Bruce Timm, the man behind a generation's concept of animated DC Comics characters, has stepped down from his role as supervising producer for Warner Bros. Animation's DC DVDs.

Update: A Warner Bros. rep has written to clarify that Timm has not left Warners entirely. He has stepped down from his role as a supervising producer for the DC Universe Animated DVDs. Original story follows.

Cartoonist Bruce Timm, who shepherded a majority of the DC animated universe titles over the past two decades, has stepped down as supervising producer at Warner Bros. Animation to develop his own projects. He's been replaced by James Tucker, a veteran of "Batman: The Animated Series," "Justice League" and, more recently, "Batman: The Brave and the Bold."

"Bruce had done a lot since 'Justice League Unlimited' ended, so it's been quite a haul," Tucker told the fan site Voices From Krypton. "I can't speak for him, but I think going out on 'Dark Knight Returns' was a special thing for him. If he was going to make the break, that seemed like a good time."

The 52-year-old Timm joined Warner Bros. in 1989 and worked on "Tiny Toon Adventures" before partnering with producer Eric Radmoski to create "Batman: The Animated Series," giving birth to the DC animated universe. Airing from 1992 to 1995, "Batman" gave way to "Superman: The Animated Series" and "Batman: The New Adventures," both of which Timm developed with Alan Burnett and Paul Dini. Timm also co-created "Batman Beyond," "Justice League" and "Justice League Unlimited," the final series in the DC animated universe. His most recent television work was as executive producer of the recently canceled "Green Lantern: The Animated Series."

Timm's reach also extended to Warner Bros. Animation's direct-to-video features, ranging from 2000's "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker" to 2008's "The New Frontier" to his final DC animated project "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns."