New Batman animated series coming to Cartoon Network

[GrnMarvl14]

Source.

A CG-animated series called Beware the Batman will debut on Cartoon Network in 2013, joining a DC Nation programming block that includes Young Justice, Green Lantern: The Animated Series and newly announced shorts featuring Plastic Man, Doom Patrol, Batgirl, Supergirl and Wonder Girl.

The news emerged over the weekend in Cannes, France, at the MIP Junior conference — two days of presentations, pitches and workshops focusing on kids’ entertainment — where Sam Register, executive vice president for creative affairs at Warner Bros. Animation, gave the keynote address.

Register revealed that Beware the Batman, executive produced by Glen Murakami (Batman Beyond, Teen Titans), will feature the Dark Knight teamed with a gun-toting Alfred Pennyworth and Katana, the sword-wielding samurai from DC Comics.

“Katana is gonna be his new Robin, but not necessarily,” Register told the crowd.

He said the series will delve deeper into the Caped Crusader’s “villain library,” a claim underscored by the the promotional image, which includes Professor Pyg and the Circus of the Strange, introduced during Grant Morrison’s run on Batman.

“We went in deeper into the villain library and pulled out some other villains,” Register said. “We didn’t want to do another Joker story — there’s too many of them. We just needed to do something new, so we’re starting off with new villains.”

He also announced that the one-hour DC Nation block, which premieres in spring 2012, will include a mixture of animated shorts and live-action interstitials, the latter of which will showcase the fans, collectors and creators who make up the DC Universe (DC Comics Co-Publisher Jim Lee appears in the sizzle reel). As for the former: Look for Aardman Animation-produced Batman claymation shorts, shorts featuring Plastic Man and the Doom Patrol, and from the creator of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Batgirl, Supergirl and Wonder Girl starring in Super Best Friends Forever.

I like the title. And Katana's an interesting choice for a sidekick (we have how many Batgirls, and apparently none would do? Not that Katana's bad, and she DOES have history, but it's just a question of why not go with someone more recognizable?). Also nice to see them digging into the Batman villain list, though I hope they aren't pulling out characters purely to be different. I'd love to see GOOD episodes done with off-villains, not just bland or bad episodes with new villains.

As for the shorts, I'm really loving that. The ones they did on the animated movie releases were usually fairly cool. Although, not being a My Little Pony fan, I can't say that Super Best Friends Forever is inherently appealing...but who knows, it might surprise me.

 

[Ghetsis-Dennis]

Would this include underrated/forgotten Batman villains such as Hugo Strange and King Tut?

 

[GrnMarvl14]

Hugo Strange won't be forgotten OR underrated for long. Or at least no more so than Zsasz is.

 

[Spidey7]

The only reason they're using Katana is because they want to catch the continuing wave of Asian culture hype that started with Avatar: The Last Airbender, isn't it?

Sigh.

 

[GrnMarvl14]

There's a wave of Asian culture hype? And Avatar started it? Not all of the anime series?

 

[Spidey7]

Avatar was the one to really cement the hype.

 

[Robo-Floatzel]

While I enjoy The Brave and the Bold already, I am looking foward to this new Batman series, though nothing will beat Batman: The Animated Series.

 

[Eredar Warlock]

Hmm, I think they should've gone with Huntress instead, although Huntress is gritty and brutal in ways that even Batman takes issue with. I've never even heard of Katana. Made me think of Mortal Kombat's Kitana.

 

[GrnMarvl14]

She was one of the Outsiders. They made a few appearances on Brave and the Bold. Not surprised you haven't heard of her, since she's definitely not one of the more well-known DC characters (same with, appropriately enough, most of the Outsiders).

 

[Capt.shwampyT]

Why use Katana when they could use Cassandra?

 

[bell02+]

Honestly... I kind of feel like there is too much batman, and this is NUTS for me to say because I love Batman! But yeah, the Brave and the Bold, it's suppose to be cancelled, but every time I look it seems like CN is putting out new episodes and advertising new seasons leaving me confused! (Plus the show has gotten a lot better than when it started, and it's a pretty fun show so it'd be ashamed to be cancelled) Then we have Young Justice, which was an explosive excellent new show featuring Batman and Robin (a lot considering it's more along the lines of a league show which traditionally center around superman and green lantern), but put it though scheduling hell and alienated most of it's fans. Now they want to do a third?

Unless it is going to be an Adult Swim show (which I know it's not because I ready the creators had to scale back on the darkness a little to fit with the PG rating) It's a little way too much for me. I mean, even though I feel like serious and funny batman are covered, if they had their current DC cartoons in order I'd be more willing to accept new ones, but right now... I don't know...

I will say that I guess if it is 2013 I don't feel so bad, but honestly I'd prefer CN to take back Friday nights from [as] (to 10 or 11) and call it "Toonami"!