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Here’s a look at media of interest coming out in April 2023.
Comics/Manga
- Moriarty the Patriot, vol. 11, $10, April 4 (Viz)
Movies
A full list is available here.
- The Super Mario Bros. Movie, April 5
Apple TV+
A full list is available here.
- Frog and Toad, April 28
Disney+
A full list is available here.
- The Owl House (season 3, one episode), April 9
- Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (season 1, five episodes), April 12
- Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures (shorts), April 26
Paramount+
A full list is available here.
- Rugrats (2021 reboot, season 2), April 14
- Noah’s Arc (seasons 1 and 2), April 26
Sports
- NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, starting April 17 (ABC, ESPN, TNT, TBS)
- NBA Playoffs, starting April 15 (ABC, ESPN, TNT)
My thoughts
I note HBO Max is seeing quite a few TV shows and movies leaving at the end of April. I’m guessing it’s yet another cost-savings measure and/or in preparation for the soon-to-launch merged HBO Max/Discovery+ streaming service (though Discovery+ will still be offered as a cheaper stand-alone service). Again, I’ve found a few alternatives for covering some of Warner’s animation catalog: Hulu (most of the newer Cartoon Network shows), Tubi (“The Flintstones”), and buying some Looney Tunes/Scooby-Doo DVDs.
An animated adaptation of the children’s book series “Frog and Toad” is coming to Apple TV+ in April. I enjoyed reading the books as a kid, so wonder how the animated version will fare.
“Noah’s Arc” is finally on streaming
“Noah’s Arc” is a dramedy that ran on Logo for two seasons, from 2005 to 2006. The show centers around the lives of four Black gay friends in Los Angeles.
I enjoyed “Noah’s Arc” back in the aughts, and glad to see it’s finally coming to Paramount+. The show stood out as the first time I extensively saw Black gay culture (and multiple Black gay characters) featured on TV. It also stood out compared to the very white (despite being set in Pittsburgh) 2000s American version of “Queer as Folk.”
For that matter, some of Logo’s original content (before it switched to being mainly non-LGBTQ-related reruns such as “Mama’s Family”) is still missing from Paramount+, despite Logo having its own channel on Pluto TV. The TV movie that wrapped up “Noah’s” run is apparently not coming to Paramount+, nor the YouTube reunion special made during the pandemic lockdown in 2020. Until now, the only way to see “Noah’s Arc” was either on the show’s DVD set or on Logo’s website.
Farewell to Netflix’s first animated series, “Turbo FAST”
What’s surprising to me isn’t what’s coming to Netflix (not much), but what’s leaving: “Turbo FAST” on April 1, and “The Mr. Peabody and Sherman Show” on April 20.
“Turbo FAST,” based on the 2012 DreamWorks film “Turbo,” was Netflix’s first animated original series, and debuted in 2013, running for three seasons totaling 52 episodes. Of course, “Turbo FAST” was easily eclipsed in attention by “BoJack Horseman” a year later. Until now, “Turbo FAST” was a staple of Netflix’s animation side, even if it wasn’t the most popular show.
It’s surprising to see “Turbo” and “Peabody” leaving Netflix, while newer DreamWorks fare “The Boss Baby” is staying put. Granted, Netflix did mention they wanted franchises like “Boss Baby” as an example of what their animated offerings should be (read: a safe/familiar but popular franchise), when starting in on animation-related budget cuts last year. (*Sigh*.) I can only assume “Turbo” and “Peabody” will end up on Peacock, as all three are owned by Comcast. Otherwise, the first season is available on DVD.
Ike Perlmutter has been laid off by Disney
News broke on Wednesday (I wrote this Thursday evening) that longtime Marvel Entertainment chairman Ike Perlmutter has been let go by Disney, as part of layoffs and reorganizations that eliminated Marvel Entertainment, which oversaw Marvel Comics (i.e. the actual comic book part of the company). Marvel’s comics head will apparently answer to Marvel Studios’ leadership, Kevin Feige. It’s unclear where Marvel Comics will actually fit now, but I assume it’ll be some subdivision of Marvel Studios (as odd as it sounds).
While saving money’s one goal (unfortunately for the people laid off), Disney certainly also wanted Perlmutter gone, after his recent power-grab attempt with its board (plus longstanding issues with him). As others online noted, dissolving Marvel Entertainment = no company for Perlmutter to oversee, so…
The superhero comics world has exploded in excitement over this, as it’s a big shift for Marvel. It’s also because Perlmutter is hated by pretty much everyone who works in or is associated with comics, and for good reason. He’s penny-pinching and stingy to a cartoonish degree (ironically, giving him much in common with a Disney-owned character, Scrooge McDuck); is racist and sexist (he tried throwing up roadblocks to Marvel Studios’ attempts to make “Black Panther” and “Captain Marvel” movies); and is one of Trump’s biggest supporters and close allies. (Though given Trump’s own problems right now…) Basically, the reaction in comics circles (and mine): “don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”
On the comics side, I assume Marvel will be fine, and isn’t going anywhere. (The film side needs ideas to turn into TV shows and movies, after all.) I’m hoping that with Perlmutter completely gone, Marvel might improve the state of its trade paperback and graphic novel back catalog, which he supposedly hindered.
Sports stuff
The NHL and NBA seasons come to an end in April, when the leagues’ respective playoffs begin. That said, watching the portions on TNT or TBS require a live cable replacement service such as Sling TV. ESPN might offer some coverage via ESPN3/ESPN+.
Image by Andrés Rodríguez from Pixabay
