News

Arte Johnson, Emmy-winning star of 1960s and ’70s comedy sketch show “Laugh-In,” died July 3 in Los Angeles of heart failure. He was 90.

On “Laugh-In,” he was most familiar as Wolfgang, the German soldier who thought World War II was still going on. His catchphrase “Very interesting…” was one of many that caught on from the hit show. He won one Emmy for the show and was nominated two more times.

Johnson appeared in early TV series including “Sally” and “Hennesey.” He appeared in the “Twilight Zone” episdoe “The Whole Truth” as a car salesman who punches a used car lot owner.

His other TV appearances included “Bewitched,” “Lost in Space” and “The Donna Reed Show.”

He did voice work for cartoons including “The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo,” “Ducktales” and “Animaniacs.”

He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Gisela, and his brother, Coslogh. Donations maybe be made to Actors & Others for Animals,...

Nickelodeon’s 2D-animated reboot of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise has found its voices.

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will star Omar Miller (Ballers) as Raphael, Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation) as Leonardo, Josh Brener (Silicon Valley) as Donatello, Brandon Mychal Smith (You’re The Worst) as Michelangelo and Kat Graham (The Vampire Diaries) as April O’Neil. Eric Bauza, who voiced multiple characters on the network’s 3D version, returns as Splinter.

The new series follows the four turtles-turned-superheroes as they unlock the mystical secrets of New York City, battle new mutants and find the ultimate slice of pizza. The re-imagined series will also breathe new life into the longtime characters, with Raphael turned into an enthusiastic leader full of bravado, Leonardo becoming a charming rebel, Donatello as the ultimate tech wiz, and Michelangelo embracing his colorful artistic personality. The series will also introduce the first African American April.

“This incredible roster...

Paul Bullock Nov 7, 2017

With a preview of the new DuckTales arriving in the UK this month, we look at the comics to read as background...

The return of DuckTales (a wooo-oooo!) has brought about renewed interest in the adventures of Scrooge McDuck, his n’er-do-well nephew Donald and the world’s most famous Junior Woodchucks Huey, Dewey and Louie. It may still be in its first season over in the Us, but the new series has already received high praise, with critics citing as a major positive the reverence it has towards legendary comics writer and artist Carl Barks.

See related Mr Robot interview: Sam Esmail on hackers, Fight Club Why Mr Robot is Fight Club’s spiritual successor

For those not familiar with his work, Barks is a Disney legend who originally joined the studio in 1935 as an inbetweener - an artist who creates the frames in between the...

After the delightful “DuckTales” movie pressed reset on the adventures of the familiar feathered characters from the ‘90s, the actual series debuts in earnest on Saturday morning with a pair of episodes that give a little more time to the supporting characters. Only the first was given to critics for review, and although “Daytrip of Doom!” is a little bit more domestic and mundane in scope — a trip to Atlantis every week would be a bit much — the spirit of adventure is still strongly present and intact.

The series premiere spotlights a trio of strong female characters: Webby Vanderquack (Kate Micucci), Mrs. Beakley (Toks Olagundoye), and Ma Beagle (guest star Margo Martindale). Even though the episode runs a mere 22 minutes, it manages to actually reveal surprising depths to each character.

Read More:‘DuckTales’ Review: Nostalgic, Adventure-Filled Reboot Is All It’s Quacked Up to Be

In particular, Webby in the original series was timid,...

“DuckTales” makes its triumphant return to TV in a Disney Xd movie, titled “Woo-Oo!,” on Saturday that sets the bar high during this age of reboots and revivals.

In the TV landscape filled with comic book adaptations featuring superheroes, zombies or spies, it’s easy to forget that the much-beloved “DuckTales” also hailed from ink and paper. It’s this source material, however, that gave the series its storytelling heft and visual vibrancy, an irresistible combination that has contributed to the original series’ success and nostalgic longevity. This was not some treacly, preachy after-school fare, but rather zippy escapism that built in serialized installments.

Fortunately, the reboot of the series keeps all of those important original hallmarks. “American Idol” alum Felicia Barton re-recorded the signature theme song but keeps its sense of fun and excitement intact. The animation...

An animation industry legend is bowing out. IGN reports prolific director Andrea Romano is retiring after nearly 30 years.Romano has directed more than 1,000 episodes of TV shows, including such classics as Animaniacs, Batman: The Animated Series, DuckTales, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. She has also served as a voice actor on series like Tiny Toon Adventures, Justice League, and Teen Titans.Read More…...

