Monday, May 24, 2021

Nickelodeon South East Asia to Premiere New 'Blue's Clues & You!' Episode 'Blue’s Big Baking Show' on Friday 14th May 2021

Nickelodeon South East Asia will be celebrating International Family Day on Friday 14th May 2021 with the premiere of the brand new Blue's Clues & You! episode  “Blue’s Big Baking Show” at 9:00am (PH)!


In the all new episode, fans will meet Josh’s “lola” as Josh and Blue spend the day making bibingka, a cake from the Philippines that is “masarap” (delicious)!

Blue's Clues & You! is a curriculum-driven interactive series that follows Blue as she invites viewers to join her on a clue-led adventure and solve a puzzle in each episode. The series features Filipino-American theater actor/presenter Josh dela Cruz following in, not just Blue’s paw prints, but also the footsteps of former Blue’s Clues hosts Steve Burns (1996-2002), Donovan Patton (2002-2006) and Kevin Duala (1998-2003, in the United Kingdom), as well as Duarte Gomes in Portugal and HyunShup Shin in Korea!

Yemi Alade Voices New Animation for World Malaria Day Campaign

Yemi Alade voices new animation for World Malaria Day campaign


Grammy Award-winning Nigerian Afropop singer, songwriter, actress and activist, Yemi Alade, has joined African superstars supporting the ‘Draw the Line Against Malaria’ campaign, which aims to inspire and empower young people from across the African continent and the globe to call on their leaders at zeromalaria.org and push for political action to end malaria within a generation.

The groundbreaking campaign, first launched across Africa in February 2021, is a unifying global platform designed to capture youth, community and public imagination, and will be rolled out globally on World Malaria Day.

The campaign aims to generate mass awareness and high visibility for the Zero Malaria Starts with Me movement across malaria-affected countries and beyond, and reflects the huge energy, talent, and cultural influence emanating from the African continent with references to art, fashion, music, sport and entertainment.


As the voice of a new Draw the Line animation, Alade joins other African changemakers from across the continent lending their talents to fight the disease: Eliud Kipchoge, Olympic gold medallist and marathon world record-holder; Siya Kolisi, captain of the Springboks; Dr Omotola J Ekeinde, Nigerian actress and philanthropist; Sherrie Silver, award-winning Rwandan British choreographer; Osas Ighodaro, Nigerian American actress and producer; Saray Khumalo, South African explorer; and Láolú Senbanjo, global artist from Nigeria and Art Director for the campaign.

With narration from Alade and in partnership with Dentsu International, the Draw the Line animation explores the story behind ‘Muundo’ – a fresh new universal visual language created by Láolú Senbanjo, made up of eye-catching lines, symbols and patterns. The language is a beautiful, visual representation of the actions that are needed to end malaria within a generation, from cutting-edge technology and innovations to increased investment and bold political actions.

Alade said: “Living in Nigeria I have suffered from malaria many times in my life, and it’s devastating. It’s outrageous that this preventable and treatable disease is still stealing young futures and limiting life choices indiscriminately.

“But we can work together to find our voices, break down boundaries and stop malaria in its tracks. I love to see people pushing themselves to find out what they are really capable of – getting up and fighting for what’s right is our collective superpower, and we can all change the course of history together.”

The animation shows the different ways that malaria impacts young people, as well at the ways that it can be reduced and ultimately eliminated. As part of their partnership to support the Draw the Line Against Malaria campaign, ViacomCBS Networks Africa (VCNA) will broadcast the animation on Nickelodeon’s global platforms. It will also be shown on other regional television channels and digital networks.

To bring the animation to life, Dentsu worked with award-winning animation studio Lobo. The team animated Láolú Sebanjo's patchworks and applied them as textures into 3D models. To blend together multiple styles, the studio created a layer of upbeat animation with their talented team of 2D artists. In contrast to the fast-paced graphics, the camera moves with a slower rhythm, addressing the seriousness of the subject matter. The result is a fresh mix of different techniques and rhythms all packed by the beautiful energy of Alade’s voice.

Kika Douglas, executive creative director at DentsuAchtung, said: “Malaria is the world's oldest and deadliest disease, but we can eradicate it within our generation. What has been missing to date is a campaign that can inspire and unite a generation.

“Draw the Line is not only a call to action to this generation to claim their future; it’s a stage that shows the world the incredible array of talent, power and creativity of African youth.”

Felipe Machado, creative director for Alton/ Lobo Design & Animation, adds: “We constantly seek out meaningful work that can have a positive impact on the world and we are thrilled to contribute. Everyone involved in the process was open to trying new things so it was easy for our animation team to bring forth fresh ideas and watch them grow into the final film. We couldn't be prouder of the end result.”

The Draw the Line campaign asks people everywhere to visit zeromalaria.org and add a personal line of Muundo art to a growing piece of crowdsourced artwork which represents a visual call to action to world leaders.

The artwork will be shared with leaders at the Kigali Summit on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases being held on the eve of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Rwanda on June 24. The summit is a milestone moment in the malaria fight and enabler of game-changing political decisions, including delivering the commitment to halve malaria across the Commonwealth by 2023.

The Draw the Line Against Malaria campaign was created by Dentsu International – who led the creative strategy, concept, production, and media – and developed by a coalition of agencies, including the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), the African Union Commission, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Impact Santé Afrique, Malaria No More UK, RBM Partnership to End Malaria and Speak Up Africa.

From This Day:

Change Generation, Today’s Youth are the Generation that will End Malaria

Throughout history, Malaria has affected every country in the world. However, the highest prevalence of the world’s malaria cases and deaths are now occurring in sub-Saharan Africa.

As we commemorate this year’s World Malaria Day, we’re asking for collective effort around the world to #DrawTheLine Against Malaria and for this deadly disease to end within a generation. The Draw The Line Against Malaria campaign is a positive, bold, ground-breaking campaign featuring a coalition of African stars, artists and champions, designed to inspire and unite the African and global youth generation to push for intentional action to end malaria within their lifetime.
 
Malaria is the oldest and deadliest disease on the continent and this can no longer be ignored. Infact, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that despite 90% of life-saving malaria prevention campaigns being rolled out as planned in 2020, disruption to malaria diagnosis and treatment could still pose a threat to thousands of lives across the African continent where 74% of the population is below the age of 35. Africa is indeed a young continent. Therefore, we need to bolster efforts to inspire and galvanise young people across Africa, and globally to fight against malaria.

World Malaria Day is an important initiative that requires us to reflect upon and recognise the global efforts that have saved more than 7 million lives since 2000 and supported in over 20 countries to end malaria for good.

It is unfortunate and disheartening that despite the progress made since 2000, malaria continues to claim lives and COVID-19 has exasperated this endemic disease. Therefore, it is our duty as citizens of this continent to come together to build formidable partnerships that will rival some of Africa’s biggest issues.

