Young Justice (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Young Justice is an American animated television series created by Greg Weisman
and Brandon Vietti for Cartoon Network
. Despite its title, it is not an adaptation of Todd Dezago
and Todd Nauck
's Young Justice
comic series, but rather an adaptation of the entire DC Universe
with a focus on young superhero
es. The series follows the lives of teenaged heroes and sidekicks who are members of a fictional covert operation
team called Young Justice. The team is essentially a young counterpart to the celebrity
-level famous adult team, the Justice League
. The main setting is the fictional universe
of Earth-16, during a time period in which superheroes are a relatively recent phenomenon. The series debuted on January 7, 2011 with a two week reairing of the first two episodes, which originally aired as an hour long special on November 26, 2010. Young Justice premiered on September 9, 2011 on Teletoon
, in Canada
.
Young Justice resumed airing new episodes September 16 at 6:30 PM Eastern on Cartoon Network after a 6 month hiatus.
The pilot movie aired a month prior to the debut of the regular series and introduced four characters: Robin
, Aqualad
, Kid Flash
, and Speedy
. It established their desire for greater recognition and respect, namely, a promotion from sidekicks to full-fledged superheroes. Met with opposition from their respective mentors in the Justice League, Batman
, Aquaman
, Flash, and Green Arrow
, the protégés react in different ways. Speedy resigns from being Green Arrow's partner and begins calling himself Red Arrow. The others seek to persuade their mentors of their worth by secretly taking on a Justice League mission to investigate the Cadmus
building. During their infiltration of Cadmus' headquarters, the three heroes find a clone of Superman named Superboy
. After the discovery, the team finds out Cadmus is creating living weapons called Genomorphs. The movie deals with this revelation, the origin of Superboy, and how this relates to a mysterious group of people called The Light. In the end, Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Superboy negotiate with Batman to organize a covert operations team as a practical contrast to the Justice League whose celebrity status makes it difficult to maintain secrecy. After consulting with his colleagues, Batman establishes Young Justice in a secret cave on a secluded island. Here the teens are trained and mentored by the Justice League. Miss Martian
makes an appearance at the end of the movie and joins as the fifth member.
considerably different from that of the mainstream DC Universe, Weisman has stated that the series covers its early stages. Earth-16 was chosen by DC Entertainment for the show because it was largely untapped, freeing the series and its franchise from established continuity restraints set by either the main DC Universe or other worlds in the Multiverse.
There are crucial differences in the line-up of this Young Justice team as compared to the team in the comic series of the same name. Dick Grayson
and Wally West
were chosen over Tim Drake
and Bart Allen
/Impulse
. Miss Martian, who was originally a White Martian
in the comics, was added because the date of her arrival to Earth could still fit in the early DC Universe concept. Aqualad, as opposed to Robin, is established in the beginning as the leader of the team. Furthermore, the Aqualad presented in the show is an entirely new character created by Weisman and Vietti, with Bourassa responsible for the original character design. Arrowette
was replaced by Artemis because of the producers' desire to focus on the latter's storylines. Some of the Young Justice characters' ages are tweaked from those of their original counterparts; however, the spirit and intent of the characters are said to be kept.
Characters who are a part of the line-up in the comic will also make an appearance in the show. This includes Garth
, the first incarnation of Aqualad who later becomes the second Tempest in DC Comics; Arrowette
, the archer of the team in the Young Justice comic book series; and Wonder Girl
, whose legal issues originally prohibited the producers from using the character but later allowed her to be included. In the show, Garth features as the best friend of Aqualad/Kaldur'ahm. Another character who was used was Secret
she plays a major role in an episode.
, Executive Vice President of Creative Affairs of Warner Bros. Animation
(also attached to executive produce), wanted a show based on the concept of a cross between Teen Titans and Young Justice series of comics, but was not solely an adaptation of one or the other. The title chosen for the show by Register was Young Justice, as it was appropriately meaningful to the concept the creative team was looking for. Greg Weisman
, whom Register sought immediately after the cancellation of The Spectacular Spider-Man animated television series, and Brandon Vietti, whose work in directing a DC Universe Animated original movie Batman: Under the Red Hood
Register particularly noted, were hired to produce. Register jokingly described the two as being similar in appearance, in addition to being similar in thought. Peter David
, who penned a majority of the comic book issues of Young Justice, was approached to write several episodes. Also attached to write are Greg Weisman, Kevin Hopps, Andrew Robinson, Nicole Dubuc
, Jon Weisman, and Tom Pugsley — with Vietti heavily involved in the scriptwriting process.
The result of the collaboration of Weisman and Vietti was a show about young heroes based on a combination of the 1960s Teen Titans run and the 1990s Young Justice run, in addition to the recent Teen Titans and Young Justice comics, and revolved around the theme of secrets and lies. In drawing material from a variety of comic book sources, the creative team sought to differentiate the tone of the show from that of the Teen Titans
animated television series, which the team believed resembled the tone of the Young Justice series of comics rather than that of Marv Wolfman
and George Pérez
's New Teen Titans series it was based on. The concept of a covert operations team has been compared to Impossible Missions Force, a fictional independent espionage
agency in the Mission: Impossible
series. Together, Weisman and Vietti came up with ideas, characters, and plot points for at least two seasons, although it is unknown as to how many season runs DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation
are looking for the series. Although there were several characters the producers were not allowed to use in the first season (a list that has become shorter along the course of the development), they were usually in charge of the decisions determining which DC Universe character would or would not be used. Geoff Johns
, Chief Creative Officer
of DC Entertainment, and Phil Bourassa, lead character designer for the show, also played a role in the conception and development process.
's suit, for instance, the padding serves to reduce the force of impact experienced during skids and collisions, and the leathery texture stabilizes his "human cannonball" momentum.
Vietti cites the stark differences between the respective costumes of Aqualad and Robin
to best illustrate what he calls "unique tailoring." Aqualad's costume is designed for the purposes of quick movement in water; Robin's costume provides bodily protection (even against bullets) in the streets of Gotham City
. Aqualad's costume is composed of a "slick and textureless material," giving the costume its "nearly seamless and shiny" appearance. Robin's costume, on the other hand, is padded and stitched with seams and sewn-in materials. Batman's batsuit
matches the extra stitching lines of Robin's outfit for similar functions, except that the batsuit is more military in style whereas Robin's costume is additionally influenced by athletic outfits to match his youthful energy.
s; design new characters, backgrounds, and props; draw character and background layouts; and make animatics. The overseas studio, MOI Animation, Inc., draws the key animation and inbetweens. However, Greg Weisman notes that some storyboards are done in Seoul. In the final stages, ink and paint and editing are done by Warner Bros. Animation.
status, and dynamics. An additional regular will be added halfway through the first season and another at the end of the season.
