Cars: The Rookie #1

Update: BOOM! Studios announced today that one of the premiere titles for their new BOOM! Kids imprint, Cars: The Rookie #1 has sold out – in only one week! They also announced a second printing. Cars: The Rookie #1 second print features a brand new photo cover and will hit store shelves mid-May, serving as a great follow-up to the Cars: The Rookie Free Comic Book Day release on May 2nd.

Boom has released a preview of this week’s Cars: The Rookie #1, its latest Pixar property by Alan Porter and Albert Carreres. The solicitation for the issue reads: Cars fans, start your engines! Before the big Dinoco 400 race, rookie sensation Lightning McQueen is interviewed by Darrel Cartrip. Full of braggadocio, McQueen reveals his scrappy origins as “Bulldozer” McQueen-a local short track racer who dreams of the big time…and recklessly plows his way through the competition to get there!

See the preview of Cars: The Rookie #1 from Newsarama. You can also read a review of the first issue on Newsarama here. Cars: The Rookie #1 was released this Wednesday in comic book stores. If you are a Cars fan who also enjoys comic books, you definitely don’t want to miss it.

I heard a rumor that Tokyo Mater was coming on Disney XD, formerly Toon Disney this Friday. I checked the listings for that night, and sure enough, Cars is coming on from 5pm to 7:25pm and after that Cars Toons: Mater’s Tall Tales is listed from 7:25pm to 7:30pm. There is also a chance it may be coming on before Cars, so you may want to check in then as well.

For a refresher on Tokyo Mater, check this post here. Unless you saw it in front of Bolt, this would be your first chance to see it. Here is the synopsis of Tokyo Mater.

This time, we find Mater telling Lightning McQueen about his adventures in Japan and a misunderstanding that leads to him being challenged to a drift-racing competition straight through the heart of downtown Tokyo.

Sounds interesting, but this got me thinking, could I write a better movie? What about you? I have a lot of faith in Pixar, but they have only done one other sequel. That synopsis just doesn’t seem to fit the Cars universe. Hopefully, Pixar will prove me wrong.

Here’s my idea: “Cars 2: Electric Boogaloo.” The plot: Mater and Lightning McQueen try to stop a developer from bulldozing a Radiator Springs community recreation center. Discuss.

Bonus features include:

• Animated Shorts: “Mater and the Ghostlight,” “One Man Band”
• Deleted Scenes
• “Cine-Explore” mode
• “Car Finder” interactive feature allowing users to search for the 217 different cars featured in the film
• Featurette: “Radiator Springs”
• Bonus Deleted Scene: “Traffic School”
• Movie Showcase

Update – 11/7/07: Apparently, buyers of Cars on Blu-ray have discovered a special offer inside. Here is the description.

Blu Ray DVD Exclusive Mail In CAR: Disney/ Pixar ordered 15K to offer the consumers the option to mail in and receive this special Dinoco Blu Ray Deco McQueen. It is a double Rangsburg Blue Metallic.

This blue Lightning McQueen is the same Car that came with the case that was auctioned off a few weeks ago for the AIDS charity in California. According to this description, 15,000 of these were made.

To get it, you need a code, which is inside the packaging. To redeem it, you visit DisneyMovieRewards.com. Once there, it will ask you if you are a member of Disney Online. If you are not, you need to register. Once registered, you can then enter the code. You can either use the points immediately and order the car, or save up the points to get bigger gifts. Below is an image. Check out http://carsdiecasttoys.blogspot.com/ for the full story. Update 2: There are several sellers with the Blu Ray Lightning McQueen for sale on eBay.

In other Pixar DVD news, two more Pixar DVDs will be released this Tuesday. The first one is Ratatouille, which will also be released on DVD and Blu-ray this Tuesday. Bonus features include:

DVD Features:

• Documentary
• Exclusive short ‘Your Friend the Rat’
• Deleted scenes

Blu-ray HD Exclusive Content:

• “Cine-Explore”
• Interactive game: “Gusteau’s Gourmet Game”

You can get the Ratatouille DVD for $14.99 or the Blu-ray DVD for $23.95 at Amazon.com.

In addition, Pixar is releasing another DVD this Tuesday, called the Pixar Short Films Collection Volume One. This will include thirteen Pixar award-winning short films. Here is the list of shorts included.

• The Adventures of Andre & Wally B
• Luxo Jr.
• Red’s Dream
• Tin Toy
• Knick Knack
• Geri’s Game
• For the Birds
• Mike’s New Car
• Boundin’
• Jack-Jack Attack
• Mater and the Ghost Light
• One Man Band
• Lifted

You can get the Pixar Short Films Collection on DVD for $19.99 or Blu-ray DVD for $23.95 at Amazon.com.