Looks like we have ourselves a couple of comic book related newsbites for this Monday. Let’s get to them, shall we?

Monica, Chandler, Joey and the rest of the Friends are done but what about Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, the Flash and Hawkgirl? Well, it appears that these DC Comics’ friends will see their animated series Justice League end after a three-year run on Cartoon Network later this month, when the network debuts a 90m Justice League special, Starcrossed, May 29, 7:30p. Of course with every end comes a new beginning, so stay tuned because Cartoon Network will launch Justice League Unlimited a new 30m animated series, August 7, 2004. Joining the established Justice League members are Supergirl, Green Arrow and the Atom and lesser known superheroes like Booster Gold, Hawk & Dove, Elongated Man, The Question, Mister Miragle, Big Barda and Zatanna.

Frankly, this sounds like a good idea to me. Even though the second season was way better than the first season’s crapfest, the Justice League cartoon seemed to work best when they were focusing on different, smaller groups of the heroes. I look forward to seeing the writers having fun with the guest stars, and the rotating cast ought to help keep the show from getting too stale. Personally, I’m a sucker for Supergirl, and I’m looking forward to seeing how they handle The Question and Green Arrow.

IDT Entertainment has acquired a minority interest in POW! Entertainment LLC, headed up by comic book industry god-father Stan Lee, Chief Creative Officer, as well as taking on exclusive distribution rights for all POW! Ent. animated DVD properties. POW and IDT also announced they will co-produce and co-develop a minimum of six animated Direct-to-DVD projects for distribution and broadcast. Over the past year IDT Entertainment has acquired a controlling interest in both the animation company, Film Roman, Inc. (The Simpsons, King of the Hill, etc) and Mainframe Entertainment Inc. (producer CG animation, video games, TV programs and direct-to-consumer market) and full acquired Anchor Bay Entertainment Group from Handleman Co. Additionally IDT acquired a minority interest in Vanguard Animation, LLC, and as part of the agreement IDT Entertainment was granted a first look right to provide production services on future Vanguard Animation projects and entered into a joint venture agreement to together develop, produce, finance and arrange distribution CG animation entertainment. IDT Entertainment is a subsidiary of IDT Corporation, a multinational carrier, telephone and technology company.

Umm, does anyone really care about what Stan Lee does anymore? Not taking anything away from the guy, but his days of being a player in any industry are definitely behind him. I wish he’d just retire gracefuilly at this point and stick to making nonsense cameos in various Marvel movies from now on. I mean, honestly, Striperella was the last “decent” thing he had anything to do with, and I really wonder just how much of that actually came from his head and how much was just him being paid to have his name slapped on the product.

Seriously - does anyone have the answer to that?

The News