Young Justice includes an array of characters from DC Comics as the supporting cast, which continues to expand throughout the series. The second season will be adding members to the team; Zatanna
has been confirmed as one of the team's members for some episodes. as well as other characters that are rumored to be included are Milestone Media
character Rocket and Wonder Girl
, who was supposed to have been part of the series originally but due to licensing constraints was unable to be. The creators have strongly hinted that now this is no longer the case, and Wonder Girl will join Young Justice at some point. As of episode 16 of season 1, there are 135 characters from the DC Universe in the show.
The Justice League play a major role, primarily as mentors to Young Justice. There are sixteen members in total, though members that do not have an immediate connection with the main characters will serve as background characters. Direct mentors — Batman, Superman, Aquaman, Flash, Martian Manhunter, and Green Arrow — will feature prominently. Batman and Red Tornado are the most prevalent recurring character
s, though Black Canary, Captain Marvel and Zatara are frequent additions to the cast. Batman also acts as Young Justice's "Jim Phelps", choosing the team and assigning missions.
DC Universe characters who are neither affiliated with the Justice League nor Young Justice will also be supporting characters. This includes frequent recurring character Roy Harper, who starts out as Speedy and later assumes Red Arrow as his superhero identity.
providing the art. Art Baltazar
and Franco Aureliani will substitute in place of Weisman and Hopps for issues #1-6, due to the latter duo's conflicting schedule and workload. Along with Brandon Vietti, Weisman and Hopps will still oversee the issues for the maintenance of continuity. While children of all ages are said to be able to enjoy the series, it is specifically aimed at teenagers.
The comic series largely takes place in-between the episodes of the show, and often expands upon events alluded to or mentioned in the series. For instance, issue #0 follows Kid Flash and Superboy as they attempt to kill time while the members of the Justice League set up Mount Justice for their arrival at the end of the pilot episode. In the episode "Welcome to Happy Harbor", Robin mentions that the Justice League had been forced to abandon their headquarters in Happy Harbor after its location was compromised by supervillains, which is revealed in issue #2 of the comic book series to have been orchestrated by the Joker
. In addition, Baltazar and Aureliani confirmed that they were asked to introduce the Joker in the comic in order to set up his eventual appearance on the show.
Geoff Johns took a liking to Kaldur'ahm as Aqualad, who was consequently introduced to mainstream continuity altered in comic book issue #4 of Brightest Day
as the second incarnation of the mantle. In Brightest Day, he is introduced as a teenager from New Mexico by the name of Jackson Hyde
who is largely unaware of his Atlantean
roots. In addition to his design, many aspects of the new Aqualad's back-story had to be altered to fit within the established continuity of the DC Universe.
will release lines of character action figure
s and accompanying playsets, among other toys and games. In addition to toys for the six lead characters, figures of Cheshire, Icicle Jr., Black Canary, Batman, Aquaman, the Flash and Ra's al Ghul
have been confirmed as well. Starting March 13, 2011, McDonald's
restaurants began featuring Young Justice toys in their Happy Meal
s. Figures include Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Superboy, Superman, Batman, and the villains Captain Cold
and Black Manta
.
visited Bruce Timm
during one of his segments and they developed a super hero named the Flaming C. However, on several occasions, their original creation would be animated in preexisting sequences from Young Justice using the voice acting of whichever character Flaming C was placed over. These scenes were taken from "Fireworks", "Welcome to Happy Harbor", "Schooled", and "Denial".
episodes "The Brave and the Bold" and "Injustice For All," as well as the Justice League Unlimited
episodes "For The Man Who Has Everything," "The Return," and "The Greatest Story Never Told".
Greg Weisman
Greg Weisman is an American comic book and animation writer and producer, best known as the creator of Gargoyles and as the Supervising Producer of The Spectacular Spider-Man. Weisman is currently a producer on the Young Justice animated series...
and Brandon Vietti for Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
. Despite its title, it is not an adaptation of Todd Dezago
Todd DeZago
Todd Dezago is an American comic book writer. He is best known for his collaborations with penciller Mike Wieringo on The Sensational Spider-Man and their creator-owned fantasy series Tellos, which premiered in 1999, as well as for co-creating Young Justice with artist Todd Nauck in the 1998...
and Todd Nauck
Todd Nauck
Todd Nauck is an American comic book artist and writer. Nauck is most notable for his work on Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Young Justice and his own creation, Wildguard.-Career:...
's Young Justice
Young Justice
Young Justice is a fictional DC Comics superhero team consisting of teenaged heroes. The team first appeared in Young Justice: The Secret , before graduating to their ongoing monthly series...
comic series, but rather an adaptation of the entire DC Universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
with a focus on young superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es. The series follows the lives of teenaged heroes and sidekicks who are members of a fictional covert operation
Covert operation
A covert operation is a military, intelligence or law enforcement operation that is carried clandestinely and, often, outside of official channels. Covert operations aim to fulfill their mission objectives without any parties knowing who sponsored or carried out the operation...
team called Young Justice. The team is essentially a young counterpart to the celebrity
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
-level famous adult team, the Justice League
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
. The main setting is the fictional universe
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
of Earth-16, during a time period in which superheroes are a relatively recent phenomenon. The series debuted on January 7, 2011 with a two week reairing of the first two episodes, which originally aired as an hour long special on November 26, 2010. Young Justice premiered on September 9, 2011 on Teletoon
Télétoon (Canadian TV channel)
Télétoon is a Canadian French language Category A specialty channel that specializes in animation programming. Télétoon is owned by Teletoon Canada Inc; a 50/50 partnership between Astral Media and Corus Entertainment...
, in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Young Justice resumed airing new episodes September 16 at 6:30 PM Eastern on Cartoon Network after a 6 month hiatus.