June Foray, the Emmy-winning voiceover actress who brought Rocky the Flying Squirrel and Natasha Fatale to life in The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, has died. She was 99.

Per our sister site Variety, Foray’s death was confirmed via Facebook by close friend Dave Nimitz, who wrote, “With a heavy heart… I want to let you all know that we lost our little June today at 99 years old.” A cause of death has not been disclosed.

In addition to her work on Rocky and Bullwinkle, Foray voiced Cindy Lou Who in Chuck Jones’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and demonic doll...

I have so many fond memories of the original Disney's Ducktales program, as I'm sure that many of you do as well. Back then, there was nothing like relaxing, after an exhausting day at school, with Uncle Scrooge, Huey, Dewey, Louis, Webby, and the rest of the gang as they set off in search of adventure and mystery.  Today, the intro for the Disney Xd cartoon revival of Ducktales hit the... Read More...

We have known for sometime that an updated version of the beloved Disney animated series DuckTales is coming soon, but now we know when to watch our favorite adventures in Duckburg.

EW reports the new series will begin with airing a one-hour TV movie on August 12, beginning at midnight. Then the show will officially launch with two new episodes on September 23 on Disney Xd, VOD, and the network’s app.

DuckTales features the voices of David Tennant, Danny Pudi, Ben Schwartz, Bobby Moynihan, Kate Micucci, Beck Bennett, Toks Olagundoye, Tony Anselmo, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Allison Janney, Margo Martindale, Paul F. Tompkins, Kimiko Glenn, Jim Rash, Josh Brener, Keith Ferguson, Eric Bauza, and Corey Burton.

Disney also released a new poster and video (below) that show what will be the opening sequence for each episode. They are using a newer version of the iconic theme song, the new one was recorded by...

For folks like me, DuckTales played a big part in your childhood. Between the comedy and mix of high adventure, it helped to scratch a very specific itch on TV shows that not a lot of animated series did back then. However, as great as iconic I found the series to be, perhaps what it’s best known for is its catchy opening theme. As someone who watched the show, catching that opening them was an integral part of the actual experience of watching the show (very much how the opening of an anime is an integral part of the show itself).

If for some reason, you don’t remember that opening (or if you've never seen it), take a look:

For as long as we’ve known that Disney Xd would be reviving DuckTales for a modern audience, we’ve been wondering how they’d handle the opening theme.

Disney Xd is making a pitstop in Duckburg — known for its gorgeous summer weather, in addition to its curious distribution of wealth — before relocating full-time in the fall.

VideosDuckTales Revival (Already) Renewed for Season 2 — Watch First Trailer

The network on Wednesday announced that its highly anticipated DuckTales revival will debut as a one-hour TV movie, appropriately titled DuckTales: Woo-oo!, which will air for 24 hours straight — that’s a total of 24 airings for my fellow math strugglers out there — beginning Saturday, Aug. 12 at midnight Et.

The series, already renewed for a second season, will then make its formal premiere on Saturday,...

The premiere of the long-awaited DuckTales reboot is still a few months away, but fans are finally getting a look at what to get excited about!

Disney Xd dropped the first trailer for the animated series on Thursday, and it looks like the updated animation style, impressive voice cast, and sharp writing will make the series a welcome treat for young newcomers and older fans looking for a fresh source of sweet nostalgia.

Watch: The New 'DuckTales' Cast Singing the Original Theme Song Will Make You So Happy

While the original series -- which ran from 1987 to 1990 -- was a fan favorite for a reason, this first look at the reboot looks like it could become an instant classic in its own right.

Community's Danny Pudi, Parks and Recreation star Ben Schwartz, and Saturday Night Live cast member Bobby Moynihan lend their vocal talents Huey, Dewey and Louie, respectively, while...

Disney Xd has released the first full trailer for their DuckTales revival series. It definitely looks like a show that was made for a new generation of kids. As someone who grew up on the original series, it looks like it's going to take some getting used to. The style of the series was inspired by the work of Disney Legend Carl Barks and his comic books. It looks like it could be fun, but I know for sure that the kiddos are going to love it.

