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Introducing Cartoon Brew’s Untold Tales

As long as I've loved animation, I've been fascinated with the personal stories of people who work in the animation business. Not simply, "What character did you make?," but WHY and HOW did you make it? I became actively involved in documenting those stories when I published the print 'zine "Animation Blast," and it's something I've never stopped doing. For me, it wasn't just about talking to a handful of familiar directors and animators, but to talk with everyone, especially those who had worked quietly in the trenches and whose stories hadn't yet been told.

Recaps

‘Steven Universe’ Recap: ‘Rose’s Room’

Reading beforehand what this episode was supposed to be about, my mind completely went somewhere else. Steven’s at that age when boys want alone time for a very specific reason and while I was 99.9% sure Cartoon Network wasn’t going to go that far, I thought they’d at least allude to that idea of adolescence and growing up. Instead we dived into the real reason (sort of) that Steven wanted to be left alone, and dug a little deeper into the idea of his parental units via a room and a weird, very strange world created by said room.

Recaps

‘Steven Universe’ Recap: ‘Beach Party’

While this week’s "Steven Universe" opened a lot of doors as far as characterization and parallels, it was simply okay. Mr. Pizza was comical relief but other than that you had to dig for the entertainment.

Recaps

‘Steven Universe’ Recap: ‘Lion 2: The Movie’

This week's "Steven Universe" dived into the whirlwind that is the mindset of an insecure youth, in ways that were similar to the episode “Lars and the Cool Kids.” At first, the episode didn’t really make any sort of impression on me. It took another viewing for me to grasp its depth—or at least theorize things in the whirlwind that in my own mind at 3am.

Recaps

‘Steven Universe’ Recap: ‘Steven the Sword Fighter’

It’s been a few weeks but the last few times in Beach City we witnessed a lot of growth in the series. Steven had an anger revelation after he hung with the cool kids and really showcased the father-son relationship thanks to little Onion. Now we’re back and "Steven Universe" went and explored the maternal dynamic within their group after Pearl took a blade through the chest.

Recaps

‘Steven Universe’ Recap: ‘Onion Trade’

There’s something about Steven’s dad Greg that doesn’t add up. Will we ever really know why Greg distances himself from his son? This week in “Onion Trade," we explored a dad’s horrible ability to remember things, witnessed Steven’s lack of male role models, and learned a lot more about Onion, a character who revealed quite a few new layers.

Recaps

‘Steven Universe’ Recap: ‘Giant Woman’

Last week Steven put Garnet on a pedestal"and quickly learned she has flaws. This week in “Giant Woman,” he was fixated on the idea of what Amethyst and Pearl could be if they fused and became the “ultra powerful being” known as Opal.

Recaps

“Steven Universe” Recap: “Arcade Mania”

Admiration was the theme this week and it was only coming from Steven and heading towards Garnet. She can do no wrong – a point on which I think we can all pretty much agree.

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