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Mad Cave Studios started off, fittingly, celebrating their SatAM cartoon line by playing the theme songs from the comics in their lineup. They encouraged singing, and of course, yours truly did loudly and much to the chagrin of the panel.
From the TV Panel to the Comic Panel
One of the joyous things about the lineup at Mad Cave are these adaptations are from shows you vaguely remember or were a die-hard fan! Even better, it’s not a 1-to-1 rehash of the episodes because they don’t have the ulterior motive to sell you toys after 22 minutes.
Defenders of the Earth Is NOT What You Remember!
The only thing that’s harder than the classic theme song is the direction the comic is going! Comic POWERHOUSE Dan Didio is writing a hot and fresh take on the show that ran for 65 episodes. One of its defining qualities is that the characters have aged, much like the fans. Leading to the fact that you can tell a heavy story of loss, betrayal, and growth.
Dan Didio couldn’t make it to NYCC, but he did take the time to send it a video to the fans in attendance. You can check out our review HERE
Something that Sparkles!
Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders had the potential to be a shining example of girl power but sadly was eclipsed by Sailor Moon. Lauren Hitzhusen, Senior Editor for Mad Cave, explained how they wanted to reinvigorate the franchise with a modern take. Rather than keeping with the original aesthetic of the 90s, they looked at modern sources. They designed an anime-inspired design that, in my honest opinion, shines brighter than the original series.
GO TEAM…….. Back in Time!
King Arthur and the Knights of Justice is such a deep-cut series. It is a wild fantasy meets football story with suit designs out of a Heavy Metal meets Power Rangers fever dream! The tricky part of the narrative is balancing out time with the entire team! Not to mention the Wizard Merlin and other supporting characters, but let’s not forget the vicious villains. When not completely beholden to the source material, the great part of storytelling is that good old artistic license. Joe Corallo said a prime example is that in this iteration, Lug, the team’s equipment manager, is now a full-fledged Knight from the “Kick-Off” of the series.
Now they Gatcha——–MAN!
Let’s talk about the Battle of the Planets. I mean G-FORCE, NOPE!!! I mean Gatchaman! Yes, after so many years, it’s all under the umbrella of Gatchaman. Mad Cave enlisted Gatchaman superfan Chris Batista, who’s been doodling Gatchaman for decades. As I’ve raved about in previous reviews, his art pays homage to the series and uses modern techniques to elevate the panels.
AND THE HELMETS! I CAN’T AND WONT STOP RAVING ABOUT THE HELMETS!!!!
I say umbrella because of the original mini-series following Galactor, written by Steve Orlando. Our Editor and Chief KenM has been covering the parallel spin-off that is a first for Steve to write as it’s his first villain’s book, and you can tell he’s having a blast in purple.
Are Saturday Morning Cartoons Dead? HELL NO!!
Technically YES! We just passed the 10th anniversary when the CW aired the last of their Vortexx block on September 27th, 2014. But it still lives on in our hearts, and even more so now that Mad Cave Studios is doing a fantastic job keeping these stories alive. But it’s not just these modern classics. Mad Cave has a maddening lineup, including their Maverick and Papercutsz lines, which are all worth your attention.
What’s your favorite Saturday morning cartoon that you’d like the Mad Cave spin on? Let us know in the comments below! Then check out all our great CONtent from NYCC 2024!
