Filmmaker Austin McConnell has launched a Kickstarter campaign for a new animated movie starring the public-domain superhero Cat-Man.
McConnell is developing The Sensational Cat-Man alongside Ian Wilkins, aka SpikeyTortoise. The film is based on McConnell and Wilkins’ recent animated pilot of the same name. Per the Kickstarter campaign, The Sensational Cat-Man is “[l]oosely based on a now-defunct 1940s comic book hero.” The planed animated feature “follows private detective David Merryweather as he wages a crusade on crime!” In this “noir mystery featuring Filmation-esque aesthetics and exciting hijinks,” Detective Merryweather “investigates his toughest case yet, taking him deep into the seedy underworld of Skyline City to uncover a nefarious plot!”
McConnell seeks to raise $50,000 USD in order to make The Sensational Cat-Man a reality. Should the campaign raise $100,000, he and Wilkins will instead produce a Cat-Man animated series spinning out of the movie. At the time of writing, the 183 backers have already pledged $15,503 to the Kickstarter. The crowdfunding campaign concludes on Tuesday, January 23, 2024.
Who is the sensational Cat-Man?
Created by artist Irwin Hasen alongside an unknown writer, David Merryweather/Cat-Man first appeared in Crash Comics Adventures #4, published by Tem Publishing Co. in 1940. Holyoke Publishing picked up the rights to Cat-Man in 1942. However, the character eventually faded into obscurity and entered the public domain. AC Comics revived Cat-Man in the 1980s. Dynamite Entertainment did the same in the 2000s.
Not to be confused with DC’s Thomas Reese Blake/Catman, the original Cat-Man was raised by a tigress in Burma following the deaths of his parents. Over time, David Merryweather developed super strength, super agility, night vision, and the mythical “nine lives” associated with felines. Upon returning to the United States, Cat-Man used his abilities to fight crime.
The Sensational Cat-Man is live on Kickstarter now.
