Mel Brooks' 'Spaceballs' Gets Animated

[YAHOO] Mel Brooks, whose comedy hits include "The Producers" and "Blazing Saddles," is bringing his sci-fi spoof "Spaceballs" to television in cartoon form.

"Spaceballs: The Animated Series" will air on the G4 television network beginning next fall, it was announced Wednesday.

The 1987 film, which starred Brooks, Rick Moranis and John Candy, parodied "Star Wars" and other sci-fi movies. The new animated version will poke fun at blockbuster movies, reality TV, politics and pop culture.

Brooks, 80, will write the pilot episode and voice two of the show's characters. Read more.

Will Aaron McGruder Resume His 'Boondocks' Comic Strip?

Dave Astor at Editor & Publisher writes: Is "The Boondocks" coming back? And, if so, when?

"The Boondocks" creator Aaron McGruder began a six-month leave of absence in late March. Reports at the time indicated that he would resume his popular and controversial comic in October.

But Universal Press Syndicate, when contacted by E&P last week and again today, didn't yet know McGruder's exact plans. Read more.

It sounds as if it's touch-and-go. Universal doesn't have an answer and McGruder doesn't seem to be talking.

Alan Gardner reports that McGruder's hiatus, announced last March, has resulted in the loss of two-thirds of the newspapers that carried the feature.

Upcoming appearances

I have a couple more appearances before the end of the year, both of which take place in November.

Buckeye Book Fair, Wooster, Ohio, Nov. 4. This appearance is to promote The Everything Cartooning Book. There will be no Evil Inc books or convention sketches. I will be selling and signing The Everything Cartooning Book only.

PhilCon 2006, Philadelphia, Nov. 17-19. This event is hosted by the Philadelphia Science Fiction Society and is held in the Sheraton Center City at 17th and Race.