The new DuckTales series’ adventures will once again take viewers along as Scrooge McDuck, his curious and mischief-making grandnephews—Huey, Dewey, and Louie—and the optimistic-yet-temperamental Donald Duck embark on high-flying adventures worldwide. Other beloved characters slated to be in the new stories are Duckworth, Gyro Gearloose, Launchpad McQuack, Flintheart Glomgold, Magica DeSpell & Poe, Ma Beagle and the Beagle Boys (Burger Beagle, Bouncer Beagle), Mrs.

The all-star voice-over cast of the upcoming DuckTales reboot paid the highest form of respect to the original by singing the classic theme song!

Since Disney announced the reboot in February 2015, fans have been waiting to find out who would voice the iconic characters. On Friday morning, the network revealed the cast in the best way possible by posting a YouTube video of the actors belting out the catchy theme.

David Tennant (Scrooge McDuck), Danny Pudi (Huey), Ben Schwartz (Dewey), Bobby Moynihan (Louie), Beck Bennett (Launchpad McQuack), Toks Olagundoye (Mrs. Beakley) and Kate Micucci (Webby Vanderquack) do their own renditions of the tune while in the recording booth.

Watch: Disney Is Reviving 'DuckTales'!

"Life is like a hurricane here in Duckburg," the cast croons in the clip.

The original DuckTales aired from 1987 to 1990 for a total of 100 episodes.

Last year, Senior VP Programming and General Manager of Disney Xd, Marc Huhaj, remarked...

I absolutely loved Darkwing Duck when I was growing up! That was a cartoon that my brothers and I used to watch all the time. It premiered in 1991 and ran for three seasons before it was cancelled, before the TV networks got cheap and replaced it with crappy TV.

The classic Disney series featured the voice of Jim Cummings as the dangerous hero, Christine Cavanaugh as his daughter Gosalynm and Terry McGovern as his sidekick Launchpad. The series is described as combining “the kitchiness of Silver Age comics and the gags of the Golden Age of Warner Bros. animation.”

During a recent interview with THR, Darkwing Duck creator Tad Stones talked about his show and offered some interesting insight into how it came to be and why they did some of the things they did with it.

"I told the guys, every episode you have to do at least one catch phrase,...

Ok, ok, ok. I think you should sit down. I have some news to break and it's not going to be easy. Darkwing Duck, celebrating its 25th anniversary this week, does not take place in the same universe as DuckTales. Our nostalgia is constantly being pandered to these days, with varying results. When it comes to Disney's animated ducks we've recently had the DuckTales video game revamp, a new animated series is on the way at Disney Xd, and Darkwing Duck comic books (published by Joe Books), but a new reveal about that "universe" just blew my mind. The Hollywood Reporter did a nice interview with Tad Stones, creator of the animated Darkwing Duck series from the early '90s. Many have often assumed, with good reason, that show was a spinoff from DuckTales. It featured Launchpad and Gizmoduck, for instance. But Stones told THR not only is Darkwing Duck not a spinoff,...

Actor Alan Young has died at the age of 96. Born Angus Young, on November 19, 1919, Young is perhaps best known as Wilbur Post, from the Mister Ed TV show, which began in syndication and was picked up by CBS. Young also provided the voice for Scrooge McDuck on the DuckTales TV show and other Disney properties.

Mr. Young's other TV series work includes House of Mouse, The Ren & Stimpy Show, The Smurfs, Coming of Age, Alvin & the Chipmunks, The Dukes, The Incredible Hulk, and Battle of the Planets.

Read More…...

Alan Young, a veteran actor who played Wilbur Post on the hit sitcom Mister Ed, died Thursday at the Motion Picture and Television Home in Woodland Hills, Calif. He was 96. Young died peacefully in his sleep of natural causes, surrounded by his adult children, according to the Motion Picture & Television Fund, which announced his passing. Young starred on the CBS comedy for five seasons from 1961-66, playing the married architect who owned a talking horse named Mr. Ed (voiced by Allan "Rocky" Lane). In 1995, Young opened up to People about his time on the show and working with his equine costar,...

Alan Young, a veteran actor who played Wilbur Post on the hit sitcom Mister Ed, died Thursday at the Motion Picture and Television Home in Woodland Hills, Calif. He was 96.

Young died peacefully in his sleep of natural causes, surrounded by his adult children, according to the Motion Picture & Television Fund, which announced his passing.

