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The Best All Time Longest Running Cartoons to Binge With

Some cartoons are worth binging from start to end. Whether that’s through a streaming service or on home video, we got the definitive list!

Ed Sum loves his Ewok, and cartoons too! — By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

The Simpsons and South Park notwithstanding, it’s tough to top either as both have been on air for 30+ years now! With most parts of the world self-isolating, eventually just I want to do is wish next year is here already! But seriously, if I’m going to be a couch potato, I thankfully have a huge library of television shows–cartoons and classic 80’s era shows–to tide my time with.

As an animation enthusiast, I’ve seen a lot of cartoon franchises evolve. As new teams gets involved, something is bound to change. I’ll rage about Thundercats Roar later; I’m still trying to decide if I like it. As new producers try to make something new for today’s viewing audiences, it’s hard to say if they are in touch with kids of today. Perhaps the better question is to ask, are they wanting to remind us of once was then reinvent the premise? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is the best example of how these heroes in a half shell has changed. Well, that’s mostly in how April O’Neil looks than the turtles. These teens will never grow up!

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A Look Back & What’s Next for The Loud House & Casagrandes

Image result for the loud house poster — Available to stream on Amazon Prime USA

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Fans of The Loud House will be glad to know the next new set of episodes will begin late January. This series is one of those guilty pleasures to enjoy watching late at night. The Casagrandes is a spin-off that’s showing a lot of promise and both will continue month and I can’t wait! Loud House has new episodes starting Jan 25th and Casagrandes on Jan 11th. As much as I hoped for Nickelodeon to offer a holiday special, it did not happen.

Both grew on me as I regularly have YTV playing in the background late at night and this two-hour block helped those long nights feel shorter. Both series offer better humour and is a better take on examining having a large family than the Cheaper by the Dozen. Here, Lincoln is a 10-year-old boy with a lot to figure out in a household with ten sisters. My favourite episodes are those where he has one of three people to turn to for “manly” advice. There’s his father, best friend Clyde (who is the adopted son of an interracial gay married couple) and “Pop Pop” (the grandfather).

Having John DiMaggio around as Bud, the grouchy neighbour is just perfect. He’s not really like a second grandparent, but the holiday episode explaining why he is always grouchy is the closest thing we can have to a How I saved the Grinch episode. Although typecast (he was Bender from Futurama), I’m loving it!

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Takeaways from 2018 San Diego Comic Convention

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Many announcements and bombs happened over the July 18th to 22nd weekend at SDCC2018. Some of the news that happened divided a community and my thought is simply on whether Guardians of the Galaxy even continue after what happened? Only time and executive decisions can tell.

Many movie trailers were released to show what’s coming and while most of them look fantastic. Out of all of them, the second instalment of Legendary Pictures’ Godzilla: King of the Monsters stands out the most, and I’m not necessarily picking favourites. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is my second and Glass rounds out my top three. Excluded is what’s coming on television.

The following is a greatest hits package of what to look for at comic shops or video stores in the coming months.
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Legend of Korra: Book 4 Trailer Revealed!

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Legend of Korra

Avatar: The Legend of Korra will be seen on Nick.com beginning October 3, and the trailer indicates series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko are not holding back in deciding the fate of the world. That’s going to be a week away and to see what will happen next looks like this final chapter picks up days after the events from the last season. With the Air Nation swiftly back in full swing, they have a lot more to deal with as the world gets ready for another war. This time, the Earth Nation is the antagonist.

The future is looking grim as Korra embarks on a new quest. She may well be looking to mend the lacerations that has severed her from accessing her past, to speak with the avatars from long ago. The symbolic cutting of her hair indicates that. And in who she finds in her travels certainly makes this coming season perhaps just as equally exciting. Lord Zuko is back and so is another character from this series’ past as the last moments of this trailer indicates:

Avatar: Legend of Korra Book 4 Coming in Oct!

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Legend of Korra

Not everyone may have realized that Book 3: Changes was quietly broadcasted over the summer months and for those who have managed to see it, to wonder how this quadrilogy will end will not take long. Next month, Book 4: Balance will be streaming online starting October 3rd on Nick.com with new episodes releasing every following Friday.

Thankfully fans will not have to wait a full year to discover how Korra’s legacy will shape the post-modern world she’s living in. Book 3 dealt more about socio-political malcontent that series antagonist Zaheer has been spreading the seeds of dessent to, and Book 2 was about bringing the spirit world closer to the mortal realm. Anyone who has seen the finale saw that these two series have something in common.

If this newest season is going to stitch altogether elements from these previous story arcs, hopefully series creators Brian Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino did not rush this final season into release because of the leak that happened in early Summer.

Perhaps Nickelodeon is not wanting to discard this product for good. They would do well to help create original programming that appeals beyond their intended audience.

Source: IGN, Screencrush

Where’s the Ninjitsu with These Ninja Turtles?

Ninja Turtles has the feel of being better off as a direct to video release than a blockbuster to end the summer with.

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Ninja Turtles

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are comic book heroes who had a lot of soul back when it first saw print. When creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird spent time working on their property, interest in their heroes in the half shell was high. The cartoon that evolved from it had a lot of spunk for kids to love, but it was its own beast since its light-hearted humour helped make the turtles pop culture icons. But for the original comics that was darker in tone, fatigue, creative differences and the need to move on by one of the artists caused the two to part ways.

Laird eventually sold the franchise rights to Nickelodeon, and what has evolved from it has become contentions between those who loved either the original comic book, one of the many cartoon series, role-playing games or live action films. The series changed from its gritty world to that of adventure and campy humour.

The current computer animated series successfully blends the two together. But with a film to reboot the theatrical series by producer Michael Bay and director Jonathan Liebesman, the latter pairing is the prerequisite choice. Their method of madness is to reinvigorate this Ninja Turtles with high-octane action in only a style Bay can emphasize — let’s slow down the fast-moving sequences with hang time moments, include a villain who belongs more in a Transformers movie and toss all logic aside.

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