Et Tu CLARK KENT' Questions about the WB's new young Clark Kent TV series

Well, gosh... As faithful readers of AICN no doubt know, there had been talk for quite some time about a young BRUCE WAYNE series that had been developed by Tim McCanlies (screenwriter of Warners' best reviewed film of last year, THE IRON GIANT and who is now writing IRON MAN for New Line) with interest for producing on the WB Network. Well, that pitch was developed about a year ago now, and as part of that pitch... there was mention of a possible SMALLVILLE spinoff which would follow the life of a young Clark Kent as he set about discovering his emerging powers.

Well, you no doubt also remember that there was an epic power struggle between Tim McCanlies' BRUCE WAYNE and Lorenzo DiBonaventura's desire to create a YEAR ONE-styled BATMAN film... or so the rumor goes. I had heard that BRUCE WAYNE entered a rather abrupt and rude coma at the hands of Warner Theatrical... (It should be noted that Warner Theatrical dropped the Year One feature pitch, thereby clearing all obstructions for this superior television series seemingly, so why no BRUCE WAYNE?) and while I was at the WB pitching my very own television show, I had made a contact that told me later that Tim McCanlies came in and pitched a Tollin Robbins (producers of READY TO RUMBLE, VARSITY BLUES and GOOD BURGER) produced tv show called SMALLVILLE which was all about the young pre-Superman life of one Kansas farmboy cub-reporter by the name of Clark Kent. His life with Lana, Ma & Pa Kent, his boyhood friendship with a young Lex Luthor and dealing with these strange and remarkable powers that began manifesting themselves in his teen years.

Now that is all I had heard... I hadn't gone with anything on it because I was going to try and contact Tim McCanlies to find out more... Well imagine my shock, when I read that Tollin-Robbins and the WB have ordered a 13 episode order on a Young Clark Kent series from 'an original' pitch developed by the writers of SHANGHAI NOON (as well as the classic tv shows, UPN's THE STRIP and TIMECOP: THE SERIES) and Tollin-Robbins.

Ok.... Apparently McCanlies pitched this exact same sounding 'original' pitch about a month ago... but somehow, these new writers are working with the same pitch and producers... and now there is no mention of Tim McCanlies...

SO... Is Tim McCanlies being cornholed by Tollin Robbins? Is the WB trying to squeeze Tim out? In Tim's pitch the girl was Lana Lang, but in their press release it's Lois Lane! What the hell is Lois Lane doing in Smallville? Sigh... Sounds like something is afoot... WE WILL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS SOON!!!