Plot
Young Justice focuses on the lives of a group of teenaged superheroes and protégés attempting to establish themselves as proven superheroes as they deal with normal adolescent issues in their personal lives.Pilot synopsis
The show corresponds to the present time of our world, a time period Vietti has called "a new age of heroes."The pilot movie aired a month prior to the debut of the regular series and introduced four characters: Robin
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
, Aqualad
Aqualad
Aqualad is the name of two fictional comic book superheroes appearing in books published by DC Comics. The first Aqualad, Garth, debuted in Adventure Comics #269 , and was created by writer Robert Bernstein and artist Ramona Fradon...
, Kid Flash
Wally West
The Flash is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the first Kid Flash and the third Flash....
, and Speedy
Roy Harper (comics)
Roy Harper is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics Universe. He was known for over fifty years as Green Arrow's teenage sidekick Speedy. He first appeared alongside his mentor in More Fun Comics #73...
. It established their desire for greater recognition and respect, namely, a promotion from sidekicks to full-fledged superheroes. Met with opposition from their respective mentors in the Justice League, Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
, Aquaman
Aquaman
Aquaman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in More Fun Comics #73 . Initially a backup feature in DC's anthology titles, Aquaman later starred in several volumes of a solo title...
, Flash, and Green Arrow
Green Arrow
Green Arrow is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, he first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 in November 1941. His secret identity is Oliver Queen, billionaire and former mayor of fictional Star City...
, the protégés react in different ways. Speedy resigns from being Green Arrow's partner and begins calling himself Red Arrow. The others seek to persuade their mentors of their worth by secretly taking on a Justice League mission to investigate the Cadmus
Project Cadmus
Project Cadmus is a fictional genetic engineering project in the DC Comics Universe. It was created by Jack Kirby as the DNA Project in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #133 , and was run by the former Newsboy Legion...
building. During their infiltration of Cadmus' headquarters, the three heroes find a clone of Superman named Superboy
Superboy (Kon-El)
Superboy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. A modern update of the original Superboy, who is a younger version of Superman, the character first appeared in Adventures of Superman #500 , and was created by writer Karl Kesel and artist Tom Grummett.Originally...
. After the discovery, the team finds out Cadmus is creating living weapons called Genomorphs. The movie deals with this revelation, the origin of Superboy, and how this relates to a mysterious group of people called The Light. In the end, Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Superboy negotiate with Batman to organize a covert operations team as a practical contrast to the Justice League whose celebrity status makes it difficult to maintain secrecy. After consulting with his colleagues, Batman establishes Young Justice in a secret cave on a secluded island. Here the teens are trained and mentored by the Justice League. Miss Martian
Miss Martian
Miss Martian is a superhero in the . Miss Martian was created by Geoff Johns and Tony Daniel and first appeared in Teen Titans #37 . Miss Martian is named "Megan Morse" after Marvel Comics associate editor Ben Morse's wife, Megan...
makes an appearance at the end of the movie and joins as the fifth member.
Continuity
Although Young Justice follows a continuityContinuity (fiction)
In fiction, continuity is consistency of the characteristics of persons, plot, objects, places and events seen by the reader or viewer over some period of time...
considerably different from that of the mainstream DC Universe, Weisman has stated that the series covers its early stages. Earth-16 was chosen by DC Entertainment for the show because it was largely untapped, freeing the series and its franchise from established continuity restraints set by either the main DC Universe or other worlds in the Multiverse.
There are crucial differences in the line-up of this Young Justice team as compared to the team in the comic series of the same name. Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
and Wally West
Wally West
The Flash is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the first Kid Flash and the third Flash....
were chosen over Tim Drake
Tim Drake
Timothy "Tim" Drake is a superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media. The character was created by Marv Wolfman and Pat Broderick. From 1989 to 2009, he was known as Robin in the Batman comics, becoming the third character to take up the identity...
and Bart Allen
Bart Allen
Bartholomew "Bart" Allen is a superhero in the . Allen first appeared as the superhero Impulse. He would later go on to become the second Kid Flash and the fourth Flash. Allen's first cameo appearance was in The Flash #91, while his first full appearance was in issue #92...
/Impulse
Impulse (DC Comics)
Impulse is an identity shared by three comic book superheroes published by DC Comics.-Publication history:Kent Shakespeare was the first DC Comics superhero known as Impulse, he debuted in Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 4 #12 . Bart Allen is the second DC Comics superhero known as Impulse, he debuted...
. Miss Martian, who was originally a White Martian
White Martian
The White Martians are one of three fictional extraterrestrial races native to Mars in the DC Comics' shared universe. White Martians, also known as Pale Martians, appear in the comics of the DC Universe, chiefly JLA, Martian Manhunter, and Son of Vulcan.-History:As a race of shapeshifters,...
in the comics, was added because the date of her arrival to Earth could still fit in the early DC Universe concept. Aqualad, as opposed to Robin, is established in the beginning as the leader of the team. Furthermore, the Aqualad presented in the show is an entirely new character created by Weisman and Vietti, with Bourassa responsible for the original character design. Arrowette
Arrowette
Arrowette is the name of two fictional superheroes in the DC Comics universe. The first character is the mother of the second.-Bonnie King:The first Arrowette is Bonnie King, a would-be sidekick and general nuisance to Green Arrow...
was replaced by Artemis because of the producers' desire to focus on the latter's storylines. Some of the Young Justice characters' ages are tweaked from those of their original counterparts; however, the spirit and intent of the characters are said to be kept.
Characters who are a part of the line-up in the comic will also make an appearance in the show. This includes Garth
Garth (comics)
Garth is a fictional character, a superhero in publications from DC Comics, originally known as Aqualad, and later known by the codename Tempest. As Aqualad, he is the teen sidekick and protege to his guardian, the super-hero known as Aquaman, bearing the same super-abilities as his mentor that...
, the first incarnation of Aqualad who later becomes the second Tempest in DC Comics; Arrowette
Arrowette
Arrowette is the name of two fictional superheroes in the DC Comics universe. The first character is the mother of the second.-Bonnie King:The first Arrowette is Bonnie King, a would-be sidekick and general nuisance to Green Arrow...
, the archer of the team in the Young Justice comic book series; and Wonder Girl
Donna Troy
Donna Troy is a comic book superheroine published by DC Comics. She first appeared in The Brave and the Bold vol. 1 #60 , and was created by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani...
