**EDITED!  (See below in the section about articles)

As far as I know, we haven't seen any recent fan news, from any source (and if I am wrong, then I definitely do apologize) which featured any fan works.  People do enjoy having their works get attention and feedback, and fan news entries can be a big help in that area.  So today's Secret of NIMH fan news is all about fan submissions! 

So far, over on The Secret of NIMH Source, we've seen some nice fan art and images, a couple of good articles (courtesy of yours truly!), and some informative forum topics!  Please read on, and give them some feedback (and comments in the topics and articles would be very helpful and much appreciated too!).

Gums' fan art of Mr. Ages (above), discovering some sought-after information in one of the books in his laboratory, serves as an overture to the fan art submissions I'd like to review...with a sample from every member who submitted so far (and, like Gums', some very creative submissions they are!).

Our webmaster submitted his own attractive entry, of Mrs. Brisby, very early in the game...admitting that this was the first fan art he's submitted "in ages" (which says a lot about the draw that The Secret of NIMH Source has currently!)--and it's loaded with emotion!  Just as Windhowler offered this interesting and creative take on Jeremy.  Such sadness in their eyes!

   

In the way of sketch art, there are three entries here (and more by some of these artists).  Not only do we have one of many NIMH entries from Mightybalto1925, with her excellent sketch of Mrs. Brisby, but an interesting anime-style sketch of the same character by new Animation Source member nezumiyuki.  And -Wildfire- offers us a colored sketch of Justin in her usual style (on graph paper)!

As to fan images, there've been some interesting submissions as well.  As a site builder for The Secret of NIMH Source, Mightybalto1925 has created many avatars, character head shots, banners and shoutbox backgrounds.  If you go into her galleries, you can see many of the images she's created, including the free-to-use avatars (which are really quite good!) and other images...such as this spooky entry (lol):

One of the very first fan submissions on NIMH Source was Junichi Sasai's equally-spooky meme of Mrs. Brisby (also lol):

In the area of articles, I have written two good ones for you to enjoy, and I hope you'll have a look and offer some feedback!  The first article is about three characters which appeared in the original book Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, which director/writer Don Bluth did not include in his animated adaptation, The Secret of NIMH.  You might find these characters to be of use for fan art and/or fan fictions, and I know I've seen at least one of them drawn very well by a NIMH fan on deviantArt! 

(**EDIT: By the way, if anyone would like to see the dA entry I mentioned, here it is.  Though I didn't have specific permission to post it here, I am quite sure the artist won't mind, as he is a NIMH and Don Bluth fan too, and I must believe he wants his work seen by other NIMH fans...and he has several great NIMH works in his gallery: http://uberpotato.deviantart.com/art/Arthur-496701439)

The second article concerns the character of Timothy Brisby...and is the first of what will be three articles about this key character from the NIMH storyline.  We see and get to know the character more in the animated sequel (which has received a great deal of harsh and condemning criticism by dedicated fans of Don Bluth's The Secret of NIMH--including me, though it is not entirely deserved in any case).  As disappointing and uninspired as the animated sequel is on many levels, it definitely does feature some facets in the story which are evidence of good writing.  And, in some cases, even good voice acting.  Please have a look, and please comment!  And be on the look out for the two follow-up articles, which I hope to post this week!

This should relate, indirectly, to a forum topic I made, some time ago, which delineates the many contradictions to the NIMH canon which are evident in the animated sequel, and that forum topic could use some lovin', if you'd be willing to have a look!

As an afterthought, I'd like to draw your attention back to an item I mentioned previously, in past fan news entries.  On the Information page for The Secret of NIMH movie, if you scroll down past the cast list and the entry marked "History", you will see an entry entitled "Parallels In Real Life".  Trust me, if you haven't seen it, it's worth a glance.  Especially if you're a NIMH fan!

Speaking of forum topics, and wrapping up this fan news, let me present a couple of topics you should have a look at, and comment upon! 

The first, by Juuchan17, hopes to create a discussion about the magical amulet, which was a story arc created specifically by Don Bluth for The Secret of NIMH movie.  There is no magical amulet, nor magic of any kind, in Robert C. O'Brien's original book, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, upon which the movie is based.  But it is an interesting topic, and worthy of further discussion!

The other topic, by yours truly, presents the interesting news that a new NIMH movie, and possibly a franchise (in the style of Ice Age, Despicable Me/Minions, etc.) is in the works!  It is slated to be a combination live action/CGI production and, while it is good news to hear that there is new NIMH material in the offing (apparently a re-telling of the original story by O'Brien), fans are--understandably--a bit nervous as to what will result from the new production(s).  Please have a look!  Links to more information about this are included in the topic!

That's all for now!  Thanks for reading, and for supporting these fan works!  And please consider submitting your own!  The Secret of NIMH Source is proving to be a great success so far, and we are eager to keep it that way!  And if you know any fans of the movie, or the book, please spread the word!

--Jerseycaptain