been printed before in any language anywhere in the world. The New York Anime Festival, an anime, manga, and Japanese pop culture convention from the creators of New York Comic Con, takes place September 26th through the 28th at the Jacob Javits Center in New York, NY.

Hideyuki Kikuchi is one of Japan's most prolific horror novelists and one of the New York Anime Festival's Guests of Honor. Mr. Kikuchi is most famous for his Vampire Hunter D novel series, stories that follow "D" -- a half-human, half-vampire swordsman -- through a dystopic future ruled by vampires. The first D novel, penned in Japan in 1983, has been followed by over 15 sequels, with the most recent -- Throng of Heretics -- released in Japan in 2007. Mr. Kikichi is attending NYAF along with Vampire Hunter D illustrator Yoshitaka Amano and translator Kevin Leahy.

Vampire Hunter D: The Wanderer's Ship, a story of D and his encounter with a blood-red battleship, dates back to one of the author's "Talk Live" events. Each year, Mr. Kikichi hosts several "Talk Live" gathering in the Kabukicho section of Shinjuku. At these events, he introduces a younger generation of fans to a wide variety of horror and sci-fi films and brings them face-to-face with guests from the worlds of publishing, animation, and film. The events conclude with drawings that give the audience chances to win signed books, artwork, and other exclusive prizes. The very best is saved for last -- short stories handwritten by Mr. Kikuchi with exclusive publication rights.

To date, three tales set in the Vampire Hunter D universe have come into the possession of lucky fans. Only the first has been published. The third -- Vampire Hunter D: The Wanderer's Ship -- was won by Ms. Hitomi Yasue, a longtime fan of Mr. Kikuchi and a regular attendee of his events. As someone who knew D from the novels before ever seeing the anime, she was surprised to hear the opposite was true overseas. Ms. Yasue has graciously agreed to share this short story with fans at the New York Anime Festival in the hopes of exposing more people to the literary incarnation of her favorite Vampire Hunter. Vampire Hunter D: The Wanderer's Ship has been translated for the New York Anime Festival by Mr. Kikuchi's friend and the translator of his Vampire Hunter D novel series, Mr. Kevin Leahy

"It is with great pleasure that the New York Anime Festival presents Vampire Hunter D: The Wanderer's Ship in print for the first time anywhere, in any language," NYAF Show Manager Lance Fensterman said. "This is a genuinely historic moment, something for Kikuchi's fans around the globe, and it is only possible because of the generosity of Ms. Hitomi Yasue and the hard work of Mr. Kevin Leahy."

The New York Anime Festival Guide Book will be available in the Jacob Javits Center lobby from September 26-28, 2008. Tickets to the New York Anime Festival are now available at newyorkanimefestival.com.

ABOUT THE NEW YORK ANIME FESTIVAL:
The New York Anime Festival takes place September 26-28, 2008 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in Midtown Manhattan and is organized by Reed Exhibitions, the creators of New York Comic Con. The New York Anime Festival showcases the best of anime pop culture, including the latest anime, manga, Japanese cinema, music, and games, and anime-influenced comics, animation, and films from around the world. The festival features exclusive and extensive screenings, a gala cosplay masquerade, sessions with the some of the biggest names in anime from Japan, Asia, and America, and explores the Japanese cultural experience with displays of both traditional and cutting-edge Japanese life. NYAF's partners include Anime News Network, Bandai Entertainment, BookExpo America, Del Rey Manga, DigitalLife, Free Arts NYC, Japan Society, Karaterice, Kinokuniya Bookstore, New York Comic Con, Samurai Beat Radio, Subway Cinema, TheOtaku.com, TOKYOPOP, VIZ Pictures, and the World Cosplay Summit. Further information can be found at newyorkanimefestival.com.

ABOUT REED EXHIBITIONS:
The New York Anime Festival is operated by Reed Exhibitions, the world's leading events organizer. In 2007, Reed brought together over six million industry professionals from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today, Reed events are held in 38 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia and organized by 39 fully staffed offices. Reed Exhibitions is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc, a FTSE-100 company and world-leading publisher and information provider. In 2006, Reed Elsevier made adjusted profit before taxation of #1,052 million on turnover of #5,398 million.