Young starred on the CBS comedy for five seasons from 1961–66, playing the married architect who owned a talking horse named Mr. Ed (voiced by Allan "Rocky" Lane).

In 1995, Young opened up to People about his time on the show and working with his equine costar,...

Alan Young, a veteran actor who played Wilbur Post on the hit sitcom Mister Ed, died Thursday at the Motion Picture and Television Home in Woodland Hills, Calif. He was 96. Young died peacefully in his sleep of natural causes, surrounded by his adult children, according to the Motion Picture & Television Fund, which announced his passing. Young starred on the CBS comedy for five seasons from 1961-66, playing the married architect who owned a talking horse named Mr. Ed (voiced by Allan "Rocky" Lane). In 1995, Young opened up to People about his time on the show and working with his equine costar,...

Alan Young, a veteran actor who played Wilbur Post on the hit sitcom Mister Ed, died Thursday at the Motion Picture and Television Home in Woodland Hills, Calif. He was 96. Young died peacefully in his sleep of natural causes, surrounded by his adult children, according to the Motion Picture & Television Fund, which announced his passing. Young starred on the CBS comedy for five seasons from 1961-66, playing the married architect who owned a talking horse named Mr. Ed (voiced by Allan "Rocky" Lane). In 1995, Young opened up to People about his time on the show and working with his equine costar,...

Nickelodeon is staging a major reunion (of sorts) later this month. We just hope the network ordered enough pizza to go around.

RelatedDuckTales Revival on Disney Xd: First Photo of Scrooge McDuck’s Team

The March 27 episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (11/10c), titled “Trans-Dimensional Turtles,” finds the famous foursome — Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo — traveling to another dimension, where they encounter alternate versions of themselves from the original 1980s Ninja Turtles cartoon.

Cam Clarke (Leonardo), Rob Paulsen (Raphael), Barry Gordon (Donatello) and Townsend Coleman (Michelangelo) all return to voice their respective turtles, with Pat Fraley also coming back to voice the nefarious Krang.

From Bananaman to Grange Hill, join us in a spot of TV nostalgia as we celebrate 50 great 1980s kids' TV theme songs...

There comes a time to turn away from the horrors of the world and retreat underneath the soft, comforting duvet of nostalgia. That time is Friday. That metaphorical duvet is below.

Here are fifty of the best kids’ TV theme songs (spread over two pages and in arbitrary order) of the 1980s. Some, like Alan Hawkshaw’s distinctive Grange Hill intro, are unarguable classics of the era, while others, like Mike Harding's Count Duckula, only started in the late-eighties and spent the rest of their run in the next decade.

Obviously, there being only 50 on this list, we may have missed out your favourite (deliberately or otherwise). Let us know if so, but remember that links may take a while to appear in the comments thread because...

Rob Leane Louisa Mellor Jul 28, 2017

Lin-Manuel Miranda will play Gizmoduck in the new DuckTales, and producer Francisco Angones is excited by the Latino superhero...

Disney Xd is bringing back DuckTales. The new season of the completely quackers animated show, boasting loads of new talent, is expected to arrive this summer.

See related The Walking Dead: Steven Yeun reflects on Glenn The Walking Dead: TV show will not overtake the comics

Among the new cast is Hamilton's Lin-Manuel Miranda, who's voicing a Latino take on Gizmoduck.

Speaking to Cbr, co-producer and writer Francisco Angones has explained why he courted Miranda for the role...

"I am Cuban," Angones is quoted as saying. "Growing up, I was a comic book nerd, and the only character that I could identify with was Vibe. He had breakdance powers and was a gang member. Even today in multiplexes, there’s not a lot of Latino representation.

The classic Disney TV animated series DuckTales is making a return, thanks to Disney Xd…

In a great day for children’s programming (when Netflix announced their new Inspector Gadget series, too), Disney Xd yesterday finally made the official announcement that it was bringing back DuckTales.

The timeless animated series ran from 1987 to 1990, picked up an Emmy along the way, and has been picked up for a whole new series by Disney Xd. It won't air until 2017, but we’re excited anyway.

Scrooge McDuck will take centre stage once more, with his grandnephews Huey, Dewey and Louie all returning too. Of course, Donald Duck will feature as well, alongside promised appearances from Duckworth, Gyro Gearloose, Launchpad McQuack, Flintheart Glomgold, Magica DeSpell & Poe, Ma Beagle and the Beagle Boys (Burger Beagle, Bouncer Beagle), Mrs. Beakley and Webbigail Vanderquack.

