A brief follow-up to that atrocious Disneyland Paris advertising campaign for their new LION KING stage show. Inkan over at Animation Nation has posted a link to the live-action TV spot that features classic Disney characters climbing up onto the park’s architecture to escape the lions. Read what you want into the commercial, but I think it’s difficult to avoid the subtext of Mickey hanging on for dear life to a pole on top of a building, in a bid to escape THE LION KING, a creation of Eisner’s regime.

For those who can’t get enough of Ralph…Emru Townsend has posted, on his fine FPS website, a lengthy, exclusive interview with Bakshi here.

Looney Tunes/UPA/Charlie Brown animation veteran Bill Melendez has a newly redesigned website (using Flash) that’s very cool - and loaded with information (and images) from Melendez’s fantastic career in Hollywood cartoons.Check it out: www.billmelendez.tv

Here’s an early heads up - Jerry Beck will be part of at least three panels/screenings at the San Diego Comic Con July 22-25.I don’t have all the details myself, but here’s what I know: I’ll be part of a panel/tribute to Bob Clampett with Mark Evanier and other special guests. I’m hoping to show a part of a Bob Clampett documentary that will be included as bonus material on Looney Tunes Golden Collection volume 2. So come by and get a sneak preview.
I will be moderating a spotlight on Sid Jacobson on Friday July 23rd at 1:00pm. Sid was the man behind Harvey Comics from 1954 till 1994 - 40 years of friendly ghosts, devil kids and muscle-bound ducks! Don’t miss this!
And I’ll be running an all new edition of THE WORST CARTOONS EVER on Saturday night. Will Super President, Mighty Mr. Titan and Johnny Cypher In Dimension Zero return in all new episodes? Find out on Saturday July 24th.I’ll update my activities at Comic Con with exact dates, times and room numbers as we get closer to the event.

Columbia TriStar’s upcoming 2-disc HELLBOY dvd will contain four great cartoons from Columbia’s UPA archives, including How Now Boing Boing, Gerald McBoing-Boing on Planet Moo and The Tell Tale Heart. Director Guillermo del Toro is a longtime animated cartoon fan who insisted these cartoons be added to the dvd release.That’s really the only way Columbia will release it’s cartoons. Similiarly, Ub Iwerks Color Rhapsody SKELETON FROLIC is included on dvd release of THE LOST SKELETON OF CADAVERA - because a certain cartoon buff at TriStar insisted it be part of the package.It’s too bad the marketing geniuses at Columbia TriStar Home Video themselves don’t understand the bounty of animation classics in their vaults…

…and on the side doors, and in the rear view mirror.NASCAR drivers Jeremy Mayfield (#19) and Casey Kahne (#9) are driving Popeye 75th Anniversary-themed cars this Saturday night at Daytona. The race is being shown on Fox.You can see the Popeye car - or buy the toy version - at the NASCAR.COM Superstore.
(Thanks to Tom Giatras for the link).

A few weeks ago, I wondered why Captain Hook from PETER PAN was advertising a new LION KING attraction at Disneyland Paris. As it turns out, it’s part of yet another incredibly misguided and stupid advertising campaign by Disney where all the classic characters in the theme park are running away from lions and climbing up onto the park’s buildings. You can read more about it at the Laughing Place message board. (Thanks to narkspud for the link)

You hated his QUEST FOR CAMELOT, now you can hate Frederik Du Chau’s new live action/CG hybrid… RACING STRIPES.