, whose legal issues originally prohibited the producers from using the character but later allowed her to be included. In the show, Garth features as the best friend of Aqualad/Kaldur'ahm. Another character who was used was Secret
Secret (comics)
Secret is a fictional character, a superheroine in the DC Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:Secret first appeared in a one-shot comic, part of the Girlfrenzy fifth week event, by Todd Dezago and Todd Nauck called Young Justice: The Secret, in which Robin, Impulse, and Superboy helped...
she plays a major role in an episode.
Conception and development
The series began development in March 2009, when Sam RegisterSam Register
Sam Register is Executive Vice President, Creative Affairs, at Warner Bros. Animation.Formerly Vice President of Cartoon Network, Register was the brain behind CartoonNetwork.com, which was started in 1998. After creating CartoonNetwork.com, Register came up with the idea of Cartoon Orbit in 2000...
, Executive Vice President of Creative Affairs of Warner Bros. Animation
Warner Bros. Animation
Warner Bros. Animation is the animation division of Warner Bros., a subsidiary of Time Warner. The studio is closely associated with the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies characters, among others. The studio is the successor to Warner Bros...
(also attached to executive produce), wanted a show based on the concept of a cross between Teen Titans and Young Justice series of comics, but was not solely an adaptation of one or the other. The title chosen for the show by Register was Young Justice, as it was appropriately meaningful to the concept the creative team was looking for. Greg Weisman
Greg Weisman
Greg Weisman is an American comic book and animation writer and producer, best known as the creator of Gargoyles and as the Supervising Producer of The Spectacular Spider-Man. Weisman is currently a producer on the Young Justice animated series...
, whom Register sought immediately after the cancellation of The Spectacular Spider-Man animated television series, and Brandon Vietti, whose work in directing a DC Universe Animated original movie Batman: Under the Red Hood
Batman: Under the Red Hood
# "A Death in the Family" # "Main Titles" # "Mob Boss Meeting" # "Amazo" # "Batwing" # "Batmobile to Arkham" # "Interrogation" # "Rooftop Chase" # "Flashback" # "Black Mask Strikes Back"...
Register particularly noted, were hired to produce. Register jokingly described the two as being similar in appearance, in addition to being similar in thought. Peter David
Peter David
Peter Allen David , often abbreviated PAD, is an American writer of comic books, novels, television, movies and video games...
, who penned a majority of the comic book issues of Young Justice, was approached to write several episodes. Also attached to write are Greg Weisman, Kevin Hopps, Andrew Robinson, Nicole Dubuc
Nicole Dubuc
Nicole Dubuc is an American writer, perhaps best known for her work on Kim Possible and My Friends Tigger and Pooh, and as an actress on Major Dad.-Biography:...
, Jon Weisman, and Tom Pugsley — with Vietti heavily involved in the scriptwriting process.
The result of the collaboration of Weisman and Vietti was a show about young heroes based on a combination of the 1960s Teen Titans run and the 1990s Young Justice run, in addition to the recent Teen Titans and Young Justice comics, and revolved around the theme of secrets and lies. In drawing material from a variety of comic book sources, the creative team sought to differentiate the tone of the show from that of the Teen Titans
Teen Titans (TV series)
Teen Titans is an American animated television series based on the DC Comics characters of the same name. The show was created by Glen Murakami, developed by David Slack, and produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It premiered on Cartoon Network on July 19, 2003, and the final episode "Things Change"...
animated television series, which the team believed resembled the tone of the Young Justice series of comics rather than that of Marv Wolfman
Marv Wolfman
Marvin A. "Marv" Wolfman is an award-winning American comic book writer. He is best known for lengthy runs on The Tomb of Dracula, creating Blade for Marvel Comics, and The New Teen Titans for DC Comics.-1960s:...
and George Pérez
George Pérez
George Pérez is a Puerto Rican-American writer and illustrator of comic books, known for his work on various titles, including Avengers, Teen Titans and Wonder Woman.-Biography:...
's New Teen Titans series it was based on. The concept of a covert operations team has been compared to Impossible Missions Force, a fictional independent espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
agency in the Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible is an American television series which was created and initially produced by Bruce Geller. It chronicled the missions of a team of secret American government agents known as the Impossible Missions Force . The leader of the team was Jim Phelps, played by Peter Graves, except in...
series. Together, Weisman and Vietti came up with ideas, characters, and plot points for at least two seasons, although it is unknown as to how many season runs DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation
Warner Bros. Animation
Warner Bros. Animation is the animation division of Warner Bros., a subsidiary of Time Warner. The studio is closely associated with the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies characters, among others. The studio is the successor to Warner Bros...
are looking for the series. Although there were several characters the producers were not allowed to use in the first season (a list that has become shorter along the course of the development), they were usually in charge of the decisions determining which DC Universe character would or would not be used. Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
, Chief Creative Officer
Creative Director
A creative director is a position often found within the graphic design, film, music, fashion, advertising, media or entertainment industries, but may be useful in other creative organizations such as web development and software development firms as well....
of DC Entertainment, and Phil Bourassa, lead character designer for the show, also played a role in the conception and development process.
Costumes
The producers intended to create costumes based in reality to match the tone of the series while keeping consistent with traditional DC Universe continuity. A majority of the art direction was led by Vietti, who established that the costume designs should not only reflect the physical needs of the wearer, but also his or her personality, with Bourassa incorporating these ideas into his designs. In the case of Kid FlashKid Flash
Kid Flash is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero The Flash. The first incarnation of the character, Wally West, debuted in The Flash #110...
's suit, for instance, the padding serves to reduce the force of impact experienced during skids and collisions, and the leathery texture stabilizes his "human cannonball" momentum.
Vietti cites the stark differences between the respective costumes of Aqualad and Robin
Robin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
to best illustrate what he calls "unique tailoring." Aqualad's costume is designed for the purposes of quick movement in water; Robin's costume provides bodily protection (even against bullets) in the streets of Gotham City
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
. Aqualad's costume is composed of a "slick and textureless material," giving the costume its "nearly seamless and shiny" appearance. Robin's costume, on the other hand, is padded and stitched with seams and sewn-in materials. Batman's batsuit
Batsuit
The Batsuit is the costume of the fictional character Batman, a superhero appearing in DC Comics. Though the suit has been drawn many different ways by different artists, and the stories themselves have described Batman as modifying the details of his costume from time to time, it is most often...
matches the extra stitching lines of Robin's outfit for similar functions, except that the batsuit is more military in style whereas Robin's costume is additionally influenced by athletic outfits to match his youthful energy.
