#reboots

[kingoftheu]

[princess-ibri]

So. I guess this Lady Lovely Locks Reboot exists??

Ngl. I don't hate the concept. This could actually be pretty cool. It's giving me Amythest of Gem World /She-Ra: Princesses of Power vibes. If they pull it off it could be a lot of fun.

Though I will protest at the og dresses being called "frumpy". Those dresses were perfect princess dresses in every way

Lovely indeed

[gregxb]

That Pause Said Everything

There’s something fascinating about hearing a professional give an answer that tells you everything you need to know… especially when they almost soften it, and then decide not to.

I was listening to Jim Cummings’ podcast, and he did a whole special on Darkwing Duck. Naturally, the question came up about the 2017 DuckTales episode “The Duck Knight Returns!” You know the one. The big meta episode. The “legacy” episode. The one where Cummings himself shows up as Jim Starling, the original actor who played Darkwing… who then spirals into obsession, tries to murder the new guy, and becomes Negaduck.

And Cummings’ response?

Pause.

At first, it sounds like a diplomatic answer:

“The story didn’t work for me.”

But then he immediately undercuts that.

“I hope nobody heard that… actually I hope everybody heard that.”

That tells you everything.

Because now you’re not just hearing a polite, professional deflection. You’re hearing someone catch himself softening his reaction… and then consciously decide not to.

That’s not accidental. That’s intentional.

That’s him recognizing, in real time, that what he’s saying might be taken as criticism… and choosing to let it stand anyway.

And that hits very differently.

Because this isn’t some random viewer tossing out a take. This is the guy who is Darkwing Duck. That’s not just a voice actor reading lines. That’s someone who helped define the character’s personality, tone, rhythm, and soul. You don’t get Darkwing without Cummings.

And honestly… I get it.

On paper, “The Duck Knight Returns!” is clever. It’s very much in line with what DuckTales 2017 liked to do. It’s meta, self-aware, commentary-driven. You’ve got the “old guard” vs the “new guard.” You’ve got fandom baked into the premise. You’ve got the idea of legacy, ownership, and reinvention.

All of that sounds like it should work.

But here’s the problem.

It reframes Darkwing Duck through a lens that feels… cynical.

Jim Starling isn’t just an outdated version of the character. He’s not someone who’s struggling to adapt. He’s not even tragic in a meaningful way. He’s bitter. He’s delusional. He becomes violent. He tries to kill his replacement. And then he becomes Negaduck, because of course he does.

So what’s the underlying message here?

Let go of the past… or you’re toxic.

And look, I understand what they were going for. This is clearly about reboots. About fans who can’t move on. About people who feel entitled to a version of something that no longer exists.

But when you build that metaphor using a character that is someone’s life’s work… you’re playing with fire.

Because whether it’s intentional or not, the parallels are obvious. The “original Darkwing” is a stand-in for the guy who was Darkwing. The “new Darkwing” represents the reboot. And the story positions the original as something that needs to be discarded… or else it curdles into something ugly.

That’s a hell of a thing to hand to Jim Cummings and say, “Hey, want to play this?”

And yeah, he did it. Because he’s a pro.

But that doesn’t mean it sat right with him.

And beyond that, there’s a deeper issue that just comes down to characterization.

Darkwing Duck, at his core, is a character built on ego, yes. But also sincerity. He wants to be a hero. He’s ridiculous, he’s flawed, he’s self-aggrandizing… but he’s trying. That balance is what makes him work. You laugh at him, but you also root for him.

Jim Starling strips that away and replaces it with something meaner. Smaller. It’s not an evolution. It’s a deconstruction that doesn’t quite remember why the original worked in the first place.

And that’s where the episode loses me.

Because this is something I keep coming back to, whether we’re talking about Gargoyles, Babylon 5, or anything else I love. There’s a difference between examining a character and flattening them into a commentary.

This felt like the latter.

And the irony is kind of incredible when you think about it. An episode about legacy ends up feeling like it doesn’t fully respect the legacy it’s pulling from.

Which brings me back to that moment.

“The story didn’t work for me… actually I hope everybody heard that.”

No rant. No trashing the show. No burning bridges.

But also no hiding what he really thought.

And if you’re paying attention, that says even more than the pause ever could.

[mysticdragon3md3]

"Magic Knight Rayearth" new anime project launched!! 30th anniversary of TV anime & new anime project launch PV by TMS anime official channel

『魔法騎士レイアース』新アニメ化プロジェクト始動！！TVアニメ30周年＆新アニメ化プロジェクト始動PV by TMSアニメ公式チャンネル

[therobotmonster]

22 Alternate Reinterpretations of Partially Public Domain Characters

For when "horror monster" is too obvious. As the public domain catches up with more and more of our media darlings' most inaccessible and irrelevant iterations, some variety is in order. Any B-to-D grade movie, game, tv or quick-service-restaurant style-studio/entity/cabal is welcome to use these as jumping off points.

Reinterpretation is the 'true story' that it is implied the still-in-copyright-media-franchise is based on, used as vehicle to criticize/parody megacorp owners through their supposed revisions.

Your collection of Public Domain players go all "Muppets _____" on an unrelated story.

They're furries now (The "Disney's Robin Hood")

It's a monster movie, but a kaiju monster movie.

Rock opera.

The Shonen or Shojo reboot.

We aren't doin' the 'and zombies' or 'vampire hunter' thing anymore? When did that stop?

Similar story, completely different historical time/setting.

Jason and the Argonauts, the public domain character(s) are there. The Argo was the ancient Greek Avengers and also your grandpa was there, so this one's actually like, literary.

Retired 1920s toon becomes livestreamer/tiktoker/whatever in misguided avenue to relevancy.

They're brand-safe pocket monsters.

They're exactly the same, the world is contemporary around them (ala Brady Bunch movie)

Straight-faced monsterfucker romance w' public domain character in the sexy fishman role.

Surreal office comedy.

The Next Generation AKA they have kids.

The Preadolescent Prequel, AKA they ARE kids.

Rule 63, all female, all male, all capybara, etc, reinterpretation.

90s XTREME retro style.

The Inappropriate Saturday Morning Cartoon Adaptation (Gatsby and Pals!)

Nigh-insufferable yet undeniably interesting Grant Morrison-y meta-fictional fantasy take.

... in space!

22. Full 1950s style musical with showgirls*.

*non-negotiable.

[kappaturtlegirl]

Unreleased screenshots of Ren and Stimpy Reboot

If none of you never seen ren and stimpy this is the cancelled show of the ren and stimpy reboot. but had been shelved and was plan to released but it never did. I do believe that the reboot was kind of cool bringing back the two characters and remodeling their designs.

the classic ren and stimpy was aired 5 seasons and was said to be a best cartoon for adults.

[evilhorse]

Hey, that was at least two reboots ago.

(Superman Volume 6 #29)