TRANSFORMERS & GI JOE The COMPLETE Series Sets??

According to a 4.10.09 interview w/Home Media Magazine:
(special thanks to Randy for the news...)

Shout! Factory has signed a multiyear agreement with toymaker Hasbro to bring to DVD several animated properties based on the company’s toy lines. The deal includes episodes of 1980s animated series “The Transformers” and “G.I. Joe.,” as well as the direct-to-DVD animated movie My Little Pony: Twinkle Wish Adventure.

“We’ve wanted this for years,” said Shout! Factory president Garson Foos. “These are all iconic pop-culture brands.”

Foos said the “Transformers” and “G.I. Joe” lines were especially relevant, since they appeal to both younger fans and older collectors, and both have live-action adaptations hitting theaters this year.

“I think one of the things that attracted Hasbro to us was they knew we could move fast on these DVDs, but not sacrifice quality,” Foos said.

Foos had been with Rhino when it released the original “Transformers” cartoon on DVD years ago, and said the sets sold well beyond expectations.

Shout! Factory’s first release under the agreement will be The Transformers: The Complete First Season — 25th Anniversary Edition. The set is slated for June 16 (prebook May 19), a week before the big-screen debut of the Michael Bay-directed feature film sequel Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, due in theaters June 24.

The $29.99 three-DVD set will include the original broadcast versions of all 16 episodes from the 1984 season in the intended storyline order, with remastered picture and a new stereo soundtrack created from the original audio. The Rhino releases featured incomplete work prints of episodes and modified sound effects.

Tentative extras include the featurete “Triplechanger: From Toy to Comic to Screen: The Origins of the Transformers,” a printable script, rare PSAs, toy commercials and a limited-edition Autobot magnet.

Foos said Shout! Factory would follow the release with special complete-series sets of “The Transformers” and “G.I. Joe” later this summer. In the case of “G.I. Joe,” Rhino lost the rights before completing its release slate, which means many of the episodes will finally be released for the first time.

The Hasbro deal also includes the potential for Shout! Factory to release additional “My Little Pony” movies.


So I complete rundown would be:
1. Possible Complete Series releases of Transformers & GI Joe
2. More Hasbro animated properties in the works on DVD (Jem? Visionaries?)
3. New remastered broadcast transfer picture & sound & NOT the Rhino 33mm print with amped-up effects...

Awesome...

G.I.*JOE CLASSIC & RESOLUTE UPDATE!!

NEW cover art for the classic GI JOE: A Real American Hero DVD Set Season 1.1!!
This is industry leaked art & is subject to change.
It's a 4 DVD set, Amazon has it for preorder @ $29.99. YO JOE!!


Also TV Guide lists yet ANOTHER (better) time-slot in addition to the previously announced Saturday midnight airing of the new GI JOE RESOLUTE animation, you'll be able to watch RESOLUTE for the 1st time on Cartoon Network Friday, April 24th from 9:00pm - 10:00pm!! @_@

G.I.*JOE RESOLUTE WORLD PREMIERE!! 4.25.09

It's finally here!!

The all new adult-aimed animated GI Joe series GI Joe: Resolute will be hitting the airwaves on Cartoon Network's "Adult Swim" at 12AM-1:30AM, on the night of Saturday April 25th, which is actually Sunday April 26th.
If you haven't heard about this yet, Joe fans have been going crazy with anticipation as this is Hasbro's 1st real dip into the adult animation genre that has been so successful for Marvel & DC DTV market. If the 5-year plan is successful you will see more adult animations like this for GI Joe & possibly Transformers!!
Check out the stats:
Adult themed, PG-13
Highly detailed animation
Designed to bring adult fans back into the market
Micro eps that make a 65 min movie (like original Star Wars: Clone Wars animated)
NO LASERS. NO PARACHUTING.
Will have deaths.
Focus on core early characters.
Director: Jaoquim De Santos (Avatar:The Last Airbender action director)
Writer: Warren Ellis (revered comics writer)

Character design sheets:

SNAKE EYES

STORM SHADOW
SCARLETT
DUKE
STALKER
DESTRO & BARONESS
gear

FLAGG

FIREFLY

Check out the bootleg of the sizzle shown @ SDCC '08!!

You will NOT WANT TO MISS THIS!! YO JOE!!

G.I.*JOE A Real American Hero returns to DVD 7.21.09!!