Animation
MOI Animation, Inc. animates Young Justice. Warner Bros. subcontracted production to the international studio located in Seoul, South Korea. Artists at the U.S. animation studio in Los Angeles, Warner Bros. Animation, draw storyboardStoryboard
Storyboards are graphic organizers in the form of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence....
s; design new characters, backgrounds, and props; draw character and background layouts; and make animatics. The overseas studio, MOI Animation, Inc., draws the key animation and inbetweens. However, Greg Weisman notes that some storyboards are done in Seoul. In the final stages, ink and paint and editing are done by Warner Bros. Animation.
Characters
The six main characters were chosen by the producers, from a list of 50 to 60 DC Comics teenaged superheroes, as potential candidates. The criteria consisted of age, powers, personality, cultural iconCultural icon
A cultural icon can be a symbol, logo, picture, name, face, person, building or other image that is readily recognized and generally represents an object or concept with great cultural significance to a wide cultural group...
status, and dynamics. An additional regular will be added halfway through the first season and another at the end of the season.
- AqualadAqualadAqualad is the name of two fictional comic book superheroes appearing in books published by DC Comics. The first Aqualad, Garth, debuted in Adventure Comics #269 , and was created by writer Robert Bernstein and artist Ramona Fradon...
/ Kaldur 'AhmAqualad (Jackson Hyde)Jackson Hyde is one of two fictional characters codenamed Aqualad. He is a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. Jackson Hyde, created by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis, debuted in comic books in Brightest Day #4 and is based on the Aqualad character originally created for the Young Justice...
(or "Kaldur" for short) is the sixteen-year-old leader of the team. His powers, channeled through the tattoos on his arms, are a mixture of Atlantean sorcery and science. He displays the superior strength, durability as well as the ability to breathe and speak underwater typical of AtlanteansAtlantis (DC Comics)Atlantis is a fictional location in the DC Comics Universe. The very first DC Universe version of Atlantis debuted in Action Comics #18 , and was created by...
. He also possesses the ability to discharge electricity through his hands. He is elected leader because of his calmness and his ability to efficiently and clearly give orders. He states that he does not want to remain leader and wishes to turn the position over to Robin when he is ready, saying that it is his destiny to lead this team.
- RobinRobin (comics)Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
/ Dick GraysonDick GraysonDick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
is the youngest member (at age thirteen) though he is also the most experienced superhero on the team. He does not possess any superpowers. However, he is well-rounded in his abilities, using his strategic intellect and technological expertise. He has a flippant personality, and can be heard laughing in combat or when sneaking up on villains in order to throw them off. He repeatedly plays with the English language, particularly with words which cease to function without prefixes, such as "disaster" ("aster"), and "underwhelmed" (whelmed"). Batman has forbidden Robin from revealing his secret identity to the team, though Kid Flash is aware of it.
- Kid FlashKid FlashKid Flash is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero The Flash. The first incarnation of the character, Wally West, debuted in The Flash #110...
/ Wally WestWally WestThe Flash is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the first Kid Flash and the third Flash....
is the team's fifteen-year-old speedster. He has enhanced speed, although he is slightly clumsy, often falling down while running at high speeds due to a misstep. Kid Flash cannot vibrate his molecules through solid objects like the Flash and gets a bloody nose if he attempts to. He is a flirt, beginning with M'gann and extending to any woman he comes into contact with. Kid Flash and Robin know each other outside the team, even knowing each other's secret identities. Wally likes to collect items he calls "souvenirs" from the team's missions, such as T. O. Morrow's robotic eye and CheshireCheshire (comics)Cheshire is a DC Comics villain that first appeared in New Teen Titans Annual #2 .-Fictional character biography:Born to a French father and a Vietnamese mother, Jade Nguyen had an unhappy childhood and was sold into slavery...
's mask.
- SuperboySuperboySuperboy is the name of several fictional characters that have been published by DC Comics, most of them youthful incarnations of Superman. These characters have also been the main characters of four ongoing Superboy comic book series published by DC....
/ Conner KentSuperboy (Kon-El)Superboy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. A modern update of the original Superboy, who is a younger version of Superman, the character first appeared in Adventures of Superman #500 , and was created by writer Karl Kesel and artist Tom Grummett.Originally...
is a sixteen-week-old cloneCloningCloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
of Superman, made by Project Cadmus. Although he does not have all of Superman's abilities, he has super strength, invulnerability, enhanced hearing, and vision, which also allows him to see in infrared. Superboy is typically sullen, ill-tempered and hates being told what to do as a result of being mind-controlled by CadmusProject CadmusProject Cadmus is a fictional genetic engineering project in the DC Comics Universe. It was created by Jack Kirby as the DNA Project in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #133 , and was run by the former Newsboy Legion...
. He becomes romantically involved with M'gann while under cover in Belle Reve.
- Miss MartianMiss MartianMiss Martian is a superhero in the . Miss Martian was created by Geoff Johns and Tony Daniel and first appeared in Teen Titans #37 . Miss Martian is named "Megan Morse" after Marvel Comics associate editor Ben Morse's wife, Megan...
/ M'gann M'orzz / Megan is Martian Manhunter's sixteen-year-old (by Martian standards) niece, as well as being an inexperienced superhero. As a Martian, she has telekinesisPsychokinesisThe term psychokinesis , also referred to as telekinesis with respect to strictly describing movement of matter, sometimes abbreviated PK and TK respectively, is a term...
, telepathyTelepathyTelepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
, and flight. Additionally, she can shape-shift, though she has trouble mimicking men. She has stated that she cannot become intangible as her uncle can, implying that this is an advanced skill. She pilots her own bio-ship, which transports the team and turn invisible. She is kind and optimistic, but has a naive streak born of having learned about life on Earth through Television Shows. In line with this, she makes regular use of the catchphrase "Hello, M'gann!" when suddenly realizes something. She became involved with Superboy while working undercover with him in Belle Reve.
