More Details About CN’s Upcoming Animated ‘Young Justice’

More details have emerged about Cartoon Network’s upcoming “Young Justice” animated series that will be loosely based on the DC Comic book series by Peter David and Todd Nauck. From an interview with producers Greg Weisman and Brandon Viett this is what ComicBookMovie uncovered. Consider it a spoiler:

Aqualad — Jackson Hyde, who’s introduced in DC’s Brightest Day #10 — is the leader of the team. Like his comic-book counterpart, the animated Aqualad will be revealed as the son of Black Manta, archenemy of Aquaman. Fans of the previous Aqualad, Garth (aka Tempest), should take heart: He, too, will appear in Young Justice.

The cartoon’s Robin and Kid Flash are definitely Dick Grayson and Wally West, not Tim Drake and Bart Allen. “We went through and made the decision fairly early on that this was going to be a young DC universe,” Weisman said, “that Superman will have only shown up ten years ago, put on the cape ten years ago, Batman would have only put on the cape nine years ago, that the heroes haven’t been around that long, and once you’ve made that decision, then the idea of starting with Dick Grayson and Wally West, the original side kicks, they’re still young …”

Superboy is Conner Kent, but somewhat different from what we now see in the comics. “… He’s newly cloned, he’s 16 weeks old — he looks like he’s 16, but he’s 16 weeks, and this is a new interpretation of the character,” Vietti said, “but we feel it really stays true to the origins of the character and is a very honest portrayal of him, but I think he’s going to be different from what people expect.” The producers wouldn’t say whether is DNA is that of Superman and Lex Luthor, as in the comics.

Vietti identifies Miss Martian as the Martian Manhunter’s daughter (which I think differs from the comics?). Update: Weisman has since corrected this, saying that Miss Martian is Martian Manhunter’s niece.

There apparently was some confusion in early reports, but the female archer is definitely Artemis, not Arrowette (a former member of DC’s Young Justice). “It was a mistake online — someone assumed she was Arrowette, but I announced that she’s not Arrowette, she’s not Speedy, she’s not Wonder Girl, she’s not an Amazon, but she is an existing DC Universe character,” Vietti said. “We did not make her up.”

The world of Young Justice is part of DC’s multiverse. “… We’re set on Earth 16,” Vietti said, “so we’re actually a part of the DC Universe – you know they have 52 earths now and we’re Earth 16, so we’re part of the multiverse, and the comic book that’s based on the show is going to be in continuity.”

The producers compared the setup of Young Justice to that of Mission: Impossible. “Batman is kind of their Jim Phelps, if Jim Phelps didn’t go on the missions with them,” Vietti said. “So he chooses the team, and he sends them out on these covert missions.”

Source: CBM, spinoff