Could Green Lantern: The Animated Series be considered part of the DCAU?

Question

I've been on a DCAU kick for a while (recently my local Wal-mart had a large stock of most of the seasons of the different shows), and while I was looking up a few things about the DCAU, I began wondering about some of the possible tangential shows. I know most people don't consider shows like Teen Titans to be part of the DCAU (I somewhat believe TT is or could be made to fit), but what about the more recent Green Lantern animated series? It has art styles similar to the old DCAU shows, albeit in a CGI form. It appears to have similar tones and structure as well. I haven't watched much of it, but the only thing I can see that possibly holds it back is that it centers around Hal Jordan. In Superman: The Animated Series, we see that Kyle Rayner is chosen to be a new Lantern after Abin Sur's death and John Stewart is apparently brought in to protect this sector while Kyle is being trained. While this leads one to believe that Hal couldn't be the Green Lantern and the show might not fit because of this, is there any way it could fit? I'm genuinely curious as to whether or not I should try to add the series to my personal Chronology of the DCAU (and buy the DVDs to add it to my Wall-of-Nerdness).

For Reference, here is the typical accepted Chronology of the DCAU

• Batman: The Animated Series Seasons 1 and 2
• Batman: The Mask of the Phantasm
• Batman: The Animated Series Season 3
• Batman & Mr. Freeze: Sub-Zero
• Superman: The Animated Series
• The Batman Superman Movie: World's Finest
• The New Batman Adventures
• Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman
• Static Shock
• Justice League
• Justice League Unlimited
• Batman Beyond
• Zeta Project
• Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker

I haven't watched much of the Green Lantern series (only about two episodes somewhere in the middle of the season), so I don't know if it contradicts the established continuity. If it doesn't, is there any place in the timeline that it would fit? Perhaps between JLU and Batman Beyond?

Answer 1

According to the character bio provided by Wikipedia Hal Jordan is the first Human lantern in the Animated Series continuity, however he is mentioned by name in Kyle Rayner's debut episode from Superman: The Animated Series as still being a test pilot for the Air Force. According to the DC Animated Wiki test pilot Colonel Hal Jordan (mentioned by name only, but never actually making an appearance) was stationed at Broom Lake Air Force base. Hist jet was heavily damaged by Kyle Rayner and Sinestro during their battle there. In the Green Lantern Animated Series continuity Sinestro is Hal Jordan's mentor, and is still a Lantern of high regard. These contradictions in continuity make it hard to shoehorn in the GL Animated Series into the regluar DCAU continuity.

Answer 2

Since Bruce Timm, the producer of nearly all of the previous Animated series using the DC characters, and was also involved in the production of Green Lantern: The Animated Series (GL:TAS) it is possible for the series to be considered part of the DC Animated Universe, albeit using very different computer-generated artwork and design.

The series producer Bruce W. Timm was originally was reluctant to use CG animation instead of traditional animation, but eventually came around making this the first CG animated television series by Bruce Timm and the first series featuring Green Lantern to be rendered using CG animation.

As to where to place the series in a timeline of the DCAS universe, it would probably be between the final episodes of JLU and the Batman Beyond Universe since we see glimpses of the modern DC Earth.

Answer 3

GL:TAS is not set the DCAU, plain and simple, I'm sorry to say. The art style is the same (in CGI form) because Bruce Timm, producer of all the other DCAU shows/movies, was involved in the production. On the same note, if the designs for various characters on the show (ex. the Guardians, Sinestro, Kilowog, etc.) were to be hand-drawn, they would not match the designs of said characters as seen on JL/JLU and STAS.

Another point to note is that Hal Jordan does make an appearance in the JLU episode "The Once and Future Thing," shifting places with John Stewart as part of a time discrepancy due to Chronos messing with the timestream. Sure, he's from an alternate reality, but one (in theory) in which Hal received the ring when Abin Sur died instead of Kyle in STAS. So it would be safe to say that GL:TAS takes place in an alternate universe to that of the DCAU cartoons, just like Teen Titans, Legion of Superheroes, Brave and the Bold, etc.

I tend to think all the animated DC superhero cartoons are part of a similar mutliverse theory to that of the comics -- that they all exist parallel to each other (these themes have been explored in various JL episodes such as "A Better World," "Legends," and an STAS episode or two). They are all part of the DC Comics universe, just not part of each other's, if that makes sense. The shows and movies you listed above are the correct and complete (as of 2014) "DC Animated Universe" or "Timmsverse," and nothing more.

Answer 4

I think it can be part of the DCAU. The main contradictions come from season two:

• Sinestro as a Green Lantern

• Guy Gardner as THE popular Green Lantern on Earth

• John Stewart as Guy Gardner's successor on Earth.

• Star Sapphire is Carol Ferris and she is good.

• The Manhunters have been evil for a while.

It's a tough fit but it's not impossible. Since Stewart is a rookie in GLTAS, it doesn't fit the DCAU continuity after JLU, but maybe, if the events of GLTAS happen some time before the "Brightest Day" episode of STAS, it can work out. Here are the easy changes:

• Character redesigns happen several times in the DCAU. The Penguin, James Gordon, General Hardcastle and Brainiac V are clear examples of that.

• Sinestro becomes evil before 'Brightest Day'.

• Guy Gardner was only Earth-based superhero for a brief time and his popularity might have been mostly local.

• John Stewart might have been even less active on Earth before moving to Oa.

• The Star Sapphire of Justice League might have not been Carol.

• The "Colonel Hal Jordan" of STAS might be Hal's father, Colonel is a nickname of Hal and somebody named a plane after him.

• The biggest conflict would be the Manhunters. However, the remaining robots might have been reprogrammed after GLTAS, with more personality and less concern for emotions.

• And the biggest opportunity is the fact that Abin Sur never appears on GLTAS. He is not even mentioned by name. From GLTAS, we know that Hal replaced a Green Lantern from the sector that was killed. Then, when he became a honor Guard Guy replaced him for a little while, and when he became a Honor Guard himself, John Stewart replaced him. Maybe after this point John is sent to train with Katma and the more seasoned Abin Sur gets his sector.

With all that in mink consider that Hal, Kilowog and Guy appeared in Justice League vs. the Fatal Five, making them part of the DCAU, and that the later two kept their GLTAS appearance.

Answer 5

For the Teen Titans, not according to the Titan Wiki:

Whilst these references where made at the same time the Teen Titans TV series was airing, the show is not canon with the DCAU, having too many contradictions with established DCAU canon. The team referenced in Static Shock would very likely be an entirely different line-up to the actual show.

I'm not sure what specific contradictions they mean, I know the Titans show often deviated from core story lines while also remaining true to the core.