Dark Hall Mansion “Betty Boop” fine art print by Naja Conrad-Hansen
Betty Boop – whose early comic adventures were re-published last year by Titan Comics – is coming back to the small screen, some 30 years after her last show.
A new 26-episode series aimed at “tweens and teens” recounting the adventures of Betty Boop and her journey to becoming a superstar will launch in 2018, produced by Normaal Studios – producers of the Peanuts TV series – in partnership with Fleischer Studios and King Features.
The series marks the first tme the iconic character has starred in her own show in 30 years and will be supported by King Features licensing and merchandising – the exclusive worldwide licensing agency for the Betty Boop brand – to introduce the Betty Boop brand to a new generation of fans.
“We are delighted to be partnering with an innovative production company such as Normaal Animation,” said Mark Fleischer, president and CEO of Fleischer Studios.
“My grandfather, Max Fleischer created Betty Boop as a fun, feisty and fashionable female. She has proven to be a character for al time. It is extremely gratifying to know that this new television series will introduce Max’s beloved icon to new generations of fans in an engaging, relatable way.”
Before Marilyn Monroe, Madonna and Lady Gaga, Betty booped and wriggled her way into hearts worldwide with her unique mix of wide-eyed innocence and powerful cartoon sensuality. Since making her public debut 84 years ago in the 1930 cartoon “Dizzy Dishes” (part of the lauded Talkartoon series from Fleischer Studios and Paramount Pictures), the original celluloid siren has gone on to become a household brand name, a huge licensed property hit, and still remains animation’s first leading lady and a glamorous international icon.
Betty’s first appearance in comics was in a newspaper strip drawn by Bud Counihan, distributed by King Features Syndicate from 1934 to 1937, which Titan collected last year to deserved acclaim, capturing all the cheeky fun embodied by the character. The collection also comes with an authoritative introduction and the history of Betty Boop.
A Betty Boop new feature-length film was announced in 2014, to be produced by Simon Cowell’s (X Factor) Syco production company and Animal Logic
“Betty is an icon, and one of the biggest stars in the world – I’m thrilled to be working with her,” said Simon Cowell when the film was first announced. “Betty, I’ve worked with some serious divas but I think you could be the biggest of them all!”
DHM asked Naja Conrad-Hansen to bring her high-fashion sensibilities to bear in rendering the timeless Betty Boop with a distinctively 1970’s flair for one print variant. This Betty is all attitude, hangs with Mick Jagger, circa “Some Girls.”
Earlier this month, top fine art print publishers Dark Hall Mansion released two striking limited-edition prints by Naja Conrad-Hansen‘s featuring Betty, who is still enchanting audiences to this very day.
Naja Conrad-Hansen was voted amongst the “200 Best Illustrators Worldwide” by Lürzer’s archive four times in a row, most recently in 2014/15. She recently wowed print collectors with her stunning work on Dark Hall Mansion’s official Jimi Hendrix print releases, and brings her stunning skills to bear on two very different Betty Boop pieces: the first a special treat that has Betty, friend Bimbo, and her little puppy Pudgy all dolled up for Valentine’s Day; the second, as you can see above, a very limited edition that is pure 1970s and all Betty attitude!
• The Definitive Betty Boop: The Classic Comic Strip Collection is on sale in all good comic and book shops an available to read on the iPad, iPhone, Web, Android and Kindle Fire, exclusively through the comiXology app and comiXology.com
• To see all editions of the Betty Boop Dark Hall Mansion’s limited edition prints visit the company’s Facebook page at or via the DHM Blog here. They’re both on sale now from DHM’s dedicated store page: http://darkhallmansionstore.com. All editions are strictly limited, measure 18″ x 24,” are giclee printed and hand numbered.
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Animation, Art and Illustration, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Other Worlds, Television
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