TVSquad

Clone Wars, Secret Saturdays, a teenager with a super watch, and yet another Batman cartoon. These are just some of the items that were announced at the Cartoon Network upfronts this past week. A presentation, mind you, that was attended by one George Lucas.

Lucas was there to promote the CN's pickup of the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which many are expecting big things of. This series, which we told you about way back in May of last year, will continue the adventures of Obi-Wan, Anakin, and many others during the Clone Wars. According to Stuart Snyder, President and COO of Turner Animation, Clone Wars will be a game changer for the network and will be event viewing for kids as well as entire families. "Star Wars: The Clone Wars will be appointment television for everyone in the family", said Snyder

Also coming to Cartoon Network will be a Batman cartoon. But, not the current The Batman or the previous Batman, The Animated Series, or the even more previous Filmation version of the Batman/Superman Hour. This one will be Batman: The Brave & The Bold, which will team the Dark Knight with other members of the current DC Comics universe like Aquaman, Blue Beetle and Green Arrow. The version of the Batman in this series looks to be classic Dick Sprang 60s, complete with yellow bat emblem on his costume (which he hasn't had in the comics for a long time). How this show will fare for those fans of the current The Batman has yet to be determined.

Other premieres include: Ben 10: Alien Force (coming April 18th), which will reunite Ben and the Omnitrix once again for another series of alien threats; The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, featuring a boy named Flapjack who seeks out adventure with Captain K'nuckles; and The Secret Saturdays, which stars a family of world-saving adventure scientists called the Secret Saturdays.

In addition to the new shows announced during the upfront it looks like the CN is becoming more rigid when it comes to scheduling their programs, perhaps in order to complete with other networks like Nickelodeon and Disney Channel. A few nights during the week will have themes for the show they air. For instance, it was mentioned that Thursday nights will be designated for the network's comedy fare like Chowder, Camp Lazlo and George of the Jungle. Fridays will be held for action-adventure series like Clone Wars and Ben 10. Sundays will be reserved for animated and not-so-animated feature films.

One of the more important pieces of information to come out of the upfront was the creation of The Cartoonistute. Headed by a number of animation veterans and produced by Cartoon Network Studios, Cartoonistute's goal is produce 150 pieces of programming in about 20 months. According to Rob Sorcher, Chief Content Officer at CN, the Cartoonistute will create a new generation of show runners as well as add new animated content to the network's schedule.