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Comic Book TV Shows that Ended Way Too Soon

With Constantine's future up in the air, let's talk about 5 other comic book shows that are greatly missed and deserved more time to grow. We hardly knew ye!

The future of Constantine, a show which continues to get better and better, is uncertain. The first season will be only 13 episodes long and and no official word has been given just yet on whether NBC will give the show more time to grow. If the network decides not to renew Constantine, this unfortunately wouldn't be the first time a comic book show wrapped up well before it should have.

Whether it's because of lackluster toy sales (or a lack of good and available merchandise...), a bad time slot or various legal reasons, there's 5 comic book shows that came to an end way too soon. We wish someone could dip these shows in a Lazarus Pit, but sadly, it's looking like we won't see new seasons from them. That's enormously disappointing, so let's talk about what made these shows so great. Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all, right?

Beware the Batman

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When you have phenomenal shows like Batman TAS, Batman: The Brave and the Bold and Batman Beyond, it's really, really difficult to produce a show about the Dark Knight that will win over a majority of the fans. Those great shows from the past have set the bar very high, so when Batman has a brand new show, expectations go way up. While opinions were divided on Beware the Batman's CGI, the show slowly began to grow on a whole lot of us and it was massively disappointing when it became clear the show was in trouble.

It may have not made a jaw-dropping debut, but it never really faltered and remained solid throughout. One part that appealed to many viewers was how it focused on Batman's gifted mind; it really helped viewers understand why he's often called the world's greatest detective. It had brains and dished out plenty of popcorn entertainment. Also, having Katana as the sidekick instead of Robin helped the show standout and gave it a whole new dynamic. The decision to focus on lesser-known villains was commendable, too. How cool is it they had Lady Shiva as a pivotal villain?! It's too bad there were so many scheduling changes before the show began to put characters like Ra's al Ghul, Deathstroke and Harvey Dent in the spotlight. Because of that, many casual viewers probably never had the chance to see what else this show did to create a whole new mythos for Bruce Wayne.

Beware the Batman had so much potential. It was smart, fun, and did a satisfying job exploring different parts of Batman's world. We can only imagine where this series would have taken us next if it was given more time to develop. You shall be missed, Beware the Batman.

Young Justice

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Here's the one that really upset a ton of passionate fans. Young Justice only had 2 seasons, but that didn't stop it from developing a loving fan base. DC shows often revolve around Batman, Superman, or the Justice League, so to have a series which focuses on the characters connected to those iconic heroes was a refreshing change of pace -- it's just one of the many reasons why so many of us also have such positive memories of Justice League Unlimited.

Giving love to lesser-known characters (when compared to the big names, that is) worked so well because the show did an excellent job developing them. Even though it took so many familiar steps with the narrative and tone, learning more and more about these characters and the dynamics between them was such an engaging time. It took these leads and threw them into DC's vast world, really allowing the viewers to journey into different parts of the publisher's wide array of characters and organizations. It's a show that treated its viewers with respect instead of spelling everything out for them and the end result was, simply put, a very enjoyable show! It had character, thrilling action, and plenty of fan service. And that final cliffhanger?! Man, it's such a shame we may never get a third season.

Spectacular Spider-Man

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Spectacular Spider-Man was a huge amount of fun. Yeah, we've all seen a gazillion Green Goblin, Sinister Six, and Venom stories before and we've certainly seen Peter Parker's origin a good amount of times, but this program was so creative and joyous. It turned what could have potentially been familiar and forgettable plots into such exciting experiences -- episodes that you can happily rewatch over and over again.

The show was a total blast and you could really tell if it was a passion project for everyone involved. If you're going to tell a story people already know so well, you need to go all-out or not bother at all. The team behind this one really did bring their everything and it shows. It's funny, charming, full of entertaining action, and puts amusing spins on familiar stories. Even if you weren't that fond of the animation and character designs, odds are the strong writing, pacing, and action more than made up for that.

Many of us have such fond memories of Spider-Man TAS, but Spectacular Spider-Man did such a brilliant job handling the famous character's origin, lovable world and popular rogues gallery. They're elements we already know so well, yet the show still managed to keep things exhilarating and absorbing. Many consider it to be the best Spider-Man series yet and understandably so.

Green Lantern: The Animated Series

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What began as a lighthearted, sci-fi adventure quickly transformed into something truly special. Watching Hal Jordan and Kilowog go on various missions across the cosmos and eventually battle Atrocitus was a good time, but what really made this show unique was the exceptional handling of the characters and emotion. As this series raced towards its conclusion, there was so much heart and the stakes continued to grow. It delivered all of the laughs and excitement you'd expect from spending time with Hal and it really embraced his story, but what the show did with Razer and Aya was absolutely gripping. Their arc really tugs at your heartstrings while also producing some staggering and epic developments.

Many were disappointed the Green Lantern movie wasn't exactly great (apologies to the handful who really enjoyed it?), but instead of focusing that negative energy towards that totally forgettable movie, you should embrace this show and enjoy its fantastic ride. It celebrates the Green Lantern mythos with a ton of laughs, spectacle, and heart. Even if you've already watched all of it, going back to the very beginning will really help you appreciate the handling of the story even more.

Wolverine and the X-Men

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When many of us think about X-Men shows, the '90s theme song immediately begins to play in our heads and nostalgia takes over. That show lasted for quite some time and many of us have such happy memories of it. However, for many other fans, it's Wolverine and the X-Men that comes to mind when the topic of animated X-Men shows is brought up. The series had a grand total of 26 episodes yet still managed to leave an impression. Besides, it has Steve Blum as Wolverine! That alone should get your attention.

Wolverine and the X-Men wasn't given a lot of time to leave a mark, yet it still covered a ton of ground and did it very well. This is yet another show on the list that did a superb job appealing to both new and old viewers as it sprinkled in so many parts of the franchise's lengthy history. Sentinels, the Hellfire Club, Phoenix, Brotherhood of Evil Mutants; it's all here and handled in a clever and consistently enjoyable way. We even had an Age of Apocalypse teaser! Wolverine may not be allowed to sink those adamantium claws into most of his targets, but that didn't stop the action from delivering. Moments like Cyclops taking on Multiple Man or Logan battling Gambit were a delight and very memorable.

This is yet another show that had so much potential yet was taken away from us far too soon. What makes this even more disappointing is the fact the show had plans for so many other X-Men in Season 2. Oh well, maybe there's an alternate universe where these shows are still airing?

Do you also miss these comic book shows? Is there another one you'd want to add to the list?