With speculation swarming on Shout Factory's Transformers DVD announcement last week, more of our classic animation dreams have come true, & to help with the push of the "G.I.*Joe: The Rise Of Cobra Movie" this August, oldskool fans can rejoice, as the original G.I.*Joe ARAH animation from the 80's is also being released from Shout with their Sunbow purchasing licenses from Hasbro!! Promised to be loaded w/extra features, G.I.*Joe A Real American Hero: Season 1, part 1 will be a 4-DVD set dropping on 7.21.09!! Finally this series will get a full release as it has been long out of print with the former holders Rhino never releasing the final volume of the ARAH era animation. We can only hope we see more releases of the Hasbro Sunbow library like Jem or Visionaries in the near future. More details as they become available on this absolutely CLASSIC action series, one of THE BEST from the 80's animation domination!!
Check out the original opening...


YO JOE!!

TRANSFORMERS G1 Cartoon returns to DVD 6.16.09!!

Hasbro acquired the rights to all of their Sunbow productions from the 80's in the last 2 years, which includes Transformers, G.I.*Joe, Jem, & The Visionaries. It looks like the biggest of those franchises has been relicensed from them for a new release with Transformers G1 getting a 25th Anniversary DVD release, the 1st of the 1984-86 series!! The complete 1st season (1st 16 eps/3 dvds) comes out 6.16.09 & appears to be getting a release through Shout Factory (C.O.P.S./Jayce & the Wheeled Warriors) ...although new extras are expected, hopefully this is an all new transfer & not the same 16mm/sound enhanced release that Rhino did for the series some years ago, so there is something all new for everyone... either way TF fans rejoice as the classic series will finally be available on DVD again with what looks like to be superior packaging design from the 1st Rhino gatefolds!! More info as it becomes available...

US Opening:


JAPAN Opening:

Cartoon Classics COMING SOON & newly available!!

COMING SOON:

EXO-SQUAD vol. 1: 4.14.09
The 90's syndicated epic Space Opera comes to dvd for the 1st time packing as much death & destruction as ever before, enjoy Exo-Squad, one of the BEST animated series of the 90's based on a supercharged toy-line, containing sweeping music, original animation stylings, & no-nonsense story lines that capture the battle of the military Human combat unit vs the Neo-sapians in a futuristic serial of stellar porportions!!
The 1st 13 of the 52 eps series odyssey drops this April!!



AMAZON


VOLTRON - FLEET OF DOOM Movie: 5.26.09
The rare classic US created movie for Voltron that features both the Lion Force & Vehicle Force teaming up is now coming to DVD, a once in a lifetime union of the 2 classics Voltron teams made with new animation (in the 80's) exclusively for US Voltron fans!!



AMAZON

X-MEN: (Vol 1 & 2) 4.28.09
The much remembered classic Saturday Morning 90's X-Men series is being released on DVD starting with 2 volumes!! This animation paved the way for many series of super hero cartoons with it's story arcs, voice cast, & gritty animation!! 16+ eps in 2 disc collections (volume 2 contains the "Pheonix Saga")!!

US Opening:


JAPAN Opening:


AMAZON vol 1
AMAZON vol 2

MYSTERIOUS CITIES OF GOLD complete collection: 4.7.09
The beloved classic anime series from Nickolodeon known for it's rich story telling, nice animation, & memorable soundtrack from Shuki Levy final gets the royal treatment with the complete series being released in both a regular & absolutely LOADED deluxe addition!!



AMAZON regular
AMAZON deluxe

NEWLY AVAILABLE:

THE REAL ADVENTURES OF JOHNNY QUEST 2-DVD vol 1:
Considered by many a loyal Johnny Quest fan as the definitive series, the fantastic 90's Johnny Quest series is NOW available on DVD!! The 1st 13 episodes of this series which still easily show it holds it's own as one of the best of the genre is finally here!!



AMAZON

THE REAL GHOSTBUSTERS vol 1: 3.31.09
The entire first network season and the first part of the syndicated series are included in this cool, deluxe 5-DVD set, along with nearly three hours of exclusive bonus material, all packaged in a steelbook case.



AMAZON

WONDERWOMAN!!

Although this is a blog meant for classic cartoons of the 80's +, from time to time I may mention modern animations you should check out... the new DC DTV Wonder Woman DVD is one of these times!! A classic character with a great new animation!!
The film is excellent!! Action-packed, sexy, funny, & so far the best of the new Timm-verse DC DTV's yet!! Even better than Superman Doomsday. Great atmosphere & a faitful modern retelling of WW's origin. Directed by the very talented artist Lauren Montgomery, you need to do yourself a favor & check this out... It's available in the 1 DVD (+K-mart exclusive tatoos) , 2 DVD (bonus disc on Amazon lore & Justice League favorites), & HD Blu-Ray formats... So what are you waiting for?
Here's some screens from Lauren's site & the trailer...