The Future of AS Via DC, Vertigo, Wildstorm...

[Anarky]

Adult Swim has been successful mixing acquired animation and anime' w/ their own stable of originals. However, for AS to continue growing, it well eventually have to do better than 15-minute, low budget, crazy quilt comedies.

We've already seen growth this year w/ the success of The Venture Bros., a hilarious action-spoof of genres such as Johnny Quest and James Bond.

I see AS producing more half-hour programming as they outgrow shows like SGC2C, ATHF, Sealab, Birdman, and their ilk. I strongly believe AS will eventually take advantage of their corporate ties to DC via Time-Warner and create bold new shows featuring the stars of DCs alternate publishers: Vertigo & Wildstorm.

Vertigo is going on 12 yrs and boasts hits like The Sandman, Death, Y: The Last Man, Hellblazer, 100 Bullets, Swamp Thing, Transmetropolitan, and Preacher.

Wildstorm, going on 16 yrs, also has hot properties to offer tv: Wildcats, Gen13, The Authority, & Planetary. And Wildstorm's catalogue also includes America's Best Comics' Tom Strong, Promethea, and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Not since the days of Spawn and the Maxx has quality Mature American Animation graced our tv sets. Programming like this would not only hook the comics audience but also the college crowd and those w/ anime' sensibilities.

I hope in the very near future AS will dip into the wealth of material made available to them by the grace of being part of the Time-Warner family.

[Wanted]

That sounds like a good idea. DC brings their bunch, and WB Animation animates them for exclusive use on [adult swim].

Maybe it'd get me going to comic shops.

[livingfruitvirus]

This is a possbility, but for now it's a pipe dream. At Dragon Con and Comic Con Adult Swim said that they don't have they money it takes (at least 600,000 an episode) to produce a domestic action series at the moment (CN uses a lot of Adult Swim's profits for the kids 6-11 demo shows). In a few years maybe, but for now, they'll stick to acquiring anime to fill the action void. Seems a lot of people have expressed interest in a Sandman series most of all. Even at the conventions that was the example that popped up.

[Mugen]

This is a possbility, but for now it's a pipe dream. At Dragon Con and Comic Con Adult Swim said that they don't have they money it takes (at least 600,000 an episode) to produce a domestic action series at the moment (CN uses a lot of Adult Swim's profits for the kids 6-11 demo shows). In a few years maybe, but for now, they'll stick to acquiring anime to fill the action void. Seems a lot of people have expressed interest in a Sandman series most of all. Even at the conventions that was the example that popped up.
What about Spawn? A few months back, Todd McFarlene said that he found a cost-cutting way to make new episodes and was going to try to see if HBO would pick it up. If that failed, then he would try the cable networks, and then direct-to-DVD.

[livingfruitvirus]

What about Spawn? A few months back, Todd McFarlene said that he found a cost-cutting way to make new episodes and was going to try to see if HBO would pick it up. If that failed, then he would try the cable networks, and then direct-to-DVD.
I don't have a doubt in my mind that when he thought of taking Spawn to cable that Adult Swim popped into his mind. And, to be honest, it would probably be the best possible place on cable since Adult Swim owns the 18-34 and 18-24 spots across the board. If Todd can make it work, I say go for it. I would like it if an AS Spawn retained an MA rating like HBO so it could remain as uncensored as possible (Turner is VERY lenient with the MA rating when they use it on TBS/TNT. Their standards are similar to FX's.) but that would take some extra pushing.

[Mugen]

I don't have a doubt in my mind that when he thought of taking Spawn to cable that Adult Swim popped into his mind. And, to be honest, it would probably be the best possible place on cable since Adult Swim owns the 18-34 and 18-24 spots across the board. If Todd can make it work, I say go for it. I would like it if an AS Spawn retained an MA rating like HBO so it could remain as uncensored as possible (Turner is VERY lenient with the MA rating when they use it on TBS/TNT. Their standards are similar to FX's.) but that would take some extra pushing.
I see your point. It would be interesting if AS could pick up Spawn. It probably would go on Saturdays at maybe 11:30 or 12. I don't know if AS could convince Turner to use the TV-MA rating, but it could happen.

I would like to see a DC animated show with Bruce Timm at the helm, but he's busy with JLU and I think AS would rather have a CN Studios original first before a WBA original.

[shoujoaifan]

Hmm, I kinda doubt it. Aside from the omey issue already brought up, it would have to be in VB-vien, a comedy/action mix, and we don't even know if that's getting a 2nd season anytime soon, even with good rating. Unless the list of shows from last Sun.'s cards is just a rough draft OR if VB is lumped with anime and not included with pure action, it doesn't look like we getting a S2 in 2005.

In the end, even with money, would the US audience enjoy an action CARTOON? I mean, WE DO, but we're not the norm. VB's doing well, but then we go back to it being a comedy/action mix on a block with a tight budget that may not being able to afford a S2.

Big O Season 2 at 11:30 A.M. was part miracle/part fluke, since at the time it was comissioned it was going to Toonami, and they had invested so much money into it that they wanted to get their money's worth out of it.

[Mugen]

In the end, even with money, would the US audience enjoy an action CARTOON? I mean, WE DO, but we're not the norm. VB's doing well, but then we go back to it being a comedy/action mix on a block with a tight budget that may not being able to afford a S2.


I think the audience would enjoy an action cartoon. I think it was somewhere I head that JLU gets the highest adult ratings outside of AS.

[TODE]

It's not a cartoon, but apparently there was a pilot produced based on the Wildstorm comic "Global Frequency". The WB passed on it, but perhaps another network will get it.

[livingfruitvirus]

It's not a cartoon, but apparently there was a pilot produced based on the Wildstorm comic "Global Frequency". The WB passed on it, but perhaps another network will get it.
Ben Edlund ditched Venture Brothers to write for that pilot. I don't think another network will take it though.....except maybe cable (like TNT?).

[Duke]

I have a stupid, off-topic question: Since when are James Bond and Jonny Quest "genres"?

On-topic: The way ASA is going right now, it looks to be the most successful year ever, so it's not out of the question for CN to foot some money for an original action show, especially if they only have to foot part of the money. I kinda doubt it'll be an anime though, after Big O II failed, but if CN ever tries it again with a Shonen Jump-like series for Toonami or Miguzi and it succeeds, they may do the same thing for Adult Swim and try and fund an InuYasha replacement.

[Beat]

When you can make money with a cheapo production like Tom Goes to the Mayor, why foot the bill for something more expensive? The one thing about the WS originals is that their low production costs (with the exception of VB) makes them very expendable.

If Adult Swim funded an adaptation like "Outsiders", and it bombed, the financial reprocusions would be far greater than if Tom Goes to the Mayor bombed. That, among other things, is the reason Static was kiddified. It's also why Adult Swim relies almost 100% on anime aquistions for Action.

[Chad Bonin]

I'm sure John Walsh and America's Most Wanted wouldn't mind footing some of the bill for an Outsiders show on Adult Siwm. :)