TheDC Universehas spawned so many of the best and most impactful animated series in superhero history, with new series likeCreature Commandosbecoming important pieces in the larger universe. Still,many of the best DC animated shows are in the past, and these ten still hold up especially well on rewatch. With so manyanimated DC moviesand shows, there is clearly great importance within the DC brand to have high-quality animated projects in addition to their live-action ones, and has been the case for years.
Thebest DC animated universe showshave done a great job in paying tribute to their source material while crafting something new and interesting out of it.Many of these shows have gone on to introduce new generations of audiences to these familiar characters.Just asMarvel’s animated shows shared a continuity, so many DC programs worked hard to build a larger canon within their stories. This saw one of the earliest and most interesting iterations of the DC Universe ever put on screen, putting together a handful of the below shows.
10Legion of Super Heroes
Ran From 2006-2008, 26 Episodes
One of the less remembered DC animated shows of the past few decades isLegion of Super Heroes, which saw a version of Clark Kent being brought to the future to help resist oppression.A team of heroes from the future comes back in time to collect Superman in the first episode, as he is the champion of this eraand the strongest support that they can get. These include heroes like Brainiac 5 and Saturn Girl.
While not the strongest DC Universe series that has ever been made, there is much to enjoy in this show.The iteration of Superman is coming from an interesting place in his timeline, just before moving to Metropolis.The new heroes from the future are also compelling and original ideas of a future-set DC canon. For anyone who hasn’t yet seen this show, it is worth looking back on.
9Teen Titans
Ran From 2003-2006, 65 Episodes
Many grew up with this show, and still consider thebestTeen Titansepisodesto be among the best DC shows that have ever appeared on TV.Introducing some of the best iterations of these popular heroes, including Robin, Cyborg, Starfire, and more, the show blended humor and drama satisfyingly and effectively.While the later comedic spin-offTeen Titans Go!would last longer, most consider this to be the better of the two shows.
With heart, action, and great characters,Teen Titansholds up especially well to rewatches. While multiple iterations of these heroes have been explored, including in the live-actionTitansseries,none are nearly as strong as the ones that appeared on this animated show.It is worth revisitingTeen Titansand likely always will be.
8Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Ran From 2008-2011, 65 Episodes
As DC Studios works on making their ownThe Brave and the Boldmovie, this excellent series has already done a great job of creating a unique Batman iteration.Rather than dour and dark, this animated show was a lighter and more comedic take on the Batman mythos.This was pulled from campy influences, like the 1960s live-action television series, and created a unique iteration of the character.
Featuring a larger DC Universe, with all kinds of heroes popping in to support Batman in various episodes, this show was a truly unusual look at Batman.Releasing while the Christopher Nolan films were being made,The Brave and the Boldwas an excellent variation on Batman that made sense as a point of contrast for its time.As Batman has only grown darker in the films, this iteration remains even better primed for a rewatch.
7Justice League Unlimited
Ran From 2004-2006, 39 Episodes
The final iteration of DC’s animated universe that began withBatman: The Animated Series,Justice League: Unlimited’s best episodesexpanded the scope of its stories, telling bigger, more interconnected tales.With heroes including Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and more of the greater DC canon, the show set up the ideal superhero team.Seeing such familiar iterations working together was especially special.
While the influence ofBatman: The Animated Seriescontinues to be felt, with character versions still being seen in even the live-action films, this show was the last direct sequel to that show.With a whole world built around the familiar character, seeing that expand to bring in the larger DC world was special.With iterations of characters like Booster Gold and Mister Terrific, the show was an excellent entry point into the larger DC Universe in animation.
6The New Batman Adventures
Ran From 1997-1999, 24 Episodes
Even though to some they began to blur together, there are some enormousdifferences betweenThe New Batman AdventuresandBatman: The Animated Series.While the show was intended as a sequel, it did a great number of things differently, much of this as a way to scale up the universe.Running concurrently withSuperman: The Animated Series, the show brought in many more characters from DC canon, including Nightwing and Batgirl.
