200702150338The Cartoon Network held their upfronts yesterday and announced five new shows and lots of other stuff:

Cartoon Network today announced its programming line-up for 2007 at its annual Upfront event in New York City. The slate will offer five new original series, including Re-Animated, an extension of the network’s first movie featuring live-action and animation. The network also announced a second season of Class of 3000 starring Andre Benjamin and unveiled multi-media events, a new mobile phone initiative and a new after-school franchise. In addition, the presentation featured a sneak peek at its massively multi-player game for 2008 and announced a live-action Ben 10 movie in production.


The new series that got us the most excited was SANTO, based on the legendary real-life Mexican wrestler.


The legend of Santo, El Enmascarado de Plata (the silver masked man) will reach new heights in the animated action series currently being produced for Cartoon Network. The legendary Mexican wrestler, El Hijo del Santo (son of Santo), will work with series creator and executive producer Carlo Olivares Paganoni to develop this yet-to-be-titled adventure/fantasy series set in Mexico City. El Hijo del Santo is heir to the legendary silver mask, once held by his father, the flesh and blood icon – Santo, El Enmascarado de Plata.


Comics type Jay Stephens created another show, The Secret Saturdays (at least we’re ASSUMING it’s the same Jay Stephens):

Doc, Drew and Zak Saturday are a family of world-saving adventure scientists called The Secret Saturdays. They live in a hidden base and are part of a network of scientists who protect against all the hidden and terrifying things in this world. To The Saturdays, ordinary folktales aren’t just legends—they are real-life mysteries and adventures. Traveling from the hot Gobi Desert to the icy Marianas Trench, they explore ancient temples and bottomless caves and tangle with twisted villains, including the masked madman V.V. Argost and his half-human/half-giant spider.


Other shows include:
* Chowder: The new comedy series chronicles the magical misadventures of a young chef’s apprentice as he enters into the fantastic city of Marzipan, created by Carl Greenblatt, a veteran animator at Cartoon Network Studios and the voice of Fred Fredburger on The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy.
* The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack: Raised by a talking whale in the bubbling splendor of the sea, Flapjack’s life was peaceful and tranquil until he rescued an old pirate, Captain K’Nuckles, from a shipwreck. Created by Thurop Van Ormon.
* Re-Animated: Re-Animated premiered in December 2006 as the network’s top original movie ever with kids 6-11. Now Jimmy and his animated world with Golly and the gang continue with crazy adventures in the new original series. Created by Adam Pava and Tim McKeon.

1 COMMENT

  1. Santo!

    The news makes me giddy!

    The whole luchadores genre fascinates me, and I’ve accumulated a small library of the Santo oeuvre. The films vary wildly in quality, but most are great fun for all fans of superhero cheese. (My fave: Santo y Blue Demon contra Los Monstros.)

    I’m resigned to the fact that the animated series will disappoint. There’s no way a cartoon could aspire to the surrealistic imagery of a live-action Santo and Blue Demon, masked, but in casual civvies, playing chess while waiting for evil to strike. I only hope that if the series is successful, the movies might become more available in subtitled editions.