This past weekend Cartoon Network aired a one-hour special showcasing their next DC animated series, Green Lantern. Cartoon Network has a long history of eclectic and generally fantastic shows based on DC characters, and 2012 looks to be a banner year for Warner’s Super Hero stable.

Green Lantern: The Animated Series begins with this new special, setting up a  plot that sees Hal and Kilowog in deep “frontier space” fighting against the Red Lanterns. The show itself will air regularly in 2012 as a marquee show in Carton Network’s new DC Nation programming. It joins Young Justice and a slew of shorts, news and other fun DC tidbits next year.

The most interesting thing about this series is that for the first time ever a Bruce Timm produced show is animated in full CG. Timm’s artistic style is clearly the inspiration for the designs and despite the full CG animation there is clearly an effort to make this show fit alongside the others in the pantheon of Timm-verse shows.

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From kicking it in The O.C. for 4 years to saving lives for the past few years in Southland, Ben McKenzie has managed to carry a pretty big fan base with him from project to project. Now he’ll be switching gears entirely to the animated DC Universe, as he voices a young and cocky Bruce Wayne in the upcoming animated film Batman: Year One.

Based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller, the story was basically Batman Begins from when Bruce left Wayne Enterprises to when he donned the cowl. Traveling, learning his trade, and figuring out what it took to take out the crime in Gotham City, that’s what McKenzie has to tackle in this performance of the Dark Knight.

We got the chance to talk with Ben in San Diego about taking on this massive role, to his process when coming to a character that has been voiced and portrayed by dozens of award-winning actors.

Check out what Ben had to say about his upcoming role, and check out our interviews with Katee Sackhoff and Eliza Dushku about their roles in Batman: Year One, which hits shelves on October 18th.

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DC’s Animated Original Movie department has been on an absolute roll in the past few years. With amazing stand alone films like Justice League: New Frontier, Batman: Under The Red Hood, and Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, there are very few stories that Bruce Timm and his animators won’t tackle in a 75 minute animated film.

It looks like that trend is continuing with their next film, based on Grant Morrison’s elseworlds story about our favorite Kryptonian in All-Star Superman. Not only will the story be one of the most mature and heavy plots told in this format, but casting director Andrea Romano is sparing no expense on the cast as well. Fans get the voices of stars the voices of James Denton (Desperate Housewives) as Superman, Christina Hendricks (Mad Men) as Lois Lane and Anthony LaPaglia (Without a Trace) as Lex Luthor.

The DVD and Blu-Ray is set to hit stores on February 22nd, but you can check out a complete list of the features on both releases, as well as the beautiful box art after the jump. Stay tuned as we bring you some great coverage of the animated film soon, as well!

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With Comic-Con only days away, one of the bigger events during the show will be the world premiere of the DC Universe’s next animated film: Batman: Under The Red Hood. This film will be taking a far more serious approach to the source material and includes the death and trauma of a former Boy Wonder.

We’ll be bringing you plenty of coverage of the film straight from the show next week and we’ve had a few clips for you already to whet your appetite. The first was a few weeks ago when Batman finally confronts his titular enemy. Now the Red Hood is back in a new clip as he confronts Gotham’s top mob bosses.

The movie features an all-star cast with Bruce Greenwood stepping in as the Dark Knight, Jensen Ackles (Supernatural) as The Red Hood, Neil Patrick Harris as Dick Grayson, and John DiMaggio as The Joker. Check out the new clip after the jump. Catch Batman: Under The Red Hood on DVD and Blu-Ray on July 27th.

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Back in September, DC’s animated studio announced that after Batman/Superman: Public Enemies and Green Lantern: First Flight, the next film they would be taking on was an adaptation of DC’s alternate universes storyline, and a little bit of their “Crisis” plot. The film would be a hybrid of the two, focusing more on the alternate universe where the Justice League is an evil gang called the Crime Syndicate.

Much like DC’s other animated films, this project pulled no punches with their voice talent. With names like James Woods as Owlman, William Baldwin as Batman, Gina Torres as Super Woman, Mark Harmon as Superman, and even Erica Durance as Lois Lane, the film will be packed with plenty of talent.

The fllm is set to hit DVD and Blu-Ray on February 23rd, but before that even comes, the very first clip has hit the net, featuring the Justice League facing off against some alternate universe baddies. We were able to pick out evil Elongated Man (with a mohawk), evil Black Lighting (with bell-bottoms) and even evil Vixen (with pigtails).

Check out the clip after the jump, and let us know if we missed anybody.

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All week we’ve been bringing you an exclusive interview each day with a member of the cast or crew from the upcoming DC Animated DVD Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. From screenwriter Stan Berkowitz to art director Michael Goguen to casting director Andrea Romano and even the voice of Batman, Kevin Conroy. Today, we’ve decided to save a great one for last.

Clancy Brown is both fortunate and unfortunate enough to be recognized by face and voice in TV and film. Fortunate because he’s had enough consistent work since starting acting in 1983, and unfortunate because just about every one of those roles casts him as the bad guy.

From The Kurgen in Highlander to Brother Crowe in Carnivále to Mr. Crabs in Spongebob Squarepants and of course, Lex Luthor in just about every DC Animated production. Check out our interview with Clancy below where he discusses the hardships of always being the bad guy, to his thoughts on other Lex’s, and even who he originally read for back in his first audition for Superman: The Animated Series.

Check back in with us next week for final coverage of Superman/Batman: Public Enemies and our review of the DVD, which hit’s stores nationwide Tuesday, September 29th.

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