Over four seasons, the original series ran for 100 episodes, and even spawned a...

Ah, we all love a good case of nostalgia and DisneyXD has noticed. With Amazon and Netflix picking up childhood classics for reboots, Disney saw they needed to make a move quick to stay on top of the competition. So they have announced DuckTales will be making a comeback. The classic cartoon followed the lives of Scrooge McDuck, and his grandnephews Huey, Dewey and Louie. The series originally aired between 1987-1990, even spawning a movie with the cute characters. Now DisneyXD will reboot the series in 2017. Here is how they announced the news.

DuckTales has a special place in Disney’s TV animation history, It drew its inspiration from Disney Legend Carl Barks’ comic books and through its storytelling and artistic showmanship, set an enduring standard for animated entertainment that connects with both kids and adults. Our new series will bring that same energy and adventurous spirit to a new generation

We love this idea,...

As a child of the 90s, there are many shows that I look back on with great fondness. Disney’s DuckTales was certainly one of them, but that does not mean that it needs to be remade for “a new generation.” Unfortunately, Disney does not care what I think, so let’s get on with it: the network plans to make a new version of DuckTales to show on Disney Xd.

Disney announced the planned DuckTales remake today, with assurances that the show will follow pretty much the same lines as the original. It will tell the tales of Scrooge McDuck, along with his nephews Huey, Dewie, and Louie, and the “temperamental” Donald Duck, as they travel the globe in search of adventure. For older fans, there will also be some of the well-known secondary characters on hand, including Duckworth, Gyro Gearloose,Magica DeSpell & Poe, Ma Beagle and the Beagle Boys (Burger Beagle,...

New DuckTales will be told, on Disney Xd.

The cabler announced on Wednesday that it was reviving the animated series, which ran for 100 episodes from 1987-90 (and spawned a feature film), with an eye on a 2017 premiere.

RelatedDisney Junior’s Sofia the First to Introduce, Spin Off Latina Princess

“DuckTales has a special place in Disney’s TV animation history,” Disney Xd Svp Mark Buhaj said in a statement. “It drew its inspiration from Disney Legend Carl Barks’ comic books and through its storytelling and artistic showmanship, set an enduring standard for animated entertainment that connects with both kids and adults.

Quacktastic! Disney announced on Wednesday, Feb. 25, that a reboot for DuckTales, its beloved '80s and '90s cartoon series, is happening. "'DuckTales' has a special place in Disney's TV animation history," Marc Buhaj, Disney Xd's Senior Vice President of Programming and General Manager, told ABC News in a statement. "It drew its inspiration from Disney Legend Carl Barks' comic books and through its storytelling and artistic showmanship, set an enduring standard for animated entertainment that connects with both kids and adults. Our new series will bring that [...]...

Huey, Dewey, and Louie are coming back to television!

In what may be the coolest news ever, Disney is reviving the classic animated series DuckTales on Disney Xd, ETonline has learned.

Related: 'Twin Peaks' Revival Coming to Showtime

The new series will again feature the misadventures of Scrooge McDuck, his grandnephews Huey, Dewey and Louie, and Donald Duck.

Other characters expected to appear include Duckworth, Gyro Gearloose, Launchpad McQuack, Flintheart Glomgold, Magica DeSpell & Poe, Ma Beagle and the Beagle Boys (Burger Beagle, Bouncer Beagle), Mrs. Beakley and Webbigail Vanderquack.

Plus, who can forget the super-catchy theme song?!

Watch: 'Full House' Cast Reunites, Performs Theme Song!

The only bad news about the DuckTales announcement? We have to wait until 2017!

“DuckTales has a special place in Disney's TV animation history. It drew its inspiration from Disney Legend Carl Barks' comic books and through its storytelling and artistic showmanship, set an enduring...

Everything old is new again, including DuckTales! Disney is bringing back the beloved cartoon starring Scoorge McDuck and his grandnephews Huey, Dewey and Louie, and Donald Duck with a new series as part of Disney Xd. "DuckTales has a special place in Disney's TV animation history, it drew its inspiration from Disney Legend Carl Barks' comic books and through its storytelling and artistic showmanship, set an enduring standard for animated entertainment that connects with both kids and adults," Marc Buhaj, senior vice president of programming and the general manager of Disney Xd, said in a statement. "Our new series will bring that same energy and adventurous spirit to a new generation." Other...