- Artemis / Artemis Crock is the team's fifteen-year-old archer. Like Robin, she has no superpowers, but is very skilled with a bow and arrow. She is introduced as Green Arrow's "niece" but it is later revealed that this is not the case. Red Arrow who knows the truth, believes that there must be a good reason behind Batman and Green Arrow's decision to add her to the team, and therefore agrees not reveal his suspicions about her to the rest of the group but warns Artemis to not harm his friends. CheshireCheshire (comics)Cheshire is a DC Comics villain that first appeared in New Teen Titans Annual #2 .-Fictional character biography:Born to a French father and a Vietnamese mother, Jade Nguyen had an unhappy childhood and was sold into slavery...
, a villain, is Artemis' sister, having left when Artemis was a young girl. In a therapy session Black Canary advises Artemis to reveal her secret to her teammates but she refuses to do it, telling her not to reveal it herself.
Young Justice includes an array of characters from DC Comics as the supporting cast, which continues to expand throughout the series. The second season will be adding members to the team; Zatanna
Zatanna
Zatanna Zatara is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Murphy Anderson, Zatanna first appeared in Hawkman vol. 1 #4...
has been confirmed as one of the team's members for some episodes. as well as other characters that are rumored to be included are Milestone Media
Milestone Media
Milestone Media is a company best known for creating Milestone Comics and securing an unheard of publishing and distribution deal with DC Comics and the Static Shock cartoon series. It was founded in 1993 by a coalition of African-American artists and writers Milestone Media is a company best known...
character Rocket and Wonder Girl
Wonder Girl
Wonder Girl is the name of three fictional characters featured as superheroes in comic books and other media produced by DC Comics. The original was a younger version of Wonder Woman...
, who was supposed to have been part of the series originally but due to licensing constraints was unable to be. The creators have strongly hinted that now this is no longer the case, and Wonder Girl will join Young Justice at some point. As of episode 16 of season 1, there are 135 characters from the DC Universe in the show.
The Justice League play a major role, primarily as mentors to Young Justice. There are sixteen members in total, though members that do not have an immediate connection with the main characters will serve as background characters. Direct mentors — Batman, Superman, Aquaman, Flash, Martian Manhunter, and Green Arrow — will feature prominently. Batman and Red Tornado are the most prevalent recurring character
Recurring character
A recurring character is a fictional character, usually in a prime time TV series, who appears from time to time during the series' run. Recurring characters often play major roles in an episode, sometimes being the main focus...
s, though Black Canary, Captain Marvel and Zatara are frequent additions to the cast. Batman also acts as Young Justice's "Jim Phelps", choosing the team and assigning missions.
DC Universe characters who are neither affiliated with the Justice League nor Young Justice will also be supporting characters. This includes frequent recurring character Roy Harper, who starts out as Speedy and later assumes Red Arrow as his superhero identity.
Episodes
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired (U.S. dates) | DVD DVD A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions.... and Blu-ray release date |
||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season premiere Season premiere In North America, a season premiere is the first episode of a new season of a given television show. It often airs in September or October, after several months of reruns.-Evaluating the changes:... |
Season finale Season finale A season finale is the final episode of a season of a television program... |
Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | |||||||||
Cast
- Stephanie LemelinStephanie LemelinStephanie Lemelin is a Canadian actress. She appeared in the American TV series Cavemen. Other past credits include The 40-Year-Old Virgin, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Me, Myself and Irene, the last in which she appears with her mother, Rona. Her father is former NHL goalie Reggie Lemelin...
voices Artemis, Justice League Computer - Jesse McCartneyJesse McCartneyJesse McCartney is an American singer-songwriter, actor and voice actor. McCartney achieved fame in the late 1990s on the daytime drama All My Children as JR Chandler. He later joined boy band Dream Street, and eventually branched out into a solo musical career...
voices RobinDick GraysonDick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
– McCartney sees Robin as reluctant to lead the team, feeling that he doesn’t know enough. "Eventually he shows that he is a natural born leader. And that’s just part of what you’ll see from Dick Grayson". - Danica McKellarDanica McKellarDanica Mae McKellar is an American actress, academic, and education advocate. She is best known for her role as Winnie Cooper in the television show The Wonder Years, and later as author of the three The New York Times bestsellers, Math Doesn't Suck, Kiss My Math, and Hot X: Algebra Exposed, which...
voices Miss MartianMiss MartianMiss Martian is a superhero in the . Miss Martian was created by Geoff Johns and Tony Daniel and first appeared in Teen Titans #37 . Miss Martian is named "Megan Morse" after Marvel Comics associate editor Ben Morse's wife, Megan...
– McKellar thinks her character is "Awesome. Like most of the characters on the show, she’s dealing with two very different but coexisting aspects of her life: she’s a kickass superhero and an insecure teenager, all at the same time." - Nolan NorthNolan NorthNolan Ramsey North is an American actor and voice actor born in New Haven, Connecticut. He has been described as "the nearest thing the games industry has to a bona fide leading man."-Biography:...
voices SuperboySuperboy (Kon-El)Superboy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. A modern update of the original Superboy, who is a younger version of Superman, the character first appeared in Adventures of Superman #500 , and was created by writer Karl Kesel and artist Tom Grummett.Originally...
, SupermanSupermanSuperman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
– Greg Weisman notes that North provides "good separation" between the dual roles he portrays as Superman and Superboy. - Khary PaytonKhary PaytonKhary Payton is an American actor and voice actor known for his voice characterizations in animated cartoons, having portrayed Cyborg in the Teen Titans animated series and Aqualad in Young Justice. In the cartoon series Justice League, Payton provided the voice of the villain Ten...
voices AqualadAqualad (Jackson Hyde)Jackson Hyde is one of two fictional characters codenamed Aqualad. He is a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. Jackson Hyde, created by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis, debuted in comic books in Brightest Day #4 and is based on the Aqualad character originally created for the Young Justice...
– Payton previously voiced the character of CyborgCyborg (comics)Cyborg is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, and first appears in a special insert in DC Comics Presents #26...
in the animated series, Teen TitansTeen Titans (TV series)Teen Titans is an American animated television series based on the DC Comics characters of the same name. The show was created by Glen Murakami, developed by David Slack, and produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It premiered on Cartoon Network on July 19, 2003, and the final episode "Things Change"...