Posts may be sporadic lately as I've moved and still unpacking...things should be back to normal next week hopefully. For now I'm excited over news I've heard over the past week -

-Mike Grell (Jon Sable Freelance) will be returning to his most famous creation at DC, The Warlord, in time for the character's 35th anniversary.

-Milestone is back after a 11 year absence, and will be integrated into the mainstream DC universe!

-Batman: The Dark Knight has broken yet another record - $400 million domestically at the box office in just 18 days, the fastest pace ever.

-Todd McFarlane is returning to Spawn with issue #185, with Whilce Portacio as new series artist.

-Neil Gaiman and Andy Kubert on “Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?” Awesome.


Here's the trailer for "Hulk Vs Wolverine" which will be on sale January 2009 for Blu-ray and DVD.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold is set to debut on November 14, 2008 on Cartoon Network. The series will have Batman team up with various DC Comics heroes. This trailer was shown at Comic-Con.

Marvel.com has the trailer up for the upcoming Iron Man animated series airing on Nicktoons Spring 2009. The will focus on a teenage Tony Stark and include his biggest enemies such as The Mandarin and Obadiah Stane.

Tony Stark, heir to a billion-dollar corporation, lives a life of luxury, free to pursue his chief interests -- seeking extreme thrills, solving scientific mysteries and creating mind-boggling inventions. But everything goes horribly wrong when a tragic accident robs Tony of his father and nearly costs him his own life. Now dependent on his own impressive technology for survival and dedicated to battling corruption, Tony must reconcile the pressure of teenage life with the duties of a super hero. Inside his remarkable invention, Tony Stark is geared for high-speed flight, high-tech battles and high-octane adventure! He is Iron Man.

TV Guide reports that Keri Russell is indeed the star of the February 2009 animated DVD movie Wonder Woman, the next in a series from Warner Bros. and DC Comics following last Tuesday's release of Batman: Gotham Knight.

The plot of the movie is based on George Perez' 1987 "Gods and Mortals" arc. The film, which will be released in February 2009, stars Keri Russell as Wonder Woman and will be directed by Lauren Montgomery. It will also feature Russell's Waitress costar Nathan Fillion as Steve Trevor, as well as Alfred Molina, Rosario Dawson, and Virginia Madsen.

Variety reports Kevin Michael Richardson, Sanaa Lathan, and Nia Long will be joining the cast of The Cleveland Show, the Family Guy spinoff show announced earlier this year. Richardson will provide the voice of Lester, described as a white redneck who lives next door to Cleveland. The show should debut sometime in 2009.

Along with Iron Man: The Animated Series, X-Men will be coming to Nicktoons network in the first quarter of 2009. The first three episodes, which will air as the pilot for the series, are being written by Greg Johnson, who has contributed to several other Marvel animated features.

Warner Bros. Animation has confirmed that this will be the last season for Legion of Super Heroes.

Legion of Super Heroes is currently wrapping up its second season, which will also be last season for the show. With the series no longer in production, fans can expect four more new episodes before the series comes to a close. Two new episodes will be aired over the next two weeks, but the two-part series finale has yet to be officially scheduled.

Warner Bros. Animation is currently working on a new Batman team-up animated series, tentatively titled Batman: The Brave and The Bold, and a host of direct-to-video DC Universe Animated Original Movie features.

Here are some links to some of the best Legion fansites on the net.

* The Legion of Super-Heroes Help-File is a great source for Legion lore with detailed information and issue synopses from Adventure #247 to Legion Lost #12. Weighing in at a small 1.6mb with no installation (just unpack and go), this is arguably the best Legion resource outside of owning the back issues. One caveat, though...the author, C.M. Keller, did most of his entires with the Valor retcon in mind, so check out the "Retcons" & "Stories not in Continuity" subjects first if you're not familiar with that event.