As a leading entertainment powerhouse with powerful platforms that reach vast African and global audiences, ViacomCBS Networks Africa (VCNA) have partnered with the Zero Malaria Starts With Me (ZMSWM) movement to engage and mobilise young people in the fight against malaria. This generation has the power to end this preventable disease. Thus, we believe that using our platforms to shine a light on this disease will indeed make a difference.

Our commitment is enforced by the desire to drive purpose that leads to social changes in our society. It is simply not enough to talk about the scourge of malaria without empowering the next generation to hold leaders accountable to end a preventable and treatable disease that currently kills a child every two minutes.

Through our network championing and pioneering powerful and engaging edutainment content across channel platforms for children and youth from MTV, MTV Base and Nickelodeon, we have the power to reach thousands of youth across the continent. By using integration of youth culture, art, trending music and youthful storytelling, we believe that we can play an important role that achieves meaningful impact in malaria-affected communities. Using a new universal language called the ‘Muundo’, the world is drawing the line against malaria. Featuring the voice of Nigerian superstar Yemi Alade, this fresh new animation explores the story behind the ‘Muundo’ and how we can all play a part in beating this preventable, treatable yet destructive disease. This animation will be shared on the VNCA youth platforms.

It’s part of our commitment to our audiences to play our part in reminding the world that we must do more to protect everyone at risk of malaria. We must protect the progress we’ve made against this disease to ensure no one is left behind. Through innovation, investment, determination and commitment, we can reach zero malaria.

Since the turn of the century, over 20 countries have achieved malaria elimination, showing us that it is indeed possible to end malaria. Now more than ever, countries are achieving and approaching elimination, with the World Health Organization set to announce a new cohort of countries with the potential to achieve zero indigenous cases of malaria by the year 2025.

Some of our African nations can form part of that list if we protect and accelerate gains against malaria. Ending endemic diseases like malaria is the pathway to beating pandemics like COVID-19. Thus, we need to continue to invest in ending malaria, which reduces the burden on health systems and increases capacity to prevent, detect and respond to other unknown pandemics.

Remember: Today’s youth are the generation that will end malaria. Let’s all get involved and be the change we want to see.

… Twala is ViacomCBS Networks Africa Senior Vice President Editorial and General Manager.

###

Official ViacomCBS Networks Africa press release:

ViacomCBS Networks Africa partners with zero Malaria

ViacomCBS Networks Africa partners with zero Malaria, starts with me movement ahead of this year’s Africa Day and Youth Month


JOHANNESBURG, 24th May 2021: As an envoy for a reimagined Africa through content that is relevant and resonates with young audiences, ViacomCBS Networks Africa (VCNA) understands and recognises the importance of creating an environment that supports the potential of the youth on the continent. It is with this in mind that VCNA continuously aims to collaborate with partner organisations to bring education and awareness to imminent social issues like the ongoing fight against malaria in the African continent.

To help in continuing the fight against malaria, VCNA through its brand channels has partnered with the Zero Malaria Starts With Me movement in support of the Draw The Line Against Malaria campaign. This partnership aims to raise awareness of the disease, drive education, and engage youth discussion about malaria throughout Africa Day in May and Youth month in June.

VCNA youth entertainment channels will amplify and curate educational and call to action messages and content to drive mobilisation in support of eradicating malaria in Africa. As a media partner for the global Draw The Line Against Malaria campaign, VCNA has committed to providing a voice through its platforms to the campaign, which is aimed at the youth on the continent.

The network as media partner has stated that this is the generation to end malaria and, by collectively fighting the deadly disease, the collaboration will assist in creating a world that is safer for everyone. As such, the partnership campaign will be extended across the consumer brands, youth, and children’s channels, and social platforms throughout June, which is observed as Youth Month in South Africa.

Monde Twala, Senior Vice President and General Manager at ViacomCBS Networks Africa, has expressed VCNA’s reinforcement and the need for African collaborations: “As VCNA we are inspired to continue to drive initiatives through powerful partnerships that are committed to realise a reimagined Africa which showcases the continent’s talent and drives a strong message of hope and change. The Zero Malaria Starts with Me movement embodies the vision to create an Africa where youth can realise their best potential. We look forward to amplifying positive social impact across our MTV Base, Nickelodeon and BET Africa platforms during Africa month in May and Youth Month in June.”

Following the recent joint launch of the Draw The Line Campaign with Malaria No More, MTV Base through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with VCNA will drive awareness and education on how best to reduce malaria incidences across all its platforms.

Lilies Njanga, Africa Director at Malaria No More UK said: “Young people are the future of the fight against malaria. They are the generation to eradicate this disease. We are delighted to partner with VCNA who represent the energy and voices of the next generation. Together we represent creative force as we draw the line against malaria, and we invite young people to join us.”

Dr Abdourahmane Diallo, CEO of RBM Partnership to End Malaria said: “Together, we can end malaria, and today’s youth can be the generation that rids the world of this ancient and deadly disease and achieve a malaria free future for all. Today, we must all draw the line against malaria and recommit to achieving zero malaria in Africa and around the world.”

MTV Base, the youth and music channel of VCNA, will host the Africa Day virtual Concert across VCNAs’ proprietor channels BET Africa, MTV and MTV Base. The performance line-up is expected to be an explosion of fresh talent with artists from across the globe.

Viewers from across the continent can tune into the Africa Day Concert 2021 experience this Africa Day, 25th of May, on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) at 21:00CAT/20:00WAT. The show will also repeat on BET Africa (DStv Channel 130) on Wednesday 26 May at 12:00CAT/11:00WAT, and on MTV Africa (DStv 130) Thursday 26 May at 19:00CAT.

For more information visit MTV Base or visit BET Africa and follow the journey to the Africa Day virtual Concert on Twitter and Instagram @MTVBaseAfrica and @BET_Africa.

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Originally published: Friday, April 23, 2021.

Original source: The Drum; Additional source: Bizcommunity.

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Nickelodeon Land Spain to Welcome Back Visitors from Saturday 6th March 2021

Nick News Brief: Madrid, Spain - Parque de Atracciones de Madrid, home of Nickelodeon Land Spain, will be reopening the the public on Saturday 6th March 2021!


From ELMUNDO:

El Parque de Atracciones de Madrid reabre sus puertas este sábado

El aforo se limita al 60% y se hace obligatorio el uso de la mascarilla en todo el parque

Este próximo sábado, 6 de marzo, el Parque de Atracciones de Madrid abre sus puertas para las familias y jóvenes que deseen adrenalina y diversión, en un entorno seguro y al aire libre, en la Casa de Campo de Madrid.