. - Jason SpisakJason SpisakJason Spisak is an American voice actor in animation and video games, and a Computer Programmer.Spisak is also the co-leader of the Symphony OS Project. He is the designer of Symphony's unique Mezzo desktop environment and wrote the Laws of Interface Design, for which the project tries to adhere...
voices Kid FlashWally WestThe Flash is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the first Kid Flash and the third Flash....
– Ava Dordi, of the Palo Alto Voice notes that Spisak "captures the lighthearted essence of Kid Flash well".
Additional cast
- Bruce GreenwoodBruce GreenwoodBruce Greenwood is a Canadian actor and musician. He is generally known for his roles as U.S. presidents in Thirteen Days and National Treasure: Book of Secrets and for his role as Captain Christopher Pike in the 2009 Star Trek film...
voices BatmanBatmanBatman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
– was cast after his performance as the character in Batman: Under the Red HoodBatman: Under the Red Hood# "A Death in the Family" # "Main Titles" # "Mob Boss Meeting" # "Amazo" # "Batwing" # "Batmobile to Arkham" # "Interrogation" # "Rooftop Chase" # "Flashback" # "Black Mask Strikes Back"...
. In an interview at Comic Con, Greenwood differentiates the portrayal of the Caped Crusader in Young Justice: "He's younger, more of a father figure. He's tough, but not as broken (as the previous portrayal)."
- Jeff BennettJeff BennettJeffrey Glenn "Jeff" Bennett is an American voice actor and musician, listed "among the top names in the voice-over field", best known as the voice of Johnny Bravo in the series of the same name...
voices Red TornadoRed TornadoRed Tornado is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Justice League of America #64 , and was created by Gardner Fox and Dick Dillin.-Publication history:...
– Bennett previously worked with Weisman on GargoylesGargoyles (TV series)Gargoyles is an American animated series created by Greg Weisman. It was produced by Greg Weisman and Frank Paur and aired from October 24, 1994 to February 15, 1997. Gargoyles is known for its dark tone, complex story arcs and melodrama...
as the voice of Brooklyn. He has voiced the JokerJoker (comics)The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
and Captain MarvelCaptain Marvel (DC Comics)Captain Marvel is a fictional comic book superhero, originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics. Created in 1939 by artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker, the character first appeared in Whiz Comics #2...
on Batman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
, Ragdoll in The BatmanThe Batman (TV series)The Batman is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. It ran from 2004 to 2008, on the Saturday morning television block Kids' WB...
, and the CreeperCreeper (comics)The Creeper is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. Created by Steve Ditko, he first appeared in Showcase #73 .-Publication history:...
in The New Batman AdventuresThe New Batman AdventuresThe New Batman Adventures is the successor to Batman: The Animated Series produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Although bearing different character designs and animation styles, both shows take place in the same continuity, with TNBA set two years after BTAS. The series aired on The WB from...
.
- Crispin FreemanCrispin FreemanCrispin McDougal Freeman is an American voice actor, and Mythology scholar. His roles have included Alucard from Hellsing, Kyon from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Karasu from Noein, Togusa from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, as Holland Novak from Eureka Seven, Touga Kiriyu in...
voices Red ArrowRoy Harper (comics)Roy Harper is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics Universe. He was known for over fifty years as Green Arrow's teenage sidekick Speedy. He first appeared alongside his mentor in More Fun Comics #73...
- Kelly HuKelly HuKelly Ann Hu is an American actress and former fashion model. She was Miss Teen USA 1985 and Miss Hawaii USA 1993.-Early life:Hu was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, the daughter of Juanita, an engineering drafter for Honolulu, and Herbert Hu, a salesman and exotic bird breeder; the two divorced during...
voices CheshireCheshire (comics)Cheshire is a DC Comics villain that first appeared in New Teen Titans Annual #2 .-Fictional character biography:Born to a French father and a Vietnamese mother, Jade Nguyen had an unhappy childhood and was sold into slavery...
– Hu previously worked with Weisman in The Spectacular Spider-Man as well as voice acting in Batman: Under the Red Hood.
- Rob LoweRob LoweRobert Hepler "Rob" Lowe is an American actor. Lowe came to prominence after appearing in films such as The Outsiders, Oxford Blues, About Last Night..., St. Elmo's Fire, and Wayne's World. On television, Lowe is known for his role as Sam Seaborn on The West Wing and his role as Senator Robert...
voices Captain MarvelCaptain Marvel (DC Comics)Captain Marvel is a fictional comic book superhero, originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics. Created in 1939 by artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker, the character first appeared in Whiz Comics #2...
– Considered by IGNIGNIGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
to be "the best superhero guest-voicing turn in some time. (Lowe) plays him like your goofy uncle (or little cousin?) who's trying way too hard to fit in with the cool kids. "I'm really looking forward to hanging with you guys," he blurts out with unabashed enthusiasm". Weisman notes that the character "will be an important recurring character in the series, so this could ultimately involve multiple episodes for Lowe."
- Vanessa MarshallVanessa MarshallVanessa Marshall is an American actress, voice actress and model. She is the daughter of actress Joan Van Ark. She got into voice-over work after being discovered at a one woman show.-Films:* Bagboy! - Mrs...
voices Black CanaryBlack CanaryBlack Canary is the name of two fictional characters, DC Comics superheroines created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino. The first Black Canary debuted appeared in Flash Comics #86 . The first Black Canary was the alter-ego of Dinah Drake, who took part in Golden Age adventures...
- Series co-creator Greg WeismanGreg WeismanGreg Weisman is an American comic book and animation writer and producer, best known as the creator of Gargoyles and as the Supervising Producer of The Spectacular Spider-Man. Weisman is currently a producer on the Young Justice animated series...
has said her role on the show was in part because she is his favorite character in the DC universe.
Crew
- Greg WeismanGreg WeismanGreg Weisman is an American comic book and animation writer and producer, best known as the creator of Gargoyles and as the Supervising Producer of The Spectacular Spider-Man. Weisman is currently a producer on the Young Justice animated series...
- Creator, Producer - Brandon Vietti - Creator, Producer
- Matthew Benzinger - Animation Coordinator
- Phil Bourassa - Lead Character Designer
- John Diaz - Production Manager
- Sam RegisterSam RegisterSam Register is Executive Vice President, Creative Affairs, at Warner Bros. Animation.Formerly Vice President of Cartoon Network, Register was the brain behind CartoonNetwork.com, which was started in 1998. After creating CartoonNetwork.com, Register came up with the idea of Cartoon Orbit in 2000...
