Friday, March 8, 2002

JUSTICE LEAGUE GETS SECOND SEASON

The Justice League animated series has been picked up for a second season, Cartoon Network announced on Thursday.

The network has ordered 26 more half-hour episodes.

The first season of Justice League also consisted of 26 half-hour episodes. The first season might stretch as late as September.

Justice League has been a consistent ratings performer for Cartoon Network. Justice League's premiere on Saturday, Nov. 17 scored as the most-watched original premiere in Cartoon Network history with 1,770,000 homes and 4,114,000 different viewers tuning in. The premiere also posted the highest adult 18-34 rating (1.6) and delivery (755,000) for an original telecast.

Other announcements made Thursday by Cartoon Network included:

ANIMATED TELEVISION PROGRAMMING

* Whatever Happened to Robot Jones?, a new Cartoon Cartoon original series that will launch in July.

* Codename: Kids Next Door, a new Cartoon Cartoon original series, which will premiere in November.

* More than 100 new episodes of original programs are in currently in production for 2002-2003, including 26 episodes each of Courage the Cowardly Dog and Ed, Edd n Eddy.

* Eight new series pilots scheduled will premiere throughout the summer.

* The 10th June Bugs marathon will air May 31-June 2, featuring more than 175 Bugs Bunny cartoons.

* The 1st 13th Annual Fancy Anvil Award Show Program Live!... In Stereo, an animated awards show parody, will air Saturday, March 23.

ACQUISITIONS

* Cartoon Network presents the U.S. television debut of Hamtaro. Fifty-two episodes of the Japanese show will premiere in July.

* Fifty-four new episodes of Dragon Ball Z starting in September. Dragon Ball Z airs exclusively on Toonami, Cartoon Network's action-adventure franchise.

* Thirty-eight new episodes of Dragonball will air on Toonami this year.

ALL NEW EPISODES OF TOP-RATED ORIGINALS:

* Twenty new half-hours of The Powerpuff Girls, including a Christmas special.

* Twenty-six new half-hour episodes of Samurai Jack.

* Thirteen new episodes of Grim & Evil.

* A Johnny Bravo Valentine's Day special is in production and is scheduled for a 2003 premiere.

ADULT SWIM

* Thirteen new half-hour episodes of Home Movies, created for Cartoon Network, will debut in fall.

* Twenty new episodes of Harvey Birdman, Attorney-at-Law will debut starting in July.

* Thirteen new episodes each of current series Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Sealab 2021 and The Brak Show.

* Thirteen half-hour episodes of Mission Hill will premiere in May.

* Thirteen episodes of The Oblongs, a half-hour series that will premiere in July.

* The launch of the new Saturday night action edition of Adult Swim with premieres of animé series Yu Yu Hakusho, Gundam 0083 and Pilot Candidate.

* New half-hour specials including Saddle Rash, Finkel Files, Penguins Behind Bars and Party Wagon.

MARVEL FIRST LOOKS

For first looks on Marvel Comics titles shipping next Wednesday, CLICK HERE.

Titles include Origin #5, Iron Man #52, X-Treme X-Men #11, X-Force #125, Amazing Spider-Man #39, Fantastic Four #53, Cable #103, Taskmaster #2, The Punisher #10, Black Panther #42, Avengers: Celestial Quest #7 and Deadpool: Funeral for a Freak #4.

BLADE 2 WEEK ON TNN

Wesley Snipes, star of the upcoming Blade 2, will be featured by The National Network for "Blade 2 Week on The New TNN."

From Saturday, March 16 through Saturday, March 23, Snipes will appear in a variety of network vignettes and will be host of TNN's Slammin' Saturday Night, introducing viewers to Blade 2, which opens nationwide on March 22. TNN viewers will also have the opportunity to enter an exclusive sweepstakes to win a Ducati motorcycle featured in Blade 2.

Snipes' vignettes throughout the week will also include introducing TNN's primetime action-themed movie presentations (9-11 p.m. ET/PT), Friday's two Star Trek: The Next Generation "Bonus Trek" episodes (9-11 p.m. ET/PT) and TNN's Slammin' Saturday Night tune-ins.

The movies telecasting on TNN that week are Bloodsport on Tuesday, March 19; Death Warrant on Wednesday, March 20 and Kickboxer on Thursday, March 21. Death Warrant was written by David Goyer, who wrote Blade and Blade 2.

During the March 16 telecast of TNN's Slammin' Saturday Night, Snipes will introduce viewers to Blade 2 through movie clips and behind-the-scenes commentary.

In addition, Snipes will offer viewers an opportunity to enter the Blade 2 Week on The New TNN Sweepstakes, where one Grand Prize-winner will ride off with a Ducati Motorcycle used in his new film. Viewers will be encouraged to log onto TNNOnline.com from Saturday, March 16 until Thursday, March 21 (at midnight, ET) to enter to win. The winner of the sweepstakes will be announced during Slammin' Saturday Night on March 23.

Aside from the one grand prize, there will be 100 secondary prize winners with 50 receiving a copy of the original Blade on DVD and the other 50 receiving a copy of the Blade 2 soundtrack.

CHAOS! COMICS FOR JUNE

Chaos! Comics has released its solicitation information for June.

For a complete rundown, CLICK HERE.

BRIEFLY