El Parque de Atracciones se prepara para dar la bienvenida a sus visitantes con todas las medidas de seguridad e higiene, entre las que destaca un aforo limitado del 60%, distancia social de 1,5 metros, uso de gel hidroalcohólico y obligatoriedad en el uso de mascarilla en todo el parque, de acuerdo al Protocolo específico de Seguridad e Higiene frente al Covid 19.

Así mismo, en las zonas de restauración ubicadas en terraza se limitarán los grupos a un máximo de seis personas por mesa, mientras que en el interior los grupos estarán limitados a un máximo de cuatro personas.

Los más valientes volverán a sentir las emociones extremas de atracciones vertiginosas como Abismo, Lanzadera, Tornado o Star Flyer. No faltará la zona infantil de Nickelodeon Land o las populares atracciones como Zeppelin o La Jungla. Se combinarán con una amplia variedad de restaurantes, como la terraza del Mercado de San Isidro, donde se pueden degustar platos 100% madrileños.

La reapertura del parque ha sido precedida por un exhaustivo trabajo de revisión, conservación y limpieza de aquellas zonas arboladas que se vieron afectadas por el paso de la borrasca Filomena. De las 20 hectáreas que ocupa el Parque de Atracciones, 10 corresponden a zonas verdes y ajardinadas con más de 2.500 ejemplares de especies arbóreas, entre las que destacan especialmente los pinos, y que ofrecen un entorno ideal para disfrutar de un ocio saludable al aire libre.

###


Parque de Atracciones de Madrid celebra mayo con la vuelta de sus espectáculos musicales en el Gran Teatro Auditorio

- Los espectáculos musicales en vivo del Parque de Atracciones ‘El Maravilloso Mundo de Alicia’ se representará en diferentes pases

- El show infantil de ‘Patrulla Canina’ y los meet&greet con los personajes Nickelodeon serán algunas de las actividades para los más pequeños 

El Parque de Atracciones arranca el mes de mayo con la vuelta de los espectáculos musicales más esperados para toda la familia. Los shows característicos del Gran Teatro Auditorio se representarán para los visitantes del Parque de Atracciones de Madrid.  

Además de las más de 30 atracciones para diferentes públicos, los visitantes podrán revivir la magia del teatro con los espectáculos en vivo de ‘El maravilloso mundo de Alicia’ y ‘Los Hermanos Blues’. 

Inspirado en la historia de “Alicia en el país de las Maravillas”, se trata de un musical para toda la familia. Con canciones originales en castellano, este espectáculo se dirige al corazón de todos, niños y adultos. El show cuenta con diez performers del teatro musical, los cuáles en directo acompañan al público del Parque de Atracciones de Madrid en una aventura dentro de un mundo encantado, excéntrico y divertido.  

Durante este mes los más pequeños de la casa se emocionarán con sus personajes preferidos de Nickelodeon. Uno de los espectáculos del Parque de Atracciones dirigido al público más infantil es el de ‘Patrulla Canina’, que se representa en el Gran Teatro Auditorio. Además, los niños podrán saludar en los diferentes meet&greet con los personajes más populares como Bob Esponja, Dora la Exploradora, Calamardo, Arenita y otros muchos.

El Parque de Atracciones de Madrid cuenta con un 60% de aforo y mantiene todas las medidas de seguridad e higiene frente al Covid-19, tanto en el uso de atracciones como en el acceso del Gran Teatro Auditorio, donde un acomodador indica la ocupación de butacas a los grupos de familias y amigos. Es obligatorio el uso de mascarilla en todas las instalaciones y antes de acceder a ellas los visitantes deben usar el gel hidroalcohólico y mantener la distancia social con otros grupos.  

Más información y compra de entradas en www.parquedeatracciones.es

Parque de Atracciones de Madrid celebra mayo con la vuelta de sus espectáculos musicales en el Gran Teatro Auditorio

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Originally published: Thursday, March 04, 2021.

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Nickelodeon UK Ratings for Week of Monday 10th - Sunday 16th May 2021

Nickelodeon UK Network Ratings for week of Monday 10th - Sunday 16th May 2021.


Ratings were down across the Nickelodeon UK Network this week compared to the previous week (May 3-9), according to BARB data. The big winner of the week was Baby Shark’s Big Show!, which, despite delivering a lower viewing number than during its launch week last week, still gave Nick Jr. way above-average viewing figures.

Nickelodeon Total:

1. HORRID HENRY (SAT 06:30) - 44,000
2. THE THUNDERMANS (SUN 12:00) - 38,900
3. HORRID HENRY (SAT 06:44) - 37,900
4. ICARLY (SUN 18:00) - 31,000
5. THE THUNDERMANS (SUN 11:32) - 28,300
6. HORRID HENRY (FRI 07:31) - 27,200
7. THE THUNDERMANS (SUN 10:59) - 26,500
8. HENRY DANGER (SUN 17:31) - 25,200
9. HORRID HENRY (SAT 06:59) - 25,100
10. THE THUNDERMANS (WED 16:28) - 24,700
11. HORRID HENRY (SAT 06:15) - 24,000
12. THE THUNDERMANS (MON 16:29) - 23,900
13. HORRID HENRY (FRI 07:15) - 23,000
14. THE THUNDERMANS (SAT 23:59) - 22,800
15. HORRID HENRY (FRI 16:15) - 22,000

NickToons Total:

1. THE LOUD HOUSE (SAT 13:45) - 72,700
2. THE LOUD HOUSE (MON 10:00) - 61,800
3. THE LOUD HOUSE (THU 10:15) - 60,600
4. HORRID HENRY (THU 18:45) - 50,900
5. THE LOUD HOUSE (SAT 13:00) - 42,900
6. SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS (WED 16:30) - 38,700
7. SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS (WED 16:15) - 37,800
8. HORRID HENRY (FRI 18:30) - 37,600
9. SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS (WED 16:44) - 37,500
10. SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS (WED 18:59) - 37,500
11. SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS (WED 16:00) - 36,400
12. SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS (FRI 18:59) - 36,100
13. SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS (FRI 19:14) - 36,100
14. SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS (FRI 19:29) - 36,100
15. SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS (TUE 16:00) - 36,100

Nick Jr. Total:

1. BABY SHARK'S BIG SHOW (SAT 09:29) - 317,000
2. BABY SHARK'S BIG SHOW (SAT 11:30) - 141,400
3. PAW PATROL (TUE 17:29) - 137,100
4. PEPPA PIG (MON 16:05) - 130,699
5. BEN AND HOLLY'S LITTLE KINGDOM (FRI 12:15) - 118,900
6. PEPPA PIG (MON 16:20) - 105,800
7. PEPPA PIG (MON 16:15) - 105,800
8. PAW PATROL (MON 15:14) - 102,200
9. PEPPA PIG (MON 16:00) - 102,200
10. BEN AND HOLLY'S LITTLE KINGDOM (MON 12:15) - 101,900
11. DEER SQUAD (MON 15:29) - 99,700
12. RICKY ZOOM (MON 15:45) - 97,300
13. PAW PATROL (SAT 08:14) - 87,700
14. PEPPA PIG (FRI 13:19) - 87,700
15. PAW PATROL (MON 16:31) - 85,000