Growing up in the 1990s I had a blast watching the Disney animated series that the studio produced. These shows included DuckTales, Darkwing Duck, Gummie Bears, Chip ’n Dale Rescue Rangers, and, of course, Gargoyles. I’ve started showing these cartoons to my kids, and I’ve been reminded of some of the awesome characters that filled these shows. There are the main characters that we all know and love like Goliath, Darkwing Duck, and others, but I wanted to shine a light on some of my favorite supporting characters in these series that I thought were awesome. These were all characters that I enjoyed seeing when they showed up in these cartoons.

DuckTales* - Launchpad McQuack

Launchpad was Scrooge McDuck's personal pilot, who sometimes acted as his body guard and was idolized as a hero by Huey, Dewey, and Louie's friend Doofus. This was just such a cool character,...

A new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles video game has been announced by Activision.

Subtitled Danger of the Ooze, the forthcoming action-adventure side-scroller is in development at DuckTales Remastered studio WayForward Technologies for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo 3Ds.

Blending 2D fighting and platforming gameplay with the 3D art direction of Nickelodeon's animated TV series, the game features an interconnected, non-linear game world that is said to encourage exploration and creative thinking.

It also allows players to swap freely between Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo.

Each of the four Turtles has specialized stats, strengths and skills that must be used to save New York from the likes of Shredder, Tiger Claw and a new army of mutants.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Danger of the Ooze is scheduled for an autumn release this year.

Liz Holzman, an animation veteran and three-time Daytime Emmy Award winner for her work on the 1990s series Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain, has died. She was 61. Holzman, an animator, character designer, storyboard artist, writer, director and producer, died Monday, her family announced in a paid obituary in the Los Angeles Times. She had battled cancer for years. A nine-time Daytime Emmy nominee, Holzman also worked on such series as Alvin and the Chipmunks, The Glo Friends, Smurfs, DuckTales, Muppet Babies, Adventures of the Gummi Bears, Darkwing Duck, Garfield and Friends, Baby Blues and The Zeta Project

read more...

A slew of classic Disney movies are hitting for the first time on Blu-Ray, including one double-pack release, and you’re going to want to make sure to pick these up. You haven’t paid attention to some of these titles for a while, and it’s about time you got the chance to catch them on Blu-Ray. The best part is that there’s a great mix of releases hitting. Bedknobs and Broomsticks is all but lost in the cultural consciousness, and it deserves a return. The Academy Award-winning movie from the year I was born is filled with a lot of fun and adventure, and like most Disney films, holds up well for a whole new generation.

The rest of the group covers a great spectrum, including two animated “big” titles, and a 10th Anniversary release. There’s a lot to expose your family to here, so check out all the info below,...

Ch-ch-ch-chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers is coming to the big screen.

Millennials of a certain age will remember the short-lived Disney Channel series that ran from 1989 to 1990 and their ear-wormy theme song that seems destined to stick in our collective consciousness until the end of time. Well, commercial director Robert Rugan remembered the rodent gumshoes, too — and pitched a live-action feature to Disney and got the thumbs up to write the update. Mandeville Films (The Muppets, Muppets Most Wanted) is attached to produce the pic, which is in early development.

The original versions of Chip and Dale, pictured above in...

Entertainment Geekly is a weekly column that examines contemporary pop culture through a geek lens and simultaneously examines contemporary geek culture through a pop lens. So many lenses! Click here for past columns.

Last week I wrote a long and rant-y column about the Disney Myth, as constructed in Saving Mr. Banks and deconstructed in Escape From Tomorrow. In an effort to prove I’m not the world’s biggest grouch — and because I spent the past week in the metaphorical Disneyland known as “being back home with my family for the holidays” — I decided to try an experiment that...

Walter White has lots of money. We know this, because unlike most very rich men — who keep their money safely tied up in investments and assets and Switzerland — Walt keeps his money stored in a gigantic pile of greenbacks. On the most recent episode of Breaking Bad, go-to Goodman enforcers Kuby and Huell had to move his cash, and Huell briefly indulged himself by lying flat on his back in the pile of cash. “We’re here to do a job, not channel Scrooge McDuck,” chastised Kuby…before taking the opportunity to do the same thing. No doubt it was just a throwaway comment.