- Executive Producer - Casey Sandin - Assistant Production Manager
- Jamie Thomason - Casting and Voice Director
Other media
Young Justice has an official tie-in comic book series outside the television broadcast, expanding on the show's coverage of the continuity. It will be written by Greg Weisman and Kevin Hopps, who are a part of the show's writing team, with Mike NortonMike Norton
Mike Norton is an American comic book artist and writer, known for his work on Runaways and Gravity. In February 2007, Norton signed an exclusive contract with DC and has worked on the All New Atom, written by Gail Simone...
providing the art. Art Baltazar
Art Baltazar
Art Baltazar is an American comic book artist and writer who currently works for DC Comics. Baltazar started making comic books with the his self-published comic book, The Cray-Baby Adventures...
and Franco Aureliani will substitute in place of Weisman and Hopps for issues #1-6, due to the latter duo's conflicting schedule and workload. Along with Brandon Vietti, Weisman and Hopps will still oversee the issues for the maintenance of continuity. While children of all ages are said to be able to enjoy the series, it is specifically aimed at teenagers.
The comic series largely takes place in-between the episodes of the show, and often expands upon events alluded to or mentioned in the series. For instance, issue #0 follows Kid Flash and Superboy as they attempt to kill time while the members of the Justice League set up Mount Justice for their arrival at the end of the pilot episode. In the episode "Welcome to Happy Harbor", Robin mentions that the Justice League had been forced to abandon their headquarters in Happy Harbor after its location was compromised by supervillains, which is revealed in issue #2 of the comic book series to have been orchestrated by the Joker
Joker (comics)
The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
. In addition, Baltazar and Aureliani confirmed that they were asked to introduce the Joker in the comic in order to set up his eventual appearance on the show.
Geoff Johns took a liking to Kaldur'ahm as Aqualad, who was consequently introduced to mainstream continuity altered in comic book issue #4 of Brightest Day
Brightest Day
Brightest Day is a year-long comic book maxi-series that began in April 2010. The story follows the ending of the series Blackest Night and how the aftermath of these events affect the entire DC Universe.-Plot:...
as the second incarnation of the mantle. In Brightest Day, he is introduced as a teenager from New Mexico by the name of Jackson Hyde
Aqualad (Jackson Hyde)
Jackson Hyde is one of two fictional characters codenamed Aqualad. He is a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. Jackson Hyde, created by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis, debuted in comic books in Brightest Day #4 and is based on the Aqualad character originally created for the Young Justice...
who is largely unaware of his Atlantean
Atlantis (DC Comics)
Atlantis is a fictional location in the DC Comics Universe. The very first DC Universe version of Atlantis debuted in Action Comics #18 , and was created by...
roots. In addition to his design, many aspects of the new Aqualad's back-story had to be altered to fit within the established continuity of the DC Universe.
Licensed merchandise
Additionally, several products based on the series have been licensed for release. MattelMattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
will release lines of character action figure
Action figure
An action figure is a posable character figurine, made of plastic or other materials, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, video game, or television program. These action figures are usually marketed towards boys and male collectors...
s and accompanying playsets, among other toys and games. In addition to toys for the six lead characters, figures of Cheshire, Icicle Jr., Black Canary, Batman, Aquaman, the Flash and Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul is a DC Comics supervillain and is one of Batman's greatest enemies. His name in Arabic has been translated in the comics as "The Demon's Head" and references the name of the star Algol. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams, he was introduced in Batman #232's...
have been confirmed as well. Starting March 13, 2011, McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
restaurants began featuring Young Justice toys in their Happy Meal
Happy Meal
A "Happy Meal" is a meal specifically marketed at children, sold at the fast-food chain McDonald's since June 1979. A toy is typically included with the food, both of which are usually contained in a small box or paper bag with the McDonald's logo....
s. Figures include Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Superboy, Superman, Batman, and the villains Captain Cold
Captain Cold
Captain Cold, real name Leonard Snart, is a comic book villain created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino as one of the archenemies of Flash. He is a leader of the Rogues...
and Black Manta
Black Manta
Black Manta is a supervillain appearing in DC Comics, primarily as the archenemy of Aquaman. The character debuted in Aquaman #35 .-Fictional character biography:...
.
The Flaming C
On the program Conan, Conan O'BrienConan O'Brien
Conan Christopher O'Brien is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer and performer. Since November 2010 he has hosted Conan, a late-night talk show that airs on the American cable television station TBS....
visited Bruce Timm
Bruce Timm
Bruce Walter Timm is an American character designer, animator and producer. He is also a writer and artist working in comics, and is known for his contributions building the modern DC Comics animated franchise, the DC animated universe.-Animation:Timm's early career in animation was varied; he...
during one of his segments and they developed a super hero named the Flaming C. However, on several occasions, their original creation would be animated in preexisting sequences from Young Justice using the voice acting of whichever character Flaming C was placed over. These scenes were taken from "Fireworks", "Welcome to Happy Harbor", "Schooled", and "Denial".
Home media
Warner Brothers released Young Justice: Season One, Volume One on July 19, 2011, and features the first four episodes of the series. The first four episodes were also included in the Justice League: 3-Pack Fun box set, which contained the two-part Justice LeagueJustice League (TV series)
Justice League is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 2001 to 2004 on Cartoon Network. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics...
episodes "The Brave and the Bold" and "Injustice For All," as well as the Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
episodes "For The Man Who Has Everything," "The Return," and "The Greatest Story Never Told".
See also
- Batman (TV series)Batman (TV series)Batman is an American television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It stars Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin — two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City. It aired on the American Broadcasting Company network for three seasons from January 12, 1966 to...
- Justice League (TV series)Justice League (TV series)Justice League is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 2001 to 2004 on Cartoon Network. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics...
- Justice League UnlimitedJustice League UnlimitedJustice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
- Teen Titans (TV series)Teen Titans (TV series)Teen Titans is an American animated television series based on the DC Comics characters of the same name. The show was created by Glen Murakami, developed by David Slack, and produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It premiered on Cartoon Network on July 19, 2003, and the final episode "Things Change"...
- The Batman (TV series)The Batman (TV series)The Batman is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. It ran from 2004 to 2008, on the Saturday morning television block Kids' WB...
- Batman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...