All of this helped to make the show feel like part of something larger. While some of the stories were not as strong as those of the original series, the show was helped by receiving a more consistent art style with a softer look. It also brought some of the best iterations yet seen of many of the larger Batman cast of characters to television.
5Super Friends
Ran From 1973-1985, 93 Episodes
The Hanna Barbera cartoonSuper Friendsis so different from virtually any other show on this list, and those differences help make it so much more rewarding to revisit today.With decidedly campier depictions of its heroes, the cartoon focused on humor and outsized stakes over realism.Still, it introduced an earlier generation to many of these heroes and remains influential to this day.
Lines between serious stories and humorous ones in superhero media are often hard to draw,and it is important to see both sides. This show and its universe, which was recentlykilled off in a DC movie, was a very important one to many viewers. It allowed certain audiences their first look at the Justice League members, including characters like Cyborg and Green Arrow, on television.
4Krypto the Superdog
Ran From 2005-2006, 39 Episodes
Krypto the Superdogmight be the only other DC show that would try to recreate the tone of the aforementionedSuper Friends.The show, about Superman’s dog, attempted to replicate the style of the original Hanna Barbera cartoons. It gave a polished and humorous look at the world of DC, in a way that would clearly go on to influence thecast ofDC League of Super-Pets.
With that movie, and with his appearance in the upcomingSuperman,Krypto has grown increasingly important to DC in the years following.Revisiting this earlier iteration of the character is rewarding to see how he has been depicted in the past. Whether cartoonish and full of agency, or depicted like a traditional dog, Krypto remains a good boy and is worth exploring in greater detail.
3Batman Beyond
Ran From 1999-2001, 52 Episodes
One of the most lauded and original superhero series on television,Batman Beyondsaw the introduction of Terry McGuinness to the larger DC Universe.Set in the future, with an older and retired Batman, the show saw Bruce Wayne taking Terry under his wing as a new iteration of The Dark Knight. Bruce provides Terry with futuristic gadgets and support to help him fight crime in a transformed, neofuturistic Gotham City.
The show was wildly influential, and acancelledBatman Beyondmovienearly happened.Batman’s animated series then actually influenced the comics, with Terry McGuinness later going on to become a more important character in the DC Universebeyond just this original series. There remains hope that, someday soon, a live-action version of the hero will finally appear in a big-budget film.
2Superman: The Animated Series
Ran From 1996-2000, 54 Episodes
An excellent and original show that saw one of the best iterations of Superman yet seen on television,Superman: The Animated Serieswas a perfect counterpoint to the Batman show of a similar name.Where Batman was dark,Supermanexplored big, colorful cityscapes, and brought hope to Metropolis. As arguably thebest animated Superman show, the program made a massive impact on audiences.
The show brought in some of the best depictions of all kinds of familiar Superman villains, including Metallo and Brainiac.It also expanded the world of the DC Universe, tying in with several Batman stories and eventually leading intoJustice League.As a way of making the DC animated universe bigger and more interconnected, while doing something very different, the show was an enormous success, and remains strong upon rewatches.
1Batman: The Animated Series
Ran From 1992-1995, 85 Episodes
Arguably the greatest animated show of all time, and certainly thebest animated Batman show,Batman: The Animated Seriesdefined the hero for a new generation.Combining the Gothic darkness of the Tim Burton films with a fresh and original take on the hero himself, the show brings surprising depth to a beautiful and rich world.Setting a tone and style for DC animation, the series remains influential to this day.
With such iconic castings that would carry over into other projects, like Mark Hamill’s Joker and Kevin Conroy’s Batman,the series was truly special and unique. It elevated entertainment for children, crafting a complex and dour iteration of the popular hero. Of all the programs in theDC Universe,Batman: The Animated Seriesis among the very best that the medium has to offer.
