DC Media: TV Shows, Animated Movies and Video Games

[Vordan]

It seems like they're trying to give action cartoons another shot with Batman and Superman, so we'll see if that goes anywhere.

They really should have given JLA a better chance than they did.

Batman will definitely be in the vein of previous Batman action cartoons given Timm’s involvement. Superman though is a bit of a speculation point given it’s described as an action-comedy and definitely seems more in the vein of some of the recent cartoons like Owl House. But it also looks like She-Ra and Voltron which both have plenty of action (I only know all this because my youngest sister is still in middle school and still watches cartoons lol) so how action focused it is remains to be seen.

It also has a lot to do with action figures. Shows like He-Man and Transformers were made around their action figures. This was a big reason why the Green Lantern show and Young Justice were cancelled. The toy company lost a lot of money from the poor sales.

Green Lantern: The Animated Series, Young Justice: Cancelled Because of Toy Sales

According to Bruce Timm, the co-developer of the Green Lantern series, the Ryan Reynolds feature film hurt his show.

He recently noted that retailers were stuck with a lot of film merchandise that they couldn’t sell. They were reluctant, and in some cases refused, to take on more Green Lantern merchandise.


In general kids don’t play with action figures anymore. They would much rather play video games. So “action” cartoons aren’t as profitable. It’s a big reason why we’ve seen so many more comedy cartoons which are cheaper to make.

Good point, I overlooked how reliant shows were on action figures. It is mainly an adult thing now from what I see, kids just play video games (another reason DC branching out is important).

[skyvolt2000]

Regarding action figures, maybe it's just me, but I forgot when the last time I saw kids playing with them. And quite opposite, I know a bunch of people in their mid-twenties and older, who buys them for collections, put them on the shelf and so on.

How many tv ads do you see for action figures??? We got drilled with them from the 1970s-early 2000s.
Now we don't see them. Heck we barely see Barbie doll tv ads.

Unless you checked the toy isle you would not know who had figures out or not. Even the WWE does not promote their toys. Power Rangers varies at times.

He recently noted that retailers were stuck with a lot of film merchandise that they couldn’t sell.

Wasn't Green Lantern delayed at one point? Something caused those toys to come out later because I did not see any until late 2011-early 2012 and that was only at Wal-Mart.

This was a big reason why the Green Lantern show and Young Justice were cancelled. The toy company lost a lot of money from the poor sales.

The issue for Young Justice was some of those figures look CRAPPY.
Also the Deluxe figures (mainly Aqualad) were not sold everywhere. I had to go to another city for mine.

And lets not forget how bias some stores or stingy employees are. Some stuff never makes it to the shelves. Others did not hit shelves until MONTHS or YEARS later.
DC Multiverse figures... The line that had Wallace West and BAF Lobo-I YET to see them in a store. Jessica Cruz & Vixen same thing.
Marvel Legends...Miles Morales from ITSV, Ironheart, Scarlet Witch & Eternals never made a shelf.

Don't let there be a POC in the line-you are better off pre-ordering. Let there be a Naomi or Ryan Wilder figure.

In general kids don’t play with action figures anymore.

They will however the issue now is of WHO they will play with.

You can't keep making 500 different versions of Batman and Superman. Those days are over. 1-3 sure but not the stuff we are seeing with MacFarlane Batman. I mean every time I go to the store those toys stick out because everything else around them is sold out of almost gone (except for WWE and Space Jam).

What we don't see now is the ads for them like when we were kids.

[John Venus]

At least Netflix appears to be investing in action shows. Hope that leads to other studios trying the same. There has to be a market out there for good action shows. Some of us would rather watch a show than play a game.

[Vakanai]

At least Netflix appears to be investing in action shows. Hope that leads to other studios trying the same. There has to be a market out there for good action shows. Some of us would rather watch a show than play a game.

I'm one of those. Haven't played a game in a decade. Just give me a good old fashioned action cartoon.

[Drako]

The thing is that good games are way more profitable than good cartoons, i think.

[Vakanai]

The thing is that good games are way more profitable than good cartoons, i think.

It's not an "either or" thing, why can't we have both?

[Drako]

It's not an "either or" thing, why can't we have both?

Well... we have. Warner every year releases 2 or 3 animated movies.

[Vakanai]

Well... we have. Warner every year releases 2 or 3 animated movies.

Talking about action cartoon series like the old DCAU and etc used to be, aimed for kids/families.

[Drako]

Talking about action cartoon series like the old DCAU and etc used to be, aimed for kids/families.

Neither DC or Marvel seems to be doing this types of shows anymore, so it's probably not profitable enough to justify them.

But we still have Young Justice and Harley Quinn, besides the animated movies.

Also, HBO Max is making that Batman cartoon with Bruce Timm and the Superman cartoon they announced a while back.

[Vakanai]

Neither DC or Marvel seems to be doing this types of shows anymore, so it's probably not profitable enough to justify them.

Also, HBO Max is making that Batman cartoon with Bruce Timm and the Superman cartoon they announced a while back.

The bottom portion negates the top portion. Also, Marvel is doing those kinds of shows - they're "funny" but not out right TTG! parody, mostly action cartoons (Ultimate Spider-Man, Marvel's Spider-Man), and while toy sales had some to do with it, a lot of the trouble for DC was the network - Cartoon Network noticeably hated those cartoons and messed up their release schedules and showed them at terrible times with the intent to kill those cartoons. Now DC doesn't have to deal with CN anymore, hence why they're trying again.

The theory that they're not profitable enough is false.

[Drako]

The bottom portion negates the top portion.

It doesn't. Young Justice was cancelled by Young Justice and picked up by DC Universe App cause they have different selling strategies. HBO Max can do this types of shows as well.
Making a cartoon to attract users for a streaming service it's very different than making a cartoon in a cable network that need to sell other things to make profit.

[Vakanai]

It doesn't. Young Justice was cancelled by Young Justice and picked up by DC Universe App cause they have different selling strategies. HBO Max can do this types of shows as well.
Making a cartoon to attract users for a streaming service it's very different than making a cartoon in a cable network that need to sell other things to make profit.

I would disagree, but it's pointless - the old cable network is dying anyways, Cartoon Network's days as a channel are numbered. I think it does negate what you said, you disagree, either way the future isn't that model so action cartoons for kids is no longer something you can argue against and blame on kids not buying toys any more. There's no reason not to make them, and that's why they're coming back. And again, Marvel's been doing action cartoons on Disney XD on cable for years.

[Vordan]

The thing is that good games are way more profitable than good cartoons, i think.

Correct. The gaming industry brings in far more money than the animation industry.

[Vakanai]

Correct. The gaming industry brings in far more money than the animation industry.

I still don't see why that matters - that's not a good argument to not do animation.

[Samm]

The bottom portion negates the top portion. Also, Marvel is doing those kinds of shows - they're "funny" but not out right TTG! parody, mostly action cartoons (Ultimate Spider-Man, Marvel's Spider-Man), and while toy sales had some to do with it, a lot of the trouble for DC was the network - Cartoon Network noticeably hated those cartoons and messed up their release schedules and showed them at terrible times with the intent to kill those cartoons. Now DC doesn't have to deal with CN anymore, hence why they're trying again.

The theory that they're not profitable enough is false.

HBO Max was a huge blessing for DC fans! They’re going to be producing so much DC content and I can’t wait!