Former Topps VP Ira Friedman and artist Joe Simko have teamed up with Titmouse in LA to co-develop an animated series for kids ages six to 12 based on their fledgling trading card game Crainiacs.

The brand’s backstory kicks off when two planets collide and a stone-age society meets a futuristic one. These two disparate civilizations have to figure out how to share their new world, and episodes of the show will center around the comedic contests and new friendships that spring up from this experience.

It’s early days, so the cartoon’s format and style aren’t finalized yet, says Friedman, who adds that he and Simko will be heavily involved in the development process. 

Friedman is also managing the brand’s expansion into licensing, and is on the hunt for partners to take Craniacs beyond the trading cards that are published by his self-named company, Ira Friedman Enterprises. A first batch of cards was released online and through a limited number of US hobby stores in October 2023 as a proof-of-concept, and a next wave will go on sale August 19 to a retail network served by six hobby distributors in the US and Canada. 

This is Friedman’s first project since leavingTopps last year after a 30-year run heading up development and licensing for brands such as the Garbage Pail Kids TCG (which Simko also illustrated). His next goal for Crainiacs is to lock in a comic book publishing partner at San Diego Comic-Con this month.