Why do DC and Marvel cartoons end so quickly and have such short episode runs?

[CyberCubed]

With the exception of Batman: TAS and Justice League (if you count JLU as the same show), all the DC and Marvel shows end around the 52-65 episode mark with few exceptions:

- Superman: TAS was 54 episodes
- Batman Beyond was 52 episodes
- Static Shock was 52 episodes
- Justice League was 52 episodes (without JLU)
- Justice League: Unlimited was 39 episodes
- Teen Titans was 65 episodes
- Young Justice was 47 episodes
- Brave and the Bold was 65 episodes
- The Batman was 65 episodes
- Beware the Batman was 26 episodes

Now on Marvel:

- Spiderman: TAS was 65 episodes
- X:men: TAS was 78 episodes
- X-men Evolution was 52 episodes
- Spectacular Spiderman was 26 episodes
- Wolverine and the X-men was 26 episodes
- Avengers: EMH was 52 episodes


Aside from Batman: TAS which went on over 100 episodes, every other DC and Marvel show ended quite early. I know Ultimate Spiderman is getting 78 episodes but that show is horrible so it doesn't matter.

It makes me realize how greatful being a TMNT fan is, given the original cartoon had 193 episodes, the 4kids series had 156 episodes, and the Nick cartoon will have 98 episodes through Season 4...and its probably going to go on much longer.

[Netkeeper]

I can't say for sure, but as someone who only has passing familiarity with Marvel and DC [more DC than Marvel, though; I know enough about them to have a preference] I'd chock it down to marketing. I don't even know about some of these shows until they've ended or have already been on the air for a while. I only watched a handful of these when they aired.

[ZariusTwo]

Spectacular would have continued if it were'nt for the television rights switching back over to Marvel.

65 was normally the magic number for syndication back in the day, it was rare at the time for shows like Batman:TAS and X-Men to escape it, now it's a bit more commonplace to see succesful cartoons escape it.

You forgot to mention the Marvel Action Hour and Incredible Hulk cartoons of the 90s, all of which were 26 episodes (although the tone and direction drasticly changed in between those seasons)..I sometimes wonder how more succesful they'd have been if they had movies to back them up in those days.

[CharmedSerenity]

You forgot to mention the Marvel Action Hour and Incredible Hulk cartoons of the 90s, all of which were 26 episodes (although the tone and direction drasticly changed in between those seasons)..I sometimes wonder how more succesful they'd have been if they had movies to back them up in those days.

Not to mention the Legion of Superheroes animated series which only lasted 26 episodes/2 seasons.

[Prowler]

They'd rather make several shorter shows than a couple of long ones, I guess. Not that a 50+ episode series is that short for a cartoon, imo. Especially for an action one with a plot.

[T-U-R-T-L-E POWA!]

Well if the theory about toy sales making or breaking a cartoon show is true that might be the reason. I loved 2011 Thundercats with a passion but the toys didn't sell and they pulled it after one season. That was really irritating. The same thing might hold true for these shows as well. I guess toy sales are what are what cartoons actually consider "ratings". That's why I'm always glad to see the TMNT section empty at the stores because I feel like it ensures the show will be around for a lot longer.

[Leo656]

It's entirely based on toy sales first, and only a little bit of the rest of the stuff. As far as Justice League/JLU goes, that toy line always did well, but it didn't take long at all before most of each wave was repaints and stuff, and once you see that start to happen, you know the show in question is getting ready to call it quits.

As far as Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes goes, it was partly because of the never-ending lawsuit between DC/WB and the Siegel family over who has the legal right to the Superboy character, so the fact the show existed at all is something of a minor miracle, especially that a couple episodes are on DVD. By all evidence, that's never going to get a full release, at least for a long long time. The legal problem also led to a lack of a toy line, and no show with NO toys at all can ever last very long, anyway. That show was dead before it aired. I never even got to catch it.

Remember, too, that when Batman: TAS was running, there weren't a lot of other DC toy lines around, so kids' attention was entirely on Batman. Those toys were everywhere for years, and the popularity of the toys kept interest in the cartoon show high. Same thing with Marvel, as long as the toys sold well, the cartoons mostly did well, and the shows that had no specific toyline were still represented through the general Toy Biz Marvel line. Eventually, when every kid already has three of each character, the shows get cancelled. Then they start over again.

So, when most shows don't last long, it's often because there either is no dedicated toy line or interest in the toys is low. Both Green Lantern and Young Justice were directly killed because of that, despite critical acclaim.

So, if you want your favorite cartoon show to last, don't write angry emails to the company, just buy a ton of action figures. They care much more about that than how much you like the show. Believe me. They don't see the shows as anything but commercials. They don't care what you think of the writing or the characters. At all. Buy a shirt and an action figure, and maybe some Legos. Otherwise, they're not going to "know" if you like the show or not. Simple as that. Buy more toys.

[JamieH]

Sad, but true. The above is dead on.

I remember when Toy Biz started doing the X-Men figures. They were pretty low quality, but holy hell did they sell a lot. I remember how much room on the shelves and walls they took up at the local Kay Bee Toys (remember when that was a thing?). It was unreal, walk in and they were nearly the first thing you saw, easily took up the largest portion of the front of the store. I don't think I've seen a line of action figures that were as massive and popular. They made figures of any and every character they could. The number of unique Wolverine figures was enough to be it's own toy line.

[BabyTurtles]

So, if you want your favorite cartoon show to last, don't write angry emails to the company, just buy a ton of action figures. They care much more about that than how much you like the show. Believe me. They don't see the shows as anything but commercials. They don't care what you think of the writing or the characters. At all. Buy a shirt and an action figure, and maybe some Legos. Otherwise, they're not going to "know" if you like the show or not. Simple as that. Buy more toys.

Makes me wonder how Avatar the Last Airbender lasted so long.....when I was a kid I didn't even know there were toys out for that series (I was like 12-13)

It was only 61 episodes...but ATLA got complete closure....it's one of the few series that had a beginning, a middle...and an ACTUAL ending.

(maybe I just didn't notice the toys......)