Zorro: Generation Z (2006)
Zorro: Generation Z is an animated series that began in 2007. Former Marvel Studios development executive, Rick Ungar, developed the original series in association with BKN, G7 Animation and Pangea Corporation. Concept created by Hans Christian Vang in scripts produced for the mini-series "The Mantle of Zorro" . Zorro Productions, Inc. had licensed the rights to Cool Comics, but cancelled it after a whole year of development by Cool Comics, wanting to do justice to the property rather than hurriedly produce a cheap product, with the reason being that they had 'forgotten' about their licensing arrangement with Cool Comics, and that Sony had approached them with a desire to do a series with a similar theme. The programming deal and concept for the new series was developed by Ungar, G7 and Pangea and underwritten partially by a master toy license with Brazilian toy company, Gulliver Toys. Writers at Cool Comics, Neil Southwell and Hans Christian Vang, despite having worked on their comic book and art for over a year, were told they would not able to release the material, due to the similar subject matter suddenly appearing from out of nowhere, after their scripts had been continuously approved by Zorro Productions. What made the Ungar-BKN show unique were the plethora of high tech gadgets, also present in Cool Comics' series, and the conceit of having the young Zorro ride his motorcycle named after his horse, Tornado, also originally present in the Cool Comics comic book scripts. The show has been aired in the UK on POP! on 7 April 2008 and was shown on Kix! on 19 May 2008. This version of the Zorro story features a descendent of the original Zorro, as in the Cool Comics series, named Diego De La Vega as the original Zorro, fighting crime and the corrupt government of Pueblo Grande in a near-future setting. Zorro: Generation Z has yet to air in the USA. The series has already been shown in the Philippines via Hero TV.