Nick Jr. Too:

1. PEPPA PIG (THU 14:30) - 101,400
2. PEPPA PIG (WED 18:45) - 88,500
3. PEPPA PIG (WED 07:35) - 86,700
4. PEPPA PIG (SAT 15:05) - 83,800
5. PEPPA PIG (TUE 13:59) - 83,400
6. PEPPA PIG (SUN 15:45) - 82,900
7. PEPPA PIG (MON 09:50) - 79,900
8. PEPPA PIG (MON 09:05) - 78,300
9. PEPPA PIG (MON 15:30) - 76,200
10. SINGALONG PEPPA PIG (TUE 07:00) - 75,100
11. PEPPA PIG (SAT 17:30) - 74,600
12. PEPPA PIG (SUN 15:50) - 74,400
13. PEPPA PIG (MON 09:30) - 73,100
14. PEPPA PIG (SUN 16:15) - 72,700
15. PEPPA PIG (TUE 13:44) - 72,400

Notes: Nick Jr. Too is listed as Nick Jr 2 on BARB; Nick Jr. Too is Nick Jr. Peppa throughout May 2021.

Nickelodeon Network:

1. BABY SHARK'S BIG SHOW (SAT 09:29) - Nick Jr Total - 317,000
2. BABY SHARK'S BIG SHOW (SAT 11:30) - Nick Jr Total - 141,400
3. PAW PATROL (TUE 17:29) - Nick Jr Total - 137,100
4. PEPPA PIG (MON 16:05) - Nick Jr Total - 130,699
5. BEN AND HOLLY'S LITTLE KINGDOM (FRI 12:15) - Nick Jr Total - 118,900
6. PEPPA PIG (MON 16:15) - Nick Jr Total - 105,800
7. PEPPA PIG (MON 16:20) - Nick Jr Total - 105,800
8. PAW PATROL (MON 15:14) - Nick Jr Total - 102,200
9. PEPPA PIG (MON 16:00) - Nick Jr Total - 102,200
10. BEN AND HOLLY'S LITTLE KINGDOM (MON 12:15) - Nick Jr Total - 101,900
11. PEPPA PIG (THU 14:30) - Nick Jr 2 - 101,400
12. DEER SQUAD (MON 15:29) - Nick Jr Total - 99,700
13. RICKY ZOOM (MON 15:45) - Nick Jr Total - 97,300
14. PEPPA PIG (WED 18:45) - Nick Jr 2 - 88,500
15. PAW PATROL (SAT 08:14) - Nick Jr Total - 87,700

Ratings data provided by BARB.

Programmes of less than 5 minutes duration are excluded from these reports.

Linear TV viewing only; Data for viewing programming on PC/laptops, Tablets and Smartphones is currently unavailable.

Originally published: Monday, May 24, 2021
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Birthday Party | Sounds Familiar | Nick Jr. in Spanish

Fiesta de cumpleaños | Suena Familiar | Nick Jr. en Español


Ese día tan especial puede volverse también en una aventura inolvidable, pero te explicaremos como organizar una fiesta sin morir en el intento.


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NickRewind to Premiere 'The Stars of Rugrats Special' on Tuesday, May 25

Hold on to your diapees! Tommy Pickles is back in two all-new Rugrats shorts, now streaming before the babies return in the CG-animated revival premiering May 27 on Paramount+.

The Babies Are Back: (L-R) Cheryl Chase (Angelica), Kath Soucie (Phil & Lil), Nancy Cartwright (Chuckie), EG Daily (Tommy) and Cree Summer (Susie)

Leading up to the revival's debut, Nickelodeon will be treating fans with the brand new special, The Stars of Rugrats Special! In the all new half-hour special, the voice stars from the original Rugrats reunite and will test their skills at Rugrats trivia, perform a table read of a classic, fan-favorite scene, talk about the brand-new, imagination-filled series coming to Paramount+, and more.

Tommy Dewey (voice of Stu)

The Stars of Rugrats Special debuted on Paramount+ on Friday, May 21, and will premiere on NickRewind on TeenNick on Tuesday, May 25 at 1:00 a.m. ET/PT, where it'll also have regular encores over the following two weeks.

Cree Summer (L) and Nancy Cartwright

The Stars of Rugrats Special is available on the Paramount+ YouTube channel.

In the special, fans will learn more about the beloved babies from the voices themselves, including EG Daily (Tommy Pickles), Nancy Cartwright (Chuckie Finster), Cheryl Chase (Angelica Pickles), Cree Summer (Susie Carmichael) and Kath Soucie (Phil and Lil DeVille). The special is hosted by Tommy Dewey, who also lends his voice as Stu Pickles in the upcoming all-new CG-animated series.

Check out a fantastic sneak peek clip at the table read, which spotlights Daily, Cartwright, Chase, Dewey — and Summer flexing her avian improv skills, courtesy of Animation Magazine!


The all-new Rugrats will follow the even bigger adventures born from the colorful imaginations of Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, Lil, Susie, and Angelica. Premiering exclusively Thursday, May 27 on Paramount+, and produced by the Nickelodeon Animation Studio, the reimagined babies continue to explore their world in brand-new adventures that will both complement and evolve the original series’ beloved stories.

Beginning May 27, the first set of episodes of the Rugrats debut season will be available on Paramount+, with the rollout of additional episodes to be announced at a later date. In the one-hour premiere episode, “Second Time Around,” Tommy leads the babies on a daring adventure to help Chuckie after his big attempt to be brave goes horribly wrong. Warning: dinosaurs are involved. Following the season’s run on Paramount+, the series will air on Nickelodeon at a later date to be announced.


The series stars E.G. Daily (Tommy Pickles), Nancy Cartwright (Chuckie Finster), Cheryl Chase (Angelica Pickles), Cree Summer (Susie Carmichael), and Kath Soucie (Phil and Lil DeVille), all of whom are reprising their iconic roles in this new series.

The original adventurous babies’ voice cast is joined by new voices, including Ashley Rae Spillers and Tommy Dewey (Tommy’s parents, Didi and Stu Pickles); Tony Hale (Chuckie’s father, Chas Finster); Natalie Morales, (Phil and Lil’s mother, Betty DeVille); Anna Chlumsky and Timothy Simons (Angelica’s parents, Charlotte and Drew Pickles); Nicole Byer and Omar Miller (Susie’s parents, Lucy and Randy Carmichael); and Michael McKean (Grandpa Lou Pickles).

Produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio, the all-new Rugrats is based on the series created by Arlene Klasky, Gabor Csupo, and Paul Germain. Eryk Casemiro (“Rugrats”) and Kate Boutilier (“Rugrats”) are executive producers and Dave Pressler (“Robot and Monster”) and Casey Leonard (“Breadwinners”) serve as co-executive producers, with Rachel Lipman (“Rugrats”) as co-producer and Kellie Smith (“The Fairly OddParents”) as line producer. Charlie Adler (“Rugrats”) serves as the voice director. Production is overseen by Mollie Freilich, Senior Manager, Current Series Animation, Nickelodeon.

The original “Rugrats” series launched in August of 1991 and instantly became a groundbreaking phenomenon, spawning consumer products and three hit theatrical releases, cementing its place in pop culture history through its iconic characters, storytelling, and unique visual style. “Rugrats” was in production for nine seasons over the course of 13 years. The series earned four Daytime Emmy Awards, six Kids' Choice Awards, and its own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Other animated Nickelodeon exclusives on Paramount+ include the CG-animated SpongeBob SquarePants prequel series Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under YearsThe SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, and the upcoming Star Trek: Prodigy.

Don't have Paramount+ yet? You can sign up for the service here, which includes the streaming home of other classic Nickelodeon shows, and will also be the home of the upcoming iCarly revival, premiering June 17!

About Paramount+

Paramount+, a direct-to-consumer digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service from ViacomCBS, combines live sports, breaking news, and a mountain of entertainment. The premium streaming service features an expansive library of original series, hit shows and popular movies across every genre from world-renowned brands and production studios, including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, and the Smithsonian Channel. The service is also the streaming home to unmatched sports programming, including every CBS Sports event, from golf to football to basketball and more, plus exclusive streaming rights for major sports properties, including some of the world’s biggest and most popular soccer leagues. Paramount+ also enables subscribers to stream local CBS stations live across the U.S. in addition to the ability to stream ViacomCBS Streaming’s other live channels: CBSN for 24/7 news, CBS Sports HQ for sports news and analysis, and ET Live for entertainment coverage.

For more information about Paramount+, please visit www.paramountplus.com and follow @ParamountPlus on social platforms.

About Nickelodeon:

Nickelodeon, now in its 42nd year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location-based experiences, publishing, and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIACA, VIAC).

* * *

@OfficialRugrats @ParamountPlus @Nickelodeon @NickAnimation #rugrats

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Try Paramount+ for free today at paramountplus.com!


Originally published: Friday, May 21, 2021.

Original source: @KidsSchedule; H/T: Anime Superhero Forum /@Kanc.

Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon and Rugrats News and Highlights!

What's On Nick | Nickelodeon Premiere Highlights | Week 21

Your guide to What's New on Nickelodeon for the week of Monday, May 24 - Sunday, May 30, 2021!



For Nickelodeon's full highlights for May 2021 highlights, click here.

All times ET/PT.


Monday, May 24, 2021

9:00 a.m. - Deer Squad - Gravity Calamity: Sir Steel gets professor Scratch to create an anti-gravity ray, which goes wrong in the hands of Ricardo. (#116A)

Tuesday, May 25, 2021

1:00 a.m. on NICKREWIND - The Stars of Rugrats Special: In this all new half-hour special, the voice stars from the original Rugrats reunite and talk all about the new series; Rugrats trivia; a table read of a fan-favorite scene. [info]

9:00 a.m. - Deer Squad - Ball of Chaos: Muffin's super bouncy ball threatens to wreck the annual Winter Festival; Kai learns to sacrifice something he loves for the greater good. (#116)

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

9:00 a.m. - Deer Squad - Lola's Air Display: Lola is worried her air display will not be impressive enough; when Sir Steel joins the air display things go awry. (#117A)

Thursday, May 27, 2021

12:00 a.m. on NICKREWIND - Rugrats Shorts - The Lamp: Tommy and his friends get Angelica to confess that she broke a lamp. [info]

3:01 a.m. - Rugrats: Part 1: The Rugrats are back, exclusively on Paramount+! Try it FREE at paramountplus.com!

9:00 a.m. - Deer Squad - Down the Sewers: When Sir Steel's dog Muffin's ball goes missing down the sewers, Bobbi must face his fear of the dark. (#117B)

Friday, May 28, 2021

7:00 a.m. on NICK JR. CHANNEL - Kinderwood - Fifi's Balloon Dance: (#101A)

7:10 a.m. on NICK JR. CHANNEL - Kinderwood - A Star is Horn: (#101C)

7:20 a.m. on NICK JR. CHANNEL - Noggin Knows - Dinosaurs: Emmanuel teaches viewers all about dinosaurs with the help of beloved Bubble Guppy, Molly, and class ends with a dino-mite dance party. (#101)

11:30 a.m. - Blaze and the Monster Machines - Race to Sky High Mountain: At the starting line for the Race to Sky High Mountain, one of Crusher’s cheats threatens to sideline Blaze for good. To get back in this race, Blaze will need… Power Tires! (#605)

12:00 p.m. - PAW Patrol - Pups Save a Runaway Rooster/Pups Save a Snowbound Cow: Chickaletta and Roosterio run away from a chicken show and get stuck on top of a runaway drone. / When Bettina wanders up Jake's mountain and gets caught in a snowstorm, it's up to the Paw Patrol to bring her safely down. (#801)

12:30 p.m. - Baby Shark's Big Show! Shorts - Mommy Works From Home: Baby realizes his jaws make the perfect hole-puncher just in time to help Mommy out with her big report. (#108)

7:00 p.m. - The Loud House - Grub Snub/She's All Bat: When Leni and her friends start hanging out at Gus’s, Lincoln and the gang start a turf war for control. / Lucy gets jealous of Lola’s newfound attention after she joins the Mortician’s Club. (#516)

7:30 p.m. - The Barbarian and the Troll - Ice Ice Baby: After getting caught in a snowstorm, Evan accidentally damages the snow ogre meant to protect local villagers and is made to stand trial for his crime. (#109) [promo]

8:00 p.m. - Nick's Shorts Showcase - Coffee Run/Paper Chase: This week's Nick's Shorts Showcase is featuring... It's Pony! Annie and Pony pay a visit to a coffee bar. What could go wrong? / When Annie forgets her homework, Pony will stop at nothing to get it to her. (#101) [info]

8:00 p.m. on NICK JR. CHANNEL - Peppa Pig - Super Potato Movie/TV Land/Bird Spotting/The Petting Farm/Goldie the Fish: Peppa and friends visit the cinema to watch the Super Potato Movie and the star of the film appears on stage afterwards. / Peppa and George go behind the scenes to find out how TV is made when Miss Rabbit shows them around the set of Super Potato's TV show. / George and Peppa go birdwatching with Grandpa Pig, who wants to see a cuckoo. / The cheeky piglet is very excited for her first trip to the petting farm, as she cannot wait to hold and stroke all the little animals, including chicks and guinea pigs. / Mummy Pig, George and Peppa take Goldie the fish to the vet because she is not eating her food. (#167)

