Internet & Interactive

Tim Burton To Stain Shockwave.Com. Tim Burton, creator of Nightmare Before Christmas, has inked a deal to bring a series of animated shorts featuring his Stainboy character to shockwave.com. Viewers will be able to download the charcoal-drawn superhero's first five-minute short sometime in Spring 2000. Under the terms of the deal, Burton will keep full artistic control over the characters and properties. The William Morris Agency brokered the deal which allows for the cross over to TV if the shorts become a hit on the Web. Stainboy original appeared in Burton's collection of poems, stories and illustrations entitled The Melancholy Death Of Oyster Boy & Other Stories. In an agreement that resembles shockwave.com's deals with South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and comic book icon Stan Lee, Burton is just another artist to enjoy the freedom of owning his own creations and broadcasting them without time restraints and ratings worries on the Net.

Joe Cartoon Co. Vs. Joescartoon.Com. Joe Cartoon Company has filed a lawsuit against two entities, John Zuccarini and Cupcake City, for the violation of the newly enacted Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act. The lawsuit is one of the first cases filed under the anticybersquatting statute in the U.S. The act outlaws the unauthorized use of an Internet domain name that is "confusingly similar" to another name, for the purpose of intercepting users of the pre-existing domain. Filed with United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Joe Cartoon Company, with domain name www.joecartoon.com, is seeking damages and an injunctive relief for infringement against the two companies "www.joescartoon.com" and "www.joecarton.com." Joe Cartoon Co. was established in December 1998 and with such cartoons as Frog In A Blender, Gerbil In A Microwave, Lump and Lemmings, it has grown into one of the most popular independent entertainment sites on the Web.

CartoonNetwork.Com Plans To Expand. On February 1, 2000, Cartoon Network announced a broad expansion of CartoonNetwork.com, the network's entertainment destination on the Web. Kicking off the expansion is a heavy increase in original, interactive entertainment. Over the next year, CartoonNetwork.com will more than double production of its Web Premiere Toons. In addition, CartoonNetwork.com will triple the number of games on the site; add functionality including shopping and advanced search functions; and create a safe community aspect. The expansion will give Cartoon Network the opportunity to establish enhanced television programming in which integrated content is available simultaneously on-line and on the network. To help in the expansion, CartoonNetwork.com will hire staff, expand their marketing and increase their technology, research and development departments. "The expansion of CartoonNetwork.com is another step in building a multimedia brand that allows cartoon lovers of all ages to interact with Cartoon Network and our characters on an entirely new level," said Cartoon Network President Betty Cohen. "Expanding the site serves a variety of constituencies, including consumers, who are seeking new ways to immerse themselves in our programs and characters; marketing and advertising partners, who will have the opportunity to reach our audience across multiple media platforms; distributors, who will see Cartoon Network leading the way toward true convergence; and creative talent, who will have additional opportunities to showcase their work." This announcement comes on the heals of the recent launch of PowerpuffGirls.com on January 31, 2000. The Web site is dedicated to the three pint-sized superheroes Blossom, Buttercup and Bubbles. The new site offers "The 4 Terrors of Townsville," the first interactive movie featuring the tiny trio. The Web Premiere Toon uses footage from The Powerpuff Girls series to allow Web users to create a new adventure for the pint-sized heroines. PowerpuffGirls.com will also feature four Shockwave games, video clips from favorite episodes, storyboards and production art, as well as an e-mail service directly to the Powerpuff Girls. To celebrate, the new site will offer free downloadable Valentine's Day cards until February 14.

Class In Session At Eruptor.Com. On February 29, 2000, comic book artist Marc Silvestri, creator of Witchblade, Cyber Force and Darkness, will be teaching fans and aspiring artists how it's done through the first semester of on-line classes offered at Eruptor.com. Silvestri will present a live, three-part series on Eruptor's Web-based university, Eruptor College, to help students learn how to produce layouts, refine characters and develop stories for comic books of their own. The real-time class will allow Silvestri to answer questions from viewers. Silvestri began his artistic career as a penciler on Marvel's "Uncanny X-Men" and "Wolverine." In 1992, Silvestri founded Top Cow Productions, Inc. which was one of the four studios that comprised Image Comics.

LucasArts Brings Their Far, Far Away Galaxy To Dreamcast. Sega of America announced that LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC has become a new third party publisher for the Sega Dreamcast. Scheduled to ship Spring 2000, Star Wars: Episode I Racer will be the first LucasArts title to hit Dreamcast. LucasArts is committed to providing additional titles in the future, adding to Sega's long list of third party publishers and developers for Sega Dreamcast. Taking advantage of Dreamcast's Internet capabilities, Star Wars: Episode I Racer will allow gamers to post high scores to the Sega Dreamcast Network. Utilizing all the advantages of the 128-bit game system, LucasArts plans to work on creating unprecedented realism, graphics and gameplay in their Sega Dreamcast titles. Star Wars: Episode I Racer will feature high resolution graphics and pre-rendered cut scenes.

Learn about game pre-production at LucasArts explained by Russell Bekins in Animation World Magazine.

Read Joseph Szadkowski's Animation World Magazine article "Dreamcast: Gaming's New Darling."

Sammy Sosa Hits For 3DO. The 3DO Company has signed an exclusive multi-year agreement with U.S. Major League Baseball's 1999 Man of the Year, Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs. Sosa will help in the development and marketing of 3DO's baseball franchise, Sammy Sosa High Heat Baseball. In the February 2000 issue of Computer Gaming World Magazine, Sammy Sosa High Heat 2000 was named "Best Sports Game Of The Year" and PC Gamer Magazine even went as far as to call it "The Best Baseball Game Ever." "I agree with the gaming magazines that say 3DO's High Heat Baseball is the best," said Sosa. "The baseball video game I endorse has to play and look like the real thing. High Heat Baseball captures Major League Baseball perfectly." This year's version features improved graphics including star player face-mapping and new animations, a TV-style presentation Action Camera Mode, Batting Practice Mode and new training difficulty levels. Sammy Sosa High Heat Baseball 2001 will be available Spring 2000 for the PC and PlayStation. Sammy Sosa was the first player in MLB history to hit 60 homeruns in two consecutive seasons. 3DO's other game franchises include Army Men, Battletanx, Heroes Of Might And Magic, Might And Magic and Meridian 59.