Pixar’s Merida character from the feature film Brave is officially a Disney Princess, but that created a controversy when Disney debuted a 2D image of the new princess. The Disney princess makeover removed the bow and arrow, tamed her hair and slimmed her figure. She also sports a “come hither” look according to Brenda Chapman, who wrote and co-directed the film and won an Oscar for her work.

From the Marin Independent Journal:

“I think it’s atrocious what they have done to Merida,”

Chapman fumed. “When little girls say they like it because it’s more sparkly, that’s all fine and good but, subconsciously, they are soaking in the sexy ‘come hither’ look and the skinny aspect of the new version. It’s horrible! Merida was created to break that mold — to give young girls a better, stronger role model, a more attainable role model, something of substance, not just a pretty face that waits around for romance.”

There is an online petition protesting Disney’s decision to sexualize the character.

Merida was the princess that countless girls and their parents were waiting for — a strong, confident, self-rescuing princess ready to set off on her next adventure with her bow at the ready. She was a princess who looked like a real girl, complete with the ‘imperfections’ that all people have.

The redesign of Merida in advance of her official induction to the Disney Princess collection does a tremendous disservice to the millions of children for whom Merida is an empowering role model who speaks to girls’ capacity to be change agents in the world rather than just trophies to be admired. Moreover, by making her skinnier, sexier and more mature in appearance, you are sending a message to girls that the original, realistic, teenage-appearing version of Merida is inferior; that for girls and women to have value — to be recognized as true princesses — they must conform to a narrow definition of beauty.

From ABC News:

A judge warned Peter Robbins that he could be sent to prison for nearly four years if he violates the terms of his probation.

“Don’t be a blockhead,” Superior Court Judge Dwayne Moring told Robbins, borrowing a line from Charlie Brown’s friend Lucy.

Robbins was sentenced today to a year in jail. He had been charged with threatening his former girlfriend and her plastic surgeon. Part of his sentence includes spending time in a residential drug treatment center according to ABC News.

From EW:

The producers say that they are exploring options for a new home for the show, but there are no serious talks at this point. “We’ve been in this situation before and it’s tempting when you’re doing episodes that are as good or better than anything you’ve ever done to continue doing it,” Groening tells EW. “We’re catching our breath and seeing what the fans have to say. The experience of this show has been so much fun from the very beginning to now — everybody is so happy to work on this show — that it’d be a shame if we all went our separate ways… We would love to continue. We have many more stories to tell. But if we don’t, this is a really great way to go out… I think these episodes are the best ones we’ve ever done.”

But according to Hollywood Reporter, Gordon’s case is advancing through the legal process much further than most claims of infringement.

What’s even more extraordinary is not only did the artist, Jayme Gordon, survive a summary judgment motion but also a judge’s pronouncement that he spoiled evidence in the case. The judge’s decision potentially sets the stage for an uncommon occurrence in Hollywood: a trial concerning a major studio in which a jury would determine whether the plaintiff’s work was stolen or the studio independently created its hit film.
Gordon brought the lawsuit in Massachusetts federal court in February 2011 and is looking for statutory damages and any profits obtained from allegedly wrongful acts.

Here’s an example of the alleged similarities:

Disney/Pixar has announced it will create a sequel to Finding Nemo called Finding Dory for a November 2015 release. Finding Dory will once again star Ellen DeGeneres.

According to the LA Times, the story will set off the California coast about a year after the Finding Nemo story.

If you ask me, Dory stole the show in Nemo. Creating a story around this slightly amnesiac character should be rich with possibilities.

The National Cartoonist Society has announced this year’s division award nominees. The winners will be announced during their annual Reuben Awards dinner in Pittsburgh, PA.

Here are the nominees:

Television Animation

• Todd Kauffman, Executive Producer, “Sidekick”
• Alberto Mielgo, Production Design, “Tron: Uprising”
• Rich Webber, Director, Aardman Animation Studios, “DC Nation”

Feature Animation

• Rich Moore, Director, “Wreck-It Ralph”
• Joann Sfar, Director, “The Rabbi’s Cat”
• Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Director, “The Secret World of Arriety”

Newspaper Illustration

• Mark Brewer
• Bob Rich
• Dave Whamond

Gag Cartoons

• Roz Chast
• Sam Gross
• Mick Stevens
• Jack Ziegler

Greeting Cards

• Bill Brewer
• George Schill
• Jem Sullivan

Newspaper Comic Strips

• Brian Basset “Red and Rover”
• Jeff Parker and Steve Kelley “Dustin”
• Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman “Zits”

Newspaper Panel Cartoons

• Tony Carrillo “F-Minus”
• Dave Coverly “Speed Bump”
• Hilary Price “Rhymes with Orange”

Online Comics- Short Form

• Graham Harrop “Ten Cats”
• Jonathan Lemon “Rabbits Against Magic”
• Michael McParlane “Mac”

Online Comics- Long Form

• Vince Dorse “Untold Tales of Bigfoot”
• Meredith Gran “Octopus Pie”
• Pat N. Lewis “Muscles Diablo: Where the Terror Lurks”

Magazine Feature/Magazine Illustration

• Barry Blitt
• Daryll Collins
• Anton Emdin

Book Illustration

• John Manders
• John Martz
• Dave Whamond

Editorial Cartoons

• Clay Bennett
• Michael de Adder
• Jen Sorenson

Advertising and Product Illustration

• Luke McGarry
• Ed Steckley
• Wayno

Comic Books

• Amanda Connor “Silk Spectre”
• Evan Dorkin “House of Fun”
• Bernie Wrightson “Frankenstein Alive, Alive!”

Graphic Novels

• Derf- “My Friend Dahmer”
• Joseph Lambert “Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller”
• Chris Ware- “Building Stories”

Last month they announced that Brian Crane, creator of Pickles, Rick Kirkman, co-creator of Baby Blues and Stephan Pastis, creator of Pearls Before Swine were this year’s nominees for Cartoonist of the Year.

Here’s the strip it was based off:

“How did you ever okay Chuck’s Pogo story?,” Ward Kimball asked Walt Kelly shortly after the special aired on TV. “I didn’t, for Godsake!,” Kelly cried out. “The son of a bitch changed it after our last meeting. That’s not the way I wrote it. He took all the sharpness out of it and put in that sweet, saccharine stuff that Chuck Jones always thinks is Disney, but isn’t.” Kimball, who was dining with Kelly at the Musso & Frank Grill in Hollywood, pressed further. “Who okayed giving the little skunk girl a humanized face?” he asked. Kelly was so angry he couldn’t answer. His face turned red, and he bellowed to the waiter, “Bring me another bourbon!” In Kimball’s words, Kelly wanted “to kill-if not sue-Chuck.”

Walt created the special himself, but it was never completed. Here is the 13 minutes that he completed