8:30 p.m. on NICK JR. CHANNEL - The Adventures of Paddington - Paddington's Rocking Chair Repair: Jonathan, Judy and Paddington accidentally break Mrs. Bird's much-loved rocking chair. (#205B)

Saturday, May 29, 2021

12:00 a.m. on NICKREWIND - Rugrats Shorts - The Slide: At the playground, Chuckie must face his fear of going down the slide. [info]

8:00 p.m. - Nickelodeon’s Unfiltered - Unfiltered: The Best Of: Go behind the filter with Nickelodeon’s Unfiltered! Host Jay Pharoah brings you the show's biggest celebrities, craziest moments, wackiest filters and all the messy and gross punishments, as well as hilarious bloopers and never before seen outtakes! (#999) [promo]

8:30 p.m. - Nickelodeon’s Unfiltered - Paint the Town Sloppy: Can a sloppy joe be a work of art? Host Jay Pharoah introduces two mystery celebs hiding behind 3D animated filters. Gabrielle Nevaeh Green, Darci Lynne and Lex Lumpkin ask questions and gather clues to unveil our two special guests. (#210) [promo]

Programming Notes:


Get set to go on an EPIC quest without leaving your seat with Nickelodeon's brand new The Barbarian and the Troll Collector Quest! Tune into Nick every evening from 7:00 p.m. ET/PT (6c) between Monday, May 24 - Thursday, May 27 to catch up with the adventure so far with back-to-back episodes of The Barbarian and the Troll, and play along by hunting for clues! Scan the QR codes with that appear on screen with Nickelodeon's free SCREENS UP app to unlock a team of quest friends - yes, even him! Collect them all to take take along on your next big journey!  Collect 'em all for a whole lotta friendship!


Originally published: Monday, May 24, 2021.

Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon News and Highlights!

Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for May 23, 2021 | Nickelodeon

Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for May 23, 2021 | Nickelodeon



The all new CG-animated Rugrats series premieres Thursday, May 27, exclusively on Paramount+!


Rugrats, provided to Creators Syndicate by Nickelodeon, based off the popular animated television series has been created for children and family's to laugh and enjoy together.

Follow these comics and their take on real episodes of the show and their own spin on hilarious adventures.

Read more Rugrats comic strips!: https://www.creators.com/features/rugrats

More Nick: First Look: Nickelodeon's All-New Animated 'Rugrats' Reunites Members of the Original Voice Cast to Reprise Roles!

Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Classic Nickelodeon, NickRewind and Rugrats News and Highlights!

Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for May 22, 2021 | Nickelodeon

Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for May 22, 2021 | Nickelodeon



The all new CG-animated Rugrats series premieres Thursday, May 27, exclusively on Paramount+!


Rugrats, provided to Creators Syndicate by Nickelodeon, based off the popular animated television series has been created for children and family's to laugh and enjoy together.

Follow these comics and their take on real episodes of the show and their own spin on hilarious adventures.

Read more Rugrats comic strips!: https://www.creators.com/features/rugrats

More Nick: First Look: Nickelodeon's All-New Animated 'Rugrats' Reunites Members of the Original Voice Cast to Reprise Roles!

Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Classic Nickelodeon, NickRewind and Rugrats News and Highlights!

"Shine a Light" on Asian/Pacific Americans in Hollywood 🔆 | AAPI Heritage Month | Nickelodeon

"Shine a Light" on Asian/Pacific Americans in Hollywood 🔆 | AAPI Heritage Month | Nickelodeon


May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, so let’s "Shine a Light" on these icons paving the way for true representation in Hollywood, from classic stars like Anna May Wong to today's biggest actors like Steven Yeun!

More Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month: http://nickalive.blogspot.com/search/label/APAHM


#AAPI #ShineALight #Nickelodeon


Originally published: Wednesday, May 19, 2021.

Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon News and Highlights!

Netflix's Live-Action 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Series Slated to Go Into Production in November 2021

Avatar: The Last Airbender is a household name at this point, and its legacy continues to thrive to this day. The series has amassed a new generation of fans after Aang made his way to Netflix, and there is much more coming for the hero. The streaming service has confirmed plans to adapt Avatar: The Last Airbender into a live-action TV series, but not many updates have been given on the show since. That is until now, you see.


Sources close to What's On Netflix have revealed that Avatar: The Last Airbender. is set to go into production in Vancouver, Canada in November 2021. Production was originally set to commence on August 16th, 2021, however, the date was pushed back.

What's On Netflix also reports that season one will have 10 hour-long episodes.

The most exciting news early in the project was that the original creators of the Nickelodeon series would be involved. However, things got sticky for the Netflix project when it was announced the creators of Avatar were exiting the adaptation due to creative differences.

Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino both penned statements regarding their leave last year. The pair did not list any specific conflicts with the creative team, but the two consultants were unhappy with the direction Netflix was taking Avatar: The Last Airbender. Netizens have been wary of the adaptation ever since this conflict went live, and for now, it seems that distrust will carry on until Netflix gives reason to feel otherwise.

Albert Kim is believed to be taking over the showrunner duties who is known for working on TNT’s Leverage and Nikita. In addition, Ryan Halprin and Lindsey Liberatore are listed as producers with Rideback Productions helming the project. Rideback recently sold off another project to Netflix in the form of Parallel.

Composer Jeremy Zuckerman was also believed to be returning to compose the music for the live-action remake, however, in an interview, he says he’s not officially signed on for the project saying:

“No, there was never a contract. It was just like “obviously you’re doing the music”, you know, but now that they’re not there, I don’t know what they’re gonna want. I’m not super pumped that they’re not gonna be there, so I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t know what the future holds for that, it’s a big question mark. Yeah, sorry to not have a happier, more straightforward answer.”

Jang Chol Lee will serve as a concept designer on the series according to IMDBPro with his previous credits including Big Hero 6, Tangled, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and Beowulf.

Dan Lin is listed as an executive producer alongside his company, Rideback. Rideback is responsible for some huge movies (predominantly for Warner Brothers) including the Sherlock Holmes movies, the Lego movies, and IT films.

Marc David Alpert is producing the series too. Marc’s impressive credits span decades with him working on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Lethal Weapon and Nikita.

IMDb also currently lists Ryan Halprin and Lindsey Liberatore as executive producers too.

There is no confirmed cast for Avatar: The Last Airbender at this point.

Since leaving Netflix's live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series, Konietzko and DiMartino have one again teamed with Nickelodeon to launch Avatar Studios, a new creative endeavor focused solely on putting out new Avatar content. Their first project will be an Avatar animated movie, which will reportedly begin production later this year. The studio won't be involved in Netflix's live-action series.

