Posted in: Movies, TV | Tagged: cartoon network, dc, justice league action, Warner Bros

Justice League Action Absent As Cartoon Network Reveals 2017-2018 Lineup (UPDATED)

Cartoon Network revealed its slate of new and returning shows for the 2017-2018 season this week. Included on the list were six new shows, according to the press release:

Apple & Onion – Being new and naïve to the ways of the "big city of sophisticated food" doesn't stop the wide-eyed enthusiasm of the lovable buddies Apple and Onion who are destined to find their way and make lots of friends on their incredible adventure of life. The friendship comedy is created by George Gendi (The Amazing World of Gumball).

• Craig of the Creek – At the Creek, the rules of the outside world don't apply in this kid utopia of untamed wilderness where Craig and his two best friends have ventured and tribes of children reign over tree forts and dirt bike ramps. The adventure series is created by Matt Burnett and Ben Levin, formerly from Steven Universe.

• Summer Camp Island – Having completed a momentous and critically acclaimed run at this year's most notable festivals including the Sundance Film Festival and SXSW, this wildly imaginative animated series, based on the original Cartoon Network short, will continue unfolding the mysteries that Oscar and his best friend Hedgehog encounter at a magical summer camp. The series hails from creator Julia Pott (Adventure Time).

• OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes – Cartoon Network powers up a world of original heroes across the TV and gaming landscape together with the greenlight of this action-packed comedy followed by the console and PC game jointly developed with indie video game studio Capybara games. The knockout series is inspired by creator Ian Jones-Quartey's childhood and follows the heroic feats of K.O., an endlessly optimistic boy attempting to level up to be the best he can be in a dynamic universe of heroes, friends and challenging foes. The series builds on OK K.O.! Lakewood Plaza Turbo, the network's first original standalone mobile game and was developed from a pilot that was part of Cartoon Network's Emmy Award-winning shorts program.

• Ben 10 –  The newest show coming out of the highly successful franchise has launched multiple animated series, and numerous animated and live-action movies. Playmates Toys serves as the worldwide master toy partner for the new Ben 10 with a full line of toys based on the show that will include a range of figures, playsets, and role-play items set to launch at retail globally this fall. The wild adventures begin debuting Monday, April 10 and will introduce fun loving, 10-year-old, Ben Tennyson, his cousin Gwen, and Grandpa Max, as they traverse the country during summer vacation. Once Ben finds the Omnitrix, a mysterious watch that transforms him into 10 different heroic aliens, a world of extraterrestrial superpowers opens to him, which kids of all ages will admire. Ben 10 is created by and executive produced by Man of Action Entertainment.

• Cloudy with A Chance of Meatballs – The mouth-watering animated comedy series premiered earlier this month and is based on Sony Pictures Animation's highly successful 2009 global feature Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and subsequent, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. The TV series is produced in association with DHX Media, Sony Pictures Animation and Corus Entertainment.

And seven new shows:

We Bare Bears – The BAFTA Award-winning series created by Daniel Chong stacks up a third and hilarious season. In the newest season, Grizzly (Eric Edelstein), Panda (Bobby Moynihan) and Ice Bear (Demetri Martin) meet up with favorite friends and frenemies voiced by Patton Oswalt, Charlyne Yi, Jason Lee, Ellie Kemper and Cameron Esposito. The adorable baby bears add more hijinks and commotion to the delight of fans. Festive holiday specials and new guest appearances by comedian Ron Funches and notable voice actor John DiMaggio round out the season as the Bears continue their comedic adventures around the Bay Area and beyond.

• The Powerpuff Girls – The Emmy nominated series is back and kicking off a second season featuring all-new characters and specials, plus action-packed battles between the superhero sisters and fan-favorite villains HIM and Mojo Jojo. The newly reimagined series is executive produced by Nick Jennings and co-executive produced by Bob Boyle, and will continue to further Cartoon Network's commitment to STEAM education with two additional themed episodes this season. The wildly successful online Powerpuff Yourself avatar maker, which reached over 12 million fans at its launch, has now been updated so even more fans can see themselves as a real Townsville superhero. The original series was created by Craig McCracken.

• Mighty Magiswords – Recently picked up for a second season, Mighty Magiswords will expand on Prohyas and Vambre's epic adventures as they embark on more hilarious quests in pursuit of the latest and greatest Magiswords to add to their coveted collections. Created by Kyle A. Carrozza, Mighty Magiswords is comprised of a rich hub of more than 500 pieces of original content including interactive shorts, narrative vlogs and a multitude of immersive digital games and apps.

• Adventure Time – The Emmy and Peabody Award-winning show is back with an eight-part miniseries of epic proportions later this year. Fans will be just as surprised as Finn to discover what happened to the kingdoms of Ooo while he was away at sea. This next miniseries comes fresh off the heels of Adventure Time: Islands, which reached almost four million people. The series is created by Pendleton Ward and executive produced by Adam Muto.

• Steven Universe – Friendships are tested as the saga continues in this Emmy-nominated series, created by Rebecca Sugar. The show returns with new adventurous story arcs and specials, in which fans will meet more Gems, spend time with the Diamonds and gain insight into the ever-mysterious Gem Homeworld while the series' titular hero Steven Universe will grow as a leader. Steven Universe is lauded for having a voice of inclusion, and was recently nominated for its first GLAAD Media Award in the Outstanding Comedy Series category.

• Teen Titans Go! – Season four of the hit series continues and get ready for the show's 200th episode as Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy and Cyborg prepare to save the world in a special, two-part episode. Audiences are also in for an egg-ceptional treat in a spring special featuring the mythical Tooth Fairy who tries to take over the holiday from the Easter Bunny. Series is produced by Warner Bros. Animation.

• The Amazing World of Gumball – This BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning series from Cartoon Network Studios EMEA conjures up a new Halloween special and continues warm-hearted adventures including an episode with live-action puppets with the energetic and fearless blue cat—Gumball—and his idiosyncratic family, the Wattersons.

But more notable than what was on the list, perhaps, is what wasn't. Justice League Action is missing in action, it seems. Now, we don't want to start a panic or anything. Actually, that's not true; starting a panic is pretty high up on our list of priorities here at Bleeding Cool if we're being perfectly honest. Even so, we'll point out that the show only debuted in December, so it's possible that it will be renewed later in the year. That being said, Wonder Woman is set to hit theaters in June and Justice League in November, so basic marketing synergy would dictate that Cartoon Network would probably want to advertise that the show still exists… unless it doesn't.

So it may be too early to jump to conclusions (it's never too early), and it's possible that everything is fine and Justice League Action will get another season in a big announcement of its own later, closer to the release of the film, but on the other hand its absence on this announcement could also mean that the show is done after just one season. It's probably best for all involved if we all freak out on Twitter right now, just in case.

We reached out to Cartoon Network for comment on this story, but as of press time, they have not responded.

UPDATE: Cartoon Network has provided Bleeding Cool with the following statement about the current, first season:

Premieres of JLA will continue Saturday, April 8 and Saturday, April 28 (7:30am, ET/PT).

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