TVSquad

It's 'toon news time. Here's some stuff my fellow animation freaks might find interesting:

• First off, thanks to reader Ytoabn for telling us about the Frederator Films, a new animation studio (spun off from Frederator Studios) that has a Samurai Jack feature film slated as one of its first projects. Jack creator Genndy Tartakovsky will write and direct the movie.
• The Onion's AV Club has two cool interviews with fans of new and not-so-new 'toons: Ren and Stimpy creator John Kricfalusi and Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants (and many other voices).

• Via Boing Boing: A big ol' Gigantor statue is being built in Japan. Look for the metal behemoth in Kobe, Japan sometime next spring. You know, if you happen to be in Kobe, Japan.
• Speaking of anime stuff: you can download full episodes of Trinity Blood, Kiddy Grade and Rumbling Hearts at AnimeOnline.com. Episodes are $1.99 each [via Toon Zone].
• Jerry Beck, the cartoon historian who runs the amazing cartoon blog, Cartoon Brew, with Amid Amidi, is teaming up with Mystery Science Theater 3000's Frank Coniff for Cartoon Dump. The new podcast is based on Beck's Worst Cartoons Ever showcase at the San Diego Comic-Con. The podcast will be featured on Cartoon Brew Films, though I'm not certain if they'll charge for the podcast as they do for the other films.
• Finally, Adult Swim's site had a link to these awesome Metalocalypse action figures. You can pick them up at Comic-Con for twenty bucks each.