Watch Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra on Paramount+ and Netflix!

Subscribe to the NEW official Avatar: The Last Airbender YouTube channel!: https://at.nick.com/AvatarSubscribe

More Nick: Nickelodeon Establishes Avatar Studios; Announces Animated 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Movie!

NickALive! will earn a commission if you sign up to the Paramount+ streaming service is using the links provided in this post. Thankyou for supporting NickALive!.

Originally published: Monday, May 24, 2021.

Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon, NickRewind, Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra News and Highlights!

Nickelodeon and FKP Scorpio to Bring 'PAW Patrol Live!' to Germany and Austria for the First Time [Tour Resumed]

Important Update:

Update (24/5/2021) - PAW Patrol Live! "Race to the Rescue" has resumed its tour!

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus) situation and as a precaution to the safety of the show's audiences, cast and staff, the Spring 2020 PAW Patrol Live! "Race to the Rescue" tour of Germany, Austria and Switzerland has been postponed to Spring 2021.

Please see below for the new tour dates for PAW Patrol Live! „Das große Rennen”. For tickets, please visit https://www.pawpatrollive.de:


Jhonen Vasquez Returns to 'Invader Zim' for Finale of Comic Book Series

If you're going to end, it's best to end on your own terms - and Invader Zim and his creator are about to achieve that lofty goal.

(Image credit: Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group)

On the 20th anniversary of his debut with a cult-favorite Nickelodeon animated series, Invader Zim's comic book adventures are coming to a close this August with the special one-shot Invader Zim: Dookie Loop Horror from Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group.

"It's been a crazy 20 years of Zim comics but everything comes to an end, and as far as I know it IS an end but who knows if it's for real the way the things seem to keep coming back now," Vasquez tells Newsarama.

Oni-Lion Forge has confirmed that this is the end for its Invader Zim comic books, which launched back in 2015 with Vasquez. 

So what's behind the name of this finale, "Dookie Loop Horror"? Well, it's because some alien creatures called Chrono-Dumpers love to eat time, and use our dimension as well…. A toilet.

(Image credit: Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group)

"There is no escape from the time poop loop, forcing Dib and Zim to live the same TERRIBLE day forEVER," reads Oni-Lion Forge's description of the one-shot. "They wake, the tuxedoed pig farts, the world ends. And the key to fixing the loop is Gir. We are all DOOMED."

When this finale of Invader Zim first came up it was assumed Vasquez would be too busy to be involved beyond a cover - but when he was told about the finale, he jumped on to co-write it all.

In the big finale Invader Zim: Dookie Loop Horror, Vasquez teams with co-writer Eric Trueheart and artist Aaron Alexovich. They're joined by colorist Fred C. Stresing and letterer Warren Wucinich. Vasquez, Alexovich, Cole Ott and J.R. Goldberg will do variant covers.

"I want to really leave fans with something deeper to think about; something that would haunt them for the rest of their lives," Vasquez says. "So in this issue, there's a pig that farts."

Profound.

Well, you have to be an Invader Zim fan to appreciate the long-held swine humor Vasquez is keying on there.


Here's a preview of Invader Zim: Dookie Loop Horror:

When asked if Vasquez approached this finale as trying to make a big, sweeping end to all things Invader Zim, he said yes, but also no.

"Because it's Invader Zim, there's a certain amount of frustration hard-coded into the DNA of the series, and that means an ending nobody asked for," says Vasquez. "We intentionally feel there are no real big questions that need answering when we can go for mind-numbingly stupid stuff instead, so this ending is about as stupid I could come up with. Besides, a thing is never really over if you don't actually end it, I think."

Fans have learned you can't really kill Invader Zim. The original cartoon only lasted for a season-and-a-half before Nickelodeon canceled it, but like some sort of goth Obi-Wan Kenobi it rose to subsequently win an Emmy Award and become a cult favorite - in some ways, partially because of its short life.

That cult status led to a specialized fan convention, continued merchandise, and more. In 2016, Nickelodeon took notice, ordering an animated film, Enter The Florpus, which debuted on Netflix in 2019. That same year, an Invader Zim theme park ride even debuted - visit it anytime you're in East Rutherford, New Jersey at Nickelodeon Universe at American Dream.

Last year, the comics switched from a monthly release schedule to a quarterly one. The ongoing series will conclude with 55 issues in total.

Vasquez says he doesn't have an answer to Invader Zim's longevity for fans, but for himself it's because of its high-minded low-brow nature - "Stupid Done Intelligently" as he calls it.

"I just like things that feel personal, no matter how stupid, no matter how messed up or not quite right, things that feel loved on some level, and I know that we loved making anything to do with Invader Zim," says the writer/artist. "Zim falls into a category I like to think of as Stupid Done Intelligently, and it's the kind of thing I've been drawn to since I was a kid and it's definitely something that creeps into my work and especially work like Zim."

So if Invader Zim can't die and this comic book ending isn't an ending, where does that leave the franchise?

"Zim always enters a sort of stasis when there isn't an actual project for me to tackle, the kind of thing that's always there in my brain, but it's not taking up all my processing power as I'm usually thinking of other ideas, hopefully newer ideas," says Vasquez. "But the moment someone pops up and offers some kind of revival my brain gets going again and dreams up new Zim ideas whether or not I even think I'll do it."

"When I heard that we were reaching the final issue of the Invader ZIM comics, I immediately started thinking of ways to end it as stupidly as possible, which is a pretty big challenge considering the levels of stupid the comic had already gone to," Vasquez told CBR. "My only hope is that when people read it, their brains won't work anymore. That's how I’ll know we did our jobs right."

According to Jasmine Amiri, senior editor at Oni-Lion Forge, the extent of Vasquez's involvement was a surprise: "We knew we wanted to do something special for the big finale of the Invader ZIM comics, but when I emailed Jhonen asking if he'd like to illustrate a cover, I wasn't expecting him to one-up us by signing on to co-write the entire thing. From that kick-off through to the end, this issue surpassed expectations. The entire creative team brought their A game, and I can't wait to share this bizarro, extremely ZIM final issue with everyone."

Each of the artists involved made their own comedic comments on the final Invader ZIM issue. Alexovich said, "I came back one last time to make sure Invader ZIM was well and truly DEAD once and for all. If we’ve done our job right, his curse will never infect anyone ever again. The world might finally be free. Also, it was fun to draw a fancy pig."

Truehart remarked, "When Jhonen asked me if I wanted to work with him on The Dookie Loop Horror, I said, 'You had me at Dookie.' And it turns out I really like loops."

Stresing's statement on concluding the series read, "Glad to have been a part of the Invader ZIM comics for so long, and even gladder to see this last issue through with a bang. A disgusting, messy bang. And you won’t believe who is back in this final issue! (Minimoose. It's Minimoose.)"