With the advent of Xbox Live Arcade, the Nintendo e-Shop, Psn and, of course, Steam, came something great. That would be one of this console generation’s best options: Being able to download and enjoy classic games from yesteryear, as well as modernized revamps of their memorable code. Many such titles have come and gone over the last eight years or so, allowing us to relive fond memories of childhood, return to great times with friends and remember what made games great all of those years ago. After all, though many months have passed since the days of the Atari 2600, Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy, what they gave us still resonates within the industry and must be remembered.

These days, gaming is a hobby that is shared by many different age groups, ranging from children to middle-aged adults and even seniors, thanks to games like Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort.

Review Ryan Lambie 16 Aug 2013 - 11:06

Scrooge McDuck returns in a remastered version of his classic 1990 outing, DuckTales. Here's Ryan's review...

Ah, Scrooge McDuck, animation's best (and perhaps only) avian one-percenter. The unfeasibly wealthy tycoon got his first videogame in 1990 - DuckTales, based on the popular 80s cartoon series of the same name, and it was a classic.

Far more than a swiftly made cash-in, DuckTales was designed by many some of the lead personnel from the Mega Man series, and it showed: with precise controls, pixel-perfect level layouts and catchy music, it was one of the finest platform games available for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Thinking about it, Ducktales came at a brief golden age for Disney-themed platformers; Castle Of Illusion was a much-loved outing for Mickey Mouse, while Quackshot and The Lucky Dime Caper provided Scrooge's nephew Donald Duck with two fun adventures of his own.

Riding on a crest of fond memories,...

by Matt Hawkins

The folks at WayFoward and Capcom, the duo that's bringing the world the much-anticipated Ducktales Remastered, has produced yet another behind the scenes look. And the most recent "Duckumentary" concerns the upcoming revamp's art design, with a focus on animation.

Much is covered, including how the developers simply didn't refer to the original game and cartoon, but also the comics that Ducktales is derived from. Specifically, the work of the legendary Carl Barks, who not only created Scrooge McDuck but the vast majority of Disney's Duck Family:

We also learn how Austin Ivansmith, the game's director, was able to channel his past desire to be an animator at Disney for the project. Along with how Jesse Lopez, the lead animator, was able to infuse Scrooge with lesson they teach in animation school, like how to breathe life into a character, which is simply done by portraying breathing.

The schedule for the fourth day of Comic-Con is now available, and it’s a big day for television panels, including Supernatural, Breaking Bad, Under the Dome, and Doctor Who.

You can find the complete schedule here, but check out below for some of the biggest highlight’s from the convention’s final day. San Diego Comic-Con will run from July 17-21.

10:00am-11:00am, Room 6De, DC Comics Superman: The New 52: The Last Son of Krypton is one of the most recognized pop culture icons of all time, and this year, Superman is set to soar to new heights!

I’ve been revisiting my childhood on YouTube and podcasts a lot lately; and for this I place the blame squarely on voice actor Rob Paulsen – voice of Yakko Warner, Dr. Otto Scratch’n’sniff, and Pinky, of Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain. Well, if I was going to be fair, the daisy chain of blame would stretch all the way back through Twitter; Billy West; the organizers of Awesome Con; Mike Gold; Deadpool; a couple of federal judges; Glenn Hauman; Glenn’s lovely wife Brandy; Ya author Esther Friesner; and Terry Pratchett and the Discworld. But that’s way too convoluted, so Rob, it’s all your fault!

At some point in my childhood, I became a latchkey kid. Both of my parents worked until after school let out, and although there was a lot of “homework time” and “chore time” in my day, I fondly remember the...

"There's no point in being grown-up if you can't be childish sometimes," Tom Baker's Fourth Doctor once said - and it would appear that the vast majority of you lot agree.

Online media outlet LoveFilm has just reported a massive surge in popularity for classic animated series - we're talking '80s and '90s vintage here - on its online streaming service - the likes of The Real Ghostbusters (1986-1991), X-Men (1992-1997) and He-Man: Masters of the Universe (1983-1988) have all leapt up the charts.

> Super Mario, X-Men lead '80s, '90s animated revival on LoveFilm

This week's Week in Geek is all about paying tribute to those classic kids' cartoons of yesteryear - the kind of animated gems you just don't get on telly anymore. So pop on your rose-tinted spectacles and prepare to take a warm dip in a bath full of nostalgia juice...

