With 2006 being the 40th Anniversary of SPEED RACER, Art Asylum will be premiering episodes of the new animated promos, as well as the videogame, upcoming SPEED RACER soundtrack and toy line exclusively at Booth # 3913 at San Diego’s Comic-Con, July 19–23, 2006. Each day of the show fans can come by and watch the individual episodes while they meet the team from Heroes Garage.

Radical Axis, Inc., an Atlanta studio that specializes in animation and design for broadcast (AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE, SQUIDBILLIES), is producing Comedy Central’s new animated half-hour series, FREAK SHOW. The show chronicles the adventures of a band of freak show performers and second-rate superheroes. Created by comedians David Cross and H. Jon Benjamin, Freak Show will premiere Oct. 4, 2006, 10:30 pm.

Animation production company Noodlesoup Prods. has renamed itself World Leaders Ent. with the launch of the new animated series SUPERNORMAL, its first global co-production with U.K. TV leader Granada Television.

SUPERNORMAL is the story of Eric Normal, a special boy with no super powers, who attends Superhero Junior High School and befriends three of the “less promising” but “stand-out” members of the student body.

D7 Studios has launched the first chapter of its new animated adventure series, D7PEACEMAKER – REVELATION, in multi-platform release, including High Definition, DVD, iPod and Internet download at www.D7.com. The online version of the series allows the viewer to watch and interact with additional scenes, giving more insight into specific characters and foreshadow events to come.

DesignMentor Training announces the addition of master illustrator/animator, Chris Georgenes, to its roster of Flash trainers. Georgenes teaches Flash Animation, the final class in DesignMentor's comprehensive Flash Design Portfolio-Builder Program, where students learn character animation and techniques used to enhance any Flash design project. By using basic frame-by-frame techniques and tweening, Georgenes teaches students to draw and animate simple characters, add motion, drama and expression.

Nexus Prods. has completed a series of animated short films for Animal Planet, Italy.

The films, written and directed by Bessy & Combe, Carolina Melis and Celyn, range from one to three minutes and feature a break dancing cat, a snake-impersonating giraffe and some stampeding mammoths.

The three episodes of MAGIC CAT, directed by Celyn, each tell a tale of a little boy, Paulo, and his sometimes surreal adventures with a mysteriously appearing cat who seems to be able to bend space and time at will.

Spanish 3D school Sintesys has launched a new 3D chat online as a service directed to its website users and school students.

HOUSTON CHRONICLE editorial cartoonist Nick Anderson has moved into 3D animation with a new short on Chron.com, reports EDITOR & PUBLISHER. The first animation skewers the Supreme Court's recent Texas redistricting ruling.

Anderson said future animations "will grow in complexity." The opportunity to do 3D animation was his "deciding factor in accepting the job at the CHRONICLE. It is an incredible opportunity to redefine the role of a staff cartoonist."

This week in AWN's Forums, a potential student has some questions and concerns about online animation schools. Others are still abuzz about 2D animation returning to Disney. There are also several posts asking for help in using Flash. More members post their frustrating work experience in a thread titled “The definition of frustration.” Another member wants to know if it’s worth attending the Ottawa Festival. A junior member shows off his daunting effort animating in a foreign language.

This week in AWN's Forums, a member presents the definition of frustration. Another thread is collecting member’s favorite animation style. Others are talking about the return of 2D to Disney. A member has a question regarding character design in Flash. Others are talking about return of FUTURAMA. A potential student has questions about Animation Mentor. As well as, tools for teaching animation, the business of animation and, as always, brand new stuff to check out in show and tell!

Walt Handelsman has created a new editorial animation skewering recent comments made by right-wing pundit Ann Coulter about a group of 9/11 widows enjoying their husbands’ deaths.

In the animation, Coulter sings new lyrics to "My Favorite Things," including — "I write evil stuff ... for the money it brings."

This week in AWN's Forums, a debate has begun over why animators up and quit jobs. There’s a continuing thread on character animation in Flash. Others are talking about the continued string of Pixar success. Another member needs advice on ways to improve their drawing skills. A junior member wants some suggestions on building a portable animation studio. There’s also a thread over the poor treatment of the CHIPMUNK ADVENTURE DVD cover.

This week in AWN's Forums, members are debating art vs. animation schools and hand drawn vs. computer animation. Others are discussing the state of animation in India. There’s a thread discussing how Pixar does it. Moderator Larry L chimes in with his thought on life after SCAD. Another thread answers some questions about character animation using Flash. Another members vents about some optioning troubles. As well as, tools for teaching animation, the business of animation and, as always, brand new stuff to check out in show and tell!

Animax Ent. won a Sports Emmy Award for OFF-MIKES, the weekly original animated series they produce for ESPN.com. Animax Ent. and ESPN.com won for Outstanding Achievement in Content for Non-Traditional Delivery Platforms, a category that the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences debuted this year. This is Animax’s first Emmy Award.

Interactive animation company aniBOOM announced the First aniBOOM Awards. Fans of animation throughout the world will be able to vote on their favorite submissions from professional and independent participants alike and help determine the winners of $50,000 in prize money.

Adobe Systems Inc. announced that it is sponsoring the American Pavilion Student Filmmaker Program at the Cannes Film Festival, May 17 through May 28, 2006. Students representing 30 film schools in North America, the U.K., India and South Africa will be paired with professional filmmakers and instructors to create documentaries on their experience at Cannes using the Adobe Production Studio, Macromedia Flash and Macromedia Studio 8. Documentaries will be broadcast daily on the Adobe.com website.

San Diego Asian Film Festival 2006
San Diego, California, USA
October 12-19, 2006
Deadline: June 7, 2006

fmx/06, the 11th International Conference on Animation, Effects, Realtime and Content from May 3-6, 2006 in Stuttgart, Germany, announces its prizes. With more than 5,000 international visitors – 40% more than last year – fmx/06 included 350 speakers from all over the world presented more than 300 lectures, demos, workshops and screenings about creation, production and distribution in all forms of digital content.

Comedy Central has ordered 10 episodes of Augenblick Studios' GOLDEN AGE, the first adult animated series to be produced by a major television network for broadband. The series premiered May 8, 2006 and will show weekly on its broadband channel, Motherload (www.comedycentral.com/motherload).

This animated dark comedy reveals the shocking true stories of the world’s strangest cartoon characters. Each episode uses a blend of mixed media to satirize classic cartoons from the past.

fmx/06, the 11th International Conference on Animation, Effects, Realtime and Content, will take place May 3-6, 2006, in Stuttgart, Germany.