Wucinich summed things up by saying, "So it all comes down to dookie and a fancy pig. I wouldn't have it any other way."

The Dookie Loop Horror will be available in stores and online via ComiXology on Aug. 4, 2021.

Check out a doom-tastic preview of the finale of Invader ZIM Comics, below!:

(Image credit: Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group)

(Image credit: Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group)

(Image credit: Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group)

(Image credit: Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group)

(Image credit: Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group)


(Image credit: Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group)

Fans can stream Invader ZIM on Paramount+!

From /Film:

How ‘Invader Zim’ Taught an Entire Generation to Prepare For Our Bleak Reality

Nickelodeon revolutionized cartoons in the early ’90s with shows like Rugrats and Ren and Stimpy, but by the turn of the millenium, the network was in need of some fresh voices with something new to offer that didn’t come from Klasky or Csupó. While SpongeBob SquarePants was making headlines and exploding in popularity, it was indie comics creator Jhonenh Vasquez who presented one of the most unique, creepy, nihilistic, and hilarious shows Nickelodeon ever saw. Even 20 years later, Invader Zim continues to prepare kids for their bleak and doomed futures.

In case you’re not familiar, Invader Zim revolves around its titular evil alien named Zim, who gets tasked with infiltrating Earth in order to take over the world. Of course, things aren’t ever that easy, and Zim is so inept at his job that he ends up barely surviving a terrestrial elementary school and the horrors of human reality. It doesn’t help that his classmate Dib is a paranormal investigator and 100% onto Zim, and he would stop at nothing to get rid of his pesky alien classmate.

One of the more obvious ways the show stood out among other Nickelodeon cartoons of the time was the way it followed a villainous protagonist, and it was clearly inspired by horror. Vasquez, who had already made a career out of horror-inspired comic books like Johnny the Homicidal Maniac (you can guess what it’s about), excelled at playing with the small separation between horror and comedy. Vazquez told us in an e-mail:

“Most horror scenarios, when simply related note for note, come off as so ridiculous and outlandish that they could be considered comical. But when you put yourself in those scenarios as reality, suddenly that joke is your living nightmare. Filtering those moments through a kid’s imagination without limits creates a world as phantasmagorical and hellish as it is wonderful.”

That is the space in which Invader Zim thrived, turning the hellish reality Vasquez and other adults were already experiencing in the early ’00s, and translating it as nightmares that kids would find too ridiculous to be afraid of, even as they subconsciously were preparing for that nightmare to become their future reality.

Take the show’s constant reliance on body horror, for instance. For a cartoon aimed at kids, a majority of Invader Zim episodes revolved around how grotesque and fragile our bodies really are. For one, humans are constantly referred to as meat sacks that house our consciousnesses, and they are constantly decaying. There is an episode about a lice infection that quickly takes over the entire school and drives the kids mad trying to scratch their disgusting heads; another episode deals with Zim getting a pimple that has psychic abilities and grows exponentially before exploding in a massive wave of pus; one time Zim literally fuses Dib’s DNA with bologna, which starts rotting away throughout the day. Watching Invader Zim as a kid was hilarious because of its broad and gross humor, and because this was a show airing on the same network as SpongeBob, it was bold to have its protagonist gouge a kid’s eyes out in order to implant the idea that he is a squirrel in his brain. As an adult, however, the show is just a grim reminder of what the rest of my life will be like — slowly seeing your meat sack rot and break away. Vazquez said:

“It’s just part of being alive. What’s more horrifying than being a fragile bubble of blood and organs threatening to fail or be popped at any given moment? The show was influenced by my childhood interpretations of horror movies and books, as well as my innate horror at simply being alive. What’s funnier than that?”

Well, finding the fact that one day your organs will fail and you’ll suffer a painful death to be hilarious is certainly a take, but there’s no denying the way the show so effectively mocks our reality by showing us a somehow even worse one.

The horror also extends beyond just knowing your body will fail and disappear with time. Invader Zim is also a generally nihilistic look at the pointlessness of life, how everything just sucks, and that we live in a failed society run by idiots. Schools are basically meaningless prisons, and the teacher is so disinterested in anything going on that when Dib goes to her asking for advice in dealing with horrible nightmares, she replies, “It’s called life, Dib, sit down.” Fast food chains like MacMeatie’s make their food out of recycled napkins, advertisements are rotting kids’ brains away, selling them video game consoles called “Game Slave.” Yet, we run and fight each other for the opportunity to be first in line to play the latest game while eating a disgusting napkin burger. Even Santa Claus is a total scam.

Invader Zim was never subtle about its anti-consumption, anti-corporate themes, but it found a morbid comedic tone about portraying a world where no one ever learns any moral lessons. Everyone in charge of anything is just too stupid and apathetic to care. Many cartoons and kids’ movies portray adults as dumber than the kids in order to make them appear more heroic or reflect how kids feel about the parents who just don’t understand them. But Invader Zim takes a different approach to prepare its audience to enter a world where everything is broken and it’s pointless to fight it because everyone is too dumb to listen. As Vazquez said, it’s “an awful world where people have gotten so disconnected and focused on the worst, most petty things.”

There is no saving the day in Invader Zim, there’s just delaying the inevitable — and after living through 2020, this has never been more relatable. As Vasquez described the uniquely nihilistic humor of the show, “maybe it has something to do with that very human quality of finding amusement in watching other people be more tormented than yourself.”

There is certainly something about Invader Zim being so incredibly, unapologetically, horrendously awful that makes it even funnier as an adult because you can laugh at finding other characters being more miserable than you. While SpongeBob and The Fairly OddParents were dominating the ratings over at Nickelodeon in 2001, and the original Justice League cartoon was introducing a generation to the superhero team, Invader Zim was preparing some of us for our impending doom with gross jokes, and lots of tacos.

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INVADER ZIM DOOKIE LOOP HORROR ONESHOT CVR C VASQUEZ
ONI PRESS INC.

JUN211666

(W) Jhonen Vasquez (A) Aaron Alexovich, Eric Trueheart (CA) Jhonen Vasquez

"Up in the sky, something...BLUE approaches. And it smells HORRIBLE. It turns out that interdimensional creatures called Chrono-Dumpers eat time and use our dimension as a toilet, creating an infinite time loop. There is no escape from the time poop loop, forcing Dib and ZIM to live the same TERRIBLE day forEVER. They wake, the tuxedo pig farts, the world ends. And the key to fixing the loop is GIR. We are all DOOMED...

Jhonen Vasquez and Eric Truehart return to write one final oversize Invader ZIM comic for Oni Press! "
In Shops: Aug 04, 2021

SRP: $4.99


Originally published: Tuesday, April 06, 2021 at 02:03 BST.

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