Warner bows Peanuts Motion Comics on iTunes

20 new episodes will be released based on signature story lines

By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 11/3/2008

NOV. 3 | Peanuts has been adapted into a new Warner Premiere Motion Comics series, with the first two episodes offered as a free exclusive download on iTunes.

The episodes, available now on iTunes for a limited time, focus on underdogs Linus and Charlie Brown fighting to win their school election. The three- to four-minute animated installments are based on an actual 1964 Peanuts comic strip.

Warner Premiere and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution plan to roll out 20 installments of its Peanuts Motion Comics, based on such signature story lines as the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown’s baseball team, Valentine’s Day and Charlie Brown’s first crush.

After an unspecified time on iTunes, two Peanuts episodes will be priced at 99¢, and the full season pass will go for $7.99.

“Our Motion Comics lineup continues to expand with the addition of the highly entertaining Peanuts series to our slate,” said Diane Nelson, president of Warner Premiere. “We’re proud to be the studio selected by the Schulz family to take these classic strips and create all-new content for the next generation of Peanuts fans.”

Sister division Warner Home Video also distributes Peanuts content on DVD.

Peanuts will mark the first fully animated Motion Comic series. The studio’s other current Motion Comic series star such characters as Batman and the Watchmen.