* Interlac, the first and still-running apa dedicated to the Legion of Super-Heroes

* The Legion Omnicom is an awesome Legion blog

* The Legion wiki, very much a work-in-progress

* Legion World message board is host to many Legion fans, as is

* Legion Abstract is also a great blog for Legion analysis, reviews and commentary

* The Legion of Micro Super Heroes has the Legion broken down into eras, subjects, and in group shots.

* Ze Ball Breaker Micro-Heros Site has the Legion micros listed by character.

* Also The Legion of Sim Heroes has skins, objects, opening screen replacement, etc. for The Sims

* Ever wondered where one 31st century planet was in relation to another? The Hitchhiker's Guide to the 30th Century features most planets of the 31t century Milky Way.

* Mighty God King's "Why I Should Write The Legion" is always a good read, and one of many Legion Fan-Ficts.

* The Pocket Universe Primer is an excellent attempt at explaining the convoluted history of Superboy, the Legion, and the Time Trapper.

* Take a Time Bubble ride to the most comprehensive Silver Age Legion of Super-Heroes site that I know of. Almost everything you wanted to know about the Silver Age Legion, but were afraid to ask. Also proof that the version schism between Legion fans began probably earlier than most of us thought, back in 1968!

* Fans of Captain Carrot & Earth-26(the pre-COIE Earth-C)will love the Lotta Species Heroes list of 31st century heroes and villians.

* The Kids WB Legion of Super-Heroes homepage of the Legion animated series

* Bits O' Legionnaire Business has exactly that

* The Legion of Super-Heroes Online Companion and The Legion of Super-Heroes Clubhouse focus on the Silver Age incarnation of the Legion!

World's Finest has commented that Warner Bros. Animation may be working on an animated version of the classic series Brave and the Bold.

While nothing is confirmed at this time, the The Brave And The Bold animated series will apparently center around Batman teaming up with a different DC superhero in each episode. The series will also apparently have no ties to any previous animated incarnations. The Brave And The Bold is rumored to premiere next fall though, once again, nothing is confirmed at this time.

"The Spectacular Spider-Man" debuts on the CW's Kids WB! at 10:00 a.m. EST this Saturday!

The one-hour premiere event features two back-to-back episodes that see Spidey facing off against the likes of the Vulture, the Enforcers and Electro…and that's not to mention the troubles awaiting him as he returns to high-school! Two seasons of 13 episodes each have been ordered.

Marv Wolfman, one of the screenplay writers for the direct-to-video Teen Titans: The Judas Contract animated feature, has confirmed the DC Universe Animated Movie is currently on hold.

Wolfman has confirmed the reports appearing online stating the movie is currently on hold because, according to Warner Home Video, there may not be enough of an audience for a Teen Titans: The Judas Contract animated feature to be successful. Teen Titans: The Judas Contract was originally scheduled to be the third DC Universe Animated Movie before Warner Home Video delayed it, opting to produce Batman: Gotham Knight and Wonder Woman direct-to-video animated features instead. While the Teen Titans: The Judas Contract is on hold, that does not mean the title is dead. It's just currently on hold as other projects are developed.

Wolfman continues, saying that fans should contact Warner Home Video to let them know of the demand for a Teen Titans: The Judas Contract animated feature. Below is the contact information to send your thoughts and concerns regarding the future of the Teen Titans: The Judas Contract direct-to-video animated feature.

Diane Nelson, President, Warner Premiere
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.
4000 Warner Blvd., Bldg 2, #103
Burbank, CA 91522
diane.nelson@warnerbros.com

Lisa Judson, President, Warner Bros. Animation
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.
4000 Warner Blvd
Burbank, CA 91522-0001
lisa.judson@warnerbros.com

Ron Sanders, President of Warner Home Video
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.
4000 Warner Blvd., Bldg 160, #12112
Burbank, CA 91522
mailto:ron.sanders@warnerbros.com

Wolfman worked on the original Teen Titans: The Judas Contract comic book storyline in addition to writing the screenplay, along with Tom DeSanto, of the animated adaptation.