> Week in Geek - Hulk,...

By Kevin Kelly

Capcom had thoughtfully set up a multi-station obstacle course for us at Gdc, otherwise known as the Capcom Press Suite, which is parlance for "cramming as many video games as possible into one hotel room." Which is much better than unlimited room service and free pay TV. Scattered around the room in every nook and cranny were Capcom's up and coming titles at hands-on stations ready to be touched and inspected. So without further ado, we're going to run you through the same course, and give you our impressions.

DuckTales: Remastered

As it turns out, life actually is like a Hurricane, right there in Duckburg. The original title "Ducktales" was a big hit for Capcom back in 1989 and 1990, becoming the company's best-selling game on both the Nintendo Entertainment System and the GameBoy. Now nearly 24 years later (eep!) the game is returning at "DuckTales Remastered," and features...

For older gamers raised on the Nintendo Entertainment System, Capcom and WayForward’s surprising DuckTales Remastered announcement at Pax East was a dream come true. After all, it is not everyday that a classic game from the Nes-era gets remade in HD by one of the premier 2D platformer development studios. As if the news could not get any better, we are now hearing that there is a chance Disney could license Capcom to remake other classic Nes games.

Speaking to Polygon, DuckTales Remastered producer Rey Jimenez revealed that Capcom put a considerable amount of work into getting approval from Disney for the upcoming remake. If the title generates enough sales, Jimenez stated that other Nes Capcom/Disney titles – like Chip n’ Dale Rescue Rangers, Darkwing Duck, and Aladdin — could be next.

“For a remake of an Nes game I’m surprised how much dedication they are putting into this,...

Cinderella II: Dreams Come True

Directed by John Kafka

Written by Jill E. Blotvogel, Tom Rogers, Julie Selbo

Starring Jennifer Hale, Corey Burton, Russi Taylor, Holland Taylor

How low can expectations get? Because mine, regarding the Disney direct-to-video/DVD sequels, are as low as is humanly possible. I don’t actually expect legitimate quality from these films, but I forlornly hope for just a bit. And why not? Some people may scoff at this idea, or even raise their eyebrows quizzically when they realize that, yes, we’re going to look at all of the Dtv sequels on this podcast. But what frustrates me most about these films is the precise reason they exist: they’re cheap. Why are there so many of these movies? They make a ton of money, because they cost very little to produce. But because they cost very little to produce, the quality is low at best.

Did Scrooge McDuck cause the financial crisis? The answer to that question depends on how you choose to read the subtext of DuckTales, a frothy Reagan-era cartoon based loosely on the work of comics maestro Carl Barks. You could argue that Scrooge McDuck is the very image of insatiable capitalism unbound. He owns every company in Duckburg, an unthinkable monopoly that could only exist in a world with a financial system managed by Ayn Rand zealots. (There is something of Fountainhead protagonist Howard Roarke in Scrooge’s recurrent mantra: “I made my money by being tougher than the toughies, and smarter than the smarties!

Boom! Studios has announced an ongoing comic series based on Disney's DuckTales. Written by veteran game designer Warren Spector and illustrated by Disney artist Miquel Pujol, the title follows the adventures of Uncle Scrooge and his nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie. Like the publisher's other Disney collaborations Darkwing Duck and Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, DuckTales was originally an animated show that aired throughout the late '80s and early '90s. "You want ducks? Oh, do we have ducks," said Boom! marketing director Chip Mosher. "We're (more)...

Saturday was Carl Barks’s birthday. Had he not died in 2000 at the age of 99, he’d be 109. Anyone else who grew up loving Ducktales has him to thank: For nearly 65 years he was involved with Disney, most famously as author and illustrator of the “Duck” comic books, and among his creations are Gyro Gearloose, Gladstone Gander, Flintheart Glomgold, Magica DeSpell, the Beagle Boys, and, of course, Uncle $crooge.

Born in Merrill, Oregon, in 1901, Barks grew up on a small farm his parents owned and purportedly took up a number of odd jobs (that would later be reflected in Donald Duck’s vocational transcience) before deciding, on a whim, that he should go into cartooning, taking up a job at Disney in 1935. In 1942, he began his celebrated tenure working on Donald Duck comics, his first effort being the comic adaptation of an unproduced feature animation film showcasing Mickey, Goofy, and...