It's tough to keep a good superhero team down, and now (although they've been off the air for more than five years), Cartoon Network has recently announced it will bring back its popular Teen Titans animated series in the form of the more lighthearted Teen Titans Go!

Cartoon Network initially brought the animated and occasionally super-deformed Teen Titans back as animated shorts, which aired during DC Nation, the network's hour-long block of superhero programming. Beyond Teen Titans Go!, the shorts and interstitials have featured the likes of Plastic Man, Vibe, as well as the Atom and have apparently become quite the draw in and of themselves.

According to Cartoon Network, the TTG! shorts, featuring a chibi style version of the team, have proven popular enough to warrant joining the growing ranks of DC Nation sometime next year. Right now, the DC-centric animation block features Young Justice and Green Lantern: The Animated Series, but will have an all-new CGI animated Batman series, Beware the Batman added to the line-up very soon.

Despite the gap between the end of Teen Titans and this stylistically different version of the team, Teen Titans Go! has managed to secure the familiar voice talents of the original cast including: Scott Menville (Robin), Khary Payton (Cyborg), Greg Cipes (Beast Boy), Tara Strong (Raven) and Hynden Walch (Starfire).

An official press release from the network stated:

"Character-driven comedy is the order of the day as this new take on the super hero series focuses on the funny business that happens between saving the world and living together as teenagers without adult supervision. They may be super heroes who save the world every day … but somebody still has to do the laundry! With the ability to turn into any animal or detach their robotic limbs, teenage pranks reach a whole new level. And even super heroes have to take Driver’s Ed. to get a license – especially after wrecking the Batmobile on an unauthorized joy ride to impress a girl!"

Super Best Friends Forever Cartoon Network

Considering the current offerings are all action-oriented and targeted primarily at the young male demographic, lightening things up with 22 minutes of comedy would certainly help court a wider audience. Additionally, should Teen Titans Go! prove a success, it may allow for an even more expansive line-up on DC Nation that could include full episodes of shorts like Super Best Friends Forever or the ongoing adventures of Plastic Man.

Given that Cartoon Network airs DC Nation on Saturday mornings, gearing an expansion of this kind toward a broader audience may prove to be a successful test for the continuation of their DC Comics-inspired animation block.

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Teen Titans Go! shorts can currently be seen during DC Nation, which airs Saturdays @10am on Cartoon Network.

Source: Comic Book Movie