"Legion of Super Heroes" returns in a new timeslot – 9:30 a.m. ET/PT – with an all-new episode that examines the formation of the future corps of heroes. The "In the Beginning" synopsis: While on a mission to rescue the Legion's benefactor, R.J. Brande, our heroes find themselves reminiscing about how the Legion was first created by Brande and its founding members: Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad, and Saturn Girl. The episode is written by Steven Melching and directed by James Tucker.

Multiple Emmy Award winner "The Batman" closes its fifth and final season with a full-hour "movie" entitled "Lost Heroes" at 11:00 a.m. ET/PT. In the special TV movie, the most powerful members of the Justice League are abducted one-by-one. Batman, Robin and Green Arrow discover the mystery surrounding their disappearance.

The Joining has returned (with some earthly villainous assistance) and has transferred the Justice League's powers into alien androids. It's up to Batman, Robin and Green Arrow to help their JL friends regain their powers and prevent an alien invasion. The one-hour special includes appearances by Green Lantern, Hawkman, Flash, Superman, Green Arrow, Toyman, Mirror Master, Dr. Hugo Strange and The Joining. The film is written by Stan Berkowitz and Alexx Van Dyne, and directed by John Fang and Vinton Heuck.

After the March 8th series finale, The Batman will be removed from the Kids'WB! schedule for the foreseeable future. The Batman: The Complete Fifth Season should be released on DVD sometime this year.

In related news, Kevin Conroy, a familiar name to fans of the DC Animated Universe will voice to the upcoming direct-to-video Batman: Gotham Knight.

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - “Family Guy’s” henpecked husband Cleveland Brown might be getting his own show.

The Fox network and the show’s producer, 20th Century Fox TV, are developing a spin-off from their hit animated series centered on Peter Griffin’s bathtub-accident-prone neighbor, sources said.

The project, tentatively titled “Cleveland,” is being written by “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane, Mike Henry — a writer/producer who voices Cleveland — and Rich Appel, an executive producer on MacFarlane’s other Fox cartoon, “American Dad.”

Cleveland, who plays off black stereotypes, is the most levelheaded among Griffin’s trio of friends. He’s also pushed around by his wife.

Once canceled by Fox, “Family Guy” triumphantly returned on the network in 2005. It is Fox’s top-rated comedy and has grown into a $1 billion franchise with red-hot DVD and merchandise sales.

Fox executives have made it a priority to find another hit animated comedy to complement their Sunday comedy lineup. They have several cartoons in the works, including an animated version of the 2003 short-lived live-action comedy “The Pitts.” In addition to “Cleveland,” Fox is also developing a spin-off of the drama series “Prison Break,” set at a female prison.

World War II is over. The Cold War has begun. The Age of the Superhero is in decline. But where are the heroes of tomorrow? From the perspective of those brave individuals who made it happen: encounter Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman, who survived the anti-hero sentiment of the Cold War, as well as eager newcomers like test pilot Hal Jordan and scientist Barry Allen, poised to become the next generation of crime fighters. All leading to the mounting threat of an alien presence on Earth, where dozens of characters from the '40s, '50s and '60s eras of DC Comics team up to defeat it.

Justice League: The New Frontier, rated PG-13 for violent content/images, is scheduled for release on February 26, 2008. The next release in the series will be Batman: Gotham Knight.

Batman becomes more of a detective in The Dark Knight, as he deals with the escalation of the situation from the end of Batman Begins as personified by the Joker, portrayed by Heath Ledger. He also deals with the dilemma of his vigilante crusade, and his friendship with district attorney Harvey Dent, played by Aaron Eckhart.

An animated direct-to-DVD anthology titled Batman: Gotham Knight, which takes place between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, will be in stores early July 2008. Batman: The Dark Knight will be released on July 18, 2008 in the U.S. and on July 25, 2008 in the U.K.

Get your first look at the all new Spectacular Spider-Man animated series, premiering on Kids WB! February 2nd, 2008.