Image source: The World's Finest

Image source: The World’s Finest

Earlier today Cartoon Network held their yearly upfront to announce new and renewed shows for their 2013 lineup. Among the many new programs was the gag-centric Teen Titans Go! and the CGI animated Beware the Batman for the DC Nation block. Absent from Cartoon Network’s press release were DC Nation’s current shows: Young Justice and Green Lantern: The Animated Series. Their exclusions were not an error, as Warner Bros. Animation has confirmed the cancellation of both shows.

While Young Justice and Green Lantern’s cancellations come as a stab to the heart for fans of the series, the news was expected given Cartoon Network’s questionable treatment of them. Both shows were given little advertising after their initial premier and new episodes were often delayed for long periods of time. The best example of this was Cartoon Network sudden removal of Young Justice and Green Lantern last fall, despite their incredibly short return to airing new episodes. The surprise schedule change shocked not only fans, but the shows’ creative team as well. Cartoon Network claimed Young Justice and Green Lantern were taken off the air so the network could continue to celebrate its 20th anniversary with their own original programming, but Bleeding Cool theorized it was because the Cartoon Network was unhappy with Warner Bros. Animation future DC shows.

There were also other warning signs of Young Justice and Green Lantern’s demise. Mattel cancelled their Young Justice toy line last April, while Green Lantern never produced any of its own, due to stores still being overstocked with merchandise of the failed live action Green Lantern movie. With no toys to support themselves, Young Justice and Green Lantern meet the same sad fate that befell Sym-Bionic Titan. Referring to Green Lantern: The Animated Series‘ performance, a director at Warner Bros. Animation believed the studio wouldn’t be doing any more CGI shows after Beware the Batman, due to their high cost and low rating when compared to hand-drawn superhero cartoons.

The comic book tie-in to Young Justice will end in February, while the animated Green Lantern book is not mentioned in DC Comics’ April solicitations.