DC Nation was somewhat of an animated resurgence for the company - providing Cartoon Network with two incredible shows to continue their comic book bonanza. In its two seasons Young Justice managed to create one of the largest fanbases of a DC property of all time. Its approach to story telling was incredibly emotional, and the maturity in which it tackled it with was simply unbeatable. Portraying adolescence and the trials that come with it earned the show a place in many fans' hearts - which would only lead to heartbreak when it was abruptly cancelled without reason. Young Justice's cancellation also brought to light a worrying trend with network executives. Speaking with Kevin Smith on the splendid 'Fatman on Batman', veteran scribe Paul Dini made the point that during the show's production, Cartoon Network were adamant on shifting its focus to "boys' action" and "goofy boy humour" - under the misconception that girls don't buy merchandise. Obviously the writers didn't heed their calls, but it was ultimately DC Nation's inability to sell toys that resulted in its demise. Everything from the animation to the writing and voice acting was pretty much perfect, with only the occasional hiccup in the casting department proving to be a distraction. Green Lantern: The Animated Series also turned out to be a fan favourite programme, though it followed the same fate of cancellation as other shows before it. Teen Titans: Go! and Beware The Batman simply didn't pack the same punch that its predecessors did, leaving a big DC-shaped hole that needs filling.
WhatCulture's very own resident movie guy, Ewan has been working in the content creation biz for over 10 years now, having started as a freelance contributor to WhatCulture Gaming all the way back in 2015. After graduating with a First-Class Honours in History from Northumbria University in 2017 (where he won a prize for a totally killer dissertation on the Watergate years), Ewan took on the role of Comics Editor at WhatCulture and quickly developed WhatCulture Comics into one of the biggest superhero-focused channels on YouTube. He followed this with a brief hiatus at Screen Rant in 2021, where he worked across the Gaming and Film sections as a writer and editor, before returning to WhatCulture as a Senior Content Producer / Presenter in 2023. He started his own podcast, We Love Dad Movies, in 2022, and has contributed several written pieces to the Eisner-nominated comics website Shelfdust as well.
In his current role, Ewan incorporates his love of cinema, comic books, and history into written pieces and video essays for WhatCulture's Film & TV channel, as well as WhatCulture Gaming and WhatCulture Horror, with a particular focus on nineties-era Dad Movies, old school Westerns, and Golden Age Hollywood Noir. John Carpenter is his fave, and he thinks Batman Beyond should never have been cancelled. If that's your vibe, you'll probably like his stuff.
